Alaska vacations require a lot of planning in advance. When you travel to Alaska, you may want to find the best Alaska fishing, or just explore all kinds of adventure vacation outings. Or perhaps you are looking for the perfect Alaska cruise, preferably with some kind of a discount. Whatever you dream about for your next Alaska vacation, start your planning by purchasing the best investment ever for an Alaska vacation. Get the TourSaver book now, before it's sold out!

Alaska TourSaver Reviews

Ten easy ways to save on an Alaska cruise
USA Today - May 30, 2007

See summer's top destinations the right way
Smarter Living - May 14, 2007

Alaska: 2-for-1 tours & vacations
Los Angeles Times - April 22, 2007

Tour book aims to get travelers off Alaska's beaten path
Alaska Journal of Commerce - December 24, 2006

150 Little Coupons Can Save up to $20,000 in Alaska
Frommer's - February 1, 2006

100's of Coupons in One Handy Booklet Offer Big Discounts
Frommer's - December 28, 2004

Alaska Vacation Planning

What is the first step in planning your Alaska vacation? Well, it helps to slice it and dice it. No, we're not talking about potatoes and onions. It's just that Alaska is so vast, so large and so overwhelming that you'll be hard pressed to see the whole state in two decades, let alone two weeks.

Let's start by carving out key interests for travelers.

Are you headed on a cruise for your Alaska vacation? Chances are you'll be calling in ports throughout the Inside Passage, or southeast Alaska. This includes ports-of-call like Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka and Skagway. These are popular ports for cruise ships operated by Holland America Line, Carnival and Princess Cruises. Several of the port cities offer free travel guides to plan your Alaska vacation.

If you are planning an Alaska vacation using Alaska's Marine Highway (the ferry), there are other ports included in the itinerary: Wrangell, Petersburg and Haines. depending on the sailing date, you may also call in Pelican or Tenakee Springs.

Many travelers plan their Alaska vacation to watch wildlife. Whether it's bears or birds, there are special areas that are better than others. There are several areas of the state where you can count on seeing moose, caribou, plus an occasional fox or Musk ox.

For bird watching, plan on doing a little flying of your own to get the most out of your Alaska vacation. The Pribilof Islands, off the western coast of Alaska in the Bering Sea, is known as the "Galapagos of the North" because of its diverse bird species. There is a special tour of St. Paul island which includes meals, accommodations and air fare from Anchorage. There also is one hotel on St. George, another of the Pribilof Islands. Insiders claim the bird-watching is even better here, although it's tougher to get to. Plan to visit the Pribilof Islands.

Looking for bears? There are a couple of good locations on the Alaska Peninsula. One is in the midst of Katmai National Park. Bears love to gather at the world-famous Brooks River Falls to feed on migrating red salmon. You can get a package which includes roundtrip air fare from Anchorage for a daytrip to see the bears.

There is another good bear-watching venue on the east coast of the Alaska Peninsula, across from the city of Kenai. The Redoubt Bay Lodge near Wolverine Creek offers daytrippers and overnight guests a chance to see the bears. Fly with Rust's Flying Service from Anchorage to a lake at the top of Lake Clark Pass. The lodge originally was a weather station for pilots to get accurate readings. In fact, the location still reports the weather in real time. But now the emphasis is on watching for bears.

Another group of travelers want to see incredible scenery on their Alaska vacation. Truth is, you'll see great scenery wherever you go in Alaska. But there are incredible glaciers and mountains all over the state--and you can plan your trip so you'll see lots of big country!  There are an abundance of choices for Alaska tours.

Do you want to land on a glacier? On Mount McKinley? It's an Alaska vacation dream come true for many travelers. Contact Talkeetna Air Taxi and make the arrangements: www.talkeetnaair.com. These are the same folks who fly the climbers back and forth to their base camp--they know the mountain very well!

Do you want to combine whale watching and glaciers? Consider a cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park with Renown Tours. We saw two different kinds of whales when we sailed with them: orcas and humpbacks. We also saw eagles, puffins, sea lions, seals, porpoise, moose and mountain goats on the shore--and a bunch of glaciers to boot! Don't miss it.

There are many other options for travelers: fishing, hunting, hiking, biking and rafting, among others. So don't wait! Start planning your Alaska vacation today, and save by ordering the TourSaver book!

Frequently asked questions about the TourSaver....

Q: How much does the TourSaver booklet cost?

A: Only $99.95. For over $22,000 in savings.

Q: What does 2-for-1 mean?

A: 2-for-1 means one person pays for a tour, attraction or admission and the 2nd person goes for free....buy-one-get-one-free. For hotels you pay for the first night and the second consecutive night is free.

Q: Are the "Free" items really free, or do you have to buy something else?

A: "Free" means TOTALLY FREE. No additional purchase is required. There are totally free Alaska vacation items in the Great Alaskan Toursaver.

Q: Many of the coupons say "Space is limited and restrictions apply." How can I be sure that I can use my coupon?

A: It's important to call ahead for reservations, just like you do for airlines and hotels. The sooner you make your arrangements, the more likely it is that you'll be confirmed on your desired date.

Q: How long does it take to get the Great Alaskan Toursaver once you order it?

A: We ship the same day via USPS First Class Mail. There is no additional charge for shipping and handling. If you wish to receive your Toursaver via USPS Priority Mail, UPS or FedEx, you can select one of those alternate shipping methods on the TourSaver order page.

Q: How long do we have to use the coupons in the Great Alaskan Toursaver?

A: All the coupons are valid for this year, 2008. Most expire at the end of the tourist season in September. Some, including the hotel coupons, expire at the end of the year, Dec. 31, 2008.

Q: Do I have to make advance reservations, or can I just show up?

A: For many of the offers, advance reservations are required. Additionally, you must mention that you have a Great Alaskan Toursaver. These conditions are part of the restrictions which are printed on each coupon.

Q: Are there any other restrictions for using the coupons? Days of the week? Time of day?

A: There are more than 140 offers in this year's Great Alaskan Toursaver and all the participating merchants have their own set of restrictions. These are printed clearly on each coupon.

Q: How do I make reservations for the offers in the book?

A: On each coupon, there is a phone number for reservations and information.

Q: Do I have to buy the Great Alaskan Toursaver before I get to Alaska?

A: Many Alaska visitors purchase the TourSaver 6 to 8 months before they travel. It's a good idea to plan ahead for your trip to Alaska, particularly when traveling during the peak travel months of June, July and August. However, the Great Alaskan Toursaver is also available at all Carrs, Safeway and Eagle grocery stores throughout Alaska. Check at Customer Service.

Q: Do you have any more information on Alaska vacations?

A: One of the coupons in the book offers a free subscription to Scott McMurren's Alaska Travelgram. It's an email newsletter which offers tips on travel in Alaska. It includes air fare bargains and off-the-beaten path trip options. Also, you can check the State of Alaska's Division of Tourism page.

Q: Which credit cards do you accept?

A: For online purchases, we accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover. If you purchase your booklet in Alaska at Carrs, Safeway or Eagle, you can use your American Express card.

Email us your questions about Alaska vacations

Alaska Vacation information can also be found on the Alaska TravelGram web site. Also, sign up for their free Alaska vacation newsletter!