With more than 60 glaciers within 50 miles of downtown, a salmon stream in the heart of the city, six surrounding mountain ranges, 300 miles of wilderness trails and one of the largest state parks in our backyard, it's no wonder. Discover Anchorage. Try a flightseeing trip to North America's tallest mountain, a ziplining tour above the coastal rainforest, dog mushing across a vast ice field or rafting down a scenic river. Find a wealth of information to plan your Alaska vacation or travel to Alaska including transportation in Alaska, Alaska cruises, hotels, lodges, tours and things to do, fishing, wildlife information, community information and more. Our Guide to RVing to Alaska is tailored to those of you who own your own RV and will be making the drive to Alaska from the Lower 48 US states. It covers everything from choosing the best time time to go and how to decide between the best cruise lines to the best Alaska cruise excursions and the wondrous array of wildlife you might see along the way. I had the amazing opportunity to travel with a few ladies to Alaska this past December and it was magical! Alaska Pre-clear wrist band. I will definitely come back to your site before I plan a summer trip there (which WILL happen!). ), How to Make Alaskan Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, How to Bake Mint-Chocolate Alaskan Earthquake Cake, How to Plan an Amazing Alaska Aurora Trip, The 13 Best Places to View Denali in Alaska, A Local Guide to the Anchorage Market and Festival, How to Visit Hope, Alaska: My Favorite Small Town, How to Plan an Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip, An Olympic Peninsula Road Trip: 2 Itineraries, 11 Must-See Stops, December 2020 Recap: Travel, Blogging & Business, A Yearly Mantra for Writing, Travel & Life in 2021, 2020 in Review: A Year of Home, Family & (a little) Travel, 7 Components in My Travel Blog Strategy for 2021. TRAIN: Alaska has a railroad system that connects Seward, Anchorage, Denali, and Fairbanks, has cars that cater to tourists and even has whistle stops from the more intrepid. May can be a great month to visit Alaska- temperatures are getting near summer temperatures, the tourists haven’t quite showed up in full force, and plants are green and coming to life! A FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE TO TAKING AN ALASKA CRUISE. RVs need specialized spaces so you need to make sure to reserve your space on the ferry well in advance. 55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska offers suggestions for more than 135 different activities to do, including plenty of woodland and tundra hiking, so you can really dive into the state's wild wilderness. Most tours operate mid-May to mid-September, with the exception of those into Denali (mid-June to end of August). If you’re on a budget, or just looking to mingle with locals, sign up for Couchsurfing! When I Visited: 1992-2007 (Lived), 2009, 2014, 2017, 2020. Would it be possible to let us know where they are located/which hikes they are on? Listen to pronunciation If there’s one thing I’m truly proud of with this blog, it’s how many people use it to research, plan, and go on the once-in-a-lifetime Alaska trip they’ve always dreamed of. We Are Travel Girls is a global travel community created to inspire, connect, educate and empower female travellers around the world. Great blog post, guys! That's only, oh, 100 miles from the next nearest human. Pack layers! Higher end restaurants: $30+ per plate, Entrance to museums and cultural centers: $10-15 per person. How to Travel Alaska on a Budget. Most people don’t think of Alaska as a culinary destination but there’s great food all around in the 49th state. oops, should have mentioned the Bald Eagle fest is in Haines….. Wow, Alaska looks so beautiful, I’d love to visit! Use mileage- Are you part of an airline rewards program? It’s like Switzerland but on the ocean and with lots of wildlife. 82% of Alaska’s communities are not on the road system, making most of Alaska pretty inaccessible. Entrance to parks: Free to $10 per person. If you don’t mind me asking, where is the location of the picture inside of the glacier? Little did I know that growing up in Alaska would eventually allow me to reach hundreds of thousands of people each year to share my local Alaska travel knowledge. Get outside- Most of Alaska’s natural attractions are free to visit aside from a parking fee at some sites. If you decide to go to southeast Alaska, also known as the Alaskan Panhandle, you will need to ferry your RV. As an Amazon and AirBnB Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Extremely scenic & very quaint