r/AskAlaska

Sorry if this is a basic question, but title.

My friends and I (a group of 4 girls) are planning a 4-day trip to Fairbanks from Nov 22 to Nov 26 during our fall break. We will not be renting a car due to the safety concerns , so we will be completely relying on booked tours and shuttles to get around.
Here is what we are currently planning/considering:
Northern Lights viewing
Dog Sledding OR Reindeer Walk (still deciding between the two)
Arctic Circle Tour OR Castner Glacier Ice Cave hike (looking at tour packages on TripAdvisor)
Santa Claus House
Chena Hot Springs
We have a couple of questions and would love your input:

1. Castner Glacier Ice Cave: For those who have been, is it fun/worth the trip in late November?
2. Other recommendations: Are there any other must-do activities or places you'd recommend that are easy to accommodate without a rental car?
   Any tips on specific tour companies, transportation, or general advice for late November would be hugely appreciated.
   Thanks in advance!

My family is looking into doing a cruise next summer and are trying to decide between Princess and Royal Caribbean. My husband went in Royal Caribbean as a kid and has fond memories but is open to trying something else. We have 3 kids (ages 3, 5 and 7 at time of sail) and are hoping to see wildlife and see as much as possible. We are going spend a few days in Anchorage at the end no matter what for their marathon. Which cruise has a better family feel (not necessarily high energy) and strong naturalists guiding everyone?

We have booked an Alaskan Cruise ending in Whittier in mid-July. They wanted to sell us a post-cruise land excursion that would take us to Denali NP.

But we thought we could do better. We are older, but very active. I cycle, while my wife rides horses. This is our retirement cruise. I just did 10days in Switzerland with my son, logging 145,000 steps. But my wife will limit us in hiking, 2-4mi roundtrip is all she's interested in.

Still putting this together, and looking for ideas, and maybe some hidden gems.

Whittier: Rent car, buy bear spray. Maybe do Portage Pass Trail, before the Tunnel.

Number of possible stops on way through Anchorage:
Williwaw Valley - Salmon viewing (might be too early). Blue Ice Trail, Byron Glacier Trail.

Girdwood

Bird Point & Beluga Point

Potter Marsh

Go on to Talkeetna. Stay there, and do the air taxi to land on glacier.

This is where my broad paint strokes of the trip get fuzzy. From here, we're vacillating on the Denali NP. It's still 2.5hrs to the Park from Talkeetna. To take the Bus excursions, there are 2hr, 5hr and 8hr trips. That's a lot of time spent in cars and buses. I do want the adventure and not a workout. If we've already seen it from the air, is it still worth the car or car/bus trip?

Eventually we need to get back to Anchorage to fly out.

Ideas?

BTW, we have Alaska connections. My wife's horse trainer is from Homer. Her crazy brother decided to go to Alaska for a summer job in college, doing what amounts to "Most Deadliest Catch". And my wife's son drives the oil tanker Washington to Valdez to pickup oil.

Looking for someone who can do aerial towing with a sign on a quick turnaround! Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Admittingly I'm just a visitor working in the states for 2 seasons but... it seems oddly hard to find a simple affordable urgent care to go to like you'd find all over many lower 48 states.

I found Anchorage ER quite helpful when I've used them. But for some reason the Fairbanks one doesn't take out of state medicaid when Anchorage does. If you're within the state they seem pretty useful though.

This is also coming from someone with chronic health issues cause I don't think your average visitors needs so much medical visits. After this season I am done too.

Anyway just curious if anyone else has found healthcare in the state challenging?

I’m looking for somewhere nice to stay next weekend. Ocean views would be nice but we will take what we can get. Not looking for a rustic cabin. Are we just out of luck?