Alaska Family Adventure
Tour
153CTA
 With
an amazing array of scenic mountain ranges, massive
glaciers and great activities, this family vacation
experience covers Alaska's scenic byways by car and
ferry. With your own rental vehicle and two nights
in most towns, there is plenty of rest
and family
time built into this itinerary. Travel through the fertile Matanuska
Valley and continue though mountain passes to the
oil tanker port of Valdez. Then journey across
Prince William Sound aboard the Alaska ferry to Seward, known as the
gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward is home to the fascinating Alaska
SeaLife
Center and one of Alaska's leading
Iditarod dog mushing families. Experience the
thrill of riding behind an Iditarod dog team, with a
2-mile ride on a specially designed wheeled dog
sled.
Your next adventure takes you rafting on the world
famous Kenai River, and then on to the "end of the
road" in Homer. Your tour continues with two nights
at the luxurious Alyeska Resort and a cruise on
Portage Lake to view Portage Glacier. Afterwards,
drive the scenic route to Denali National Park,
where you will have a wildlife tour in the park.
Your adventures concludes in Fairbanks, the Golden
Heart of Alaska, where you can experience the
Interior of Alaska. Get on board the Riverboat Discovery
cruise and learn the Alaska Native, trapper, and gold
mining histories of the area while riding the only
authentic sternwheeler riverboat operating in
Alaska!
Pick up a rental car upon
arrival at the airport (please advise flight arrival
time at time of booking). Enjoy the remainder
of your day at your leisure. Within walking
distance of your hotel is the Anchorage Museum of
History and Art, and many other downtown attractions
and photo opportunities, as
well as many restaurants.
Overnight in Anchorage.
Enjoy a full day today to get acclimated to Alaska and to experience the many
activities in Anchorage and its surroundings. Nestled between the
Chugach Mountains
and
Cook Inlet,
Anchorage
is
Alaska’s
largest city. The city began as a tent community in 1915, during
the construction of the Alaska Railroad which
connected the ice-free
port
of
Seward
to
Alaska’s
Interior. Today, tour the city visiting sights including the
historic downtown area, the Ship Creek fish ladder,
Lake
Hood
sea planes, the Alaska Zoo, and the
Alaska
Native
Heritage
Center.
The day is free for you to explore or select
one of many optional excursions available from
Anchorage, such as
Bear Viewing or Flight Seeing
Tours (not
included). Overnight in Anchorage.
Day
3: Anchorage to Sheep Mountain
/ 114 miles
Plan 2.5 hours drive time, not including stops.
Enjoy a scenic drive along the Glenn Highway,
northward from Anchorage. This is one of the
oldest and most scenic highways in Alaska. Just
outside of the agricultural center of Palmer,
suggested stops include the Musk Ox Farm and
the historic gold mine at
Hatcher Pass.
This route
follows the Matanuska River up to its beginning at
the Matanuska Glacier. Along the way, there are
opportunities for guided glacier hikes and river rafting. Your
final stop is Sheep Mountain Lodge, which is nestled at the
base of the Talkeetna Mountains. Dall sheep
are frequently seen in this area. Overnight
at Sheep Mountain Lodge.
(If you booked the upgraded program,
you will overnight at the Copper River Princess
Lodge near Copper Center if available.)
Day 4: Sheep Mountain to Valdez
/ 139 miles
Plan 4 hours drive time, not including stops.
Take some time today to explore and visit the
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park headquarters and
ranger station, then continue into the Chugach
Mountains and through scenic Thompson Pass.
There are several places
to stop and enjoy the amazing landscapes, including
Worthington Glacier and Bridal Veil Falls. The
afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy a
kayaking trip or glacier
cruise (not included). Overnight
in Valdez.
Day
5: Valdez to Seward
/ Ferry from Valdez to Whittier (3 or 6 hrs). Drive
Whittier to Seward (85 miles; plan 2 hours drive
time, not including tunnel waiting
period or stops.)
Drive your car aboard the Alaska
Marine Highway ferry from Valdez to Whittier.
As you depart Valdez you will sail past the huge oil
tankers which transport Alaskan oil to the "Lower
48." Enjoy
the scenery at a relaxing pace as you cruise though
Prince William Sound, where playful sea otters and
lazy sea lions abound - don't forget your
binoculars! On arrival in the port of Whittier,
drive off of the ferry and into a mountain tunnel
which takes you to Portage Glacier Valley. From
here, it is a beautiful drive to Seward. Along the
way, you can stop at Portage Lake or Exit
Glacier. Overnight in Seward.
