Adventure and relaxation. . . I need vacation ideas!

[String&stick]

So Norwegian cruise lines finally admitted defeat and canceled cruises to Alaska this year canceling a vacation my wife and I have very much so been looking forward to. So now we are on the hunt for a new adventure for this summer.

Time frame is any time in the month of July. And we have commitments for our children to be cared for by family members for 10 days. . .

With our refund coming back on the cruise our budget is in the neighborhood of $5000 for the trip.

I'm just grasping at straws as for what to do, we have been planning on the cruise for quite some time and really hoped (against better judgement) that it would work out.

We enjoy equal parts relaxing and adventure on our vacation and both love history. We are also crossing off national parks when traveling in the US with a goal to see them all over the next 35 years or so. Tropical could be fun but 7 days at a resort would have to include some really good excursions or day trips, can't lay around in the sun and drink for too long before I go crazy!

Anyone enjoyed any amazing vacations lately that they would recommend (in country or out)? Is Alaska still a good bet just picking a lodge and some trips from the lodge?


Throw me some ideas to research!

 

[Michael Rankin]

7-10 days in Kauai would be pretty fun. It’s a small island. I stayed about 20 minutes north of the airport. That put us pretty much right in the middle of the highway that goes up or down the coastline. Tons of outdoor activities to do, and you can also get the resort type days in also.

Lots of hiking trails, snorkeling, dinner cruises, good restraunts, helicopter excursions, river cruises, etc. I thought it was a really neat island. Not to busy anywhere we went, and lots of diverse scenery all within an hour drive max either direction from where I stayed.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Here's an overview of my family trip to Alaska in July 2017:

• Day 1 - Flew into Anchorage, rented car & drove to VRBO cabin in Talkeetna.
• Day 2 - Half day of guided (Fishbone Charters) king salmon fishing on Talkeetna River. Took jet boat upriver and fished from bank with hip waders. Fishing was good but not great, all 4 of us landed at least one 15-20 lb king and had several others get off before landing.
• Day 3 - Drove to Denali National Park, rode shuttle bus to Eielson Visitor Center and back. Saw several grizzlies, several moose, many caribou.
• Day 4 - Drove to VRBO cabin in Cooper Landing. Stopped at Alyeska Resort along the way and rode ski lift up to restaurant.
• Day 5 - Drove to Seward. My parents & wife's parents took cruise (Major Marine Tours) along Kenai Fjords, saw many whales, sea lions, and puffins, enjoyed prime rib & salmon buffet on boat. "Kids" (wife & I plus my brother & his girlfriend) went on guided (Exit Glacier Guides) glacier hike/climb while parents were on cruise. Exit Glacier tour included rappelling into/climbing out of crevasses with harness, crampons, ice ax.
• Day 6 - Drove to Homer, took boat (Mako's Water Taxi) to Kachemak Bay State Park. Easy hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake then back to beach to catch return boat.
• Day 7 - Easy hike along Russian River to Lower Russian Lake. Saw hundreds of sockeye salmon in river and jumping up the falls.
• Day 8 - Drove to Anchorage and flew home.

My favorite excursions were the ice climb and salmon fishing. This was a group trip with 8 people of varying ages (mid-20's to mid-60's) and interests. If it had been a younger/more adventurous group, I would've liked to camp in the Denali backcountry for a night or two and devote more time to fishing (maybe 2 days salmon fishing the Talkeetna and/or Kenai Rivers plus 1 day halibut fishing out of Homer). Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and fully plan to return.

 

[GetWestern]

Me and my wifes family just did a 10 day Alaska trip in August last year. We flew into Anchorage and rented a RV and toured around Alaska for 3 days in it making a 500 to 600 mile loop through some amazing country seeing moose and caribou as well as touring parks including Denali. We then drove back to Anchorage dropped off the RV then went fishing for silver salmon the rest of the trip. Very doable with your budget, if you do go up in July that’s when the king salmon run.

 

[sharpekd]

I would highly recommend Alaska in July. I lived there for three years and it is great that time of year. In addition to the other comments above, there are scenic train rides from Anchorage to Denali and Seward. You can also find bush pilots to do flights over the mountains and glaciers. Fishing charters out of Seward for salmon and halibut. Whale watching boat tours. Lot's of options for you.

 

[Wapiti1]

I'd go the fly to Alaska route as others have suggested. You'll see tons more than you would on a cruise anyway. Hiking, fishing, general sight seeing.

You could go south on the Kenai for a couple or three days, then head back north and run to Denali, or head east to Valdez. If you start looking around, you won't run out of places to go and things to do.

Jeremy

 

[Doc Holliday]

Wife and I stayed in a VRBO/rented a car in Homer for a few days and did the DIY thing, then went to Winterlake Lodge for a couple of nights to finish off the trip. Was the perfect mix of cheap vs. expensive, DIY vs. outfitted.

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Explore stunning coastal wonders at Tutka Bay lodge amidst the rugged, remote beauty of Alaska's wilderness. Learn more about our luxury lodges & cabins.

