Alaska Vacation Planning
Made Easy

For your Alaska vacation planning, I always say, you need to figure out what you want to DO before you can decide where you want to GO.



So, are you ready for some exciting backwoods adventures, such as:

• Camping in Alaska with your RV or in a tent - You'll find numerous, quality private and public campgrounds along Alaska's major highways and remote campsites in State and National Parks, Forests and Preserves. Or you can do back-country camping in the middle of "nowhere" — pitch a tent wherever you happen to be on public lands.

• Hiking in Alaska or backpacking - on backwoods and mountain trails - The Alaska National and State Park's offices have maps and directions for these.

• Kayaking in Alaska on its open seas - try Whittier, Seward, Homer or Valdez ports and islands deep in Prince William Sound. Or go kayaking on lakes or rivers.

• River rafting in Alaska can be fun. If you don't have the equipment or the skills to navigate Alaska's cold waters, hire Alaska river guides. Beaver Creek River north of Fairbanks is the smoothest and the longest. The Nenana River in Denali National Park is quite popular and has mid-grade rafting. And there are many other Alaskan rivers...

• Panning for gold - A number of public sites are set aside for recreational Alaska gold panning, from the Nome Creek Valley north of Fairbanks to the Kenai Peninsula in the south.

• Viewing and climbing Alaskan glaciers - The Matanuska glacier, just off the Glenn Highway, is the largest road accessible glacier in Alaska; Exit Glacier, just north of Seward and the Worthington Glacier near Valdez are two other popular and easily accessible glaciers.

• Looking for Alaska hot springs - Besides those set up commercially, there are over 100 named hot springs in Alaska. They are scattered throughout the southeastern panhandle, northern and western Alaska as well as the Aleutian Chain. You'll also find them in the volcanic areas at the head of the Aleutian Chain - across Cook Inlet from Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula.

• Cross-country or downhill skiing - Alyeska Ski Resort, just a short drive up the mountainside at Girdwood, 37 miles south of Anchorage, is the most popular downhill skiing area. Hatcher Pass, reached from the Wasilla or Palmer-Fishhook Roads is also a favorite skiing area. There are many places to go skiing in Alaska.

• Viewing and photographing Alaska wildlife in the wilderness - Though you can find wildlife anyplace, you are more likely to find them easily in any of the Alaska Parks, Preserves or Refuges.

• Exploring ghost towns and old mining sites - Hope is a former ghost town in a gold mining area on the north end of the Kenai Peninsula. The town of McCarthy, in the Wrangell-St. Elias National park is another ghost town near the abandoned Kennecott copper mines. Independence Mine, north of Wasilla is a closed gold mine turned into a State Park.

• Fishing in Alaska in rivers, lakes or the ocean - There are many rivers in Alaska and they abound with good fishing, so take your pick. Many lakes are stocked and the ocean has no shortage of fish.

• Alaska Lottery - Apply in ADVANCE for Alaska's lotteries that may be important to your vacation. There are lotteries for bear viewing, big game hunting, denali park road privileges and more...

• Hunting and Fishing - Get an Alaska fishing license to hunt and fish while on vacation. Enjoy the sport and supplement your food supply at the same time. In addition to all the great fish, you can add wild ducks, ptarmigan, rabbits or other small game to your diet.

• Exploring extinct Alaska volcanoes - There are lots of these around. You can view them from a distance or climb right up to places where lava flowed from them and see how they changed the landscape around them.

• Whatever else you can think of...oh yes, snow-mobiling, horseback riding, mountain biking, snow shoeing, dog-sledding, skijoring (that's something new), hot air ballooning.....

Next in your Alaska vacation planning, you’ll probably want to find out a little more about the Alaska climate, weather and Alaska temperatures so you'll know how to dress for it, right?

Then you might be interested in learning some of the Alaska terms used by residents and other little Alaska travel tips for your Alaska vacation planning.

Along coastal areas particularly, you'll need rain-gear as well as warm jackets. It is usually quite windy and when it rains, it gets quite cold. Bring plenty of extra clothing, as you probably won't want to stay wet very long. And I'm talking about summertime!

In the winter, you’ll need to be prepared for some rougher conditions. Very thick boots (fur-lined, felt-lined) or mukluks with thick socks, well insulated parkas or ski jackets, mittens, scarves and hats. Wear your clothing in layers, such as an undershirt, top shirt, sweater and jacket. This tends to insulate better against the cold. Even with this type of clothing, you can easily get quite cold when it is -30 ° or more. So don't stray too far from a place where you can warm up, unless you don't get cold easily and really know how to dress for it.

Of course, you will also need to bring whatever clothing and gear is needed for your special Alaska vacation planning activities, such as kayaking, skiing, rafting or other sports.

You CAN arrive in May, but you may run into a lot of areas with snow still melting, making it muddy or slippery. Also the majority of places catering to Alaskan tourists are only open from around mid-May to mid-September. That includes the National and State Park offices.

Winter is one of the most beautiful times of the year to visit Alaska, though. And if you love winter sports or would like to take part in some of the winter festivals, you might want to make your Alaska vacation planning cover that season.

Find out more about other winter vacation opportunities in the Alaska Attractions.

The public parks will be open, if you want to do some backwoods travel or exploration, but ranger stations and tourist facilities are generally closed in winter. You'll need to be self-sufficient and make plenty of survival gear part of your Alaska vacation planning. Renting a backwoods cabin might also be part of your Alaska vacation planning. Check for an Alaska vacation rental months before your trip, to ensure you get the one you want.

Part of vacation preparation should include the right maps to fit your plans. So take a look at the different types of Alaska maps and charts you might need or want.

Now that we have a good start on your Alaska vacation planning, let's look at the choices you have for traveling to Alaska...

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