Unique vacation ideas in Alaska?

[endorice]

I have a 30-year anniversary (!) coming up this year. Never made it to Alaska, so I’d like to put together a good vacation up there for my wife.

Time of year would likely be August. I’d really like to do things around the natural beauty of the state and avoid typical tourist cattle operations (cruises, etc.). For example, trips on bush planes seeing remote country. Perhaps a drop to a remote lodge. Seeing the norther lights is on my bucket list, but I believe that’s normally a late season/winter event. And length of the vacation would probably be 7-10 days (TBD).

I’m just getting started planning this, but I’m willing to be there are enough people on this forum that have experience in Alaska that might have some good/unique ideas.

Thanks!

 

[Ray]

After about August 10th, you can see hints of the aurora from midnight until around 3am to as late as 4am. It is best to be north of the 63rd parallel (Tok, Cantwell) and have a clear night sky well away from any town generating light polution. It won't be completely dark but you can see the green haze looking north.

Rent an RV and drive across the Denali highway. Caribou season starts on 8/5 for one class of hunter, and 8/10 for another and then moose on 9/1. A whole 'nother type of experience for AK road hunting.

There are many flight services out of Lake Hood in Anchorage that offer flight seeing or remote lodge drops for bear viewing or fishing. The other option is to head to Talkeetna and take a flight seeing trip around Denali.

One of these days I will make the trip out to Brooks Camp from King Salmon. Fishing and huge bears.

There are several remote lodges in the Iliamna Lake area or further out in Bristol Bay drainages. Most are fishing lodges, but many have non-fishing packages as well.

 

[colonel00]

My simple suggest would be to rent a car and just drive the road system loop from Anchorage over to Valdez, up to Fairbanks and then back down. Plenty to see and do and you have control over when you want to stay longer and when you want to bail out to find better weather . Add into this, you could take the ferry from Whittier to Valdez to get a glimpse of Prince William Sound. I believe most of August some sort of salmon is in Valdez from the pinks to the silvers. Also a good chance to see a bear at Allison Point in Valdez as they munch on the pinks. Heading up to Fairbanks is a cool drive and Fairbanks iteself is , well, Fairbanks but it's still worth visiting once. Some interesting things to do around that area. Then head back down and spend a night near Denali. You can do a bus tour but I'd wait to make sure you had decent weather before booking.

I'd shoot for later in August if you can. Lots of opportunities to fish for salmon then if you want. Especially if you want to get away from the chaos on the Kenai. Pretty decent chance to see the Aurora later in the month too.

 

[Tod osier]

Take her fishing, my gal loves that. Since it is an anniversary, clean her fish for her.

Ray’s advice is always spot on, read it twice!

 

[Ray]

And if you want to see a bunch of old historical crap, nothing like a trip to McCarthy (Kennicott mine). Serious end of the road stuff and an almost forgotten about national park to boot. The lodge/hotel there is decent place to stay. Also has some flight seeing around Mt St Elias. The majority of the road has been chip sealed I'm told so the traffic volume is up, but its a place that you have to have a reason to go there. Its been over 20 years for me and I am thinking about going back.

 

[endorice]

Guys - really good ideas; thanks. I hadn't even thought of the RV angle, that's certainly a great idea.

 

[pacific-23]

True north RV in Fairbanks will rent you a new model F series with a nice cab over and they are the only outfit I found that will let you drive off pavement. in 2015 we took the boys and did the loop from Fairbanks down to Denali park, across the Denali highway and back up. we all loved it! taking the bus ride into the park with gear and snacks for a couple hour hike would be super fun. We really liked camping at tangle lakes on the Denali highway, and you have to get a burger and shoot the breeze at alpine creek lodge. we went the 15-23 of August and it was beautiful weather; just turning to fall but still nice. As a bonus, there are berries all over just getting ripe then too.

