If you are planning a trip to Alaska, you've got to do it right. I wanted to go to Alaska for years before I finally went and did a lot of research before my trip. I am not an expert, by all means, but I am happy to share all the knowledge I have so far.
The Best Time To Visit Alaska
The best time to visit Alaska depends on what you want to get out of your trip, and you can definitely visit all year around. The winter months might be darker and colder, but it is also less crowded and cheaper and the chances to see Northern lights are much better. The best weather is between June and August, when the weather is the warmest. Since this is also when most other people will go, you might still want to consider an off-season time frame. If winter isn't for you, maybe spring or autumn are a good option? I went in August and was quite lucky with the weather, and not so lucky with the crowds. You can check out these Alaska climate charts for more detailed information!
Booking A Tour vs. Planning Yourself
I am a convinced DIY travel booker, so for me it wasn't really an option to book a guided tour. Since you want to get the most out of the trip, many people prefer to book a cruise or trip with an operator. That way, you also don't have to worry about logistics. I like to stay independent, customize my trip and don't mind preparing and organizing. Even though they call it 'The Last Frontier', Alaska has roads, wifi and maps and thus isn't too hard to navigate it yourself. You can also find quite a few free Alaska travel planners online, which might help you to plan ahead. If you are planning yourself, you can choose between getting around via bus, train or car. Since I wanted to be flexible, I chose to drive by car. A tip when you are booking from Germany is to book the rental car via a German operator, as those usually include great insurance packages already (if you try to book there, it can be super expensive).
The Cost Of Travelling To Alaska
Alaska certainly isn't the cheapest travel destination. As many things need to be imported from the "lower 48" states of the US, groceries and food can be more expensive. I would suggest to plan with $1,500 - $2,000 per week, excluding flights.If you want to book adventures such as bear or whale watching, I would calculate those separately, as they can get very expensive quite quickly. While you might find a flight seeing tour for around $300, some excursions can be around $1,000.Flight prices depend on the season and from where you fly, but I found Alaska fairly well connected. For my flights from Dublin I had one stop in Seattle each way and paid around $500.
Where To Stay In Alaska
I found hotels to be extremely expensive in Alaska and many more remote areas don't have much choice either. Therefore, we stayed in AirBnBs during the entire trip and I found them to be great options. This also gives you the opportunity to cook your own food, which will save you money. I still found that there was a lack of options in some of the more remote areas, so if you are travelling by train, make sure you know how to get to your accomoodation. I also advise to book your lodging far in advance, especially when travelling during the busier summer months. This was our AirBnB in Anchorage, which I can really recommend, as well as our AirBnB in Palmer. For the more adventurous, I can recommend our cozy cabin in Talkeetna, but my favorite stay was this amazing artisan cabin in Soldotna.
What To Pack For Alaska
You will not enjoy being underdressed or underprepares, so make sure to pack the right gear. I always recommend to pack layers and generally speaking, a lot of outdoor gear. Pack a hat, gloves and scarves (even during the summer) and don't forget the rain gear. Also, make sure to pack sunglasses because yes, Alaska can be sunny, too!
Length Of Your Stay
There are many resources out there giving you recommendation for itineraries of different legnths. My general advice is - the longer you can go, the better. Alaska is the biggest state and there is so much to do, that you can fill several weeks of things to do. If you don't have much time, I recommend focusing on one part of the state only, since you don't want to rush! Especially if you are planning to see wildlife, you might need to be a bit more patient or travel a long way into the national parks , so make sure you have enough time. 10 days is said to be a good sweet spot for a trip to Alaska, allowing you to check off major destinations like Anchorage and Denali, and allowing also for some trips to more remote places such as Valdez or Homer.
Resources
I can of course always recommend a Lonley Planet when planning your Alaska trip. They also have some great online resources, if you don't want to buy or bring a book. There are many other online resources available to plan your trip, such as alaska.org, or travelalaska.com. Also make sure to visit alaska.gov for the latest information on national parks. My personal tip is to look for local Alaska bloggers, such as Valerie from Valerie & Valise, who is originally from Alaska and shares a ton of information on her website.
Is Alaska on your bucket list?
Kate recommends: Two Old Women by Velma Wallis is the surprising story of two elderly women abadoned by a migrating tribe. The story is based on an Athabascan legend on the upper Yukon River in Alaska. The word-of-mouth book has been translated into many languages and has sold more than 1.5 million copies.