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Seward, Alaska question....


rtread

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For those who have been  on the Vancouver to Seward cruise, we have booked for June of next year and I'm working on plans for what to do in Seward. Radiance gets in to Seward like 5:00 AM one day and we are staying one night and leaving on the train to Anchorage at 6:00 PM the next day, so we will have parts of two days for looking around. I have considered Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise, which looks like a half day, and the Alaska Sealife Center. Any comments, recommendations, opinions? Thanks!

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Interested to see what other responses you receive.   Next June, I am doing the trip in reverse order from you.  We are planning to stay 2 nights in Seward do the 6 hour Kenai Fjords cruise plus the Sealife Center.  There are a couple of other things I have heard about.  You can take a cab or shuttle to the Exit Glacier and hike that.  We are planning to do the easier hike but there is also a very challenging hike called the Harding Icefield Hike.  There also is a dog sled experience with a company called Seaveys.

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1 hour ago, MichelleB1234 said:

Interested to see what other responses you receive.   Next June, I am doing the trip in reverse order from you.  We are planning to stay 2 nights in Seward do the 6 hour Kenai Fjords cruise plus the Sealife Center.  There are a couple of other things I have heard about.  You can take a cab or shuttle to the Exit Glacier and hike that.  We are planning to do the easier hike but there is also a very challenging hike called the Harding Icefield Hike.  There also is a dog sled experience with a company called Seaveys.

After finding out more about Seward, I wish we had figured in more time there. Pictures I'm seeing of the area are breathtaking. The hiking you mentioned sounds great.... I'm afraid my disabilities prevent me from doing that these days. That brings up a very important point.....enjoy those things while you can, things change as you age and you have to give up much that you love. Just a fact of life.

 

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3 hours ago, MichelleB1234 said:

Interested to see what other responses you receive.   Next June, I am doing the trip in reverse order from you.  We are planning to stay 2 nights in Seward do the 6 hour Kenai Fjords cruise plus the Sealife Center.  There are a couple of other things I have heard about.  You can take a cab or shuttle to the Exit Glacier and hike that.  We are planning to do the easier hike but there is also a very challenging hike called the Harding Icefield Hike.  There also is a dog sled experience with a company called Seaveys.

Living in Alaska for about 38 years, I've been to Seward many times.  I've done this Harding Icefield Hike with my family, and it was strenuous, but excellent!  Did it on a Saturday in early August.  There was still a fair amount of snow on the ground at the top, but the views are spectacular.  Hiking boots are very strongly recommended.  Took us about 7 hours round trip.  The gain in elevation is about 3500' once you get to the top.  You can check out this link:  https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/harding_icefield_trail.htm

There is also a MUCH less strenuous hike that is only a couple of miles total, and takes you to the base of Exit glacier.  You are only gaining a few hundred feet in elevation on this one.  They also have a fairly flat shorter loop (with literally a paved trail) that takes you close to a good viewing location of the base of the glacier that is considered handicap accessible.  More information here: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier-area.htm  and also here:  https://www.alaska.org/detail/visit-exit-glacier

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7 hours ago, MarvinS said:

Living in Alaska for about 38 years, I've been to Seward many times.  I've done this Harding Icefield Hike with my family, and it was strenuous, but excellent!  Did it on a Saturday in early August.  There was still a fair amount of snow on the ground at the top, but the views are spectacular.  Hiking boots are very strongly recommended.  Took us about 7 hours round trip.  The gain in elevation is about 3500' once you get to the top.  You can check out this link:  https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/harding_icefield_trail.htm

There is also a MUCH less strenuous hike that is only a couple of miles total, and takes you to the base of Exit glacier.  You are only gaining a few hundred feet in elevation on this one.  They also have a fairly flat shorter loop (with literally a paved trail) that takes you close to a good viewing location of the base of the glacier that is considered handicap accessible.  More information here: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier-area.htm  and also here:  https://www.alaska.org/detail/visit-exit-glacier

Thanks Marvin!

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One more question..... we are planning ahead as to what kind of clothes we will need, both on the cruise ship and ashore in places like Seward and Anchorage. This will be early June and where we live it's shorts and tee shirts time but I'm seeing pictures of the Seward Fjords boat tours (obviously warmer months) where there is plenty of ice and snow around. So it's obviously cold, what would be appropriate outdoor dress for early June?

Figuring in airlines policies on luggage ?, being on a 7 day cruise, and plans before and after the cruise, we will really have to plan for this. Normally we overpack on a warm weather cruise, going to have to dress differently on this one.

