The 2008 Alaska Family Vacation

Introduction:  We’ve been operating Alaska’s Family Vacations for 12 years and invite you to compare our tour with any other family oriented fully guided tour program anywhere in the world.  With more features than ever before, now is the time to start planning your family adventure. Our blending of the best accommodations with outdoor activities and enjoyable adventures ensures a unique Alaska vacation, one in which everyone can participate comfortably. We will take you behind the scenes and you will visit places in Alaska others rarely reach. It’s like discovering a whole new world!

Our guides:  This tour is escorted by a couple of long time Alaskans, Carolyn and Bob. Together they will keep you entertained, informed and ensure that everything runs smoothly from start to finish.  With many years experience escorting family groups, Carolyn is one of the top guides in her field.  Through her insight and passion for the region it’s like exploring with your best friends while viewing Alaska through the eyes of Alaskans. Carolyn and Bob want you to experience what they love most – discovering the natural world, enjoying outdoor activities, meeting new people and importantly, having fun! Bring your family to Alaska in 2008 and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Tour summary:  11 days / 10 nights (fully escorted)

Day 1:  Arrive Anchorage to meet transfer to Girdwood and the Alyeska Resort.  Overnight Hotel Alyeska.

Day 2:  Breakfast and orientation at the your hotel.  Easy hike today on the spectacular Winner Creek Trail and gold panning in a local creek.  Afternoon ferry across Prince William Sound to Cordova.  Kayaking, biking and relaxing on the shores of Prince William Sound.  Overnight Orca Adventure Lodge.  B, D

Day 3:  Tour to Childs Glacier with a picnic lunch.  Evening campfire.  Overnight Orca Adventure Lodge.  B, L, D

Day 4:  Scenic flight over Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to McCarthy.  Overnight Kennicott Glacier Lodge (shared bath).  B, L, D

Day 5:  Glacier hike, exploring Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.  Overnight Kennicott Glacier Lodge (shared bath). B, L, D

Day 6:  Scenic flight over Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to Chitina, coach transportation across the Denali Highway to Denali National Park.  Overnight Denali. B, L, D

Day 7:  Cabin Nite Dinner Theater.  Overnight Denali.  B, D

Day 8:  Free morning, Alaska Railroad transfer to Talkeetna.  Geocaching treasure hunt.  Overnight Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. B

Day 9:  Coach transportation to Anchorage, meet an Iditarod veteran musher and take a dog sled ride.  Visit the Musk Ox Farm.  Overnight Anchorage. B, L

Day 10:    Free time for optional bear viewing, guided fishing and more!  Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.  Overnight Anchorage.  B, D

Day 11:  Transportation to the Anchorage airport to meet your departing flight.  B

2008 Start dates are July 12 & August 2

Tour Description: 

Saturday, Day 1:  Arrival Anchorage, Alaska
Your Alaska Family Vacation starts the minute you arrive in Anchorage. We welcome you at the airport and transportation is on hand to whisk you quickly to your hotel in the resort community of Girdwood. The perfect starting point for you family vacation, Girdwood has one of Alaska’s top hotel properties, The Hotel Alyeska, which has a long list of guest facilities which include spa, heated indoor swimming pool, aerial tram and multiple restaurants. One, the Seven Glaciers Restaurant sits atop a mountain ridge at 2,300 ft. above the hotel and only reached by tram. Overnight Hotel Alyeska

Sunday, Day 2: Experience Prince William Sound
Today we have arranged an informal day that allows flexibility and rest after your flights.  We start with an orientation breakfast where you will meet your guides and fellow adventurers. Following breakfast, you have the option to visit historic Crow Creek gold mine via a backwoods trail or by hotel shuttle. Gold panning has not changed with time; today it is just what Alaska’s early pioneers experienced a hundred years ago. And remember any gold you find, you keep! Later this afternoon, we depart the hotel to meet the Alaska ferry. It is just a short drive by coach along Cook Inlet and through the longest mountain tunnel in North America to the port town of Whittier.

