Alaska

America's northernmost wild state, where Denali, Inside Passage glaciers, fjord cruises and the Fairbanks aurora make for a grand polar journey.

In this plan, Alaska is treated as a region of its own, covering the entire state: the narrow Inside Passage in the southeast, the south-central area, the interior, the Aleutian Islands in the southwest, and the North Slope within the Arctic Circle. For finer subdivisions within the state, see the separate five-subregion plan for Alaska. Anchorage is the largest city and main gateway. From there, heading south you can reach Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park for boat trips to see glaciers and whales, or Whittier for Prince William Sound; heading north by road or the Alaska Railroad you reach Denali National Park, where park roads are served mainly by park buses and, on clear days, you can see North America's highest peak, Denali, in the distance. Fairbanks lies in the interior and is a popular place to see the aurora in winter, as well as to enjoy hot springs and dog sledding. In the southeast, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan mostly have no road connection to the outside world; they are classic Inside Passage cruise ports, where you can see Mendenhall Glacier, gold-rush towns and Native totem poles, while Glacier Bay National Park is known for its tidewater glaciers. There are two common ways to visit: a roughly seven-day Inside Passage cruise, or an overland road or rail trip, "Anchorage–Kenai Peninsula–Denali–Fairbanks," of about 10–12 days; the two can also be combined. Getting around relies on planes, ferries, trains and driving, and distances are long and costs high. Summer lodging is tight and should be booked early; in the wild, be careful about bears and mosquitoes, and bring waterproof, windproof clothing for the changeable weather.

Destinations

Itineraries