 Day
6: A Day with Alaskan Sea Life and Iditarod
Sled Dogs
Seward is known as the gateway
to Kenai Fjords National Park, and it is one of
Alaska's most historic towns. Visit the
state-of-the-art marine
science facility at the Alaska SeaLife Center and
also experience an Alaska husky dog sled team at the
kennel of the Seavey family. You
get an up-close look at the lifestyle of one of
Alaska's most competitive Iditarod Sled Dog Race
families, and then you get to be pulled by sled dogs
on a wilderness trail! You also have
the option to take a
Cruise into Kenai Fjords
National Park (not included). We also suggest a visit to the Exit Glacier, a
massive ice sheet flowing out of the Harding Ice
Field. There you can literally walk to the
face of the glacier along an interpretive trail
illustrating the historical path that the glacier
has followed as it has receded over the last 100
years. Overnight in Seward.
Day
7: Seward to Homer
/ 180 miles
Plan 4 hours drive time,
not including stops.
Traveling between mountains and along the turquoise blue lakes and rivers
makes today a great day
of touring. A 2-hour scenic float trip on the Upper Kenai
River is included. This is the world famous
salmon river where Alaskan salmon run in huge numbers
to their final spawning grounds. The day also
presents an opportunity for an
optional guided
fishing charter
(not included), instead of river rafting. The
final destination is Homer,
positioned at the tip of Kachemak Bay. This
is as far west as you can
drive on the North
American continent. You may wish to
participate in optional activities such as
Halibut Fishing or Sea
Kayaking
(not included). Overnight in Homer.
Day 8: Homer on Kachemak Bay
Today cruise across Kachemak Bay aboard a
comfortable water taxi to Gull Island and to
the picturesque wilderness beach of Otter Cove. Enjoy a nice lunch in the hand-crafted lodge and
some time to relax before returning to Homer later
in the afternoon. Overnight in Homer.
Day
9: Homer to Girdwood / 184
miles
Plan 4 hours drive time, not including stops.
The drive back toward
Anchorage is
along Cook Inlet to the resort
village
of
Girdwood.
Girdwood is the home of
the only 5-star resort in
Alaska, the Alyeska Prince Hotel. Upon arrival at the property, there is plenty
of time
to relax and enjoy the rest of your day at
leisure. Relax
and enjoy the remainder of your day pampering
yourself in the spa, swimming pool or perhaps taking
a leisurely stroll on one of the nature trails
extending from the hotel. In the evening, take an optional tram
ride 2,300 feet up the side of
Mt.
Alyeska
for a panoramic view of the valley and Turnagain
Arm. There are also many hiking trails and quaint shops
to explore in the area or relax
and enjoy the remainder of your day pampering
yourself in the spa, swimming pool. Overnight
at the Hotel Alyeska.
Day 10: Girdwood / Alyeska Resort
Today features Alaska's glaciers and the
natural history of the area. The
Portage visitor center offers a 20-minute,
award-winning film “Voices
From the Ice.”
Portage Glacier has receded too far to be seen
from the visitor’s center, so we've included a
1-hour cruise aboard the MV
Ptarmigan. This is your opportunity to get a close-up view
of the glacier. After your
Portage
visit, we suggest
stops at the Alaska
Wildlife Conservation Center
and the Crow Creek Mine. This historic 1898 mining camp lends the feeling of
a long-forgotten era. Eight original buildings still stand and old
mining equipment and artifacts decorate the grounds. Your hosts will show you how to pan for gold,
and you get to keep all that you find. The
day is free to explore your beautiful surroundings. Overnight
at the Hotel Alyeska.
Day 11:
Girdwood to Denali National
Park / 279 miles
Plan 5.5 hours drive time, not including stops.
Spend the day touring by car to Denali
National Park. There are plenty of interesting stops en
route including the Iditarod Sled Dog Race
headquarters visitor center, as well as the small
town of Talkeetna, known as the gateway to Mt.
