We are back, and here is the beginning of the trip report, as promised. I'll review more (I kept notes on my notebook while we were there) as I recover from jet lag, and post the rest over the next day or so. My daughter, aged 9 and I traveled together. We have done 1 ABD trip prior to this one - Germany last summer.
Alaska is an incredible place - truly the last frontier, and the trip takes you back to another time and way of life that seems long ago to most of us in the lower 48, but is a way of life for many still in Alaska.
So here we go. Will post my summary comments/reflections on the trip at the end.
Day 1 (pre ABD)
Flew from Anchorage to Fairbanks early in the morning with great views of Mt. McKinley and surrounding mountains and glaciers. (We flew into Anchorage the night before, and got a reasonably priced hotel (Microtel) via AAA with a shuttle from the airport. Less than ½ the price that ABD wanted for an add on day at Sophie Station). We rented car in Fairbanks and drove direct to Chena Hot Springs about 55 miles from Fairbanks. Very easy to find Chena Hot Spring Rd - the one dead end road that takes you there from Fairbanks. Very quiet road out there, but lots of construction so it took us longer than an hour to get there. Saw some moose on the way so we were very excited! Was easy to pull over and walk down the road to get pictures it was like we had the road to ourselves. I liked that we got out into the Alaskan wilderness a bit separate from the main travel roads that the bus used.
Arrived at Chena Hot Springs just in time for the 11am Aurora Ice Museum tour. I had seen this written up on TripAdvisor.com, and it got great reviews, so thought it would be fun to check it out. Tickets are $15/adult and $8 for a child, plus another $15 if you want an Appletini served at the ice bar in a martini glass carved out of ice. So despite it being morning, I went for it, and at the end of the short tour, I sat on a bar stool carved of ice (with caribou hide covers), and sipped my appletini (no other drinks are served, because only alcohol can withstand the temps of 20 degrees). By the way, they supply hooded parkas, but if you go, you might want to bring your own gloves and hat. So my daughter watched wistfully, but I promised her she could eat the ice glass when we were done (you can keep the glass). She was excited because she got to go into a real igloo made of ice. We both liked the ice rooms where you could at one time rent for the night big ice carved beds covered in animal furs. Interesting place perhaps a bit cheesy by some standards, but I thought it was cool! (Pun intended).
We hung around Chena Hot Springs for awhile there was a lot to do there. There was a moose walking around in the back, so that provided quite a bit of entertainment. They have horseback rides, ATVs, an indoor pool, dog sled demonstrations (perhaps rides?- in carts of course in the summer, not sleds). We had lunch there (they grow a lot of their own food it was good!), shopped in their gift shop, and played on the playground. Oh yes, and of course their claim to fame, a nice outdoor hot springs adults only. If you want to come up early to Fairbanks and want to have a more wilderness experience, you might want to look into this place. I think the rooms are very basic, but I know that kids would have a fun time here.
Drove back to Fairbanks and drove up the hill to Univ of Alaska Fairbanks campus to see the Museum of the North. I highly recommend this museum! It was really well done for kids and adults and not too overwhelming. A great intro to Alaska. I think admission was $10 for adults, and less for kids, and its worth it. I loved seeing the outlets they have in the parking lot so people can plug in their cars in the winter.
Then we went to Pioneer Park, as it was a beautiful day. We toured the steam ship (interesting dioramas of nearby Alaskan towns in the past), played mini golf (the course is in need of repair, but still fun), shopped, and ate a kind of dinner here. Also a playground here. The houses here, mostly now used for shops, were original Fairbanks log cabins that were moved here. Spent a few hours there I guess it can be crowded when the tour buses come, but it was borderline deserted when we were there. This is also the place where the salmon bake happens in the evening, although we did not stay for that. I know I couldnt eat $31 of salmon. Some folks on our tour went and seemed to like it.
Back to the airport to return our car and our guides, Jesse & Rae, were there to meet us promptly at 7pm as I had told ABD. The huge bus took the 4 of us back to the Sophie Station, and our adventure begins! We were given a list of activities available in Denali so we could start reviewing them and booking them in advance if we were interested. Many of the flight trips do fill up early.
