Alaska Travel Questions Answered | ALASKA.ORG - Ask Bob

Denali Star Train: Alaska Railroad

Q: Does the Denali Star Train that runs from Fairbanks to Anchorage go to the Anchorage Airport or just the Anchorage Train Depot? If it’s just the train depot, is any transportation available at the depot to get us to the airport? --Suzanne

A: Indeed, the Denali Star Train just goes to the train depot, but it’s easy to catch a cab from there to the airport. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes and costs about $20.

The Denali Star, meanwhile, is a great way to see the Alaskan interior, including four different climate and vegetation zones. On the way to Anchorage, it stops at Denali, Talkeetna and Wasilla: You’ll see frontier towns, forests and likely even a good view of Mt. McKinley. For more information about this 12-hour ride as well as other routes, check out our pages about the Denali Star and the Alaska Railroad.

 

The Northern Lights in Alaska

Q: My 84-year old mother wants to see the northern lights—she lives in California, and I’m in Oregon. What's the best way for us to do that (she's not physically able to get too adventurous)? A cruise? And what time of year is best? --Lorraine

A: The best time to see these natural light displays— aurora borealis, and also called northern lights—is winter.

While you can potentially see them all over the state, people who are serious about viewing them tend to go to Fairbanks, up north and inland, and even take excursions several hours north from there, offered by operators such as Northern Alaska Tour Company. It’s not adventure travel per se, but the excursions can be long and can get a little remote. If you can get in and out of a van or plane easily (NATC does both flight and van-based tours), you should be fine with Northern Alaska Tour Company, though they’re happy to talk to travelers about any comfort issues before booking. (For people who want to stay a little closer to Fairbanks, the Aurora Borealis Lodge, just outside the city, is a nice choice, too.)

Alaska Summer Jobs

Q: I am planning an adventure to Alaska for the entire summer of 2010. I am 20 years old, energetic and hard-working. Could you point me in the right direction for resources and planning travel advice for people looking for seasonal employment in Alaska? --Charles

A: Charles, since so much happens in Alaska during the summer months, there are lots of good seasonal Alaska jobs. If you want to work in the visitors industry—as a guide, in customer service or even in housekeeping—there are two main websites to look at: alaskatourismjobs.com, which is operated by the official state tourism board, and CoolWorks.com.

Kodiak Bears in Alaska

Q: What's the difference between a Kodiak bear and an Alaskan brown bear? I often hear brown bears called Kodiaks but assumed there was some difference.

A: According to the folks at the Visitors Bureau for Kodiak Island, off southern Alaska, there is indeed a distinct difference. Their bears first crossed over to Kodiak on a land bridge about 12,000 years ago, and when the land bridge disappeared, the bears got stranded. Today Kodiaks are genetically and anatomically different than other Alaskan brown bears. Most important, they're a bit larger—up to 1,500 pounds in males, or 100 pounds heavier than the biggest "plain" Alaskan brown bears. Kodiak's spokesperson commented that their local bears are "very well fed" from the abundant salmon streams and berry bushes. "They have no complaints," she says.

You have two options for seeing and photographing the Kodiaks:

Daylight Hours Alaska: Sunrise Sunset Facts

Q: Is it true that Alaska has six months of light and six months of darkness? --Alex

A: Alex, luckily those extremes only happen at the North Pole and the South Pole. As you move away from the poles and towards the equator, daylight swings become less pronounced.

That said, Alaska still gets fairly extreme. For example, Barrow—one of the northernmost towns in Alaska—has about two months of darkness in the winter, from about November 18 to January 22. But in the summer, the sun doesn't completely set for about 82 days, from roughly May 11 until July 31.

Alaska Travel Motion Sickness

Q: I’m taking an Alaskan cruise—either an Inside Passage or a glacier cruise—and I get motion sickness very easily. I have heard the cruise is not rocky and I don't have to worry, but I am very leery of taking the train and most certainly the Denali Park bus. Any comments or suggestions? --Deb

A: Deb, you’re smart to plan ahead—doing so can seriously help you avoid those queasy moments (or even full days).

When it comes to cruises, choosing the waters you’ll travel through is more important than the ship itself. If you’re still picking your itinerary, I’d recommend a roundtrip Vancouver Inside Passage trip over all others. The Vancouver sailings stay behind Vancouver Island in more protected (and scenic) waters, which means a generally calmer ride. The itineraries that sail the Inside Passage from Seattle, meanwhile, travel two full days on the open Pacific Ocean, which can get rough.

Halibut Fishing in Alaska: Best Time

Q: We are planning a cruise to Alaska, and our timeframe is pretty open. Some of the guys would like to fish halibut while we’re there. When is fishing for halibut the best? --Liz

A: Liz, the prime halibut season coincides nicely with Alaska’s peak travel season: June, July, and August. Halibut fishing is most popular in the Cook Inlet region of Alaska, a region which encompasses Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Whittier and other towns you’ll probably want to visit anyways, due to their proximity to Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park. Kodiak Island is also a prime halibut fishing location. By fall, the halibut head back out to sea to spawn.

