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| BEAUTIFUL! (Gustavus) |
A lot of tough girls and guys out there are inspired by the Alaska trip and asking for specs. It’s a big state and truly the last frontier, literally untouched. It took some sorting for us to pick our trip. We are not cruise people, hence the itinerary. We used Andrew from Adventuresmith to iron out the details. This is the same outfit that planned our Belize vacation. The info below will help you get started on your adventure.
Why Alaska?
Alaska was always on our list of places to visit. We didn’t want a big expensive trip to Hawaii or overseas. Instead, we got a big expensive trip to Alaska. It costs just as much to fly to Alaska as Hawaii, but cheaper than Europe in the summer.
We thought we could just shoot up the coast, like we were going to Seattle. Flying to Alaska is like flying to New York City. It’s way the heck up there and HUGE, one-third the size of the mainland US. You will have to fly to Seattle first and then on to your Alaskan destination. It took about 5.5 hours to get to Juneau and it’s longer to get to Anchorage.
Alaska has it’s own time zone. It’s an hour behind Pacific Standard Time. Don’t be fooled by your airline ticket thinking it’s only an hour and half from Seattle to Juneau. My seatmate informed me in flight, embarrassing.
Why Juneau?
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| Bay in Juneau via Hotel window |
We only had a week to see Alaska. Two days are taken with travel. To get the biggest bang for the buck, South East Alaska was our best option, with little to no travel time upon arrival. It’s the plum of the state we learned from the locals.
Juneau: Day 1-2.
Goldbelt Hotel. This hotel has a shuttle service and is about twenty minutes from the airport. It’s on the edge of downtown Juneau with great views and easy access to scenic hiking. Pillows at the Goldbelt are thin. Fleece jackets are a nice supplement. It’s very clean, just very tired. Ritz Carlton has not found Alaska yet. Know going in, the hotels are old and basic, appealing to hunters and fisherman.
We arrived at our hotel around 4:00 pm. We dumped our gear to check out Juneau and tackle dinner.
It’s a cruise ship destination so you will see floating hotels and lots of people in town. Most of the stores are owned by cruise ship companies; so choose your trinkets carefully. Locally owned stores display a sign, probably cardboard with black marker.
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| Wise-guy hiker. |
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| Oldest church in Alaska |
Day 2. Hike. Behind Juneau is an excellent hiking trail. We checked out the Orthodox Church, St. Nicholas and kept going past to find the trails. Signs direct you to the church. More signs direct you to hiking. We hiked to the falls on the Perseverance Trail. 1.5 hours.
*Noon. North Star Glacier Trekking. A helicopter company picked us up from the hotel, by van, and took us to the airport. This outfit had everything from pants, fleece and gloves. Bring your own beanie and sunglasses. They dress you up and load you into a helicopter to seat seven.
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| Our Helicopter departing. |
The helicopter flies over the hills and valleys near Mendenhall Glacier and finally lands on the glacier itself. A guide helps you into cramp-ons and walks you around the ice field for about two hours. Back to Juneau by 5:30.
This was by far and away our favorite part of the trip. We felt like we lived National Geographic, experiencing the North Pole. A cruise would not allow enough time to trek the glacier, only view it.
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| Gustavus Airport |
Day 3. Air Excursions. Prop-plane to Gustavas in Glacier Bay.
We took a 10:30 AM flight to Gustavus in Glacier Bay. The prop-plane held about seven passengers. A flight takes twenty-five minutes and a ferryboat is four hours.
*Bear Track Inn: The lodge picked us up from the tiny airport of Gustavus. This place rocks amenities. Beds are fluffy. Pillows are fluffy. Common Great Room is filled with puffy couches. Views are spectacular.
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| Heaven. |
This is home base where all your food is provided and a trip manager is briefing you daily on your next day’s adventure, travel times etc. At the end of the day, as you sip wine and nosh on appetizers by the fire, the help finds you for your briefing.
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| Hike to Icy Straits. |
*We had the afternoon to hike and rest up. The lodge provides rubber boots for walking to the beach, the Icy Straits. Even then, you may plunge your foot into a deep hole and drench your feet. We brought our own rain pants and jackets, a must! Hike is about 45 minutes each way. Another favorite in my book, I wish we did more.
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| Marjerie Glacier. |
Day 4. Glacier Bay Cruise. This is an all-day affair where you will see and learn a lot. Glacier Bay is a national park so a Park Ranger talks you through the trip. You will see huge glaciers like you imagine in Alaska. The water is thick and spotted with huge chunks of ice. I kept thinking of the Titatnic. We saw bear, eagles, puffins, seagulls, seal, and whale.
Dress warmly! I could not put on enough layers. A puffy jacket is not overkill.
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| First Catch. |
Day 5. Halibut Fishing. Another all-day trip where you cannot wear enough clothing. We saw lots of whale as close as 20 yards away. We caught a fish within the first hour and then pretty much nothing until the last 10 minutes. It’s a must and very Alaskan. It’s a long boring day and probably our least favorite. But, we brought home 35 lbs. of halibut. A fish packing company takes care of all of the details to fillet, package, freeze and box your fish for the airplane.
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| Kayak Training |
*Day 6. Kayaking with the Whales. This is another all-day trip. A boat drops you at an island where you get trained on Kayaking. It’s not that hard, just a bit of work. You will see the whale in the distance, rare to see up close so no worries about being swallowed up by a humpback. It’s a beautiful way to see Alaska. Kayaking company will provide thick rain gear. The pants are good but jacket is too much. Wear a light rain jacket with your fleece underneath. Another trip favorite.
Day 6. Evening in Juneau. Our adventure ended. We did not want to leave Gustavus.
Day 7. Back home. 8 AM flight. Only two flights available: 6 AM or 8 AM.
Juneau Restaurants
Food is not that great in Alaska. Veggies are difficult to find. Nothing opens early, like before 9 AM.
Silverbow Bagels: Excellent bagels and PLENTY of cream cheese. Try the hippy dippy bagel, wheat with flaxseed. Avoid egg sandwiches, scary color. Service is spotty and grumpy. Don’t do the coffee here.
Coffee: Heritage Cafe. Coffee good. Didn’t eat here.
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| Feeds Four. |
*Tracy’s Crab Shack is the number one restaurant in Juneau according to TripAdvisor. It was by far and away THE BEST of ANY restaurant. It was so good, we ate here twice! Crab is not cheap as fishing limits are placed on crab. Bisque is a must. Service is outstanding and help is super friendly. It really is a shack with tented dining and heat lamps.
Crepe Escape: Savory or sweet, we had dessert and a lunch from this place. YUM!
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| The View. |
Twisted Fish. The best you are going to find for a “nice” restaurant. It’s good, not great. Steaks and hamburgers available too. Boasts nice views of the Bay but the cruise ships block it. Reservations a must.
*Trip Favorites.
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Great post! Very useful in how you set it out – I've bookmarked it as we're flirting with the idea of an Alaska trip. Thanks for the taking the time to share. Have you thought about pitching it to the travel section of Diablo magazine or similar? A nice blend of facts and POV (point of view).
Thanks Alicia! Will do. As always, thanks for the great advice.