McKinley. Travel at your own pace and enjoy the
great scenery of Alaska's vast interior region. If
you arrive early enough in Denali you may wish to
take an optional tour such as
Whitewater Rafting or the Denali
Jeep Safari (not
included). Overnight at the Denali park
entrance.
Day
12: Denali National Park
Early this
morning you will depart on a bus tour into
Denali National Park. The
travel time into the park is 6-8 hours, which varies
due to the spotting of wildlife within the park.
Sightings can include
moose, bear, wolves, caribou, Dall sheep and many
small mammals. Your experienced driver will
provide narration into Denali's natural history and unique sub-arctic desert
terrain. A snack is included. Overnight at
the Denali park entrance.
Day 13: Denali to Fairbanks
/ 125 miles
Plan 2.5 hours driving time, not including
stops.
Time is
available for a hike or optional tours in the
Denali area (not
included) before departing to Fairbanks. Spend
the remainder of the day exploring this historic
gold mining town, also known as Alaska's "Gateway to
the Arctic." We suggest a visit to the University of
Alaska Museum of the
Arctic and the Musk Ox farm.
Just out of town are several options for
Gold Panning and Gold Mine
Tours (not
included). This
afternoon, take a ride aboard a classic sternwheeler
riverboat. On this 3.5 hour river cruise you
visit the old Chena village site, see an Indian fish
camp, Alaskan bush pilot demonstration and a
championship sled dog team. Overnight
in Fairbanks.
Day 14: Departure
Return the car to
the airport rental station this morning on your own.
Depart or start an additional program.
Routing Note:
This tour is designed as
a one way route starting in Anchorage and ending in
Fairbanks. This is done to maximize the time in each area visited. The tour works very
well with flights on Alaska Airlines and Northwest
Airlines, as these airlines serve both cities. We
can also arrange a flight from Fairbanks to
Anchorage for you. We are always happy to customize a
tour routing for your family too!
13 nights hotel accommodations.
14 day
midsize car rental from Anchorage to
Fairbanks
including one way fee and unlimited mileage.
Ferry passage for passengers and vehicle from Valdez
to Whittier. Admission
to the Alaska SeaLife Center and Seavey's Ididaride
Kennel including dog sled ride. 2-hour Kenai River float**, Kachemak Bay
Lunch Boat, Portage Lake Cruise, bus tour into Denali
National Park with snack and park fees and Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler tour in
Fairbanks. All taxes.
** minimum age for this river float trip is 5
years and child must weigh at least 35 pounds.
Any insurances for rental car, additional driver
fees, gas.
Meals, optional excursions, park/admission
fees other than mentioned, gratuities.
For additional car rental days
please click
here!
Tour operates May 17 - August 30, 2008.
May 17 - May 28 and
August 20 - August 30:
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday departures only.
May 31 - August 19: Daily departures except Fridays.
Based on 2008 ferry schedule but still subject to
change!
|
2008
Rates
Tour 153CTA based
on
standard
program
and
mid size car |
|
Season /
Room Type |
Single |
Double |
Triple |
Quad |
4 share car
2 rooms
|
|
May 17 - 31 |
$4749 |
$2658 |
$2048 |
$1839 |
$2409 |
|
June 1 - August 30 |
$5149 |
$2859 |
$2179 |
$1939 |
$2509 |
|
Child: $369
Valid for children
5 - 11 years sharing
1
room with 2 full paying adults
with existing bedding. Max. 2 children / 2
adults per room. |
|
2008
Rates
Tour 153CTA based on
upgraded program
and mid size car |
|
Season /
Room Type |
Single |
Double |
Triple |
Quad |
4 share car
2 rooms
|
|
May 17 - 31 |
$5409 |
$2987 |
$2278 |
$2039 |
$2738 |
|
June 1 - August 30 |
$5809 |
$3189 |
$2409 |
$2138 |
$2839 |
|
Child: $389
Valid for children
5 - 11 years sharing
1
room with 2 full paying adults
with existing bedding. Max. 2 children / 2
adults per room. |
|
Upgrade your rental car!!!
Surcharge per rental
vehicle |
Tour start date:
May 17 - 31 |
Tour
start date:
June 1 - August 30 |
|
Full size: $68 |
Full size: $66 |
|
SUV: $370 |
SUV: $806 |
|
Minivan: $370 |
Minivan: $806 |
|
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Driving
Tour Menu
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