Calgary To Skagway/Ferry to Bellingham Aug 08

[0533]

Thanks Ray, I will look into this and see if it has coverage up North.

[QueenOfTheRoad]

If you haven't finalized your ferry reservations yet, I would urge you to make several stops along the Alaska Marine Hwy on your back from Skagway (especially to Sitka, but also Juneau, Ketchikan and Wrangell). I'm posting all about our Alaska trip in this forum (thread: Alaska via the Trans Canada) - a series of articles I wrote for Bus Conversions magazine. I hope they're helpful.

[0533]

If you haven't finalized your ferry reservations yet, I would urge you to make several stops along the Alaska Marine Hwy on your back from Skagway (especially to Sitka, but also Juneau, Ketchikan and Wrangell). I'm posting all about our Alaska trip in this forum (thread: Alaska via the Trans Canada) - a series of articles I wrote for Bus Conversions magazine. I hope they're helpful.

Good morning Doreen,

Wish that I could say that we had purchased those tickets. We had to make a change in our plans based on a family health issues. My wife has to take care of her mother and didn't feel comfortable being so far from home. I tried to leave on my own but Pam took the keys.

I look forward to viewing your post on your Alaska trip. It will help us in the future planning for sure. We had decided not to take the ferry after we realized the dog would be stuck below for 5 days, not possible with our daughter.

[QueenOfTheRoad]

So sorry to hear about your mother-in-law as well as canceling your trip.

We traveled (as you can see in my signature) with a large dog and two cats. By making the stops along the Marine Hwy (we'd disembark with the bus and toad, head to an RV park for a few days, then get back on), we never had a ferry ride of more than 12 hours (that was the longest by far). We also got to see scenery and places we never would have (the towns are inaccessible by car from the interior) and, in our opinion it was the highlight of the entire Alaska trip.

For the longer ferry rides (I believe 10 hours and up, but the number is in the article I posted), a ferry employee will bring all pet owners down to the hold to walk, feed, etc. their animals.

Do consider it whenever you reschedule.

[0533]

So sorry to hear about your mother-in-law as well as canceling your trip.

We traveled (as you can see in my signature) with a large dog and two cats. By making the stops along the Marine Hwy (we'd disembark with the bus and toad, head to an RV park for a few days, then get back on), we never had a ferry ride of more than 12 hours (that was the longest by far). We also got to see scenery and places we never would have (the towns are inaccessible by car from the interior) and, in our opinion it was the highlight of the entire Alaska trip.

For the longer ferry rides (I believe 10 hours and up, but the number is in the article I posted), a ferry employee will bring all pet owners down to the hold to walk, feed, etc. their animals.

Do consider it whenever you reschedule.

Thats interesting, I did not know that you could get on and off the boat at will. This would make a huge difference in our future plans, and I bet for others as well with pets or who want to see the hard to get to regions of Alaska.

[QueenOfTheRoad]

Not quite "at will" - you have to include all your ons and offs when you initially make the reservation. (In fact, I would guess that for the 5 day trip you canceled, it was not 5 straight days of sailing, ie the boat stopped several places, so passengers - with and without vehicles - could get on and off.)

Do check out the Alaska thread in this travel forum - a lot of people have posted great info. My first article there (posted last week) goes through the general info of getting there, including the Marine Hwy and the stops we made, why we chose to leave from Canada and not WA, etc.

[0533]

Not quite "at will" - you have to include all your ons and offs when you initially make the reservation. (In fact, I would guess that for the 5 day trip you canceled, it was not 5 straight days of sailing, ie the boat stopped several places, so passengers - with and without vehicles - could get on and off.)

Do check out the Alaska thread in this travel forum - a lot of people have posted great info. My first article there (posted last week) goes through the general info of getting there, including the Marine Hwy and the stops we made, why we chose to leave from Canada and not WA, etc.

I was wondering how a bus and toad could just get off at will and not cause a mess each time. basically you pay an extra fee for your planned itinerary??

[QueenOfTheRoad]

As I posted in the Bus Conversions article (that's now in the Alaska Trans Canada thread):

"To get on and off at the various stops, staying several days at each does not cost significantly more than just staying on board the entire time and we would highly recommend it, as each town is quite unique."

Hope that's helpful.

[flyu2there]

Bruce,

We stayed at the RV park in Pacifica and it was pretty good. I think the one near downtown SF is more like a parking lot.

Enjoy the new coach and good luck on the trip.

JDUB

As an old San Francisco native may I make the following recommendation....Napa county Fair Grounds in Calistoga, Ca. Google the place and book ahead, some sites are full hook up others not. Fills up fast in the Summer months, especially when the sprint car races are in town. Very nice place, short walk to restaurants (5 star) and mud bath's if you are so inclined. Probably 50 good sized wineries within ten miles and about a 70 mile day trip to San Francisco.

Candlestick is what it is, a parking lot, check that, an overpriced parking lot in the worst area of San Francisco (Bay View/Hunters Point). Access/egress is terrible, especially when you make a wrong turn. I have been told you can get the graffiti off if its still fresh....enough said!

Pacifica is usually cold and windy and in the Summer months will be foggy. Lots of converted school busses there, replete with macrame curtains and peace signs. If you must be close to the "City" its probably your best bet.

Another option is Bodega Bay......out on the jetty, run by California State Parks..I do believe. Get to relive the Birds.......a bit of a long reach to San Francisco however.

John