Visiting Alaska - The Shadrian Chronicles

Alaska should be on everyone’s bucket list. The state has a number of national parks, each with their own beauty and activities. There are also a number of other scenic cities and rural areas that are worth checking out. Check out our guide below for visiting the last frontier.

When should you visit?

The best time to visit Alaska for most people is going to be summer. Late June though August are peak tourist visiting times. Going in early June or September does offer a lower number of people, however temperatures may be a little chillier than July and August.

If you can handle the cold, the winter definitely offers some unique experiences, including a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Some national parks are closed or limited during the winter and some areas may be difficult to reach.

How to get to and around Alaska?

There is only one major airport (Anchorage) and a number of regional airports in Alaska. Anchorage is serviced by most major airlines in America. Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Juneau are serviced by Alaskan Airlines and a few of the major American airlines. Most of the regional and local airports are only serviced by Alaskan Airlines or smaller operations.

Alaska runs a fairly impressive ferry service that is open to tourists. The ferries may be early or late on arrival, so always plan to arrive an hour early and potentially wait an hour for your ferry to arrive. The ferries usually have food service and entertainment (movies, games and puzzles). If you are lucky you may even spot whales, seals, or other sea life. We took two ferries and saw multiple humpback whales in addition to a lot of other sea life.

Trains and rental cars are also options for traveling through the state. Trains service most of the tourist areas in the mainland Alaska area and rental cars are available at nearly every city.

Where should you stay?

Where to stay in Alaska all depends on what you are doing and what you want to see. Anchorage is a great place to use as a base site to visit Kenai Fjords National Park or the Seward area. There are also some tourist train routes to and from Anchorage with stunning views. There are a handful of hotels in Anchorage as well as a handful of Airbnbs.

If you are touring or visiting the inner passageway (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Gustavus, Sitka, etc…), then consider using Airbnb instead of hotels. There are a few hotels in each city, however due to the high tourist volume in the summer, prices can get a little high.

Most of the national parks in Alaska do not have cabins or hotels, but they do allow tent camping. Plan a reservation in advance to tent camp as some sites may fill up. Some of the parks do have in park lodges, but book these well in advance as as they fill up quickly.

National Parks

One of the main reasons to visit Alaska is just for the national parks. Denali may be the crown jewel of Alaska, but there are actually eight national parks. Some of the parks – Gates of the Arctic NP, Katmai NP, Kobuk Valley NP, and Lake Clark NP cannot be visited by car. You have to fly from Anchorage or Fairbanks to reach them. Below is a breakdown of each park:

Denali National Park – Known for the beautiful Denali mountain range, the park offers stunning views and wildlife viewing. Tourists are not allowed to drive cars into the park, however the park does operate a very helpful bus service. See our guide to Denali National Park here.
Kenai Fjords National Park – One of the easiest parks to visit, Kenai Fjords is mostly scene by boat. Find guided tours of the fjords, glaciers, or even whale watching out of Seward. Check out our guide to exploring Kenai Fjords National Park here.
Glacier Bay National Park – Reachable only by boat or plane, the park offers ranger led tours into the bay, as well as cultural programs. Wildlife is thick in the bay area, from humpback whales to black bears being commonly seen. See our guide to Glacier Bay National Park here.
Katmai National Park – Katmai is known for its large population of brown bears. To reach the park you have to fly or boat in. There are numerous platforms for safe viewing of the numerous brown bears that live in the area.
Gates of the Arctic National Park – The only way into Gates of the Arctic is by plane. Once in the park there are no roads. It is best to have a guide to lead you through the park.
Kobuk National Park – Kobuk is also north of the Arctic Circle and can only be reached by plane. The park is known for the massive amount of caribou that migrate through.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – Know for being the largest national park in America. The park offers stunning views of its mountain ranges and glaciers.

Inner Passageway

There are a number of cities in the Inner Passageway worth checking out. Each city has its own charm and attractions. The cities are connected by ferries or flights, however ferry operating times may only run on certain days and times.

Juneau – The capital of Alaska and a major cruise ship stop. The Mendenhall Glacier is a short distance from downtown Juneau and has a few short trails to explore. Juneau is also a great place to take a whale watching tour.
Skagway – Skagway is at the edge of the US and Canada. The city is known for its gold rush days. You can take a scenic train to see the White Pass and the Yukon route. There are a number of historic gold rush historic sites in the town.
Ketchikan – Known for its numerous Native American totem poles, the city is full of culture and charm. There are a number of activities in the area from zip lining to salmon fishing.
Gustavus – The gateway city to Glacier Bay National Park. The city is only has a couple cafes and buildings, so there is not much to see. The big draw is the national park.
Sitka – The city is the ferry stop between Juneau and Gustavus. There are hiking trails, fishing, whale watching tours, and lots of culture in the small town.

One week in Alaska

If you only have one week, focus on one area. If you only have one week, we recommend staying in Anchorage with a trip to Denali.

Day 1 – Arrive in Anchorage and relax.
Days 2 and 3 – Visit Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park.
Days 4, 5, and 6 – Take a trip to explore Denali National Park.
Day 7 – Explore Anchorage and Chugach State Park before heading home.

If you are 100% sure you want to explore the inner passage, consider Juneau and Gustavus (Glacier Bay National Park) as your destinations.

Two weeks in Alaska

If you have two weeks in Alaska, you can see a lot more. Below is a very active itinerary, with a lot of sight seeing and activities.

Day 1 – Arrive in Anchorage and relax.
Day 2 – Take a tour of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Days 3, 4, and 5 – Take a trip to explore Denali National Park, before flying to Juneau.
Day 6 – Fly to Juneau and explore the Mendenhall Glacier
Day 7 – Explore downtown Juneau and take a whale watching tour.
Days 8 to 10 – Ferry to Gustavus to explore Glacier Bay National Park
Days 11 to 13 – Choose between spending a few days in Skagway or Ketchikan for your last days.
Day 14 – Traveling home from Alaska will take all day.

How expensive is Alaska?

Most people think you need to wait until retirement to visit because Alaska costs so much money. While some aspects can be expensive, taking ferries and buying groceries versus eating out can significantly lower your expenses.

Below is a breakdown of our expenses for our tour of Alaska:

Flight to Anchorage: $250 (Two layovers, arriving at midnight)
Hotel in Anchorage: $125 per night (we used IHG points to cover our hotel costs here)
Kenai Fjords National Park – 5 Hour Wildlife Tour – $110 (included a meal) per person
Anchorage Rental Car for 5 days – $120 (reserve early – we got a compact car, be aware gas was super expensive outside of Anchorage)
Denali Backcountry Lodge (in Denali NP) – $1,700 per night (this was our splurge expense for the year, included all meals, guided hikes, bikes, gold panning equipment, and transportation into and through the park)
Flight to Juneau from Anchorage – $175
Airbnb in Juneau – $100 per night
Whale Watching Tour in Juneau – $125 per person
Ferry to and from Gustavus – $48 per person
Airbnb in Gustavus – $150 per night
Glacier Bay National Park Tour – $220 per person (included meal)
Flight to and from Skagway – $200 per person
Flight from Juneau Home – $350 (we used Delta points to cover this)

Eating at tourist restaurants (including national park lodges) ran between $20 and $50 per plate, while local options were usually between $10 and $20 per plate.