Has anyone here ever rented an RV in Alaska?

[perdidobay]

DH and I are thinking about doing this in August. I'd love to hear about any good or bad experience. Or any thoughts on what to see in Alaska
Thanks!

 

[jipsy]

Where are you planning on going and when?

Where are you starting from/ending your trip?

What interests you? Wildlife? Resorts? etc.

Are you renting the RV from where you live and driving to Alaska or do you want to fly somewhere and then start driving?

PM me if you want - my ex-husband lived there for 10 years.

 

[perdidobay]

We are planning on Aug 1-8th. We will fly into Anchorage and rent an RV there. We like to see wildlife so we plan to go to Denali and then to Fairbanks. From there, southeast to Tok, then heading east back to Anchorage. We may drive down to Seward, too.
Looking at cost, renting an RV will cost the same as staying in hotels/lodges and renting a car. We like camping so it will be a tossup on which to do!

 

[DonnaS]

We're doing a cruise about the same time as you will be there. I sent off for a bunch of information and one of the items was an RV rental. We are thinking of doing next time we go to Alaska. There seem to be some great deals on rentals.

I'll be very interested to hear how it goes for you.

 

[Cold Iron]

Perdidobay,

If you go to IRV2.com and ask you will find others that has rented there. Alaska is the holy grail in the RV world. Everyone wants to go at least once, and many do.

Go and enjoy the trip!

Cold Iron

 

[jipsy]

Go to your local Barnes & Noble and buy a magazine called Alaska Magazine. You might even want to subscribe.

Go to these websites:

http://www.kenaipeninsula.org/travel_tips.htm

Mileage charts can be found here:

http://www.anchorage.net/163.cfm

Don't be fooled when driving. The AL-CAN highway was still a gravel road up until a few years ago. Alaska has more land than Texas, even though it may look smaller.

I assume you are flying in on the 1st and flying out on the 8th. That really only gives you 6 days of touring. Anchorage to Fairbanks is an 8 hour drive, so you lose one of those 6 days.

You can map out your trip at www.mapblast.com or www.mapquest.com

Since it is such a short trip, you really might want to consider the railroad:

http://www.akrr.com/

No matter what you do, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I plan on going in 2004 for two full weeks. I may not come back.

 

[binny]

The road from Fairbanks to Tok is bad, the good news is its better than the road to Dawson City here is my Favourite poem about the Al-Can


"Winding in and winding out
fills my mind with serious doubt
as to whether the lout who built this route
was going to hell or coming out" !!!!




Beware the frost heaves!!!! These are like potholes on steroids!! You don't just gently dump into them you RIDE them. Also parts of the road can dissappear leading to long delays. the good news here is Ive never heard of people being hurt in these. They usually keep very close tabs on the roads.

Also watch for animals. bear Vs Car is not a pretty site neither is a sheep or worse yet MOOSE Vs car. This isnt that common but they are there.


OK now enough of scaring you


Ive driven much of the road myself or been in a car or bus for all of it. It *is* drivable but you need to be aware of what youre getting yourself into



I really dont mean dissuade you at all. Sorry if I sound so negative, I truly believe that if you want to see Alaska this is the best way to do it.
I just want you to be aware of the difference of driving in Alaska and driving elswhere.



It is a beautiful drive

You can pick up an RV anywhere, they are very common all over Alaska.


There is a guy that lives in Tok ( remember this rhymes with "joke" lol not as in tick tock lol) Anyway, this guy makes art out of Burrils. Its actually quite amazing!! ( Burrils are the bumps in trees ) he makes the most beautiful bowls there!!

Also I think its the same place that has a sled team and they give demonstrations that are some of the best you will see. We used to go and play with the puppies there lol.






In Fairbanks you can tour Gold Dredge #9 its pretty interesting if youre into that kind of thing. They also a KILLER Salmon dinner there

The things I would check into are if you can drop off anywhere ( if you dont have round trip tickets to/from Anchorage) most companies have multiple drop offs so if you would rather drop off in Fairbanks you can and fly out of there inseatd of back tracking or you could go to Skagway and drop there, take the day boat (the Merriweather, usally a 4 hour amazing tour) or the Ferry ( this leaves at about 5 AM though) to Juneau and get a completely different view of Alaska than the Interior.

OR you could hop on the Ferry and ride it all the way down the coast and drop off in Prince Rupert.


There are a hundred ways of doing it lol




Does that help at all?