town. Updated November 2020, How to Travel Alaska on a Budget was originally written in April 2017 It’s no lie: Alaska is expensive, everything in Alaska is expensive, but it is totally possible to travel Alaska on a budget. We created this resource to showcase and share the best of Alaska--hoping Alaska will inspire and excite you as much as it does us. A popular route many tourists do to cover a lot of different areas in roughly two weeks is to take a cruise through the Southeast up to Anchorage and then afterwards take a weeklong Roadtrip to Fairbanks hitting sites along the way, and then fly home from Fairbanks. This website is a free resource and to keep it free for our readers we may use affiliate links in our articles. Alaska Highway Travel Guide. This is a great time for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling (we call it snowmachining), and ice skating. Alaska Airlines partners are hand-selected to ensure travelers enjoy seamless travel from one part of the world to another. Super Cheap Alaska Travel Guide 2021: How to Enjoy a $3,000 Trip to 8.7 8.2 8.8 6: Lonely Planet USA (Travel Guide) 8.3 7.8 8.4 7: Lonely Planet British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies (Travel Guide) All Rights Reserved. Here are just a few activities to enjoy : Subscribe to get our FREE eBook with tips on saving money when you travel! So here’s our guide to planning the ultimate cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage. The stunning totem pole park, great hiking, kayaking and Sitka is also perhaps the best place in the World for whale watching and wildlife boat tours. Sign up for my email list to get even more delivered to your inbox directly. Exclusive Member of Mediavine Travel Development by Chalk and Canvas, This website is a free resource and to keep it free for our readers we may use affiliate links in our articles. Off the beaten track is the general rule and remote is at its core. Alaska is the ultimate place for adventure. However, most people will arrive via flight at Anchorage International Airport. The Alaska by month travel season calendar below brings in April and early spring, because that is when the yearly travel season kicks off. The Best Alaska Cruise Excursions – One in Each Port! We Are Travel Girls Contributor Nicole Smoot of AdventuresOfLilNicki.com Thanks! This was my first time in Alaska. With that said, September is typically a delightful month for a visit. With Thomas Morton, Sarah Harris, Rocco Castoro, Ryan Duffy. It was the 49th state I’ve visited, which is pretty crazy! Glacier Cruise, Alaska, How To See The Northern Lights In Iceland, 4 Stunning National Parks In The Canadian Maritimes, THE 15 BEST AIRBNBS AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEW ORLEANS, WHERE TO STAY IN SAN FRANCISCO: THE BEST AREAS & HOTELS. Go camping- Accommodation can get expensive in the high season. Photo credit: Alaska Airlines. Midrange restaurant: $20-30 per plate. We may receive a small commission when you make a purchase using our link. In this complete guide we share absolutely everything that you need to know for your trip to Alaska. The show follows Vice employees as they travel to dangerous, weird, and offbeat locations throughout the globe. We saw a lot of wildlife too, even though a lot of businesses were closed. “Should I Visit Alaska This Year?” Here’s What I Suggest, Alaska eBook: The Best Travel Itineraries, Alaska Bucket List: 45+ Ultimate Things to Do in Alaska, 15 Things You Need to Know Before Traveling to Alaska, The 13 Best Alaskan Souvenirs from the Last Frontier, When is the Best Time to Visit Alaska? you need to visit between September and April, however these are the colder months. Where: USA. Thanks for all the great info! Many state parks with road access and a parking lot will charge a $5 parking fee. The weather tends to be warmer and most of the backcountry is easier to access in these months, but it’s also crowded and more expensive. BUY A CAR: This is a great option if you plan to travel Alaska for an extended period of time. Hostels are starting to spring up more and more, but expect to really only see them in larger cities like Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Homer, and Seward. You have a few options in way of accommodation in Alaska including hotels, hostels, camping, RV, AirBnB, and Couchsurfing. Discover the rugged beauty of the Alaska Highway as you drive this engineering marvel of WWII. If you enjoy spring skiing you can usually catch some in the earlier part of April. : A post on Alaskan festivals is a post all on its own. Temperatures steadily decrease as fall