Fall in Love with Alaska on this Road Trip
I am going to assume that you already know Alaska is stunningly gorgeous. Yes, get ready for an abundance of jaw-dropping beauty and captivating landscapes. However, you are likely reading this article for ideas to add some adventure to your trip — in the most affordable way. Look no further! While there are plenty of Alaskan cruises, a land-based itinerary is going to be more budget-friendly and will not disappoint. If you don’t mind some driving, don’t even give it a second thought…book your flights in and out of Anchorage and start planing that trip of a lifetime. Continue reading for ideas and inspiration to craft your incredible journey to discover the splendor of Alaska!
These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.
Itinerary
This road trip review covers a one-week trip flying into Anchorage. I love sharing a great itinerary, but I cannot recommend our exact route this time. Why? Because we moved around based on the weather (rain!). We were fortunate to book last-minute lodging and activities in this unusual year of [pandemic] travel, but do not count on that during a regular summer season.
Itinerary notes:
- Denali and Kenai Fjords are two incredible National Parks that you really should visit. Even with all of the driving between these parks, they are no-brainers for your Alaska road trip.
- Then, add in Girdwood, Matanuska Glacier, and Hatcher Pass for a lot of great sightseeing and more adventures to round out your vacation.
- More than one week? Slow down a bit. Or add Homer to your route.
- Too much driving? Consider taking the Alaska Railroad train from Anchorage to Denali and back. There is also a train to Seward, but that is closer and a really beautiful drive.
While it can be very rainy in August — the rain does not need to slow you down! Put on your rain gear or move your itinerary around where you can. My husband streamed Milli Vanilli’s “Blame it on the Rain” at one point following complaints about all of the driving to get around the rain. Classic!
FITZ BITS TIP: Pack good raincoats, rain pants, and waterproof boots in addition to rain ponchos and umbrellas.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
Denali National Park is a long four to six hour drive from Anchorage, but it is definitely one of those places to check off your bucket list. The park is a true beauty and Mount Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley, is quite the wonder to see. I hope you get a glimpse of this massive mountain because it is often covered in clouds. While it is a long drive to Denali, take the time to stop at the pullouts on your way in — and back — as it could be your only chance to see this impressive beauty due to cloud cover.
If you are combining Denali and Kenai Fjords in a one-week trip, I suggest spending just two to three nights in Denali. Stay longer for backcountry camping or some more activities such as white water rafting.
FITZ BITS TIP: Fill up on gas in Denali! We almost ran out of gas because the stations south of Denali were closed or totally out of gas.
Exploring Denali National Park
During peak season you can only drive 12-miles into the park to the Savage River Campground. There is a small parking lot or you can take the free park shuttle to this point. Simply put, you will not see the beauty of the land without taking a bus further into the park. The ribboning rivers. The painted hills. The wildlife. Yes, The Last Frontier. You can get tickets for 1) a coach bus such as the Tundra Wilderness Tour or 2) the less expensive Transit Bus. I suggest #2!
Take the Transit Bus to the Eielson Visitor Center
This is a no-frills, budget-friendly, all-day activity and a great way to get out and into the park. The Transit Bus is not billed as a guided tour, but the driver narrates along the way and stops for wildlife. There are also three or four scheduled stops where you have time to stretch your legs and hike around. Or, you can hop off and hop on another transit bus later in the day. Several folks did this. We did not. A permit is required to overnight in the backcountry.
Do not let the forecast stop your trip. While the prediction was for 100% RAIN ALL — DAY — LONG, we never experienced a full-on rainstorm. Sure it was misty and we were surrounded by dark clouds, but that did not damper our day. And, you are on the bus most of the time. Right?
FITZ BITS TIP: Pack lunch, a bunch of snacks, and water…it is a long day.
Hiking in Denali National Park
There are several hiking trails near the park entrance and the visitor center. Stop by the Visitor Center and ask about hikes that are open and for your ability level. Be sure to get a stamp for your National Parks Passport Book! Several hikes that we wanted to do were closed due to an aggressive bear in that area. With that said, remember to purchase or rent bear spray and hang a bell from your backpack to make noise along the way. Note: you cannot bring bear spray on a plane.
Mount Healy Overlook Hike
Our favorite hike was the Mount Healy Overlook Trail from the Denali National Park Visitor Center parking lot. It is a moderate-difficult uphill hike with killer views at the top. You can continue across the top but we went back down due to a storm brewing in all directions.