 

[perdidobay]

It helps alot
To all of you, thanks! Binny, You made some good suggestions about going to Skagway, but since I do want to do the cruise next summer (thanks for the reply about that too!) We will probably not go there this trip.
I'm not too worried about the roads, we do alot of jeeping in Colorado, it doesn't faze me a bit. However, I do wonder about driving a 21 ft rv on the roads. And we have gone to Yellowstone several times and are used to driving through buffalo and other creatures that decide to take to the road
I'm also very used to driving long distances in one day, so the milage doesn't bother me. We spend alot of time "touring" by car, so I feel a day driving to somewhere is part of the fun.
I'm going to check out Alaska magazine, and am in the process of sending for Tour guides from the state tourism folks.
Besides bug spray, binoculars and $$$, what should I bring?

 

[binny]

Youre going in August right?

When you think youve bought enough bug spray buy more!!!!

You havent seen mosquitos till youve seen an Alaskan Mosquito!!Avoid standing water too. Its Mosquito heaven.

Bring cool clothes most people dont realize it gets warm in the summer ( it can get in the upper 80's to low 90's ).

But still bring a sweater and long pants nights are nicely cool.



Keep extra water in the RV just in case, and enough food to last. When you see a gas station, fill up, really, or at least ask how far the next one is you do NOT want to be stuck out there.

This will seem like a stupid thing to say but if you see a bear on the side of the road do NOT get out of the RV. Stupid yes I know but its happened. ( I know you wouldnt do this lol)
Once I was in Banff and this IDIOT tourist got out of his van during the RUT no less and tried to take a picture of a Bull moose
who was trying to court a cow moose.

On the animal topic if you see something that looks like a dirty little white cat its probably an arctic fox. Theyre adorable!


buy food and supplies in Anchorage or Fairbanks there are ( were) Walmarts in both cities. DONT think you can just pick stuff up on the road. even if you CAN find a place they will charge you double or triple the price. I once bought milk at a roadside place and it was $4 something a gallon ( this was 10 years ago!!!)

However DO stop and enjoy some of the local delicasies. try Bannock if you can. Its like Indian Fry bread ( if you go North next year and take a day trip to Whitehorse you will go through a village called CarCross they have a little native woman who cooks Bannock on the side of the road it is to DIE for!!!)


You can often get musk ox at restaraunts. I used to think they were the ugliest creatures but I saw a baby musk ox being born one year and it changed my view forever avoid the musk ox meat



First Nation women gather Musk ox fir ( its called Quiviut) if you can get ANYTHING made in this DO,( scarves, even sweaters but they are $$$) it is the absolute softest wool you will ever find! It feels so good!!

musk ox



[

baby Musk ox heeheeheee





You will find LOTS of Halibut and Salmon in Anchorage INDULGE you will NEVER get it better than there!! Trust me!!
Oh and I hear the Crab is awesome too ( I dont eat shellfish so I cant help you there sorry)


If youre interested in the Pipeline at all, you can find all sorts of information in Fairbanks and often find a tour of them there.

Im going to try to figure out a few of the places I used to frequent there. If I can remember them I will let you know!!

 

[binny]

you know? Taking the train through Denali is a good idea! Its an overnight in the park though but there the resort is beautiful there. You could pick up an RV in Fairbanks instead.

That would be a day less of driving and one more of enjoying the scenery.

Oh and while youre there make sure you catch the Alaska Weather show.
REALLY!!! I think its two hours long if I remember right and features anything you would want to know about Alaska weather, tides, and flight information I used to think that was hilarious!!

 

[perdidobay]

great suggestions Binny!
Trust me, I would never get out of an Rv to see something bigger than an artic fox ( they sound cute )
So we could take the train from Anchorage to Mt McKinley, stay overnight and take the train the next day to Fairbanks? That sounds like fun........... thanks!

 

[binny]

oh hey I didnt know this, you can go straight through!!

http://www.akrr.com/passenger/summer_timetables.htm#DenaliStar


I thought it was longer but the train is 12 hours from Anchorage to Fairbanks youll be dropped off right in Fairbanks! Prices are really reasonable too! wow.


I knew you could go to Fairbanks by Rail but I thought it was an overnight.


Cool


BTW I cant believe I posted MT McKinnely I am a firm believer in Denali lol Mckinnely was suppsosedly the first white man to set eyes on the Mountain so he named it after himself I always thought was a little arrogant.

I'm going to fix that. lol