Alaska by Car and Rail
by Bobbie Murphy

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Did you know that Alaska Rail offers travel agents one roundtrip rail ticket per year at 60 percent off for you and a companion? Sold! We traveled from Anchorage to Denali for two nights in the Princess Lodge there, and then stopped in Talkeetna for one night on the return (yes, they allowed that at no extra charge)! I chose not to upgrade to Gold Service, which allows you seats in a special dome car with your own personal bar tender. Non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price of $85 more per person one way. The other added bonus is a large viewing platform on the upper level. One down side is that the size of your carry-on is restricted to a little tiny bag. As I was carrying my laptop and didn't want to have it put in the luggage hold, we stuck with the standard ticket and were quite comfy.

But, first, it just so happens that we have good friends (both pharmacists who work from home on computers and phones) who decided two years ago that they could live anywhere in the world, so they picked Homer, Alaska. Perfect! I rented a car and we drove the four-plus hours after landing at about 8 pm and still got there before dark! I know, that's crazy - I bought an eye cover to help me sleep the first day. Steve and Robyn were the perfect hosts, taking us on a tour of the area the next morning, where we got a photo of a mama moose and her baby by the side of the road, saw some amazing views of the glaciers across the Kachemak Bay, and drove out onto the Homer Spit. Jutting five miles out into the bay, this large sand bar is home to the marina, a hotel, bars and restaurants, and a variety of shops. This little town is rightfully called a Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea in Tom Bodett’s writings in "The End of the Road." You'll find plenty of aging hippies, fishermen, and intellectuals in search of a spiritual home. The T-shirt is right on - "Homer, Alaska: a Fishing Town with a Drinking Problem." Halibut, salmon, and local brews are king!

After three nights in the best private B&B in the country (Steve loves to cook and has a great wine cellar!), a boat excursion in their 23-foot fishing vessel that netted not only a lovely halibut for me but a very queasy stomach, and warm sunny weather every day, we hopped back in the rental car and headed for more adventures. I certainly see myself returning again soon - what a lovely spot. You have to see the view from their deck to believe it. More than 180 degrees of mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, and water is a view I could live with. Well, at least in the summertime!

The road to Homer from Anchorage takes a right turn at the fork in the road; if you choose left, it leads right into Seward. The dutiful travel agent in me chose to drive to Seward. My wildlife lover side required a visit to the Sealife Center - well worth a look if you have at least and hour or two. And you'll be glad to know that they allow travel agents free entry. What a pleasant surprise that was! The AAA discount helped my husband to reduce the $20 entry fee for adults. My favorite exhibit was the aviary water sanctuary. I was down below when a bird dove down to pick at a starfish on the bottom ... my, was that bird FAST!

Having a limited amount of time in town, we took a few photos of the beautiful bay, drove past the rental house that my clients were to inhabit the very next week, and settled on a place called Chinook's Waterfront for some incredible seafood chowder and fish and chips. The prices are high, but the halibut is amazing and the views of the harbor are stunning. This was one day that I was grateful there was no large ship in port. We had the place to ourselves, and I REALLY enjoyed the food and view. Something about a view that makes your food taste better, huh?

The drive to Anchorage was serene. As we would have a simpler time if we made it to Hertz by 5 pm (it's right across the street from the Captain Cook Hotel) when they close (instead of returning the car to the airport location), we drove with purpose. Check-in for both the car and the Sheraton hotel were incredibly easy. Since the Sheraton offers a free shuttle to any location in the downtown area, it was easy to arrange both a drop at a local park for a walk around the Cook Inlet before dinner and our trip to the rail station at 7:30 am. A delicious dinner at Orso's capped off a wonderful day.

We arrived earlier than we needed to, but since I was a first-timer, I wanted to allow for error. Having decided we didn't need to lug all of our luggage with us on a three-night trip north, I checked one large bag with the bellman at the Hilton, which is nearest to the rail station. It was a relatively easy walk down a hill to the rail ... but on the return, a bit more of a challenge dragging a large bag and two carry-ons back up!

I have to admit to some butterflies in my stomach as we waited to board. My first REAL rail journey was about to begin! It was clear after being seated in our C car seats that the train was not going to be full. Our attendant gave some nice commentary about what we were seeing, and even suggested to us that if we walked back a couple of cars, we could have the dome car to ourselves. Wow ... that was really cool! I noticed that some of the cars had been renovated, and the back ones had seats that were older, but it was interesting to me that they were set at an angle that was much nicer for viewing than the newer seats down below. More like the bus seats of old, they were quite comfortable, and it was definitely nicer to be sitting up high. If the train is crowded, you must be aware of the time you are in the dome car, and rotate on a 20-minute cycle so everyone has a chance to see. The upgrade to Gold means you are seated in a comfy new seat and car on the upper dome level the entire trip, and you have that viewing platform that is larger and open air. Down in the second class seats, you can get the viewing platform photos on the first level between cars. It's very small, but I never had to jockey for position there.

Our departure time from Anchorage was 8:15 am, and our arrival time in Denali with one stop in Talkeetna was about 4:30 pm. The time went surprisingly fast! By the time we got to Denali, I was so relaxed and happy that I had chosen to ride the rails. We could have made the trip much faster if we had driven, but it just wouldn't have been the same. We even got a glimpse of Mt. McKinley (called Denali by the locals) along the way. Making the trip even more special, we met a couple from Fairbanks who were traveling home by rail for the very first time ever. They had lived there for 30 years, and he happened to be a geologist. Our ride was peppered with quite interesting factoids about the mountains and rivers and rocks. How cool is THAT?

