Try Vans or, believe it or not, Keds, which has some really cute patterns. I believe Coach also makes some nice " sneakers".

Also look at Sperrys

I never liked how Vans fit me but my nieces wear them. I do like Keds and buy a few pairs each season. Unfortunately, I don't think they are all that great for a lot of walking. I have had Merrells that were exceedingly comfortable.. and I've been looking at hiking shoe/sneakers and trailrunners the last few days. This is the direction I'd go if I were you.. something that has great traction, support and cushioning. That you could wear walking around a town all day or wear on light hikes.

I cannot say enough great things about these Patagonia hiking shoes. They look very nice and nondescript but provide tons more support than sneakers for walking:

http://www.amazon.com/Patagonia-Womens-Hiking-Olive-Night/dp/B00HQ51YZ2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

How about Merrells? I have their mesh clogs and that's what I bring for lots-of-walking vacations. They're great in the rain and mud, too. They're not the epitome of style, but I consider them more stylish than regular sneakers. They have some other non-clog styles that might be good, too.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/merrell-encore-breeze-3-mesh-clog/3595079

Merrells.

I have worn the same clog sue linked above and loved it-- my only complaint was that on my size 10 foot, it looked a little goofy. I have another pair of merrells that are all rubber and mesh-- much more sleek and they are great for wet terrain and clean up so nicely. They are a bit more stylish (funky style.. but still) but I havent seen the model for a long time. They have so many offerings-- clogs, shoes, sneakers, sandals. I think it's worth a trip to a store to see what style fits you best and meets your style expectations.

I find these very comfortable, and they come in lots of colors: Clarks Wave Trek

Ked's also makes Grasshoppers, which are nice and cushioned. My go to sneaker is the white leather, classic Reebok walking shoe. They make my feet looks slim, and I wear a wide. Comfy for fast walking.

Annie, are you familiar with Bernie Mev shoes? I have bought a couple of pair lately & will take at least one pair to Alaska on our trip. They are so lightweight, have memory foam insoles, and are very comfy. Here is the open toe version I bought, but I am taking the closed toe. They really look better on than in the pic.

Would also recommend looking online at some of the other offerings for Merrells. They have some that look good without being so much like a heavy duty shoe. Those Patagonias look good too.

pumas

I find Skechers to be really comfortable. I've been eyeing this pair, but they have lots of styles with their comfy sole

http://www.zappos.com/product/8657625/color/119860

Love my Coach hightops! I got them at Macy's. And they're very comfy for walking. I hate all white shoes, and haven't owned a pair of white tennis shoes/sneekers for at least 20+ years.

Skechers hands down most comfortable for my feet. So many options available from slip on, lace up, velcro. The go walk series are a great slip on. I have multiple pairs, all kinds of colors and get compliments on my shoes all the time. I also have Merrell, keen, Clark's, and lots of other more expensive shoes but my go to for comfort are skechers. They are the lightest weight shoes, like wearing a cloud.

Wow! Thanks everyone for all those suggestions! I have tried Clark's often and they never fit...7 is too small, 7.5 too loose. I've had similar issues with Merrells, though I know DH and my cousins love them. I have had a couple of pairs of skechers that I can get to work after awhile, so maybe I need to revisit them. I haven't seen bernie mev before and those definitely look like a good possibility if they are closed toe...shoes like huaraches with a woven top have been comfortable on me. The patagonias I haven't tried and they might work too. And thanks for the vans suggestion as well.

This will give me some good directions to go in. I want to get something to break in before we go for sure.

I always look for comfortable shoes that do not have a white sole. They generally look less " sneakery".

I haven't had a pair of Skechers that needed breaking in.

I am surprised Keen hasn't been mentioned...most comfortable pair of "sneakers" I have ever worn!

http://www.keenfootwear.com/product/shoes/women/whisper

i like running shoes the best- esp asics for their arch support if i'm going to be doing a lot of walking...

but, google 'fashion sneakers' if you want a lot of the more 'stylish' types of sneakers! :)

My wife owns about a dozen pair of Gowalk in various colors.

How about Cole Haan Bria sneaker in black. They are on sale at Neiman Marcus

Unfortunately, I'm no where near NM or Nordstrom's. I really struggle to buy shoes over the net as my feet are so hard to fit. I can go in a DSW and try on over 50 pair and maybe find 1 that fits.

Look at the Pumas, Annie. I know you are frugal with clothing purchases and they are not expensive yet they are comfortable and sleek. No bulky tennis shoe here. Pumas have a variety of style names similar to what I posted and are easily available-Online!

Naturalizer Bzees. I found a pair of the Bzees Paradise in the discount rack at DSW a few months ago, and I simply love them. It's like walking on pillows.

Bzees Relax

New Balance has some stylish sneakers that aren't too clunky. I bought a pair of 315s last year that are comfy and approved by my teenage style critics. This year the style has changed and they are not as sleek. but they have other cute lace up shoes. I'd wear them with jeans and ankle length khakis but not with anything dressier.

