where to stay in Anchorage? (summer 2015) - RV-Dreams Community Forum

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

where to stay in Anchorage? (summer 2015)

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bernd:

We have stayed at Homestead RV Park, Palmer, AK and Golden Nugget Camper Park, Anchorage. Homestead, near Palmer, was fine for what it was: a nice wooded place to stop. Hosts were very nice. Golden Nugget was just an in-town commercial campground and had zero “it” factor but was fine while we toured Anchorage. Clean with good utilities and a little space between sites. But it was just a place to park.

IMO, few of the commercial campgrounds have any “it” factor to speak of. They are just a place to park with power, dump your tanks and maybe do laundry. Not terribly bad, just not “destinations.” Alaska is the destination.

Having said that, with a truck camper you may indeed be able to do better finding an “it” factor campground. But the most of the commercial ones, relatively near the main Alaska hiways, are pretty basic. That’s what we found.

Might see you there in 2015 – Alaska that is. Plans just changed and it looks like Alaska again in 2015.

Bill

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda wrote:

Bernd:

We have stayed at Homestead RV Park, Palmer, AK and Golden Nugget Camper Park, Anchorage. Homestead, near Palmer, was fine for what it was: a nice wooded place to stop. Hosts were very nice. Golden Nugget was just an in-town commercial campground and had zero “it” factor but was fine while we toured Anchorage. Clean with good utilities and a little space between sites. But it was just a place to park.

IMO, few of the commercial campgrounds have any “it” factor to speak of. They are just a place to park with power, dump your tanks and maybe do laundry. Not terribly bad, just not “destinations.” Alaska is the destination.

Having said that, with a truck camper you may indeed be able to do better finding an “it” factor campground. But the most of the commercial ones, relatively near the main Alaska hiways, are pretty basic. That’s what we found.

Might see you there in 2015 – Alaska that is. Plans just changed and it looks like Alaska again in 2015.

Bill

yeah, the Golden Nugget was my choice - until I looked up the reviews on rvparkreviews.com. Two reviews reporting gunshots. That's why I am scared. Not looking for any "it" factor in Anchorage. We'll have plenty of campgrounds with "it" factors on the trip to make up for the parking lot in Anchorage. The other commercial campground in Anchorage is located right beside a railroad and the municipal campground reportedly is filled with, well, not the most appealing neighbors.

Hope to meet you in Alaska, we will be there in July and August. We will have no exact schedule to follow, only one or two fixed reservations like Brooks River Falls and Denali NP.

Bernd

soos · RV-Dreams Family Member

We stayed at Golden Nugget for 10 days in our truck camper. didn't seem too dangerous to us, and I was there alone for 4 days while DH flew to CA for a wedding. If you are only going to be there for a couple of nights, I recommend the Cabela's parking lot. its quiet, level, and has a dump station.
Sue

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

BTW, from the comments above I wanted to add, we were never concerned (afraid) in Alaska or Canada. Gun shots? Hey, it’s Alaska!

But seriously none of the parks we stayed in raised any concerns for safety or our well being in anyway.

B & L

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

soos wrote:
We stayed at Golden Nugget for 10 days in our truck camper. didn't seem too dangerous to us, and I was there alone for 4 days while DH flew to CA for a wedding. If you are only going to be there for a couple of nights, I recommend the Cabela's parking lot. its quiet, level, and has a dump station.
Sue

thanks very much for this tip, great!

I'll give them a call if they allow overnight parking. Looks like they generally do, but Walmart and other retailers don't allow it in Anchorage for whatever reason.

If this is not an option we'll probably stick with the Golden Nugget.

Bernd

soos · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Schweitzers on the road wrote:
soos wrote:
We stayed at Golden Nugget for 10 days in our truck camper. didn't seem too dangerous to us, and I was there alone for 4 days while DH flew to CA for a wedding. If you are only going to be there for a couple of nights, I recommend the Cabela's parking lot. its quiet, level, and has a dump station.
Sue
thanks very much for this tip, great!
I'll give them a call if they allow overnight parking. Looks like they generally do, but Walmart and other retailers don't allow it in Anchorage for whatever reason.
If this is not an option we'll probably stick with the Golden Nugget.
Bernd

Give them a call by all means but they do allow and encourage overnight RVs. We stayed there several times. I am not sure why the other stores don't allow it, but I also heard that Bass Pro Shops does, but Cabelas was great.

Anyway Golden Nugget was fine too.

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hello soos,

that is great news! Now we can leave Anchorage in the route schedule as planned.