Bear Viewing in Alaska

Q: Hi Bob—I would like to get some good close-up photos of your giant brown bears! How would I go about doing this? --Daniel

A: Daniel, get ready for some big bears. Alaskan brown bears can top 1,400 pounds among males. You won’t see these bears along the roads of Alaska, the way you might see moose or other wildlife. One possible exception: in Denali, you might have some casual sightings, but likely from far away. To get up close you have two solid options:

Alcan Driving in Mid-Sept: What to Expect

Q: We’re moving to Anchorage on about Sept 15th. We’re driving all the way on the Alcan and I'm pretty weather-scared. Any suggestions for this fraidy cat? --Jeane

A: Jeane, congratulations on the big move!

Don't worry about the Alcan—or, more officially, the Alaska Highway or Alaska-Canadian Highway. Built rather quickly during World War II, the highway starts in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and ends near Fairbanks—and it definitely used to be something to worry about, with large parts unpaved, as well as some narrow winding sections.

RV Rental Alaska: Parking Options

Q: My wife and I are planning rent an R.V. to see all the sights south of Anchorage. I would also like to drive up the Richardson to see some sights we’d missed on our last trip. What's your opinion of parking the R.V. on the side of the road when we get tired, or should we always use an R.V. park? --Larry

A: Larry, renting an RV is a great way to see Alaska: You get a lot of freedom in terms of how you pace your trip and how much money you spend on food (most RVs come with fully-loaded kitchenettes and perhaps even fishing gear or a BBQ grill). And, of course, there’s no stress in ever finding a restroom along the highway.

Advice for Moving to Alaska

Q: I'm planning to make Alaska my new home. I would like to be in an area with good waves (for surfing) and good mountains (for climbing) not too far from each other. Here's the catch, I'm not independently wealthy so I either have to live in the woods or near a town (or city). Can you point me in the right direction? --Da Haj

A: Da Haj, Welcome! It's great to hear you're moving to Alaska. The truth is probably no place in America offers the quality of life you can find in Alaska. So I commend you for figuring out what only a fraction of a percent of Americans have figured out--Alaska's the place to be!

Kenai River Rafting Options

Q: I am flying to Anchorage and renting a car, so I'm going to cities I can drive to. I want to take a Zodiac inflatable boat trip in Kenai but don't know who does this kind of small boat trip. --Pav

A: Pav, Thanks for your question. Good choice on flying into Anchorage then renting a car. One of the places you can drive with a car (but not access by train) is Cooper Landing, in the middle of the target=_blank>Kenai Peninsula. It's right on the Kenai River. You can take float trips or fishing drift trips down the Kenai. The river is a gorgeous turquouise blue color.

My recommendation for the right operator to use for either the float or fishing trip would be Alaska Wildland Adventures. They are considered one of the top ecotourism operators in the world--out of thousands of companies. In addition to being able to take you down the river, they also have some great riverside cabins you can rent. Don't know what your budget is, but if it's ample, you might also consider doing a combination raft trip / wilderness lodge stay with them. They offer a trip where you can float the Kenai River all the way down to Skilak Lake, where they have a remote cabin with no neighbors for miles in any direction.

One thing to note is that we use Zodiacs in Alaska mostly on the ocean, because it's easy to throw a small outboard engine on them. When it comes to floating rivers, most places use other types of inflatables, including self-bailing rafts. Pretty much everyone provides the rubber boots and other specialized gear you would need.

 

Wearing white slacks or capris in Aug/Sept in Alaska?

Q: Is it acceptable for a woman to wear white slacks or capris in August/September? --Gloria

A: Gloria, absolutely! Alaska is a casual place. You can wear whatever you want up here. We don't judge people based on their appearance in Alaska. It's probably the least conformist culture of any state in the country.

If your question has to do with temperature, you will also need warmer layers that time of year. If you want more information about the weather in any Alaska town, I encourage you to try the Alaska.org Weatherplanner. It allows you to compare the temperature, rainfall, and daylight hours for any Alaska town to your hometown. Give it a try and let me know whether this helps.

 

Glacier Bay Ferry

Q: I’m interested in taking the Glacier Bay Ferry Service from Juneau to Gustavus, and saw that in 2007 there were 2-for-1 specials for certain dates. Do such deals exist today? --Lloyd

A: I can see why you’re not finding answers: The only page I found about this service was for summer 2008. I’ve contacted the Glacier Bay Lodge, and they have apologized for the oversight on their website.

The good news: The Lodge is indeed operating the Glacier Bay Ferry from Gustavus to Juneau, roundtrip, every Friday and Sunday evening. The 2-for-1 deal on ferry passage (about an $80 savings) is available with the purchase of a 2-night stay at the Glacier Bay Lodge. (If you fly into Juneau instead, using Alaska Airlines or a local air taxi service, you can also get a 2-for-1 deal on a whale-watching day cruise when you stay two midweek nights at Glacier Bay Lodge.)

Alaska Family Vacation Advice

Q: Our family is considering Alaska. Where should I start when planning with children?

A: Alaska is very kid-friendly. Wildlife sightings and glacier viewing are as fun for a 5-year-old as it is for a 45-year-old. That said, 5 years old is about the youngest age where a trip to Alaska makes sense, both in terms of making the most of the expenses and the ability to participate. Beyond age, though, consider a few factors as you set your plans.