Anchorage, AK - Question?

[dixonduke]

I will be up in Anchorage for a couple of meetings next week, but my business obligations will be done Thursday evening, and I am taking Friday & Saturday off as "me" days.

Any recommendations on where to play tourist for a couple of days? I will be taking my camera gear with me.

My return flight home is Midnight Saturday night/Sunday morning so I can't venture too far away.

Thanks in advance.

[Debbi]

Lucky you! All around Anchorage are tons of opportunities. If you have the time and transportation, Denali seems to be a no-brainer. Anywhere along the Cook inlet is beautiful. Years ago, I went to a little place called Palmer - not too far from Anchorage. Cool town. There was a restaurant (great food) overlooking the Matanuska glacier. Very cool. I think they also had a reindeer farm. I would love to go back with the knowlege/gear I have now.

[Orogeny]

As Debbi said, there are tons of things to do in the area. Denali is awesome, but you might want to rent a car to get there. You can take the train, but it will take much longer. As it is, it is about a 4 hour drive (~225 miles). If you go that way, make sure to stop in the little town of Talkeetna.

Another option is to head to Seward. You can see if there are any Resurrection Bay tours operating and maybe get to take a wildlife or glacier tour. That is a spectacular way to spend a day in Alaska!

[Buddha]

To see Denali, you have to be there in the early morning to get a seat on one of the government shuttle buses that are the only vehicles allowed in the park. It's an all day tour and only 200 people/day are allowed in the park. If you get past that, Denali is fogged in 7 x 10 days. You can make a reservation online well in advance, but the days fill up quickly.
Seward is beautiful. It's about an hour from Anchorage and there are a variety of boat tours that you can make reservations for. Try online or call the Chamber of Commerce in Seward. There are eagles in the harbor, glaciers, seals, and seabirds there to photograph, whales if you are lucky. You will probably see moose along the way.
I wouldn't miss Seward if I were in Anchorage. Don't forget to take clothing for winter.
Kenai might be interesting, but I didn't go there.
Have fun.

[sdenman]

I second Seward. It is a great place to spend a day. We road the train down but I bet driving would be a great way too. Couple of great little towns along the way.

[irfan.in.tx]

Rent a car and drive to Seward. Many vantage points on the way and photo overlooks. Take one of the half or full day cruises out of Seward. If you're lucky, you may come across some whales, besides other marine creatures and birds. Kodiak is hard if not impossible to do in a day. Advice on Denali as above. Have fun.

[dixonduke]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Right now I am thinking I am going to do a float plane up the Kenai Fjord and a road trip to Seaward.

[shiladityab]

Also get a seat to the port (left of the pilot, facing forward) side in your return flight. You might catch the Aurora. :)