Husky Kennels
These were closed when we were there, but I would have loved to visit if we had the chance.
KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK
I suggest you spend two nights in the cute little port city of Seward, Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula. A day out on the water is an absolute must because it is the best way to get up and personal with the glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. You can do a larger boat tour and may even find some coupons or discounts. There are also smaller boat tours that include kayaking once you are at the glaciers, which is what we did. Either way, you will have an amazing day surrounded by glaciers and plenty of wildlife sightings along the way.
If you have more than one week, head down to Homer before or after Seward.
Northwest Glacier Boat and Kayak Tour
This was a splurge and one of those experiences worth the hefty price tag. Think whales, puffins, and calving glaciers. It is a lot of time out on the water so pack Dramamine in case the water gets choppy.
Check out my post: A Surreal Day Kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park for more information on this phenomenal adventure.
Exit Glacier Trail
The easy Exit Glacier walk starts at the Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center. This is the only part of the park accessible by road. You can see Exit Glacier in the distance and the dated signs marking the glacier’s recent rapid melting pattern is mind-boggling. We did this walk in the rain! Remember to get a stamp in your National Parks Passport Book before or after the hike.
Seward, Alaska
Explore Seward’s Waterfront Park Trail looking for sea otters, other animals, and birds. The rain made this a no-go for this visit. However, our previous glorious sunshine day kayaking in the fjords was a great trade-off!
Harding Icefield Hike
The all-day Harding Icefield Hike would be right up our alley. However, the relentless rain made it another no-go for this visit.
Homer + fly-in bear viewing tour
Homer is another cute little town on the Kenai Peninsula, a three-hour drive from Seward. A big reason to go here is to embark on a fly-in bear viewing tour to Lake Clark National Park. This tour is a splurge! You can also take a small plane from Anchorage, but that is even more expensive.
We did not have time to add a visit to Homer on a one-week itinerary that included Denali and Kenai National Parks. However, our friends did it on a similar 10-day trip. Stories and photos of flying over glaciers and volcanos, a beach landing, and viewing the wild bears made me quite envious! Maybe next time.
Flight seeing tour photos courtesy of Wadhwa Family
BETWEEN ANCHORAGE AND DENALI
Matanuska Glacier Tour
Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier in America that is accessible by car. You can experience this natural beauty on your own or book a guided tour and learn more about these melting masses. We used Nova Alaska Guides and our friends went out with Mica Guides. Really, both were great. They provide the gear such as boots, crampons a helmet, and an ice pick and shuttle you to the base of the glacier. From there we explored the glacier for over two hours. This did not quite compare to our amazing glacier hike in Skaftafell, Iceland but was a super fun and educational outing for our kids (who were not in Iceland).
In the summer, there is also the option is to go out on your own for about a third of the price. So if you are watching your budget or are short on time, head straight to the Matanuska Glacier Parking Lot via the unpaved Glacier Park Road. After paying the entrance fee you can go out on the glacier for a loop walk with some amazing views and photo ops. Note, this is past the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Area.
The difficult Lion’s Head Trail hike is nearby but a rainstorm rolled in so we did not get to do it. The tour companies also offer longer glacier hikes and white water rafting.
Glacier photography note:
Take photos with people when you are on the glacier so you don’t lose perspective.
Hatcher Pass
Whether you embark on just part of the drive or the entire pass (open seasonally) the scenic drive through Hatcher Pass is absolutely stunning. Be sure to take time for some hiking and a stop at Independence Mine State Park while in this area.
April Bowl Trail
This is a great hike if you do not have time to commit to one of the longer trails. Start hiking up the switchbacks across from the Summit Lake parking area. Most maps show this as an out-and-back trail. However, at the top of Hatch Peak you can actually continue across the ridge and around the other side of Summit Lake. Be careful going down the rocks on this part of the trail as they were quite slippery at times. Yes, with all this greenery came a misty rain!
Eklutna Lake and Thunderbird Falls
The steep Twin Peaks Trail starts at the beautiful and serene Eklutna Lake. This recreation area is just one hour north of Anchorage — half highway and half local driving where you may see moose!
Take the leisurely walk to Thunderbird Falls from the parking lot that is right off the highway.
Talkeetna
The town of Talkeetna looks close on a map, but it is a little out of the way. However, this is your launching point for a lot of the Flight Seeing Tours. It is a cute little town, but we all agreed that you aren’t missing much if you skip it unless you are doing a tour from here.
