Alaska RV trip loop routes/planning resources
Planning a trip with our 3 boys who will be 17, 14, 8, to Alaska, Mid July 2020 for 3 weeks. We don't have time to drive there with our TT, so will fly, into Anchorage and hire a Motorhome. Prob spe...
Forum Discussion
FWIW,
I'd suggest a day or two in Seward, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards, so would suggest the following:
1st day in Los Anchorage arranging the RV (This will be a bit of a challenge: not sure how often the shuttle runs or if it's feasible to get the RV the same day your cruise ship arrives.) You might double check with the cruise line. Most of them that come into Seward provide or at least offer transport to Anchorage
Night 1: Los Anchorage
Night 2 -3: Cooper Landing (Personal opinion is unless one is fishing, there are better places to visit; and this is backtracking from getting the RV in Anchorage, FWIW)
Night 4: Willow ? Talkeetna? (It would not be a relaxing drive to go from Cooper Landing to Denali / McKinley in one day...but can be done if needed)
Night 5: Denali
Night 6 Fairbanks
Night 7 Valdez
Night 8 Anchorage
^^^ Of course you won't stay just one night in Denali, but the reason for listing the above is that if you're planning "2 weeks" in the RV, that's 14 days/nights..not very long to do the Seward-Anchorage-Cooper Landing- Denali-Fairbanks-Valdez-Anchorage route.
I'd suggest skipping Cooper Landing, taking the 1 day / 1 night (possibly 2 days 1 night) it will take to get the RV and get headed out of Anchorage, spend several days in Denali; take the Denali-Fairbanks-Valdez drive for the scenery (possibly spending 2 days 1 night in Fairbanks), then return to Anchorage.
The Museum of the North and Chena Hot Springs are cool to see in the Fairbanks area, maybe take a riverboat cruise.
...but I'd suggest with two weeks to make Denali the focus of your trip while allowing some decent time to drive the remainder of the road system and see the scenery. Use the next trip either for a different part of the state or for activities in Fairbanks-Valdez - Kenai Peninsula.
I'd suggest a day or two in Seward, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards, so would suggest the following:
1st day in Los Anchorage arranging the RV (This will be a bit of a challenge: not sure how often the shuttle runs or if it's feasible to get the RV the same day your cruise ship arrives.) You might double check with the cruise line. Most of them that come into Seward provide or at least offer transport to Anchorage
Night 1: Los Anchorage
Night 2 -3: Cooper Landing (Personal opinion is unless one is fishing, there are better places to visit; and this is backtracking from getting the RV in Anchorage, FWIW)
Night 4: Willow ? Talkeetna? (It would not be a relaxing drive to go from Cooper Landing to Denali / McKinley in one day...but can be done if needed)
Night 5: Denali
Night 6 Fairbanks
Night 7 Valdez
Night 8 Anchorage
^^^ Of course you won't stay just one night in Denali, but the reason for listing the above is that if you're planning "2 weeks" in the RV, that's 14 days/nights..not very long to do the Seward-Anchorage-Cooper Landing- Denali-Fairbanks-Valdez-Anchorage route.
I'd suggest skipping Cooper Landing, taking the 1 day / 1 night (possibly 2 days 1 night) it will take to get the RV and get headed out of Anchorage, spend several days in Denali; take the Denali-Fairbanks-Valdez drive for the scenery (possibly spending 2 days 1 night in Fairbanks), then return to Anchorage.
The Museum of the North and Chena Hot Springs are cool to see in the Fairbanks area, maybe take a riverboat cruise.
...but I'd suggest with two weeks to make Denali the focus of your trip while allowing some decent time to drive the remainder of the road system and see the scenery. Use the next trip either for a different part of the state or for activities in Fairbanks-Valdez - Kenai Peninsula.