Sophie Station was an apartment like hotel small kitchen, bedroom and living room. It was fairly basic, but I thought it was nice just in terms of space. I always like to have space separate from where my daughter sleeps so I can do my own thing while she sleeps without waking her. Our room looked out over trees, and it was quiet, despite the hotel being on a somewhat busy (by Alaskan standards) street. We didnt have dinner there, so cannot attest to their food breakfast was fine, but nothing particularly special.
Day 2
Met in Sophie Station restaurant for welcome breakfast (buffet) at 8am. 23 total "Adventurers" on the trip. Two parties without children, and the kids were aged 9-16. One family had traveled to China with ABD, and two families met during the ABD trip to Costa Rica last year. Light rain when we left @ 9:30 made a short stop at the Alaska Pipeline which was more interesting than I expected. Then rode through downtown Fairbanks for a quick history of the city, and on to Trailbreaker Kennels, which is near the airport on the river. Watched a video of Susan Butchers life and winning of the Itiderod, then had a nice lunch (veggie or meat lasagna, salad, bread, peach cobbler). It was still raining but we were inside the tents. After lunch, Dave Monson, Susans husband, told us about dog sledding and how they need to dress for the cold and how they care for the dogs on the trail. Two of the kids got to get fully attired in musher clothing. Then it was puppy time, and the rain stopped long enough for us to get to play with a few of them. Definitely a highlight of the trip for my daughter! Lots of good photo ops there, for sure! Back on the bus to head to Denali National Park, with a stop in the little river town of Nenena for a bathroom break an hour or so later and a quick look at a railroad museum, gift shops and a walk through the town. Saw the tripod that is placed on the frozen river in winter, and bets are placed as to the day and time it will break through. Winner(s) win the pot. Had a movie on the bus before and after the Nenana break. Arrived at Grande Denali Lodge around 4:30 luggage delivered shortly. Nice location up on the hill by itself and a pretty good view from the room, but not really walkable to the Denali Village, unless you want a good hike. Basic motel room, and it was clean. Hotel has a nice bar, restaurant and gift shop and laundry facilities ($2 in quarters required for each). Still cloudy and rain every now and then.
Met an hour or so later to go to our welcome dinner at the Denali Education Center (part of Elderhostel), where a naturalist talked to us about the environmentand animal/plant life in Denali. Wine and Alaska brewed beer were offered complimentary to the adults. We had the place to ourselves. Dinner was chicken and veggie kebobs with rice, salad, fruit, and salmon (and hotdogs and macaroni & cheese for the kids or they could eat adult food). After dinner, the kids made smores by the fire, then one of the guides from the Denali Ed center and an ABD guide took them down to the small beach area by the river where they played games and amused themselves for awhile throwing rocks into the river and climbing around the rocks. The adults met them down there after our carrot cake dessert and after dinner chatter, and enjoyed the fresh Denali Air. Back to the hotel around 8:30. Still light until 10:30!
Shuttle busses run from the hotel down to other parts of Denali village and the Denali Visitor Center and you get a schedule with the keys upon check in (of course you are already checked in by ABD guides). We could have booked private tours from the hotel, or done some trips through the Park Service that leave from the Visitor Center. If you want to do any of the flights you should book ahead as far as possible. I think many in our group were hesitating due to the weather, then when they tried to book the following morning, many trips were full.
Day 3
Breakfast at our leisure at the hotel buffet style. Better selection than at Sophie Station, but more crowded with tour bus people when we went so they were starting to get low on things. Staff gets a little confused that ABD folks can have anything and dont need a voucher as other groups apparently do. Left for Jet Boating at 9am. Rainy ride on the jet boat about a ½ hour-45 minute trip down the Nenana river. Did see a moose but otherwise not much wildlife, mainly due to the weather and lack of visibility. Jet boats enclosed and warm traveled about 40 mph. Then went to the trappers property where they had two reindeer caged, and showed us the original cabin built by his grandfather in the 40s (not much bigger than a tool shed). Had hot chocolate and some sugar cake inside a tent area while the trapper talked to us about trapping for a living and surviving in the interior during Alaskas winters. Very interesting perspective on a lifestyle that is very foreign to most of us - subsistence living! Then over to a sheltered area where they had pans and troughs set up for us to pan for gold. A few flakes of gold in every pan. Then we were driven to the Murie Education center for bathroom breaks, lunch (pre ordered bag lunches wrap sandwiches, chips, fruit & dessert) and then a short hike where they taught us about tracking wolves. Nice view at the top of the trail. The guide was very knowledgeable about other aspects of the environment and could answer any question we had. Kids enjoyed finding blueberries and cranberries along the way. Afterward, we had the rest of the day on our own. Some stayed in the Visitor Center area to take park sponsored tours (the dog sledding one was popular), some to hike, and others returned on the bus to pick up tours leaving from the hotel or to hang at the hotel. (See above for info about Denali area shuttle buses). My daughter was tired, so we hung out at the hotel, taking naps, doing laundry, checking email (WiFi in lobby area, not rooms), shopping in the gift shop and enjoying a relaxing dinner at the hotel. We had the chowder which was not so good, and the fish & chips, which was pretty good, and enjoyed the great view.