descends into winter. Connect with Nicole Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest. Most of Alaska’s state and national parks are free to enter. For those adventurous enough, pitching a tent is a great way to save money as many managed campgrounds in Alaska have inexpensive fees. If you’re planning a trip to Alaska, you’ve come to the right place: I’m here to help. AirBnB can be great value especially if you’re traveling as a family or a group. These are basic economy fares, a restricted-type fare. The airline is also set to join oneworld Alliance in 2021. Subscribers to Netflix’s DVD service may be dwindling, but for movie buffs it remains a great way to access a large catalog of mostly older content. The perfect place to begin planning your Alaska vacation. Hotels can get quite expensive, especially in the high season, but if you shop around you can sometimes get a good deal. Alaska is open for travel year-round, but the primary tourist season begins in June and ends in August. For the more adventurous, pack a tent and head out to the great outdoors! We Love Alaska and Can't Wait to Share it With You! With no shortage of wild mountain landscapes, beautiful glaciers, and abundant wildlife Alaska will pull you in with its beauty and refuse to let you go from its icy grip. I’m currently in Alaska and would love to check out the destination on the pictures that you’ve posted. we also found that making trips that include “festivals” is fun and as good an excuse as any to make another trip: the Whale Fest held in Sitka in November and the Bald Eagle festival usually held about a week before that one are both worth the effort. The most popular months to visit Alaska as it’s summertime. That looks awesome. Days are getting longer and the snow’s melting! I love you blog! Distances in Alaska are vast; having your own wheels will make your trip much easier. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Travel Guide to Alaska. Alaska’s weather is as wild and unpredictable as its wildlife. Alaska, the 49th state, the Last Frontier. Another great option for families and groups is to rent an RV, that way transportation and accommodation is taken care of. Here’s the Answer, The 7 Best Things to Do in Fairbanks in the Winter, 5 Days in Alaska: A Quick Itinerary for the Last Frontier, 7 Days in Alaska: Two Weeklong Alaska Itinerary Options, How to Plan a Trip to Alaska for 10 Days in 2020, UnCruise Alaska Review: The Ultimate Way to Cruise in Alaska, How to Choose Your Alaska Cruise Excursions. Welcome to Bell’s Travel Guides. If you are check to see if your airline or a partner of theirs flies to Alaska. With the long dark nights this is the best season to catch the Aurora if conditions are right. The breathtaking blend of dramatic fjords, icebergs and glaciers, and deep forests is Alaska’s signature, maybe only topped by the wildlife. Our Alaska Highway travel guide includes maps of Alaska and the Yukon that will show you how far it is to the next stop, what you can expect on the road ahead and the amenities you will find when you arrive. By area, Alaska is home to over half of the national park lands in the United States. Please see our Disclosures for more information. Still, experiencing Alaska on a low budget is possible, though it requires planning and off-peak travel. Alaska has hundreds of opportunities for outdoor adventure, taking you from ordinary to extraordinary. If there’s one thing I’m truly proud of with this blog, it’s how many people use it to research, plan, and go on the once-in-a-lifetime Alaska trip they’ve always dreamed of. Consider the shoulder season (May & September). News \ VICE ‘Guide to Travel’ Exclusive! And you can always contact me or tweet at me for personalized Alaska travel tips. Reel in monster salmon, soar over North America’s tallest peaks, raft Alaska‘s wild rivers, watch glaciers calve in a thunderous roar, pan for gold at a real mine or find solitude at a remote Alaska lodge. Alaska and Delta Airlines have round trip airfares travelling to and from Seattle (SEA) and Palm Springs CA (PSP) for $97, nonstop. as a frequent traveler to AK this is great info. Copyright © 2013-2021, Valerie & Valise. But this feeling of wilderness and solitude will ultimately help you appreciate your time in Alaska all the more. Public transport is non-existent between cities, so self-driving is going to be your best option for seeing the state. Want to share your own travel tips by guest writing for We Are Travel Girls? Your email address will not be published. Anchorage offers the perfect balance between unrivaled wilderness and adventure and the amenities