I guess I'll start with our latest trip. We (Shirley and Bob) spent 33 days exploring Alaska. We started out on May 28 and arrived home July 1. We went from Cleveland to Minneapolis to Seattle and to Ketchikan, the first city in Alaska on the inside passage. Many of the large cruise ships leave from here. We decided to try our luck on the "Alaska State Ferries."
The ferry system in AK is very important as there are no roads to many of the cities and towns of the inside passage which includes their capital of Juneau. The ferries run the year around. For the people of the inside passage, the ferry is the only way they get what they need. They either have things shipped in or take the ferry and go shopping. The other prevalent type of transportation is the small aircraft; you can find a pilot to fly you anywhere in Alaska.
We started to plan our trip in Aug. of 96. The first thing we did was to decide what cities and how long in each. Be sure you have a ferry schedule so that you can match your days and the ferry departure days with yours. Then book your ferry passage. Use the Homer terminal,(1-800-382-9229). You can get the ferry schedule here. Also they are the most helpful people as I must have called them 10 or 20 times. You must start early as you may not be able to get a cabin.
Besides the ferry schedule, I highly recommend the book "The Milepost" which lists mile by mile every road, what's at the mile post in Alaska, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta. If you're driving to and in Alaska it is a must. My wife would read it as we drove along. To tell you how good this book is, we were on the Alaska highway and she read that at the next milepost we could see a moose, sure enough at about .1 of a mile passed the sign we came across a BIG Bull moose grazing in a field. I really got some terrific pictures.
We also used the Milepost to pick out our B.& B. and motels; it gives a very good description of where they are located and the services they provide. I'll tell you what we picked and my opinion of them.
Ketchikan---"The Landing"---very good motel--excellent food(lot of it)in restaurant---close to airport and ferry landing---1-800-428-8304
Sikta---"Alaska Ocean View"---Bed & breakfast---Run by Carol & Bill Denkinger---two of the finest people you want to meet---the breakfasts are worth the price of the room, which is very reasonable---the rooms are fantastic!!!---if you go to Sitka this is a MUST---book early---1-907-747-8310
Juneau(the capital)---"The Driftwood Lodge"---big motel---rooms comfortable---restaurant good---will pick up at ferry---1-800-544-2239
Haines---"The Captains Choice"---excellent motel---great view from room---will book tours---VERY GOOD restaurant down the street "Bamboo Room" don't be fooled by the name---1-800-247-7153
Beaver Creek in Yukon Terr.---motel same name---rooms are in double trailers,comfortable---restaurant fair to good---good stop for night---1-403-862-7600// next time would try to book Westmark Inn---1-800-544-0970
Fairbanks---"Golden North Motel"---comfortable,nice---no restaurant---plenty in area---1-800-447-1910
Denali Park---"White Moose Lodge"---small motel---very comfortable---north of park, worth the drive, quiet off road---no restaurant---1-800-481-1232
On Seward Highway, 45 miles north of Seward---"Summit Lodge"---A mountain lodge set on beautiful lake, surrounded by snowcapped mountains---excellent restaurant---gift and ice-cream shop---1-907-595-1520
Homer---"Bay View Inn"--- small comfortable motel---no restaurant---on a buff overlooking Kachemak Bay,and Kenai Mount. spectacular view---1-907-235-8485
Seward---"Murphy's Motel" ---very comfortable motel---close to habor---about 1 mile from main street---restaurant's nearby---1-907-224-8090
Anchor age---"Puffin Inn"---large motel---comfortabe rooms---near airport---free pick up from motel---no restaurant---some close by---free coffee, muffin, and newspaper---1-800-478-3346
In Ketchikan, Sitka and Juneau we rented a car, mainly because we like to wander over the country side. If you enjoy guided tours you won't need a car. In Haines we rented a car for the rest of our trip. Almost all cities in Alaska have information centers and they are more then happy to send you info. Besides the Milepost you can can call 1-907-465-2010 and ask for their state guide.
In case I forget to add them in places were we saw them,here is a animal count of our trip: Bear---13 Grizzly and 4 Brown or Black.Moose---Too many to count.Caribou---Same as Moose too many to count.Dall Sheep---The same as above.Mountain Goats---Maybe about ten,they were high up in the mountains.Whales---Saw eight but they were too far away to get a good picture.Eagles--- We saw a great many eagles, too many to count.Wolf---One, near road chewing a moose bone,this per our guide.Fox and Rabbit---One each, fox was taking rabbit home to dinner.Sea Birds and Fish---Many differnt kinds of each.Seals and Otters---Saw many of each.
Well that about covers all the ferry, motel and general information, so on page two I'll try to describe the beauty and the excitement of Alaska.