Both the Princess Denali Lodge and the Princess McKinley Lodges are fairly new builds - a fact that somewhat spoiled the experience for me. I guess when I hit the wilderness, I long for the old wood smells, the sagging floorboards, and the creaking doors. This was a little "sterile" for me, I suppose. Yet, the location is superb. Denali is set along a ridge overlooking a beautiful river valley, where the occasional rafting group floats by and the gulls play. The McKinley Lodge, while an hour by bus north from the rail station, sits on a bluff overlooking yet another riverbed hundreds of feet below, and facing front and center stage to the majestic Denali Mountain. Wow.

To book these lodges, all you need to do is call Princess. If you are a travel agent, you may request 30 days in advance for travel agent rates (you may request them in advance, but they won’t confirm until 30 days prior). Typically difficult in the mid-summer months, I was lucky to snag a TA rate at the Denali for one night at $99. Not so lucky this time with Denali, but this location is more highly sought, and more common in packages, I suspect. We paid $149 pp for a two-night stay, plus $149 each for the seven- to eight-hour Tundra Tour. My commission on the package was only $44.80. Don’t expect to get a discount on the tour with Princess; however, at breakfast across the street, I learned about a way to get discounts on virtually ALL excursions in the area. Call 907.683.SAVE. And, another tip on the park tour: You can ride the bus inside the park for $11 each way and take it all the way into the park. You’d likely want to turn around at the spot where McKinley is in full view if you are doing a day tour, as it would take nearly eight hours to get all the way to the lodge at the end of the park road. Those bus drivers know their stuff, and of course you'd see all the same wildlife that we did! I will say that when I go back, that’s what I will do. The bonus there is that you can get out and hike whenever you want. This land is truly beautiful. Did you know that the reason the Denali National Park was designated public land is to protect the habitat of the Dall sheep? Now, you know.

Without spoiling the surprise too much, the tour into the park is nothing short of spectacular, and as expected, we saw a number of different animals, grizzlies included. Most encounters were from a distance, but that didn't spoil it for me. Our guide had a video camera with a telephoto lens, and there were viewing screens every few seats so you could take a look without bringing your own binoculars (I thought that was very cool!). Then, we learned that you could buy a video of the typical scenery shown on the tour, and they add your animal sightings to the end of the video. You can buy this for ONLY $40! (We chose instead to rely on our memories, short as they may be these days.)

The next morning, I found my sloping floorboards across the street, where we ate a hearty breakfast. This was the same place where you could get the discounts on the tours in the area. Wish I had known that BEFORE I came! Again, the phone number is 907.683.SAVE.

The two nights went quickly, and the next morning we were back on the train for our four hour trip down to Talkeetna. Before leaving the Denali station, we had a few minutes to walk through the Visitor's Center there, where there's a beautiful movie theatre viewing of the spectacular park, as well as a nice exhibit describing the lay of the land and the creatures inhabiting it. Well done. Back on the train, we settled into our seats, ready for the next adventure. On the bus ride up to the McKinley Lodge, we got yet another glimpse of the magnificent Mt. McKinley.

The check-in process was very smooth, and we immediately went to the large viewing deck. Many comfortable chairs and tables are arranged here so you can sit, sip a hot chocolate, or whatever. You sure didn't need it that day - it was a heat wave, according to the locals! Bet it got to 75 or so, though it felt much warmer in the sun. And, unless you are adventurous enough to hike and climb, this is probably the best view in the world of Denali itself. I can't find another adjective that will do it justice. It just gives you goose bumps - maybe that gives you an idea of the thrill of it. We are told that they can’t recall a time recently when there were so many days in a row it was so visible. This afternoon, there was a lone cloud over a portion, but we could definitely see the top!

No nightlife here ... everyone retires early. In the morning, we arose to go see if we could get a photo while the glow was still a bit pink ... too slow! But again, with a bit of a haze from the warm air, there she was. Some great easy trails to hike near the lodge will reveal slightly different views, and it was nice to get out walking after sitting on the buses and train so much. Bring a buddy, though I expect they don't see too many bears near these trails. Apparently, they enjoy playing on the next ridge. Mosquitoes can be a problem, but I wasn't annoyed much by them.

The rooms at this lodge are much more spacious and cushy, and we didn't mind the long walk from the main lodge at all. The food was forgettable, but that rarely defines a trip for me. Do tell your clients that you are pretty much held hostage here in God's Country! It's fabulous, relaxing, and really beautiful. Oh, and you can take the busses during the day on a regular schedule down into Talkeetna, a fun, quirky, hippie kind of place. On the next day, our train didn't leave until about 4 pm, so we were able to check our large bag at the train station early, and our laptop and light bags with a store near the train station for $1 each. The Princess bus transfers are free if you stay at their lodge. That allowed for a lovely walk about town and a nice lunch , maybe the best purchased lunch on the entire trip, at Wildflower Café.

Our last rail journey ... and my last little bottle of wine. I had purchased a four pack of these petite bottles at the general store the day of my Tundra Tour, and what a great $7 investment that was! I savored this last one as I admired the Alaska wild one more time, wind in my hair, snapping photos along the way on the platform between the cars. Anchorage was waiting for us. With our bags held at the Hilton, our last Alaska meal was at a place called The Anchor. We just missed the last set of a jazz ensemble. On Friday nights they play from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The fish sandwich was delicious there. In the late hours, they remove the tables in the middle of the floor and turn the place into a nightclub for the younger set. Smart owners. But, there was no dancing for me, as we had to get to the airport for our red-eye flight home to Cincinnati thru SLC. I will have to come back to check that out another time!

Bobbie Murphy is the owner of Bobbie's Travel Ltd. in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the director of the OSSN Kentucky Chapter. You may reach her via her listing (under "KY") in the OSSN chapter directors roster.

(Credits: Bobbie Murphy)