sample itineraries aka not re-inventing the wheel

[soos]

Last year, just before our trip to Newfoundland, we met a fellow traveler who had just spent 2 weeks there. Since we were goimg to be there for 3 weeks, he actually sent me his itinerary that he used, complete with what campground he stayed at.
I know many people are detailed planners but Its something that I struggle with, so my question is this: We will be in Alaska for about 3 months.
Does anyone have a spreadsheet/ itinerary that they would be willing to send me to help me get a basic plan together?
If so, maybe you could send me a PM?
I can guarantee you it will be appreciated!

I have read a lot of blogs which is great for some aspects, but not so great for route planning.

thanks,

[Veebyes]

Excellent post Sue. it is not like you have many roads to choose from in the North.

Basically you do it clockwise or anticlockwise with maybe a few side trips.

[sue_t]

Also, here's a REAL basic map of Yukon from my website.

On my site, it is clickable so you can click a route and be taken to a webpage of photos of that road. The webpage is http://yukonsights.ca/YukonMap.html

[sue_t]

Alaska is big but doesn't have too many routes to consider. Thus, most sightseers end up doing the same loop, just going clockwise or counter-clockwise.

We let Mother Nature determine our direction of travel, if it is sunny towards Valdez then we head there first from Tok. Valdez is not at its best in the rain, and being coastal it can be wet there a fair bit. It is beautiful in the sunshine though. So, if the sun is gracing that area with its presence, we turn left at Tok.

I've added links to my website in my first post to help you see the sights to determine if you wish to visit the areas.

We did try to visit the Kenai Peninsula in 2010 BUT it was busy, which isn't to our liking. So we drove in to Whittier (a neat little place with an interesting drive through a long tunnel), then south to Kenai Lake, but turned around and headed off the Kenai Peninsula because the area looked very similar to our then-home around south coastal B.C., and it was too hectic/busy for our liking. If you're not from a coastal area though, it would be a good spot to visit.

[soos]

Teacher's Pet wrote:
An excellent book that we used on our trip last year is Traveler's Guide to Alaska Camping by Mike and Terri Church. We followed parts of "The Grand Tour" described by them in our fulltiming blog.

We do have the Church's book and Milepost and just ordered the Toursaver book.
We haven't had any time to look at them yet but we will soon.
I just looked at the map of Alaska yesterday and felt overwhelmed, which is why I put this question out there.


Sue, I agree, that is awesome information and I will also print it out so I can plot it on the map. Thanks for taking the time to type it all!
We also don't care much about campgrounds, and we bought a truck camper for this trip partly because it will be easier to boondock. It should be ready to go in about a week, then we'll put our 5er in storage for 5 months. Yikes!

thanks everyone!

[Teacher_s_Pet]

An excellent book that we used on our trip last year is Traveler's Guide to Alaska Camping by Mike and Terri Church. We followed parts of "The Grand Tour" described by them in our fulltiming blog. The blog even includes our stop to boondock at Sue T.'s

[NCWriter]

Now that's a helpful post, sue.t.

Thanks from all of us who might make the trip sometime.., worth copying and saving. 'How To' in a nutshell...great to have a way to get a handle on such a big place.

[sue_t]

Basic Plan...

Go north on the Alaska Highway.

Decide at Whitehorse whether you want to go to Dawson City or continue north on the Alaska Hwy. If the weather around Dawson City is nice, you might want to go that way on your way to Alaska.

Carry on either way until you reach Tok, Alaska.
At Tok decide whether you want to go clockwise or counter-clockwise through Alaska. This could be weather-dependent. The tourist info center might also provide some valuable input.

After having done your Alaska tour, and when you're back at Tok, take the route to Whitehorse that you didn't take on the way up. Again, check the weather - Taylor and Top of the World Highway aren't pleasant when it has been wet for a lengthy period.

At Watson Lake, turn south at the Cassiar Highway. Make a visit to Stewart and Hyder. Once on Highway 16 head east to Prince George, then find your way home through B.C. or Alberta.

SOME SIDE TRIPS

In Whitehorse, you may want to take a side trip to Skagway, Alaska. http://yukonsights.ca/SKlondikeHwy.html
From Haines Junction, consider a trip to Haines, Alaska. http://yukonsights.ca/HainesRoad.html
You can take a ferry between Skagway and Haines if you wish.

In Alaska, consider diverting from the loop to visit:
- Seward and Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.
- Whittier http://yukonsights.ca/Alaska_Whittier.html
- Valdez http://yukonsights.ca/20100825_Valdez.html
You'll need to drive out of each of these spots on the same road on which you drive in.

If you're adventurous, you may also want to try some gravel travel on the:
- McCarthy Road (on the way to or from Valdez) http://yukonsights.ca/20100827_McCarthyRd.html
- Nabesna Road (on the Tok Cut-off) http://yukonsights.ca/20100823_NabesnaRd.html
- Denali Highway (between Denali and Paxson) http://yukonsights.ca/Alaska_DenaliHwy.html
- Dalton Highway (north of Fairbanks)
- Hatcher Pass (north of Anchorage)

Of course, most folks like to visit Denali National Park for a few days. The bus tours take you into the park to see THE mountain.

See more of my Alaska images at http://yukonsights.ca/Alaska.html

Reservations generally not needed, unless there's a long weekend or special event underway. There's usually not too many RV Parks from which to choose either. So read the guidebooks and pick the one that suits your needs.

We prefer drycamping at the government campgrounds or boondocking in the bush so I can't offer any advice on best RV parks.

[soos]

Ka Ron wrote:
One of the great joys of RV travel is just to wing it.
Go with the flow and not have an itinerary at all.
At least that is why we RV. No schedule, no time line, just relaxation and fun.

we usually agree, and as fulltimers we rarely make reservations but this is a big trip and we'd like to make sure we hit all the highlights 🙂

[Ka_Ron]

One of the great joys of RV travel is just to wing it.
Go with the flow and not have an itinerary at all.
At least that is why we RV. No schedule, no time line, just relaxation and fun.