Gas Prices versus airline tickets
The Great American Road Trip was enacted in the 1970s and has evolved into a popular vacation choice for families and groups. The original epic odyssey has grown exponentially into one of the greatest travel experiences available, with gorgeous scenery, unpredictable ecological fairways, and an intense desire to escape into the wilderness.
With extraordinary historical sites and lighthouses, the Alaska Route is a land of pristine opportunities for hiking, kayaking, climbing, and of course, good old-fashioned adventure.
Geographically speaking, the Alaska Range extends from northern Canada to western Russia, blending peninsula wilderness with awesome glaciers and snowfields so that visitors can experience the pristine scenery from the start to the finish of the road trip. The Alaska Range is home to many summer activities such as salmon fishing, bear watching, hiking, and even biking.
The Kenai area is home to many campsites frequented by tourists looking for alpine union offorship. The vast majority of these campsites are easily accessible via auto, truck, or snowmobile. The spot which may prove most popular for tourists is the Alaska Highway, also known as the Pacific Highway. Many people claimed that it was easier to drive the Peninsula Highway than the Alaskan Highway, especially since most of us have to make a 1,000-foot climb to reach the Shish Glacier from the Indian Way. Whichever way you decide to go, the trip is always an adventure.
The Shish Glacier is the end of the Alaska Highway, but only the beginning of the most dramatic, adventure-filled, population-dense trek possible on Alaska’s West Coast. Called the Denali Loop back, it is a major highway in the area, connecting the Kenai Peninsula and the world’s biggest and most active glacier with Denali National Park. You can get to the glacier from the south by taking a road that leads to it.
Most people will take a highway unless they are going somewhere on the Peninsula that isn’t on the normal route. However, the world’s shortest route, the Kokaiatta route, does run through the Kenai Peninsula, so it is possible to get from Denali up to the edge of the glacier by a little over hour. If you do decide to get off the beaten path, it is important to stay in a good campground. There are a few major spots, but there are plenty of minor ones as well.
The changes in the terrain make it necessary to ascend slightly to go beyond the tree line. This will lead to a trip to the slope of Kokoti and a difficult hike up the Shearwaters. After going up and back down the Shearwaters, there is a very scenic rock beach on the Ochre Pits. You can also stay at theapo’ano Valley Hotel in Port Angeles if you are going to stay in that area.
While it is true that any peak time will be crowded in the area, sometimes it is better to wait. If you don’t mind hiking to get to the peak, you will have a good time. In other situations, you will want to be at the top of the peak so you can take in the dramatic change in the scenery as it occurs.
The reasonable fee of $10 per car entrance into the park helps to minimize crowding at the sites. Most people leave the park without visiting the hayfield, so don’t be shy and push your car to the edge of the lot to pick up the hay. Most visitors watch the traffic and walk on the roads that lead to the high overlook. This is a good way to enjoy the sites and get some great photos of the volcanic mountains.
Take a good camera, a good pair of binoculars, and perhaps a GPS finder! The only drawback to the park as far as photography is concerned is the large number of slot machines, which are free, but requires a coin…..and a chip. You can only take one photo per fee at most of the sites. It’s worth taking a fee (the average couple dollars) to take the photo of the fantastic Denali Peak 9, though.
The other Arcade action takes place at the West Side Market. It is a smaller version of the swap meet that you find in Grandma’s house down in Texas. It captures the festive spirit of the holidays, crafts, and unique goods, and even has a very popular ice skating rink. The wait staff is friendly and helpful, and a very big “Thank You” is often heard as they close the doors.
Most of the visitors to the West Side Market (which is the nation’s oldest grocery store) come from Broadway in Manhattan and the local suburbs.
If your car is not fantastic to take with you on this road trip, then you can always rent a car here.