If I could change one thing about the itinerary, it would be to add a day to the trip in Denali. A 1/2 day of free time really isn't much to truly appreciate the park.
Day 4
Met at 7:30 this morning because today was a big travel day. Rainy, foggy and cold again, but guides were upbeat as always and it didnt get us down. After an hour or so, we stopped at the Veterans Memorial for a bathroom break (outhouses) and returned to the bus for the rest of the movie. Traveled through the suburb of Wasilla, saw the lake where Sarah Palin has her home, and then into Alaska Sourdough company for lunch. Across the street is Alaska Wildberry where we had a short time to shop after lunch. Kids loved the chocolate fountain, the large chocolate bars and the gigantic stuffed bears. And we got to pet the reindeer outside (reindeer are domesticated caribou). Big gift shop here with lots of selection!
Then a shorter drive down to Girdwood to the Aleskya Resort, our home for the next 4 nights. A beautiful drive down the Turnagain Arm (named because Captain Cook had to turn around due to the flats and shallow water). We stopped at Bird Point for some photos and a break, then arrived at the hotel around 4pm. Very nice hotel we had a great view of the mountain and the tramway to the top. (Tramway is $18 pp so we didnt take it). That evening was Junior Adventurer night, so the kids had dinner with the guides and played games outside and inside. A much needed ACTIVE break for the kids. Adults had two hours of peace and we enjoyed a nice dinner on ABD in the hotel Aurora restaurant. Afterwards, many of the kids and some of the adults checked out the hotel pool and hot tub. There is also a dry sauna there, as well as a spa.
Alaska is an incredible place - truly the last frontier, and the trip takes you back to another time and way of life that seems long ago to most of us in the lower 48, but is a way of life for many still in Alaska.
So here we go. Will post my summary comments/reflections on the trip at the end.
Day 1 (pre ABD)
Flew from Anchorage to Fairbanks early in the morning with great views of Mt. McKinley and surrounding mountains and glaciers. (We flew into Anchorage the night before, and got a reasonably priced hotel (Microtel) via AAA with a shuttle from the airport. Less than ½ the price that ABD wanted for an add on day at Sophie Station). We rented car in Fairbanks and drove direct to Chena Hot Springs about 55 miles from Fairbanks. Very easy to find Chena Hot Spring Rd - the one dead end road that takes you there from Fairbanks. Very quiet road out there, but lots of construction so it took us longer than an hour to get there. Saw some moose on the way so we were very excited! Was easy to pull over and walk down the road to get pictures it was like we had the road to ourselves. I liked that we got out into the Alaskan wilderness a bit separate from the main travel roads that the bus used.
Arrived at Chena Hot Springs just in time for the 11am Aurora Ice Museum tour. I had seen this written up on TripAdvisor.com, and it got great reviews, so thought it would be fun to check it out. Tickets are $15/adult and $8 for a child, plus another $15 if you want an Appletini served at the ice bar in a martini glass carved out of ice. So despite it being morning, I went for it, and at the end of the short tour, I sat on a bar stool carved of ice (with caribou hide covers), and sipped my appletini (no other drinks are served, because only alcohol can withstand the temps of 20 degrees). By the way, they supply hooded parkas, but if you go, you might want to bring your own gloves and hat. So my daughter watched wistfully, but I promised her she could eat the ice glass when we were done (you can keep the glass). She was excited because she got to go into a real igloo made of ice. We both liked the ice rooms where you could at one time rent for the night big ice carved beds covered in animal furs. Interesting place perhaps a bit cheesy by some standards, but I thought it was cool! (Pun intended).
