When people ask me what sort of Alaska trip they should take, I love to lay out the options because you’ve got the opportunity to do whatever style of adventure fits your timeline, budget and interests. Most people hear “Alaska trip!” and automatically lean towards a cruise, which is fine, but it’s definitely not the only option. I’ll keep it easy and share a few different ways to do an Alaska trip either on the water or on land.
Have you come to Alaska before and you’re trying to come up with a new, fun option? This is perfect to get your travel planning vibes moving. Keep in mind that budget is always a big determining factor in the type of Alaska trip you can actually book. I wish I could say that travel in Alaska is cheap, but it’s not. If you have any questions about the types of Alaska trips we suggest or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a fun AK trip!
Types of Alaska Trips to Consider
What sounds more like your travel style? Do you think you’d be more inclined to book a cruise, an expedition sailing, a road trip or a railroad journey? We’re got the details of each type of Alaska trip below, so read on and see what you think is going to be the best fit for you!
On the Water – Southeast Alaska
Southeast Alaska is that long dangling part of the start that goes along the edge of British Columbia. Most of this is the Tongass National Forest, which is the largest in the USA, and it’s just one of the most beautiful places. The islands have snowcapped mountains and there are waterfalls that pour into the sea. There are whales and bears and awesome fishing. Here are four different ways you can do Southeast Alaska, aka the Inside Passage, on the water.
Suggested reading: What to Pack for a Cruise in Alaska
Expedition Sailing with the Boat Company
This is the trip that changed how we look at what tourism can do to positively impact where it functions. Wow, it was so much fun and a very different sort of sailing experience than we’ve had before. We were on the small ship, the Mist Cove, and the Boat Company crew was really cool. We sailed from Sitka to Juneau, making lots of stops in between for kayaking, fishing, hiking and even hot springs. We saw orcas and humpback whales, brown and black bears, otters, seals and so much more. Read about our trip with the Boat Company
The thing about the Boat Company that is so unique is that it’s actually the only non-profit cruise operator in the world. All the profits after their operating expenses go towards protecting the Tongass National Forest through funding legal battles, working with community partners to educate the public, and bringing light to issues facing this beautiful place. We really loved getting to hear about this facet of the Boat Company because it’s just so different from what you expect from a luxury liner.
Family Adventure with UnCruise
Sailing with UnCruise in Southeast Alaska is very similar to having an expedition with the Boat Company in that you’re on a small ship and you’re not making port in towns, but each day you’re in a different cove and you’re doing activities from the boat. We got to sail on the Wilderness Legacy with the kids and they had just as much fun as we did. Since UnCruise has a bit more capacity on most of their ships, it can be a very family-friendly sort of trip.
UnCruise really is great about incorporating the science into the sailing experience. With several naturalists onboard and lots of activity options with said naturalists, everyday is both fun and educational. Vacations should be fun, yes, but UnCruise levels it up and makes each trip away from the ship a science adventure.
DISCOUNT OPPORTUNITY: when you’re booking an UnCruise, mention our code (online or via phone) TWODADS500 to receive $500 discount towards your passage.
Cruise Ships for Ports of Call
Of course the traditional Alaska cruise is always an option, and for a lot of people it seems like the easiest and most attainable sort of Alaska trip. You can sometimes find amazing deals, especially if you’re fine with an interior cabin, and there are lots of types of itineraries. The biggest differences between doing a small ship expedition and a regular cruise are the number of passengers (of course) and that the big ships actually make port in towns.
I really like being able to stop into the different towns and walk around, but I’m not a fan of the activities in port all being a la carte, and things not being fully in nature at all times, but the trade off of conveniences and a society at sea are what some people really like. I think an Inside Passage cruise is a good way to get a taste of Southeast Alaska.
If you know you want to do an Alaska cruise and aren’t completely sure the ports you want to visit or are open to a variety of cruise lines, Cruise Direct is a great option for finding the best cruise deals to Alaska. Norwegian, MSC, Princess and more all open their inventory to Cruise Direct and you can get some pretty good deals if you keep your options open.