visitors expect from a modern city. Capital: Juneau. They are also available to rent on Amazon Prime Video. The guide below will help you determine the best month to visit Alaska. You can get to Alaska by land, by air or by sea. I always say it is for me my therapy! Here's how Alaska.org began. It’s not uncommon for Alaska to be blanketed in snow by mid-October, and not unheard of to have an occasional snow shower in September. There are plenty of amazing places to camp in Alaska. Travel Documentaries on Netflix DVD and Amazon Prime. As an Amazon and AirBnB Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you want to see the Aurora (I know many of you do!) There is so much to see and do in driving the Alaska Highway both to and from Alaska. How many days minimum should we keep for visit to Alaska? If you’re interested in visiting Alaska, I highly recommend Sitka! There are no fees to the national parks in Alaska, with the exception of Denali National Park. Posted In: ALASKA, NORTH AMERICA, UNITED STATES Tags: ALASKA, Anchorage, Fairbanks, GIRLS GETAWAYS, HIKING, Nicole Smoot, North America, outdoor guides, UNITED STATES. Download an MP3 from recently-disbanded Death From Above 1979 as featured on VICE's new travel DVD. A visit to Anchorage is a full-on adventure! Shop for airline sales- airlines have more competition between May and September as many more airlines fly to Alaska in the summer months. However you can take in a lot of the wild beauty of Alaska from places that aren’t too difficult to reach. Over the years since I started this blog, that list of resources has become quite extensive! These are basic economy fares, a restricted-type fare. Pay Less, Travel More eBookSubscribe to get access to our FREE eBook with top tips for saving money when you travel! All international travellers wishing to visit Alaska under the US Visa Waiver Program must complete ESTA formalities before travel (esta.cbp.dhs.gov). Please visit our Contribute page for guidelines and to submit your article. From June to August room prices are crazy; May and September, when tariffs are relaxed and the weather only slightly chillier, are equally good times to go, and in April or October you’ll have the place to yourself, albeit with a smaller range of places to stay and eat. This post may contain affiliate links. Rent a car! dressing in layers is always recommended but those layers really need to be “cold weather” layers. The V&V Alaska Travel Guide. April 25, 2018 Last Updated on November 22, 2020. The Athabascans christened it the 'Great One,' and few who have seen this 20,237ft bulk of ice and granite would disagree. The mountain inspires a take-no-prisoners kind of awe, and climbers know that feeling well. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Fairbanks turned out to be the perfect home base for our Alaskan adventure. Check out the DNR website to read more about each one. Browse all of my Alaska articles below to find the answers to most questions you’ll have – and I’ve added some of my top resources from my astrotourism site, too. The Vice Guide to Travel is a travel show-style documentary show released in 2006 by Vice Media, as part of the VBS.tv online television division of Vice. What a comprehensive post! Most of the tourists have headed home, it’s possible to see the Aurora so long as a solar flare heads our way and we have clear nights, the fall colors are making their way down the valleys, and hiking is prime. And your photos are amazing. The shoulder season of May and September are great months to visit as well. If you — or your Alaska travel partner — are more of a rugged backcountry adventurer than a tour-the-ports type, then this is an excellent point from which to start. The following is a greeting given in one of the 20 indigenous languages recognized by the State of Alaska. If you love winter sports, this is your time to head to the Last Frontier! Before and after, some day tours and hotels offer \"shoulder season\" discounts of 10-25%. When I Visited: 1992-2007 (Lived), 2009, 2014, 2017, 2020. however….and this is a BIG HOWEVER….if chasing the aurora one needs to be ready for minus 30F temperatures! Peak season is mid-June to mid-August. Visit outside tourist season- June-August are the most expensive months to visit. Travel Availability:. Find the best price on hotels in Anchorage. Subscribe to get access to our FREE eBook with top tips for saving money when you travel! Campsite: $10 per night on average, $25 for ones with amenities, Small car rental: $35/day in the winter and shoulder seasons, $100/day in the peak season, Larger car/SUV rental: $50/day in the winter and