Wow, Alaska is awesome! We just finished a whirlwind 8 day Alaska vacation that felt like 2 weeks because of all of the amazing experiences we fit into those 22 hours + of sunlight.
Exploring Nome
We even got way off the beaten path and spent two days in the unique gold rush town of Nome. (You’ll want to read about our cool Nome experiences here.) Nome is famous for hosting the finish to the Iditarod dog sled race, and for miners made rich by braving the elements to find gold. We also took advantage of several excursions. We experienced kayaking and bear watching, and researched even more that we didn’t have time for (on this trip).
In Nome, the anticipation of striking it rich is still felt when you talk to the miners that migrate to this small town during the summer months. However, you don’t have to take a flight to a town that no roads can reach to experience the true wealth of what Alaska has to offer. That’s why we put together this list of epic excursions for your Alaska vacation. Let us know in the comments if you’ve done any of these or have suggestions of your own!
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See Denali from the Air (and land a Glacier)
There are tons of flight-seeing companies operating out of Talkeetna that will take you up and over the incredible Alaska Range that includes Denali at 20,310 feet. You’ll fly among the peaks and valleys, see the snow and ice that has been there since the last ice age, and be guided by the pilot to look for wildlife and other natural attractions. One flightseer that I talked to said that even though they live in Alaska, the glacier landing on Denali was an experience of a lifetime. If you are going to Denali National Park, definitely consider this epic excursion.
Kayak the Fjords of the Kenai Peninsula – my Alaska Vacation highlight
The view from our kayak fo Northwestern Glacier
This was my favorite part of our Alaska vacation. Even thought we had a light rain going for most of our outing, the entire day from beginning to end held a certain amount of enchantment to it because of the beautiful scenery, physical activity, and incredible wildlife. We chose to use Liquid Adventures for our excursion out of Seward. We saw several other boats heading out as well. Our captain chose a different fjord so that we would be on our own as we cut through the quiet, almost frozen waters. From the water taxi ride to the Northwestern Glacier, we saw several groups of humpback whales and tons of seals and puffins.
Once we were in the water in our two man kayaks, we set out to explore three glaciers. The icebergs floating in the water got bigger as we made our way inland. Large groups of seals, sea lions, and sea otters were visible laying out on the biggest chunks of ice. The seals were playful and as hard as we tried to give them their space, they would swim over a pop up not far from our boats to see what we were up to. Watching the glacier calf off giant chunks of ice and the wildlife playing around us was truly a stunning experience.
Portage Valley and Whittier Tunnel Drive
Byron Glacier in Portage Valley
Take a day trip from Anchorage down to the Portage Valley and Whittier Tunnel. First, make a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, approximately 50 miles from Anchorage, to see some Alaska’s native wildlife up close. From there, about a mile farther on Seward Highway, you will come to the turnoff for Portage Valley. At this point, it becomes a ‘choose your own adventure’ style excursion. Want to take it easy and view the Alaskan beauty from the car? Head over to the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center to see video tours and exhibits of the Prince William Sound and view the Portage Glacier. You can also go through the Whittier Tunnel. It’s a 2.5 mile tunnel shared by cars and trains that only allows one way traffic at any given time. Go through the tunnel and continue to visit Whittier.
Activities in the Portage Valley include a 1 mile hike to Byron Glacier, the 5 mile long Trail of Blue Ice from the Moose Flats Day Use area for walking or cycling, or paddling in the north part of Portage Lake. On your way back to Anchorage, take the turnoff for Girdwood and visit Alyeska Resort. You can take the tram to the top of the mountain forbreathtaking views, or stop in at The Bake Shop for home cooking and a giant cinnamon roll.
Alaska Vacation must – Bear Viewing
When I think of an Alaska, I think of Alaskan Brown Bears, or Grizzlies. No Alaska vacation is complete without seeing some wildlife. If you want to make sure to see the wild and beautiful brown bears in their own habitat, plenty of companies are willing to help you out. The most options are available from Homer, but from Anchorage you do have a great option from Rust’s Flying Service. They’ll take you to R
edoubt Bay Lodge, Chinitna Bay, Katmai, or Lake Clark to see the locals as they dig for clams, graze on sedge grass, or fishing for salmon. Call Rust’s to find out what trip is best for the time of year of your visit.
One of the highlights of 
any of these trips is getting there. While brown bears are seen in town, their true habitat is usually off the beaten path. So, the easiest way to get there is by plane. You will take a flight-seeing trip from wherever you launch that will allow you to see the landscape and wildlife from a different perspective. On our flight to Chinitna Bay we saw a moose with her 2 calves, beluga whales, seals, and the mountains and volcanoes of southern Alaska. On location the guides, and in some locations, park rangers, will make sure you are as safe as you can be when viewing these big predators in their natural environment.
River Float and Icebergs
A great way to see it all is with a River Float down the Placer River. Chugach Adventures has offered this tour since 2001. It starts with a ride on the AK Railroad Glacier Discovery Train to Spenser, AK. From there, you will be given the equipment you need to hop on a raft and float the mild (Level I & II rapids) Placer River. You’ll float past icebergs and animals on this 2 hour float. This is perfect for groups and even kids as long as they’re over the age of 2 1/2. When you’re finished, you will take the train back to Portage and from there a motor coach will return you to Girdwood or Anchorage.
Have you been on an Epic Alaska Vacation? Let us know what you recommend in the comments!