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[mtnbiker208]

middle fork of the salmon multi day raft trip in the frank church river of no return wilderness

 

[Coveyleader]

Hawaii, climb the cliffs, chase goats, pigs, deer and look out over the Pacific in awe knowing it's you, and only you up there.

 

[Phaseolus]

Fiji is a great place to visit and they are open. It would be quite a bit cheaper than Hawaii and also much different. The islands of Beqa (pronounced Benga) and Taveuni would be my choices especially if you dive. The minus is it’s a 13 hour flight from California. They speak English and are honest and friendly.

 

[Donjuan]

I really enjoyed hood river Oregon. Good salmon and steelhead fishing. There's hiking, whitewater rafting and lots of water. Plenty of wineries and shops plus bed and breakfast's for the wife

 

[dreamingWest]

You might consider Boston and Acadia National Park. You'll get history, good food, and a national park. I've never spent time in the NE and this is our current back-up plan if Scotland gets cancelled once again.

 

[Donjuan]

I would highly recommend Alaska in July. I lived there for three years and it is great that time of year. In addition to the other comments above, there are scenic train rides from Anchorage to Denali and Seward. You can also find bush pilots to do flights over the mountains and glaciers. Fishing charters out of Seward for salmon and halibut. Whale watching boat tours. Lot's of options for you.

How are the mosquitoes in July?

 

[dduarte85]

Acadia National Park in Maine... early season, before July 1, the weather is mild... crowds are low as New England schools are still in session. Beautiful but not too off the beaten path. Downside, plenty of us MassHoles.

 

[String&stick]

Thanks guys, I'll definitely do some more digging on the flying to Alaska as well as some of the other recommendations!

 

[timekiller13]

I've done the RV thing in Alaska. It's a lot of fun. We flew into Anchorage, picked up our RV and drove to Denali NP. Camped there, did the bus tour in Denali. Then jumped in the RV and worked our way back down. I stopped at nearly every stream/creek/river and pond on the way down and wet a line. We hit many of the highlights such as Denali NP and state park, Chugach, Matanuska Glacier, Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna. FInished our trip by taking the Alaska railroad to Spencer Whistle stop, spent some time there and some time in Whittier before returning to Anchorage for the flight home. We avoided Anchorage except for entry and departure.

It's a lot of driving. If I could do it over again I would want at least 10 days. Packing it all in 7 days was a whirlwind. 2 weeks would be better.

Just FYI, RV rental prices have sky rocketed since I went. We went in 2018. Paid $125/night for RV with unlimited miles. Same RV from same company rents at same time frame rents for over $200/night now.

We used Great Alaskan Holdiays. Easy to work with. We flew in late and they had our RV ready, we just slept in it in the parking lot, woke up, did our little orientation and then we were off by 0900. Grocery pick up in Anchorage on the way out.

All in all, one of the coolest trips I have ever done.

 

[String&stick]

Here's an overview of my family trip to Alaska in July 2017:

Wife and I stayed in a VRBO/rented a car in Homer for a few days and did the DIY thing, then went to Winterlake Lodge for a couple of nights to finish off the trip. Was the perfect mix of cheap vs. expensive, DIY vs. outfitted.

Me and my wifes family just did a 10 day Alaska trip in August last year. We flew into Anchorage and rented a RV and toured around Alaska for 3 days in it making a 500 to 600 mile loop through some amazing country seeing moose and caribou as well as touring parks including Denali. We then drove back to Anchorage dropped off the RV then went fishing for silver salmon the rest of the trip. Very doable with your budget, if you do go up in July that’s when the king salmon run.

I would highly recommend Alaska in July. I lived there for three years and it is great that time of year. In addition to the other comments above, there are scenic train rides from Anchorage to Denali and Seward.

Alright I tried to quote you guys that have been to Alaska to get some more information.

My wife and I decided that it made the most sense to just go for it and head to Alaska on the same dates we would have been on our cruise, so we plan to fly into anchorage on July 3rd and fly home July 12th.

So now I need to know from the guys that have been there what are the "can't miss" things to do. Right now we plan to spend a few days in and around Denali national park (bus tour and self explore surrounding area) and spend some time on the Kenai peninsula including a boat tour of Kenai fjords national park. . .

I would love to do some fishing but I'm getting mixed info on the timing of the trip, it sounds like we could fall between runs on salmon? Would halibut be a good bet? Museums? Other sights? Should we flight see lake Clark national park and it's bears??? Guided fishing recommendations?

I'm on information overload trying to figure out what we want to do in the time we have! So if any of you guys have things beyond what you posted above, I'm all ears!

Thanks again for what you've shared already.

 

[sharpekd]

How are the mosquitoes in July?

It depends on where you are. Along the rivers and shores where there is a breeze it wasn't bad. If you go into the interior, it can get very bad. I was chased out of the woods once with bad mosquitoes but I spent most of July on a river someplace looking for salmon.

 

[downthepipe]

Hop flight from Lauderdale to the Bahamas. Makers Air. Rent a whaler and mess around in paradise for a week, staying at a cheap VRBO!

 

[jaywalker168]

All great ideas!