BETWEEN ANCHORAGE AND KENAI FJORDS
Girdwood
Alyeska Aerial Tram and Hike
Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood is definitely worth a full or half day of your trip. You can hike up to the summit for free, but I suggest buying a tram ticket to save yourself some time. The tram is a quick five-minute ride from Hotel Alyeska up to the top of Mount Alyeska. There is a restaurant and free museum in the gift shop at the top that is worth checking out while you are there. The views of the Turnagain Arm get even better as you hike further uphill from the mountaintop restaurant and there is a great bowl to explore up there as well.
Then, consider hiking all the way back down — even though the return tram trip is included in the ticket. Be on the lookout for moose as there are a lot in this area. We bought the tram ticket + lunch but it was a very long wait for our food. While this is probably not typical, think about your timing before purchasing the package.
FITZ BITS TIP: If it is sunny, go to Girdwood on your drive south to Seward. Do not save it for the way back in case that day is rainy or cloudy.
Other Girdwood Hiking
Take the quick hike to Virgin Falls. Or, the longer Winner Creek Trail with the summer hand tram car.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
You may want to skip this one if you are traveling with teenagers. We came here to see moose since we hadn’t seen any in the wild yet. We should have just been more patient as we saw a momma moose and her babies along the road the next day! You can walk around or drive your car to see most of the animals. Be sure to park and get out to see the large bear area. Younger kids would enjoy this place similarly to a zoo with animals roaming in large natural enclosures.
Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Wittier
Getting to the little town of Wittier is part of the adventure as you take the 2.5 mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to get there. The entry and exits are timed because trains also use this tunnel, so check ahead of time. There is a fee. We arrived on a rainy afternoon and had a nice lunch in the harbor. There are plenty of boat tours and excursions from Wittier on a better weather day.
If you have time while on this side of the tunnel, head over to the Portage Pass Trail. The first half of the hike is uphill to a beautiful overlook of Portage Lake and the glacier. I highly recommend continuing on down to the lake where you are in a canyon with a wall of distant waterfalls. This part of the trail is a little overgrown but it is easy to follow the trail. The rain hampered my photos but we still had pretty good visibility.
You may also want to embark on the Byron Glacier Trail after passing back through the tunnel. Unfortunately, we missed this one since it was down pouring and we were soaked and cold from the Portage Pass Trail.
Russian River Falls Hike
This is a nice flat hike along the river to a small waterfall. However, the real treat is watching salmon jumping upriver at the base of the falls. Most reviews mention the jumping salmon only in June and July. However, we saw several salmon jumping in early August too.
ANCHORAGE AREA
Puget Sound
You will have views of Turnagain Arm throughout the majority of the drive from Anchorage to Seward! Check out a pullout or two along the drive.
Beluga Point is a great scenic stop where you have views of the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm. Witness the water height change on your way back due to the Bore Tide. Look for whales during high tide.
Bird Creek
A quick and fun stop to see salmon fishers. There is parking on either side on the creek. In a matter of minutes we saw several catches and releases.
Flattop Mountain Trail
Yes, another hike! This is a great one to do if you are trying to squeeze in one more activity before flying home. Take a photo with the flag at the top and save some time to explore all around that flat mountain top before heading back down!
LODGING AND DINING
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage has every chain hotel out there! We also found that most hotels had washer and dryers. You may want to ask to be on the floor with the laundry room.
FITZ BITS TIP: Pack quarters and Tide pods to make doing wash on the road a little easier.
Wasilla, Alaska
The Best Western Lake Lucille Inn was great for a night if you do not want to head all the way back to Anchorage.
Seward, Alaska
I suggest this simple two-bedroom condo for a family. Great location. The laundry room was not available when we were there, so arrange this ahead of time if it is needed.
Denali, Alaska
We really enjoyed a two-night stay in a family cabin at McKinley Creekside Cabins and Cafe. There were outside games and a fire pit. I recommend the restaurant even if you are not staying there. The only negative is that it was a 20-minute drive south of Denali National Park. I suggest you stay closer to the park if possible.
49th State Brewery is a great restaurant just north of Denali. Really good food, beer, atmosphere, and an awesome outdoor space — when the bugs aren’t too bad. There were fewer bugs by the fire pit!
Visited in August 2020
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