If you haven’t visited Alaska, you’re missing out! We have visited Alaska several times and can attest to its incredible natural beauty. Pictures are fantastic, but they do not let you experience the vastness you witness in person. So, we created our guide for planning your Alaska dream trip.
From breathtaking natural beauty to amazing outdoor activities, there’s something for everyone in Alaska. A good travel agent can help you select the perfect itinerary that suits your needs, budget, and interests.
Denali
Mt. Denali is North America’s highest peak and a must-visit for an Alaska dream trip. Denali National Park is vast, it’s America’s largest national park and is larger than the entire state of New Hampshire! There are tons of tours and excursions available. The Park Service even offers free sled dog demonstrations in the summer. “Flight-seeing” is a wonderful way to see incredible views you will always remember.
Finally, check out our guide to National Park passes.
Kenai Fjords
Another very popular area is Kenai Fjords. Almost 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield. A Kenai Fjords boat tour is one of the very best ways to see Kenai on your Alaska dream trip, and you might spot a whale or two! You can also hike, mountain bike, take a “flight-seeing” trip and more. There are many great boat trips from Seward or even Anchorage. Some excursions include a dinner cruise or whale-watching. And from May to mid-June, orcas can be spotted.
Glacier Bay
One of the highlights for an Alaska dream trip is a cruise of Glacier Bay, but sadly, many visitors miss this incredible experience entirely. Glacier Bay, part of the U.S. National Park Service, is strictly controlled. Only two ships per day from a few cruise lines are permitted. You may even see seals perched on chunks of ice. You can still have a fabulous time without visiting Glacier Bay, but we always recommend it.
Fantastic Towns
All along the coast are towns with great history and character. Are you are fascinated by fishing, the Gold Rush, or Native American culture? There is something for you!
Juneau is a great place for a helicopter tour to walk on a glacier during your Alaska dream trip. It’s the state capital yet you can only get there by air or boat. The Mendenhall Glacier is the only glacier in Southeast Alaska accessible by road.
Charming Ketchikan has a wealth of native culture and a visit to the Totem Heritage Center is memorable. There is an abundance of salmon and eagles. You can fish, kayak, or take a tour and perhaps see seals, sea lions, and whales. Or snorkel with a ton of underwater sealife.
Sitka might be the most beautiful of the Southeast Alaska communities. Its Russian history is fascinating as evidenced by St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
Skagway is Alaska’s top tourist destination. The White Pass and Yukon Route railroad, is a traveler favorite. On your Alaska dream trip, you can ride the rails on a real gold-rush era railroad from Skagway into the heart of the Yukon. And, yes, the area is, in part, a national park.
Finally, most visitors will visit Anchorage. It may not seem like it, but it’s a big city by Alaska standards.
There are day-long tours to the Kenai area that are very worthwhile. However, closer, and very popular places to visit are Chugach State Park and the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge is a bird-lover’s paradise. For your convenience, we have compiled a list of some popular Anchorage area tours.
Planning Your Alaska Dream Trip: All the Ways to Visit Alaska
There are several ways to visit Alaska. The simplest is to fly there and back. No passport required. You can rent a car, take guided vacations, ride the famous trains, or a bit of each! You can even stay at some cool Alaska Wilderness lodges and take the domed trains with their magnificent views. However, you won’t see the cool towns of the Inside Passage.
The most affordable way to visit Alaska is an ocean cruise.
Generally, you can take cruises out of Seattle, Vancouver, Whittier, or Seward. Cruises also run from San Francisco. Your transportation, accommodation, meals and entertainment are covered. We recommend one-way cruises as you will spend more time sightseeing than on a round-trip cruise. Almost every major cruise company has Alaska cruises available. It can be confusing choosing the best one but we’re here to help.
Other ways, much less frequently-used, are to take ferries from Seattle or to drive yourself through Canada.
We think the best Alaska dream trip is to pair a one-way cruise with a cruise tour. You cruise from Vancouver to Alaska and then the cruise line transports you to fabulous Alaskan lodges. They usually include the famous glass-domed trains and guided tours. There are many multi-day options available. If you have the time and the money, it is the best!
Alaska Souvenirs and Art
On our past visits, we bought have some great Alaskan art that we cherish. Certainly you will want to explore and shop. Although there are countless shops, you should also consider the museum shops as great places to buy something to bring home.
Alaska has over 60 museums and cultural centers covering its history: the Russian occupation, gold booms – and busts as told in art and artifacts. Of course, the art of the Alaska native cultures is especially interesting. Beadwork, masks, carving, and basketry are some of the favorite collectable items.
Tip: When you shop in Alaska, be sure to look for the silver hand logo which denotes the object was created by an Alaskan native artist using local materials.
More
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Visiting National Parks? Here’s our Guide.
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