 

[colonel00]

True north RV in Fairbanks will rent you a new model F series with a nice cab over and they are the only outfit I found that will let you drive off pavement. in 2015 we took the boys and did the loop from Fairbanks down to Denali park, across the Denali highway and back up. we all loved it! taking the bus ride into the park with gear and snacks for a couple hour hike would be super fun. We really liked camping at tangle lakes on the Denali highway, and you have to get a burger and shoot the breeze at alpine creek lodge. we went the 15-23 of August and it was beautiful weather; just turning to fall but still nice. As a bonus, there are berries all over just getting ripe then too.

GoNorth? We've used them for trucks to go up the Haul Rd for caribou hunting. I've seen their toppers like you're describing and they are nice. They also have a location in Anchorage

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I'm not sure where you guys are getting end of august as a better time then early august for salmon fishing.

I've seen a few salmon..

Book a forest service cabin. Quite a few through prince William sound.

Flights aren't too expensive and you don't need much more then a carry on worth of stuff

There's a nice one up power creek in Cordova that's pretty awesome.

Sitak lake in yakutat as well.

The Kodiak wildlife refuge cabin out on uganik is good for early deer hunt and silvers.

My opinion after seeing as much of Alaska as possible in 8 years. Get off the road system. Period. However the end of the road places are good for day trips.

Do some charter fishing. Alaska's fishing is so freakin good. Do a day trip out of Seward... in august you'll mooch for silvers and then clean up on black bass and halibut. The scenery is sweet and you can ship the fish home. Nothing like watching humpback breach with a rod in hand.

Carl with aurora charters is a friend.

Pat Bookey out of Valdez on the misty isle is a good guy.

 

[VernAK]

The Japanese tourists consider it good fortune to conceive a child under the Aurora Borealis.

Just saying!

 

[AK Troutbum]

The Japanese tourists consider it good fortune to conceive a child under the Aurora Borealis.

Just saying!

I wonder what they would say about conceiving a child on the banks of the upper Kenai River? Not that I have any experience with this, just wondering.


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[Gatorgrizz27]

After about August 10th, you can see hints of the aurora from midnight until around 3am to as late as 4am. It is best to be north of the 63rd parallel (Tok, Cantwell) and have a clear night sky well away from any town generating light polution. It won't be completely dark but you can see the green haze looking north.

Rent an RV and drive across the Denali highway. Caribou season starts on 8/5 for one class of hunter, and 8/10 for another and then moose on 9/1. A whole 'nother type of experience for AK road hunting.

There are many flight services out of Lake Hood in Anchorage that offer flight seeing or remote lodge drops for bear viewing or fishing. The other option is to head to Talkeetna and take a flight seeing trip around Denali.

One of these days I will make the trip out to Brooks Camp from King Salmon. Fishing and huge bears.

There are several remote lodges in the Iliamna Lake area or further out in Bristol Bay drainages. Most are fishing lodges, but many have non-fishing packages as well.

Make sure your wife knows what she’s getting into if you decide to stay at a remote fishing lodge. Not exactly the same as a fishing lodge in Aspen, there is a reason most of them don’t have photos of the accommodations on their websites.

King Salmon and Egegik would not be my wife’s idea of a “romantic getaway.” I’ve heard Iliamna is beautiful though I never made it up to the lake, and you’re right about the huge bears. I have photos of some that are larger than a full grown Angus bull.

 

[colonel00]

I wonder what they would say about conceiving a child on the banks of the upper Kenai River? Not that I have any experience with this, just wondering.


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Definitely gives a new perspective to a "spawning area". On the bright side, at least you...er, your friend or hypothetical example managed to not keel over dead after the spawn.

 

[Target rush]

What a great idea, no matter where you go in Alaska you can say you did it. Have several friends that have done an Alaska trip. One thing that all have made a comment on was the clean air. Enjoy your trip and your wife even more.

 

[pacific-23]

GoNorth? We've used them for trucks to go up the Haul Rd for caribou hunting. I've seen their toppers like you're describing and they are nice. They also have a location in Anchorage

HaHa yep, GoNorth is the one. very nice people.

 

[endorice]

Guys - I really appreciate all the posts! Thanks!