Canada. Alaska 2016. Tips Suggestions, Pearls of Wisdom Please

Geewhizz on 29/11/2014 - 08:08

Hubby has decided that he wants to got to Canada and Alaska in 2016 when he has long service leave.

Have never been further afield than NZ, and that was a long time ago.

Seasoned travellers, fellow OzB'ers sensible and practical people, please share any tips, info, experiences etc which may help in planning, as the whole thing is a bit daunting. I figured if I start researching /planning now we won't find ourselves in the position of, "If we'd only known sooner."

We won't be going during the colder months.

Travel

Comments

  • anna10 on 29/11/2014 - 09:47
    +1

    Perhaps to cut down on much repeated advice, there are some great threads very recent threads here on 'first' time (long distance travellers), and just amened this to the specific places you wish to visit advice.

  • Smulder on 29/11/2014 - 11:28
    +1

    I lived in Vancouver for a year in 2005 and loved the place. It is a great base to explore the West Coast of Canada and the USA.

    Some of my favourite places in the world are around that area:

    Whistler is fantastic, summer or winter, and there are some amazing waterfalls and scenery on the drive up from Vancouver.

    Vancouver Island is very scenic, especially the West Coast, plus you can get a ferry from Victoria to Seattle which is a spectacular way to enter the USA.

    Seattle is a great city, lots to see and do, and a great way to get a taste of the USA if you don't want to travel in the USA too much. Plus it's only 3 hours South of Vancouver.

    Vancouver itself it a wonderful city.

    And of course, if your budget is unlimited, the train trip through the Canadian Rockies is breathtaking.

    I always wanted to do a cruise of Alaska, but never got around to it. My only advice would be from someone I met one night in Vancouver who worked at the cruise ship terminal, and she rekons the Alaskan cruises cater mostly for older people, and they are filled with mainly retirees. So depending on your age you may want to investigate something a bit more adventurous :)

    Jealous though… have an amazing time!

    • Geewhizz on 01/12/2014 - 10:29

      Fantastic, thank you. Some 'local' knowledge is just the thing I was after.

      And of course, if your budget is unlimited, the train trip through the Canadian Rockies is breathtaking.

      Haha budget is likely to be far from unlimited, but the train trip is number one on his want-to-do list.

  • twilsoncrow on 30/11/2014 - 16:54
    +1

    hi we have just booked an Alaskan cruise with a company called uncruise cruises. They are more activity based a very small ship and have a lot more flexibility with where they can go. We are going next Sept 2015 and a week in Seattle

    So much to see and do

    • Geewhizz on 01/12/2014 - 10:31

      You'll have to come back and give us some feedback. Cruises as such are not really our thing, but Alaska might have to be an exception.

  • CyberMurning on 19/01/2015 - 16:47

    hi im interested with a alaska cruise as well, is there any that depart from sydney or we need to go somewhere else first? (USA)?
    also, i like big cruise, bigger is better. any website i can have a look, and how much? i have no clue at all..

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