Any and all suggestions appreciated!

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@rtread  I lived in Anchorage for @4 yrs.  I am originally from NJ.  Believe it or not it is short weather in June.  My best advice is to dress like an onion.  I.E. wear shorts and a tee shirt with a sweater or sweatshirt.  It will be chilly in the a.m.,  but by 3 or 4 in the afternoon you will feel comfortable without the sweater.   There is little humidity in Anchorage, so it feels a lot warmer than you think, even in the high 70s/low 80s.

As for the Fjords, you will feel the coolness of the glaciers.  If you get  chilly easy than this is when you want to wear long pants.  If you are comfortable in shorts in 70 degrees, than you will be okay.  Remember though, that the Fjords or any place with glaciers will not be like Anchorage or Denali because it will be damp, in other words it will feel like it is down to the bone. 

In June you will be coming close to the solstice,  basically 2 a.m. in AK will look like 7 p..m. in NJ.  I would suggest that if you are like me, and need darkness to sleep, you might want to bring a sleeping eye mask.  Most Alaskans have what is called black out curtains because the sun just dips down and pops right back up.  

We camped all over AK from May to Sept.  Our tried and true items we took for every trip were:

  1.  Anorak jacket with a hood, and removeable fleece lining, such as North Face.  Somedays it will be warmer, but "spitting"" aka almost a drizzle, so you want the outer shell, but not the fleece.  Some days it will be cool and sunny, so you want the fleece, but not the outer jacket.
  2.  A good pair of hiking boots if you are doing any excursions where it involves a trail.  They don't have to be expensive, you just need it to have a good sole to the shoe, and you want it to be more waterproof than a sneaker.  April is break up (you finally see your black top on the drive way).  May is rainy.  Thus,  early June can be sunny, but the ground still damp.
  3.  Good warm socks.  My husband flew fighters for the AF, and because he did winter survival in AK in Jan. this was droned into our heads.  If your feet are warm, you will feel much warmer.  Hence, the boots, not sneakers and good quality socks.  White cotton socks you wear to the gym were not a go!  

If you are extending your trip in Anchorage, here are my see/do:

  1.  Go to the Simon and Seaforts.  Make a reservation ahead of your trip.  It is pretty much booked solid.  It sits overlooking Cook Inlet with amazing views.  Order their crab dip. It is made with Dungeness crab and has sour dough bread to use for dipping.  Get their Prime Rib.  Best you will ever have. Beware it is pricey, but between the views, service and food you will not regret it..
  2.  Go to the Hilton for drinks.  They have a bar/restaurant on the top floor that overlooks Anchorage and Ft. Rich mountain.  I don't care for their restaurant as much as Simon & Seaforts.  We would always go to Simons, and than walk to the Hilton for after dinner drinks.  It is maybe a 10-15 min walk.
  3.  If they have an excursion to Mirror Lake, take it.  The lake is so still that it actually looks like it is a mirror.
  4.  Eagle River has a very easy white water rafting trip. I would not call it white water, but they do and if you have small ones it is a fun excursion.  Eagle River from downtown is maybe 25 mins.
  5.  Go to a local fish store.  They will ship to your home in dry ice king crab legs.  Unlike the ones you get in the lower 48, they don't have the salty taste to them.  They are naturally sweet, and more importantly they all will snap when you break the leg. 
  6.  Curling is a thing in AK.  Right up the road from the Hilton you can do this, maybe a 2 min car ride.  Kind of like saying I swam with the pigs in the Caribbean, how many of your friends can say I learned how to do an Olympic sport, such as, curling.  Might sound geeky, but it is actually a lot of fun. 

If Portage Glacier (Williwaw) in Anchorage is offered, it would be on the bottom of my excursion list. It is melting away fast.  We would camp there, but it really feels touristy, same with Alyeska.  

I see Ulu knives like the Russian nesting dolls and mini-totem poles.  Unless, you are really into them, don't buy one, they know that tourists are wanting these items, and you can find these things everywhere.  Heck, even at the airport the Ulu is 1 of their questions.  If jewelry is your thing, go to any small jewelry store.  I own a charm bracelet, I have a dog sled charm for my bracelet.  They also sell them as pins (to make an entire team) and pendants with a mushers basket.  

You will love this trip.  Hope this gives you some ideas.  