We hung around Chena Hot Springs for awhile there was a lot to do there. There was a moose walking around in the back, so that provided quite a bit of entertainment. They have horseback rides, ATVs, an indoor pool, dog sled demonstrations (perhaps rides?- in carts of course in the summer, not sleds). We had lunch there (they grow a lot of their own food it was good!), shopped in their gift shop, and played on the playground. Oh yes, and of course their claim to fame, a nice outdoor hot springs adults only. If you want to come up early to Fairbanks and want to have a more wilderness experience, you might want to look into this place. I think the rooms are very basic, but I know that kids would have a fun time here.
Drove back to Fairbanks and drove up the hill to Univ of Alaska Fairbanks campus to see the Museum of the North. I highly recommend this museum! It was really well done for kids and adults and not too overwhelming. A great intro to Alaska. I think admission was $10 for adults, and less for kids, and its worth it. I loved seeing the outlets they have in the parking lot so people can plug in their cars in the winter.
Then we went to Pioneer Park, as it was a beautiful day. We toured the steam ship (interesting dioramas of nearby Alaskan towns in the past), played mini golf (the course is in need of repair, but still fun), shopped, and ate a kind of dinner here. Also a playground here. The houses here, mostly now used for shops, were original Fairbanks log cabins that were moved here. Spent a few hours there I guess it can be crowded when the tour buses come, but it was borderline deserted when we were there. This is also the place where the salmon bake happens in the evening, although we did not stay for that. I know I couldnt eat $31 of salmon. Some folks on our tour went and seemed to like it.
Back to the airport to return our car and our guides, Jesse & Rae, were there to meet us promptly at 7pm as I had told ABD. The huge bus took the 4 of us back to the Sophie Station, and our adventure begins! We were given a list of activities available in Denali so we could start reviewing them and booking them in advance if we were interested. Many of the flight trips do fill up early.
Sophie Station was an apartment like hotel small kitchen, bedroom and living room. It was fairly basic, but I thought it was nice just in terms of space. I always like to have space separate from where my daughter sleeps so I can do my own thing while she sleeps without waking her. Our room looked out over trees, and it was quiet, despite the hotel being on a somewhat busy (by Alaskan standards) street. We didnt have dinner there, so cannot attest to their food breakfast was fine, but nothing particularly special.
Day 2
Met in Sophie Station restaurant for welcome breakfast (buffet) at 8am. 23 total "Adventurers" on the trip. Two parties without children, and the kids were aged 9-16. One family had traveled to China with ABD, and two families met during the ABD trip to Costa Rica last year. Light rain when we left @ 9:30 made a short stop at the Alaska Pipeline which was more interesting than I expected. Then rode through downtown Fairbanks for a quick history of the city, and on to Trailbreaker Kennels, which is near the airport on the river. Watched a video of Susan Butchers life and winning of the Itiderod, then had a nice lunch (veggie or meat lasagna, salad, bread, peach cobbler). It was still raining but we were inside the tents. After lunch, Dave Monson, Susans husband, told us about dog sledding and how they need to dress for the cold and how they care for the dogs on the trail. Two of the kids got to get fully attired in musher clothing. Then it was puppy time, and the rain stopped long enough for us to get to play with a few of them. Definitely a highlight of the trip for my daughter! Lots of good photo ops there, for sure! Back on the bus to head to Denali National Park, with a stop in the little river town of Nenena for a bathroom break an hour or so later and a quick look at a railroad museum, gift shops and a walk through the town. Saw the tripod that is placed on the frozen river in winter, and bets are placed as to the day and time it will break through. Winner(s) win the pot. Had a movie on the bus before and after the Nenana break. Arrived at Grande Denali Lodge around 4:30 luggage delivered shortly. Nice location up on the hill by itself and a pretty good view from the room, but not really walkable to the Denali Village, unless you want a good hike. Basic motel room, and it was clean. Hotel has a nice bar, restaurant and gift shop and laundry facilities ($2 in quarters required for each). Still cloudy and rain every now and then.
Met an hour or so later to go to our welcome dinner at the Denali Education Center (part of Elderhostel), where a naturalist talked to us about the environmentand animal/plant life in Denali. Wine and Alaska brewed beer were offered complimentary to the adults. We had the place to ourselves. Dinner was chicken and veggie kebobs with rice, salad, fruit, and salmon (and hotdogs and macaroni & cheese for the kids or they could eat adult food). After dinner, the kids made smores by the fire, then one of the guides from the Denali Ed center and an ABD guide took them down to the small beach area by the river where they played games and amused themselves for awhile throwing rocks into the river and climbing around the rocks. The adults met them down there after our carrot cake dessert and after dinner chatter, and enjoyed the fresh Denali Air. Back to the hotel around 8:30. Still light until 10:30!
