5 Steps for Creating an Epic Alaska Itinerary

Sponsored by Alaska Tour & Travel

“I want to come to Alaska, but I don’t even know where to start!”

Sound familiar?

As a local company specializing in custom vacations to Alaska’s most spectacular destinations, we hear this a lot! Here are the steps we take to help travelers build their ideal Alaska itineraries.

1. Ask yourself, “What do I dream of doing and seeing in Alaska?”

Walk on a glacier. See bears in the wild. Watch the northern lights. Stay in a wilderness lodge. Photograph puffins. Whatever your dream for Alaska is, it’s the key to your itinerary. That’s because Alaska is really big and our distinctive regions quite unique. Much of the Alaska trip planning process is about narrowing down your many options. Your answer will help you settle on a time of year to visit and what areas to focus on.

2. Decide on the number of days you can spend in Alaska.

You’ve narrowed down potential areas, and this helps determine how many individual destinations to visit. We recommend a minimum of two nights in most places, giving you time to travel to and from as well as a full day for excursions. Here’s an example from a recent inquiry:

The traveler wanted to come to Alaska to see as many glaciers as possible and could spend just five days in state. Their original plan had them trying to visit Juneau, Valdez, and Denali National Park, but the travel time alone took up most of their allotted days. We recommended they start in Anchorage and visit Whittier, Girdwood, Seward, and Talkeetna. This made space in their itinerary for five different guided glacier tours and the opportunity to see more than 30 glaciers.

If you’d like to see some sample itineraries based on the number of days you can spend in Alaska, take a look at this Alaska Trip Finder.

3. Consider how you’d like to get around.

Outside of roadless Southeast Alaska where travel by boat or plane is required, your options in Southcentral and Interior Alaska (looking at a map, this stretches all the way from Seward to Fairbanks) are train, deluxe motorcoach or van, and rental vehicle. There are benefits to each, and many travelers opt for a combination to stretch their budget and manage travel times.

Curious about schedules and rates? Use this handy Transportation Finder Tool to compare transportation options between destinations.

4. Pick your lodging.

At this point you’ll have the general flow of your itinerary, making it easier to narrow down your lodging options. Accommodations in Alaska vary widely, but there’s often only a few options, especially in off-the-beaten-path destinations. They also tend to fill up fast, so we recommend booking lodging as early as possible to ensure you have cozy places to rest up after your Alaska adventures.

5. Add activities.

This is our favorite part of planning and booking custom Alaska itineraries. You know where you’ll be staying and how you’ll get around, and now it’s time to sprinkle in the adventures. Pick activities based on your interests and personal adventure level. Here’s one final tip: Save room in your itinerary (and budget) for one big bucket list excursion. Maybe it’s flightseeing or bear viewing, perhaps heli-hiking or kayaking in a glacial lagoon. Remember the first step. Now it’s your chance to make those Alaska dreams come true.

Visit Alaska Tour & Travel to plan your next adventure and check us out on Facebook and Instagram for more local travel tips and inspiration.