 

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40 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

@rtread  I lived in Anchorage for @4 yrs.  I am originally from NJ.  Believe it or not it is short weather in June.  My best advice is to dress like an onion.  I.E. wear shorts and a tee shirt with a sweater or sweatshirt.  It will be chilly in the a.m.,  but by 3 or 4 in the afternoon you will feel comfortable without the sweater.   There is little humidity in Anchorage, so it feels a lot warmer than you think, even in the high 70s/low 80s.

As for the Fjords, you will feel the coolness of the glaciers.  If you get  chilly easy than this is when you want to wear long pants.  If you are comfortable in shorts in 70 degrees, than you will be okay.  Remember though, that the Fjords or any place with glaciers will not be like Anchorage or Denali because it will be damp, in other words it will feel like it is down to the bone. 

In June you will be coming close to the solstice,  basically 2 a.m. in AK will look like 7 p..m. in NJ.  I would suggest that if you are like me, and need darkness to sleep, you might want to bring a sleeping eye mask.  Most Alaskans have what is called black out curtains because the sun just dips down and pops right back up.  

We camped all over AK from May to Sept.  Our tried and true items we took for every trip were:

  1.  Anorak jacket with a hood, and removeable fleece lining, such as North Face.  Somedays it will be warmer, but "spitting"" aka almost a drizzle, so you want the outer shell, but not the fleece.  Some days it will be cool and sunny, so you want the fleece, but not the outer jacket.
  2.  A good pair of hiking boots if you are doing any excursions where it involves a trail.  They don't have to be expensive, you just need it to have a good sole to the shoe, and you want it to be more waterproof than a sneaker.  April is break up (you finally see your black top on the drive way).  May is rainy.  Thus,  early June can be sunny, but the ground still damp.
  3.  Good warm socks.  My husband flew fighters for the AF, and because he did winter survival in AK in Jan. this was droned into our heads.  If your feet are warm, you will feel much warmer.  Hence, the boots, not sneakers and good quality socks.  White cotton socks you wear to the gym were not a go!  

If you are extending your trip in Anchorage, here are my see/do:

  1.  Go to the Simon and Seaforts.  Make a reservation ahead of your trip.  It is pretty much booked solid.  It sits overlooking Cook Inlet with amazing views.  Order their crab dip. It is made with Dungeness crab and has sour dough bread to use for dipping.  Get their Prime Rib.  Best you will ever have. Beware it is pricey, but between the views, service and food you will not regret it..
  2.  Go to the Hilton for drinks.  They have a bar/restaurant on the top floor that overlooks Anchorage and Ft. Rich mountain.  I don't care for their restaurant as much as Simon & Seaforts.  We would always go to Simons, and than walk to the Hilton for after dinner drinks.  It is maybe a 10-15 min walk.
  3.  If they have an excursion to Mirror Lake, take it.  The lake is so still that it actually looks like it is a mirror.
  4.  Eagle River has a very easy white water rafting trip. I would not call it white water, but they do and if you have small ones it is a fun excursion.  Eagle River from downtown is maybe 25 mins.
  5.  Go to a local fish store.  They will ship to your home in dry ice king crab legs.  Unlike the ones you get in the lower 48, they don't have the salty taste to them.  They are naturally sweet, and more importantly they all will snap when you break the leg. 
  6.  Curling is a thing in AK.  Right up the road from the Hilton you can do this, maybe a 2 min car ride.  Kind of like saying I swam with the pigs in the Caribbean, how many of your friends can say I learned how to do an Olympic sport, such as, curling.  Might sound geeky, but it is actually a lot of fun. 

If Portage Glacier (Williwaw) in Anchorage is offered, it would be on the bottom of my excursion list. It is melting away fast.  We would camp there, but it really feels touristy, same with Alyeska.  

I see Ulu knives like the Russian nesting dolls and mini-totem poles.  Unless, you are really into them, don't buy one, they know that tourists are wanting these items, and you can find these things everywhere.  Heck, even at the airport the Ulu is 1 of their questions.  If jewelry is your thing, go to any small jewelry store.  I own a charm bracelet, I have a dog sled charm for my bracelet.  They also sell them as pins (to make an entire team) and pendants with a mushers basket.  

You will love this trip.  Hope this gives you some ideas.  

 

 Curling is a thing in AK.  Right up the road from the Hilton you can do this, maybe a 2 min car ride.  Kind of like saying I swam with the pigs in the Caribbean, how many of your friends can say I learned how to do an Olympic sport, such as, curling.  Might sound geeky, but it is actually a lot of fun. 