One of the most scenic ways to see Alaska is aboard the Alaska Ferry.  During the crossing of Prince William Sound, views of fjords, islands and glaciers set against a mountain panorama help create endearing memories. Both Orca and Humpback whales are regular sightings in these food rich waters. The National Park Service naturalist onboard provides an informative commentary on the nature and wildlife of Prince William Sound and lets you know immediately of any whale sightings. Without highway access, Cordova is one of Alaska’s “hidden treasures,” surrounded by mountains and coastal wetlands, the region is a naturalist's dream. Brimming with wildlife, bald eagles, seals, otters and moose can be spotted while thousands of shore birds thrive in this habitat.

Our accommodation in Cordova is comfortable and friendly with a delightful rustic charm. The owners have been part of our family tours for many years and bring much of their personality into making this visit special. Positioned on the shoreline, the lodge offers an ideal setting to relax.  The rest of the day and evening is free to try sea kayaking, ride a bike or walk the scenic shoreline skipping stones and enjoy the long daylight hours. Overnight Cordova:   Breakfast & Dinner

Monday, Day 3:  Orca Adventure Lodge & Childs Glacier
With an easy schedule planned you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or explore on your own this morning. The options of biking or kayaking are available. This afternoon, your trip by bus to Childs Glacier follows a route that is slow and scenic and was once the roadbed of the old Copper River & Northwestern Railway which operated from 1911 – 1938. Near Childs Glacier is the ‘Million Dollar Bridge’, originally constructed by the railroad in 1908 for an astounding $1.4 million. Now restored, the bridge is a popular attraction. Childs Glacier is arguably the most active in Alaska; here giant ice blocks frequently calve into the swift flowing Copper River. Positioned close to the glacier you can, over a picnic lunch, enjoy the sounds and views of the continuous glacial action. Overnight Cordova:   Breakfast, Picnic Lunch & Dinner

Tuesday, Day 4: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
To reach our mountain retreat we take a private air excursion from Cordova to McCarthy. The flight route from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park follows the mighty Copper River, known widely for producing some of Alaska’s finest salmon. The short flight offers incredible views of forests, glaciers and the beautiful coastal wetlands, home to thousands of migrant birds.

With over 100 glaciers and nine of the tallest mountain peaks in North America - all found in 13.2 million acres - you are in the largest National Park in the United States! Our comfortable accommodation for the next two nights is Kennicott Glacier Lodge where the décor is from the classic copper mining era and where old photos depict Alaska’s intriguing boom and bust history. Overnight McCarthy/Kennicott, Kennicott Glacier Lodge: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Wednesday, Day 5:  Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Picture yourself on a glacier! Today your Alaska family adventure makes this a reality with a local mountain guide leading our glacier expedition. Surrounded by stunning mountain views and sweeping glaciers this family activity can be accomplished by everyone. The trip is informative and educational plus a special thrill for younger family members to be hiking in the shadow of 16,390 ft. Mt. Blackburn. After initial practice and briefing, we strap on the crampons and are off and onto the glacier! With global warming effecting glaciers in Alaska, our guide will be able to provide a first hand view of what’s happening. Our day in the mountains is planned so you have a free afternoon to relax in this unique setting, go sightseeing or hike trails with new friends. Overnight McCarthy/Kennicott: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Thursday, Day 6:  Wrangell St. Elias National Park to Denali
Today begins with a short bush plane flight from the historic town of McCarthy to Chitina. Imagine experiencing two of the greatest National Parks in two days! From Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve to Denali we travel aboard our private coach over the remote and beautiful Denali Highway. This is one of the most scenic and wild roads you will travel anywhere. A leisurely pace with multiple stops and a picnic lunch makes this a complete day immersed in nature. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as moose, caribou and perhaps even a bear! Overnight Denali National Park, Denali Bluffs Hotel: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Friday, Day 7:  Denali National Park
Explore one of the nation’s most famous National Parks with a variety of Denali Activity options today (not included). Choose from a tour into the park on a special tour bus with a naturalist commentator, go helicopter flight seeing or heli-hiking, take an exhilarating river rafting tour or just a leisurely day of hiking in the park. Bring the camera and enjoy a picnic lunch the day is yours. This evening you are treated to an old-time Alaska dinner theatre. With the larger-than-life characters on stage, this is good old fashioned family fun. Set in an authentic, log-paneled roadhouse, the Gold Rush show is a tale of adventure set in early 1900s Alaska. Overnight Denali National Park, Denali Bluffs Hotel: Breakfast, Dinner.