Check out Cruise Direct Alaska Cruises
SE Alaska on Your Own
The last way to experience Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage without doing a cruise or expedition ship is just planning it on your own, varying your transportation. You can plan your travels with the Alaska Marine Highway System and have several days in the different ports, and even visit places like Wrangell and Petersburg that you don’t often get to see via cruise. You can also fly between destinations via Alaska Airlines or float planes.
With this sort of Alaska trip you also have the option of bringing your own car (on the ferries) or doing fun boats between different towns. You can do the ferry to Metlakatla and the Alaska Fjordlines between Juneau and Haines, and you can do day trips to Glacier Bay National Park…
Overland – Southcentral Alaska and the Interior
For the non-cruise people, you’re probably thinking about flying into Anchorage or Fairbanks for your Alaska trip, which is a great idea. I love being able to fly in, usually via Seattle, and pick up our rental car and start our road tripping. Usually we get to meet up with a friend and have ciders and chill before starting our journey, and then it’s all fun and wildlife. Here are some fun ways to explore Southcentral, aka mainland, Alaska.
We use Go North Alaska Rentals for having a 4WD car and no road restrictions, because some rental car companies actually have a list of roads you cannot take their cars on. And that’s why Go North rocks! Use discount code GON2TD for a free mileage package with your vehicle rental.
One Week AK Itinerary
So when you’re planning your Alaska summer road trip, usually the goals for a lot of visitors is to visit two National Parks: Kenai Fjords NP and Denali NP. This is totally doable and you can enjoy visiting Anchorage, Seward, Talkeetna and Palmer if you like. It’s such a fun trip and the sights really are epic. Get our 1 Week Road Trip plan here!
I think what makes the one week road trip such a good first step into visiting Alaska is that it’s easy to plan, easy to travel, fun for every age, and you really get a bang for your buck (both in money and time) with all that you can do and see. Also, it’s easy to add on an extra day or two in Palmer, whish is really fun for getting to see glaciers. We’ve done helicopter tours around Knik Glacier and hiking on Matanuska Glacier, and both are really cool.
Two Week Alaska Road Trip
So if you take our one week Alaska road trip and add on time in Homer and Fairbanks, you’ll have a wonderfully all encompassing plan that shows off the Fjords and glaciers, two National Parks, Whittier, Palmer and all the way up to Fairbanks. That sounds like a lot to plan, but if you time it right (and use our itinerary) it’s very manageable and is an unforgettable trip. Get our 2 Week Road Trip plan here!
When you do the two week road trip, you can either end in Fairbanks or drive back down to Anchorage, so depending on what’s required of your rental car situation, you can be flexible in your planning. Sometimes you can get a deal on one way car rentals to be able to leave your car in Fairbanks, but often it is a few hundred dollars more to NOT return your car to Anchorage, so plan accordingly.
The Alaska Railroad
The third option for doing a land version of your Alaska vacation is leveraging the Alaska Railroad. This can connect you from Anchorage to Seward, to Whittier, Talkeetna, Hurricane, Denali NP and Fairbanks. Doing this sort of trip means you wont have a car, but you’ll be able to get to the primary sites, like the boats for Kenai Fjords National Park or the lodges at Denali. The Alaska Railroad is such a fun, beautiful experience and it’s the most relaxing way to plan your trip. Read about the route between Anchorage and Fairbanks here!
I will say, if you’re planning to use the Alaska Railroad for your transportation around Southcentral and up to Fairbanks, keep in mind that it’ll be a premium cost. Since you won’t have the cost of a car (which is big in AK) you’ll be able to use that budget on the train passage. Budget is the determining factor for a lot of travel in Alaska.
Train booking links: Anchorage -> Fairbanks — Fairbanks -> Anchorage
Ooh, so many great Alaska trips to take. I hope you have a little more insight into what you might want to plan. If you need some more recommendations or have some specific questions to get things moving, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an awesome Alaska trip!