We read your blog, the Alaska trip part that is. Very interesting, that you had the same thoughts and did the trip with a truck camper. Got a few more tips out of your experience, in particular from your final thoughts.
Thanks for writing that all up.

Bernd

-- Edited by The Schweitzers on the road on Sunday 26th of October 2014 11:56:30 PM

dianneandsteve · RV-Dreams Family Member

We liked Eagle River...stayed there twice. In Palmer we stayed at Mountain View RV Park. Great view of the mountains and a nice place. Check out our blog.

http://steveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2013/07/wednesday-july-24-2013-travel-to-mt.html

Safe Travels.

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

dianneandsteve wrote:
We liked Eagle River...stayed there twice. In Palmer we stayed at Mountain View RV Park. Great view of the mountains and a nice place. Check out our blog.
http://steveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2013/07/wednesday-july-24-2013-travel-to-mt.html
Safe Travels.

Hello neighbours,

we read your blog on a regular basis. Already took a bunch of notes from your Alaska trip.

Hope to meet you sometimes on the road or in Saanich!

Save travels

Bernd

sirwinston21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We stayed in Palmer at Town and Country. Had a good weekly rate and
was a good base for visiting Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer www.rvparklist.com/rvpark/5454/

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We stayed at Eagle River. Also Big Bear (or some such name with "Bear" in it while in Palmer. Was a nice park but the most expensive laundry we've encountered in 5 years of fulltiming.

Jealous of those planning Alaska in 2015. We had planned on being there this year during June, July and August. But on August 1 as we were getting ready to leave Anchorage I had a stroke. Sure did cut the trip short. We do plan on returning. So much more to see.

Diana and Jim · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you get to Seward, park at the water's edge in Seward Waterfront Park. Then walk up to Ray's for salmon!

dianneandsteve · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Schweitzers on the road wrote:
dianneandsteve wrote:
We liked Eagle River...stayed there twice. In Palmer we stayed at Mountain View RV Park. Great view of the mountains and a nice place. Check out our blog.
http://steveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2013/07/wednesday-july-24-2013-travel-to-mt.html
Safe Travels.
Hello neighbours,
we read your blog on a regular basis. Already took a bunch of notes from your Alaska trip.
Hope to meet you sometimes on the road or in Saanich!
Save travels
Bernd

Wow...you're from the Island too I see. Hope to meet you one day as well. Thanks for tagging along on our blog.

soos · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Schweitzers on the road wrote:
Hello soos,
that is great news! Now we can leave Anchorage in the route schedule as planned.
We read your blog, the Alaska trip part that is. Very interesting, that you had the same thoughts and did the trip with a truck camper. Got a few more tips out of your experience, in particular from your final thoughts.
Thanks for writing that all up.
Bernd

-- Edited by The Schweitzers on the road on Sunday 26th of October 2014 11:56:30 PM

Thanks!!

I love hearing about it when someone reads my blog! glad you got some good info out of it. we, of course, kept the camper and have used it several times since we got "back". It is such an easy way to travel we are so glad we did it that way. Its put away in storage now, till next spring. let me know if you have any other Alaska questions!

Diana and Jim · RV-Dreams Family Member

We also got a kick out of staying at the Homer Spit Campground ("Where the land ends and the sea begins."), and going to the Salty Dawg Saloon.

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

Diana and Jim wrote:
We also got a kick out of staying at the Homer Spit Campground ("Where the land ends and the sea begins."), and going to the Salty Dawg Saloon.

Thanks Diana and Jim,

both Seward and Homer will be on our route. Campgrounds you mentioned are noted.

Bernd

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

When I was planning our trip, I was told to be sure I bought the coupon book. I forgot! We took a 7 hour boat tour of Prince William Sound which cost $125.00 each. Well worth it.

However, on way in we were talking to another couple. They said they had the coupon book. THEN I REMEMBERED I WANTED TO GET ONE. There was a coupon for this tour = buy one/get one free. The book cost $100.00. So even if I had used just it once, I would have saved $25.00. No idea what else was in it. But sure worth checking out.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

The coupon book is The Alaska Toursaver, http://www.toursaver.com/. Get it before you go, since you will want it before you can buy it in Alaska. It is a 2-for-1, so not useful without two people.

The Schweitzers on the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

thanks phyllen and bjoyce, I learned about that toursaver book by reading a few blogs. Actually there is another one out there, the Northern Lights Coupon book. It covers about the same as the tour saver and is only 55$. You can look both up online and check which coupons are included and provide the better value for you depending on your tour preferences. However, most of the coupons are 2 for 1, thus only helpful for two or more people.
Bernd