Saturday, Day 8:  Denali National Park to Talkeetna
Some free time this morning before we board the famous Alaska Railroad for the next leg of our journey. The legendary railroad stretches some 470 miles from Seward to Fairbanks and today we travel one of the most scenic sections of track to Talkeetna. The gateway to the Alaska Range, Talkeetna is the jumping off point for virtually all Mt. McKinley climbing expeditions. During the summer months the constant bustle of adventurers and visitors creates a buzz in Talkeetna that makes it unique. In clear weather the unobstructed views of Mt. McKinley from close to your hotel are breathtaking.

After settling into our hotel, our guides will lead us on a fun and educational Geocaching trek. The event takes place on an official world Geo site next to your hotel. Here family teams are equipped with GPS receivers (Global Positioning System) and given the objective of locating hidden caches. This is a great team bonding event while being easy for all the family members to participate in. Overnight Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge:  Breakfast

Sunday, Day 9:  Iditarod Dog Sledding Experience
The day starts with breakfast and some time at leisure. Next we depart for an exclusive visit to the private home of well known veteran Iditarod Sled Dog Race musher, Vern Halter. He and his wife Susan are both acclaimed racers with much to tell you about their experiences in both Iditarod and Yukon Quest sled dog events. Vern and Sue will immerse you in the lore and intrigues of the sport. A true-to-life introduction to Alaska, they will tell you about winter survival, what to wear in -50F and the tricky logistics of flying dog food hundreds of miles to remote trail camps for those hungry huskies.

With a bon voyage to Vern and Susan we travel south to Anchorage by private coach with a stop at the Musk Ox research farm, home to some of the most ancient mammals on earth. Anchorage is a vibrant city of approximately 280,000 residents and is set amidst spectacular mountain ranges. This setting has to be one of the most beautiful around and helps give Anchorage its unique reputation and position as a world city. You will notice immediately the friendly warmth of the people and the infectious, frontier spirit. Yet this is the north, and as you might expect, wildlife viewing in Anchorage takes on a whole new dimension when moose are often spotted within the city and on local, coastal trails.

The city is alive with cultural attractions, museums and fine restaurants. With many top chefs drawn to Anchorage, finding interesting cuisine is easy. Creative menus brim with local flavor; fresh-caught wild Alaska salmon, king crab, halibut, shrimp, and oysters are regular menu features. English explorer Captain James Cook visited the future site of Anchorage during his “third voyage of discovery” in 1784. While here the venerable explorer realized the convenience of the location! Overnight Anchorage, Clarion Suites;  Breakfast & Lunch

Monday, Day 10:  Anchorage + optional bear viewing or salmon fishing
Today is set a side to provide the opportunity for a choice to participate in one of the  many optional tours today such as bear viewing & guided salmon fishing (not included). Your guide will assist with plans to meet your interests.

For those choosing to explore locally, Anchorages offer easy walking to a variety of shops, restaurants and trails systems. Your guide will organize and lead a walking tour including a visit to the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Tonight we host our farewell dinner for all group members. Always a special occasion, it is moment to reflect with new friends on the fun, adventures and memories of your 2008 family journey through Alaska. Overnight Anchorage, Clarion Suites; Breakfast & Dinner

Tuesday, Day 11:  Anchorage Departure
After breakfast at your hotel, you are free to plan an optional activity with your guide or to explore Anchorage on your own. Your hotel shuttle will take you to the airport in time to meet your departing flight.  Breakfast

10 nights accommodation; baggage handling; experienced Alaskan guide throughout; transportation via private coach Girdwood to Whittier; Chitina to Denali and Talkeetna to Anchorage. Transfer on arrival in Anchorage to Alyeska, Alaska ferry Whittier to Cordova; Alaska Railroad service Denali to Talkeetna; Childs Glacier tour in Cordova, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park flightseeing and glacier walk, Talkeetna Geocaching and Iditarod musher dog sledding experience, Musk Ox Farm admission, 10 breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L), and 6 dinners (D).  All taxes and fees.

 

2008 Rates - Tour AFVCTA
2008 Tour Dates	Single	Double	Triple	Child*
July 12 - 22 August 2 - 12	$5100	$3999	$3756	$2594
* children 6-11 years staying with at least one full-paying adult in room with existing bedding.