Great information, Pima! This will be very helpful in buying clothes, deciding what to take, etc.

Thank your husband for his service. I'm a Vietnam vet, agent orange exposure and disability. That limits my activities these days but I like the guided tours, as does my wife.

Curling is a favorite of mine in the olympics! 

Thanks for the info!

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@rtread  

As a military wife, we would do monthly "coffees" and that was 1 of them every yr.  It has now become something I always watch for the Olympics because I understand it, since I did it.

If you are staying a night in Anchorage than I would suggest Captain Cook Hotel.  It is $$$$, but it is well worth it.  The Hilton is farther away from the downtown walking wise.  The Hilton is also a great hotel.  Loved both of these hotels. The Hilton is more modern than Captain Cook.  Service level is the same impo.

There is 1 more must see in Anchorage.  It is on the side of a building, I want to say 5th street.  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60880-d558692-Reviews-Whaling_Wall-Anchorage_Alaska.html It is cool, and you don't need to spend more than a minute there.  A photo op is what it really is.

Thank you for your service too.  My husband served 21 yrs(F15E WSO) and now our DS is an ADAF C130J pilot.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Wow, are they still doing "coffees" ?  I thought those things went out in the 70's !!  I was never into the Wives' Club stuff (USMC) but my mother sure was !

Yep!  At least for the AF.  In this situation I was talking about a squadron (unit) coffee, not the OWC.  Or as my husband called it the OWC CIA.  We knew stuff before they did!

We retired in 08 and were still doing them.  Our daughter in law(DIL), married to our ADAF son still has the squadron coffee, but I think OWC is now officially gone. It might be a flier thing since they are deployed a lot. Support system.  

Back in my day (1988-2008) it was an excuse to get out of the house and make Dad babysit the kiddos.  Kids over 6 months were not allowed, and it was held at night. Today with my DIL they are true coffee or lunch and kid friendly.  

Let's be honest.  The AF has always had the belief of happy wife...higher retention rate for the military member! 

Back on topic @rtread  if you have young grandkids, there is a children's book that you can find up there.  I can't recall the name.  However, it is a touch and feel type, and the author is from Alaska, so you can find it signed up there.  Which to me is a cool kind of gift.  

The other cool, funny gift can be found everywhere.  It is a wooden Moose that when you lift up the tail, it shoots gum out of its bum!  Still have it in my house.

I do not know which branch you served.  I do not know if you have a military ID, but my hubby jumped out of perfectly good airplanes with 82nd along with flying for the AF.  That must see at the Hilton always was amazing to us.  In the winter Ft. Rich has a star on the mountain for all of Anchorage to see.  In the winter it is what every person on a plane sees 1st when they are coming in for a landing.  It is an amazing sight to behold.  

  •  If you have a military ID, on Elmendorf they have a Bald Eagle rescue, or at least they use to have it  You get to see them up close, as in a few ft away up close.  I just don't know how you can get on base with a taxi.  You may want to look into that.  
  •  Don't know your rank, but if you are staying in Anchorage after the cruise, you may want to look into lodging at Elmendorf.  Back Gate wise you are maybe 10 mins away.  Problem is PCS season.  Elmendorf is now a jt base Elmendorf/Ft Rich.

 

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1 hour ago, Pima1988 said:

@rtread  

 

If you are staying a night in Anchorage than I would suggest Captain Cook Hotel.  It is $$$$, but it is well worth it.  The Hilton is farther away from the downtown walking wise.  The Hilton is also a great hotel.  Loved both of these hotels. The Hilton is more modern than Captain Cook.  Service level is the same impo.

 

 

 

Actually we are staying two nights at The Lakefront Anchorage. I did see the Captain Cook Hotel and the reviews were very favorable as was the Hilton. My Activity Director opted for the Lakefront Anchorage and that was that. ?

Sounds like your husband had quite a career! I was enlisted and was only in for four years....2 extended tours crediting me with 4 tours....entirely in the Danang area.

I do have grandkids and will look for the book you mentioned. I'll also look for the moose....for me. ?

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2 hours ago, rtread said:

Actually we are staying two nights at The Lakefront Anchorage. I did see the Captain Cook Hotel and the reviews were very favorable as was the Hilton. My Activity Director opted for the Lakefront Anchorage and that was that. ?

 

I am sure it will be amazing!   The book had Puffins in the story.  I do not have it anymore, gave it to our son when he had our 1st grandbaby.

 

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