The 555s and the 410s come in black and are cute.

http://www.zappos.com/new-balance-classics-wl410-black-1

http://www.zappos.com/new-balance-l555-flipduo-black

I've been buying solid black Nike AirMax. The last pair I bought at Nordstrom had some glitter in them too. I think next time I will look at getting vans, sketchers, or Pumas. You are definitely going to want a good pair of tennis shoes in AK.

Annie, You are 41 minutes from both a Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus!

M, Annie's Achilles Heel is her clothing budget!

You will most likely have wet conditions on your trip. Merell is a good choice for walking and keeping your feet dry. We were in Alaska last summer and my Merells were perfect.

mtnrd, for me it's over an hour, without traffic... I did go once and it was a very disappointing experience, even ignoring the prices.

Bumble, my wallet is always my achilles heel...not just for clothing! At least I'm not as bad as my Dad was...moths used to fly out when he opened his wallet.

:-)

zappos is your friend. You can order and order and order and return, return, return for free (ask me how I know). They charge a tiny bit more, but it's so worth it to me to get just what I want, delivered to my door. If there is a shoe I really want, I sometimes order the same one in two sizes just to make sure, and return the unwanted one.

I think Nordstrom has free returns, too, but Zappos is simply the best! Your order will arrive sometimes the next day, if you order early enough.

ETA, I'd look at Keen shoes. They are probably the most popular casual shoe in the NW where everyone is always hiking around - even in the summer if it rains, they have a thick enough sole that people wear them rain or shine - I mean the more open kind, sort of part way between an athletic shoe and sandal. Almost every different style on Zappos has a 5 star rating for comfort. They are so much cuter on than pictured and they are very lightweight, which i love.

Like these

Annie, if you don't already read the blog Une femme d'un certain âge, you should. She does great packing for travel posts. Today is a list shoes for travel. She's at unefemme.net.

eta: I see that you don't like to spend much but you're a frequent traveler so you'll get years of use out of the right shoe. Shoes are so important, they are not the place to skimp in the budget. If you can afford a Tauck tour, you can afford a quality pair of shoes...or two!

hhireno, because I don't spend much on other things is how I afford the tauck tour! :-)

I haven't been following une femme, but I will...lots of interesting stuff there. Thanks!

cmm, thank you...I hadn't thought about how wet the shoes might get. I've tried Merrells in the past and did have fit issues, but I will try again and definitely look for waterproof footware. (DH already has waterproof hikers.) I'll have to make sure we have good rain gear too...I understand it can be quite rainy in the summer where we're going.

I went through the same problem last year on finding non-clunky shoes to walk and moderate climb in. When I tried on sneaker type shoes with pants and looked down it just looked strange and was not something I felt comfortable with. These coach shoes/sneaker worked well from trail to casual restaurant. They needed no breaking in and still look pretty new for future trips despite the many miles I put on them. My foot is medium and a bit narrow at top. If you look around you might find a better deal, mine were on sale. If you have a wider foot you may want to walk around in them a few weeks before the trip.

http://www.coach.com/coach-designer-sneakers-moonlight-sneaker/Q6640.html?dwvar_size=10%20%20B&dwvar_color=BJD

jterrilynn, my foot is the opposite...I have a normal heel but wide toes...DH teases me that I should've been an olympic swimmer as I have built in flippers!

Annie if I ever lose my fingers ill be okay because I have long toes. I'd be one that that would learn to write with my feet lol. When I broke a toe a while back the doctor joked that I had toeingers. Anyhow, if you get a chance you might want to tryout some Coaches because the leather stretches and conforms to your foot. You could try a 1/2 size up.

I love my Coach Remonna sneakers, and always get compliments on them. A dressy sneaker! Who knew? ;-) I've had mine for awhile and worn them for work events where I've had to be on my feet for hours at a time, and they are extremely lightweight and comfy.

Funny about your flippers, Annie. I feel your pain about hard to fit. I wear a 10 AAAA with a six A heel. Hub thinks I would have been a terrific grape stomper with these skis.

Hah! Maybe my troubles are over! Today's Vivienne Files she talks about how white adidas were seen all over Paris...if it's ok in Paris, it's sure gonna work in AK!

Oh no, not those! My husband has been wearing those very shoes - Stan Smith Adidas - for 40 years! He loves them.

What can I say, sheesh? Everything old is new again...

Well, actually the Stan Smith's aren't much different from the low-top Converse Chuck Taylors the teens are wearing these days with jeans that are slightly rolled up as described in the article. I've even seen adults wear that look with the looser jeans around here.

Stan Smith's never went out of style.

It's a nice shoe but like converse, it's a very flat shoe. I think they have more padding and support than converse but they are a tennis shoe. Probably not the best for hiking.

Outside, I wear that look-- and I did as a teen too (though then I was wearing tretorns! I'd still wear them if i could find them with the cute colored or plaid nilights!)

Problem solved. I found these Merrells in TJ Maxx. Not only do they not rub in the heel, a frequent issue I have, but they have lots of toe room. And they are extremely light weight so they'll be great to pack. I've already taken them for a 3 mile spin without issue. Wahoo!