shoulder seasons, $140/day in peak season, Food: Preparing own meals: $1-5 per meal. If you have a DVD subscription, don’t miss these documentaries on travel. Viewed from the Park Rd of its eponymous national park, Denali chews up the skyline, dominating an already stunning landscape of tundra fields and polychromatic ridgelines. This post may contain affiliate links. Would you mind to share the name please and how to get there? Population: 737,450. Find the best price on hotels in Fairbanks. Helping you book an Alaska vacation is only part of our mission. Denali charges $10 per person to enter. Both Alaska and Delta Airlines have round trip airfares for peak Summer travel to and from Boise ID (BOI) and Los Angeles (LAX) for for $111, nonstop. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There are so many activities to choose from, you will want to make sure to plan your itinerary to include your top picks. Plus in the end you can likely sell off the car for close to what you paid for it. A handy guide for what to do in Fairbanks, Alaska all summer long! Discover how you can get involved with the community! Please see our, First Timer’s Guide To Taking An Alaska Cruise, Are You Too Young To Take Cruise? It’s hard to say as it really depends on where you want to go and what you want to see. All national parks in Alaska have free entrance except for Denali National Park! Written by locals, Fodor's The Complete Guide to Alaska Cruises is the perfect guidebook... View Details Types of Things to Do in Juneau, the Inside Passage, and Southeast Alaska Ferrying your RV into Alaska can be more hassle than it’s worth unless you want to hit as many states as you can in your own rig. A lot of those hikes look amazing, but I don’t think I see captions on the photos about where they are. Wild, rugged, stark, mysterious and jaw-droppingly gorgeous. All travelers age 5 and older are required to take a COVID-19 test from a trusted testing partner within 72 hours of your departure flight to Hawaii. Thanks! Here are my recent posts from across the globe! I took the lessons from that time in my (meandering) career and added it to all the secret spots and tricks I had learned exploring The Last Frontier with my family and started writing about how to travel to Alaska. Alaska is jam-packed with adventure at every twist and turn! Some cruises stop there and both Alaska Air & Delta fly in directly from Seattle. Heimo Korth is a hunter and fur-trapper who lives with his Eskimo wife in the middle of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The best time of year to visit for most is in the summer months of June-August, although this is the most popular time. The Steps For Qualifying For Pre-Clearance Pre-travel testing. If you have any questions about the destination, please leave these in the comments below. go and take the chance you will become addicted to Alaska! Plenty of options for lodging and great restaurants. June 11, 2018 Last Updated on November 22, 2020. Alaska is massive, so I’d say it’d be best to stick to a region and explore things within reach if you don’t have tons of time to dedicate. Here are a few great things to try: To give you a rough idea of costs for planning a trip in Alaska, here are some examples: We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Alaska. Budget restaurant/cafe: $10-15 per plate. Alaska has more state parks than you can shake a stick at and to many to list! Online resources Thai food, an ice museum, sled dogs, walking reindeer and so much more. The show follows Vice employees as they travel to dangerous, weird, and offbeat locations throughout the globe. The 6 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in Seattle, The 11 Best Juneau Alaska Cruise Excursions, The 10 Best Skagway Alaska Cruise Excursions, The 9 Best Ketchikan Alaska Cruise Excursions, The 9 Best Sitka Alaska Cruise Excursions, The 9 Best Icy Strait Point Alaska Cruise Excursions, Major Marine Tours Review: The Best Seward Day Cruise, 10 Essentials You Need to Pack for Alaska, 10 Essentials You Need to Pack for Alaska in the Winter, 10 Essentials You Need to Pack for Your Alaska Cruise, How to Make Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins, How to Make Alaskan Salmon Poke (Keto-Friendly, Too! Ade’ ndadz dengit’a? Back when I lived in Alaska, I spent three summers working for a major cruise line, and this only added to my knowledge of how Alaska travel planning works – or should work! Most the state is covered with snow. First let’s start with a few quick tips for your trip to Alaska, I will dive into each of these in more detail in the following sections.