Our Alaska 2013 blog. I agree that Tok is a decision point and that decision should include all of the Kenai for weather. Fairbanks is a arctic dessert and not nearly as spectacular as the Kenai peninsula and SE Alaska.
We envy anyone taking the marine ferry with their rig. The Juneau Fjord Express out of Skagway/Haines was fabulous.
Can't say much about the Caribbean jewelery stores in Juneau and Skagway, same stores, people and products. It just does not fit Alaska. Moreover the cruise ships bus the cruisers to their lodges, etc, so good to avoid.
Below is the basics of a GS Caravan Tour which was shared by a fellow camper and could also be helpful for planning.
We envy anyone taking the marine ferry with their rig. The Juneau Fjord Express out of Skagway/Haines was fabulous.
Can't say much about the Caribbean jewelery stores in Juneau and Skagway, same stores, people and products. It just does not fit Alaska. Moreover the cruise ships bus the cruisers to their lodges, etc, so good to avoid.
Below is the basics of a GS Caravan Tour which was shared by a fellow camper and could also be helpful for planning.
Once a person puts some serious thoughts into "why" they want to go to northern Canada and Alaska, the trip routing becomes much easier. Of the very small group that report being disappointed with their trip, it seems most/all, never put much thought into the "why" go. For some, Alaska is just a place to make a U turn, to head back home so they can say they have been to Alaska. Others have dreamed for years, of seeing the mountains, lakes, rivers, going fishing, taking wildlife photos, etc. so they plan their trips around what they want to see and do. Doing your trip just like someone else did their's, probably isn't going to work for many first timers.
Since I grew up in southern Oklahoma on a ranch, where dry summers are a real concern to raising livestock, seeing all the water in the north country was a big event for me and still is. I have always enjoyed hunting and fishing, but for fair warning, after fishing and hunting in Alaska for 25+ years, it is hard to get too excited, about doing it here in the lower 48, in most places.
Also think about the trip up and back, have you and your travel companions, made the same trips in the lower 48, or the southern parts of Canada in the past? If so a person may want to get on north to spend more time in the north country. If a person has never been to the northern tier of states or Canada, then plan to spend more time getting to the north country. Much of the scenery in western Canada, is every bit as spectacular as in Alaska, iMHO.
I am a big fan of the gold rush history of the north and spend much of my time, in those areas of the state. Combat fishing is really not my favorite, but I do enjoy the social aspects of it, so I tend to avoid fishing much on the Kenai because of the crowds. Too many other good places in Alaska to fish, without the crowds of people. If a person can figure out what they want to see and do, in the north country, it is probably available if one looks around for it. Consider some side trips, flying to them, boat trips, anything to get off the limited highway system in Alaska. I have read that if a person only drives on the paved roads of Alaska, they can see approximately 5% of the state, add in all the gravel roads and it pushes the area up to about 10% of the state. To see more of the state, and there is a lot more of it, you have to use some different forms of transportation other than your RV. Maybe not on your first trip north, but most people that haven't waited to late in life to make their first trip, will often make multiple trips to the North before they park their rigs, due to age, health, etc. Often times it takes the first trip just to figure out what you really want to see and do on your return trips. It can be addictive, to many of us RVers.