Shuttle busses run from the hotel down to other parts of Denali village and the Denali Visitor Center and you get a schedule with the keys upon check in (of course you are already checked in by ABD guides). We could have booked private tours from the hotel, or done some trips through the Park Service that leave from the Visitor Center. If you want to do any of the flights you should book ahead as far as possible. I think many in our group were hesitating due to the weather, then when they tried to book the following morning, many trips were full.
Day 3
Breakfast at our leisure at the hotel buffet style. Better selection than at Sophie Station, but more crowded with tour bus people when we went so they were starting to get low on things. Staff gets a little confused that ABD folks can have anything and dont need a voucher as other groups apparently do. Left for Jet Boating at 9am. Rainy ride on the jet boat about a ½ hour-45 minute trip down the Nenana river. Did see a moose but otherwise not much wildlife, mainly due to the weather and lack of visibility. Jet boats enclosed and warm traveled about 40 mph. Then went to the trappers property where they had two reindeer caged, and showed us the original cabin built by his grandfather in the 40s (not much bigger than a tool shed). Had hot chocolate and some sugar cake inside a tent area while the trapper talked to us about trapping for a living and surviving in the interior during Alaskas winters. Very interesting perspective on a lifestyle that is very foreign to most of us - subsistence living! Then over to a sheltered area where they had pans and troughs set up for us to pan for gold. A few flakes of gold in every pan. Then we were driven to the Murie Education center for bathroom breaks, lunch (pre ordered bag lunches wrap sandwiches, chips, fruit & dessert) and then a short hike where they taught us about tracking wolves. Nice view at the top of the trail. The guide was very knowledgeable about other aspects of the environment and could answer any question we had. Kids enjoyed finding blueberries and cranberries along the way. Afterward, we had the rest of the day on our own. Some stayed in the Visitor Center area to take park sponsored tours (the dog sledding one was popular), some to hike, and others returned on the bus to pick up tours leaving from the hotel or to hang at the hotel. (See above for info about Denali area shuttle buses). My daughter was tired, so we hung out at the hotel, taking naps, doing laundry, checking email (WiFi in lobby area, not rooms), shopping in the gift shop and enjoying a relaxing dinner at the hotel. We had the chowder which was not so good, and the fish & chips, which was pretty good, and enjoyed the great view.
If I could change one thing about the itinerary, it would be to add a day to the trip in Denali. A 1/2 day of free time really isn't much to truly appreciate the park.
Day 4
Met at 7:30 this morning because today was a big travel day. Rainy, foggy and cold again, but guides were upbeat as always and it didnt get us down. After an hour or so, we stopped at the Veterans Memorial for a bathroom break (outhouses) and returned to the bus for the rest of the movie. Traveled through the suburb of Wasilla, saw the lake where Sarah Palin has her home, and then into Alaska Sourdough company for lunch. Across the street is Alaska Wildberry where we had a short time to shop after lunch. Kids loved the chocolate fountain, the large chocolate bars and the gigantic stuffed bears. And we got to pet the reindeer outside (reindeer are domesticated caribou). Big gift shop here with lots of selection!
Then a shorter drive down to Girdwood to the Aleskya Resort, our home for the next 4 nights. A beautiful drive down the Turnagain Arm (named because Captain Cook had to turn around due to the flats and shallow water). We stopped at Bird Point for some photos and a break, then arrived at the hotel around 4pm. Very nice hotel we had a great view of the mountain and the tramway to the top. (Tramway is $18 pp so we didnt take it). That evening was Junior Adventurer night, so the kids had dinner with the guides and played games outside and inside. A much needed ACTIVE break for the kids. Adults had two hours of peace and we enjoyed a nice dinner on ABD in the hotel Aurora restaurant. Afterwards, many of the kids and some of the adults checked out the hotel pool and hot tub. There is also a dry sauna there, as well as a spa.
Great report so far. I might take this tour sometime. I am thinking of a cruise tour first then another year taking the abd tour.
