1 Week in Alaska - Any Reccomendations?

Ive got a week in Alaska in February, should be flying to Anchorage and renting a car. Was hoping to see some polar bears, but I cant find any cheapish tours. Anyone been to Alaska? Can you reccomend where to go what to see etc?

Any advice would be welcome.

You might be renting a car, but be advised that Alaska has very few roads. I believe you can get from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and also make the long trip via Canada to the lower 48. Costs are extremely high, and if you really want to see Polar bears, you have the wrong country (think Churchill in Canada). Since you're coming mid-winter, I'd suggest a more temperate climate such as SE Alaska (Juneau area). To ask these ? of an Alaskan, why not post your ? on this site in Community/General:http://anchorage.craigslist.org/

Tell me what you are looking to do..... I live in Juneau, But have lots of friends in Anchorage..... the beauty of Alaska is the ferry system. Don't rent a car. Get on the ferry and travel throughout Southeast would be my suggestion....

if you want polar bears...... Barrow, Alaska would be the place......heck, go whale hunting while you're at it.

where are you from?

Hi, Thanks for the replies..

Im from Ireland, but moving to Vancouver (via Alaska).

Im on a bit of a budget, so dont know if I can afford to cruise down the inside passage (are there cheap options to do this?) Also - I think you need to take a plane to Barrow if im not mistaken.

Are the bears hibernating at that time of year (february)? Is there any chance of seeing any type of bear?

You can take a cheapie cruise on the Alaska Ferry (you can actually camp out on the deck) run by the Alaska Marine Highway. I'm not exactly sure which routes would operate that time of year, but I'm sure you could get to the SE area - one of the most scenic. Here's their URL:
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

I lived in SE Alaska for a few years. You aren't really getting there at a good time of year to see wildlife like bears. The scenery in Alaska is still beautiful and rugged but Feb just isn't really a great time of year for wildlife. Some bears do come out of hibernation or don't hibernate in SE but they still aren't as active. Your best bet for seeing wildlife and lots of scenery is with the ferries or by taking a cruise or some kind of guided boat trip. You may catch some bears roaming the beaches and maybe see some seals or whales or things like that. Here is another website with some resources and info for setting things up in Alaska, www.greatwildlifevacations.com Hope this helps you