I first traveled to Alaska in the summer – as most people do. I fell in love with the people and the landscape – I personally think it’s America’s most beautiful state and consistently falls in my top 5 places to visit in the entire world. I was always intrigued about how people lived there […]
Alaska is America’s natural jewel. Nestled way up north with a remote and rugged landscape, it is home to the most national parks in the US. It’s also home to some very remote and hard living which is why I’m so intrigued. With gorgeous mountain and glacier views, solitude is looking pretty good in this northern state. I constantly find unique things to do in Alaska. As I mainly stick to remote communities and national parks I often get a feel for the epic culture taking place. In each new journey I find incredibly nice people and plenty of things to do in Alaska that will keep you busy in summer or winter travels!
Things to do in Alaska
- There’s no place like Nome. This is the town motto; and it’s absolutely true. Nome only has 3 roads and they lead to nowhere, so you truly can’t get lost. What you can see are some really beautiful landscapes and rusty abandoned things!
- It’s not quite the North Pole, but it’s close enough! Go for a walk in the woods near Fairbanks with Rudy the Reindeer from Running Reindeer Ranch.
- Take Alaska bush flights to get to the remote areas of Alaska.
- Hike the Root Glacier in Wrangell St. Elias National Park
- Take a drive on the Glenn Highway next to glaciers and mountains. This epic journey was one of my 4 Best Days on Earth in 2015!
- Follow the pipeline up the Dalton Highway.
- Enjoy train travel on the Alaska Railroad in summer and winter and the Alaska RR Hurricane Train Tour for stunning views and first class service.
- Spend some time at Lake Clarke, a least visited national park.
- Follow your dreams and go dog sledding in Fairbanks, Alaska.
- Chase experience on 4 adventure day tours in Anchorage, Alaska.
- Spend some time watching nature dance under the Northern Lights.
Hotels in Alaska
- Go off the grid and stay at Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge surrounded by the glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park
- Sleep at a truck stop above the Arctic circle. Coldfoot Alaska may be one of the quirkiest places you’ll ever stay.
- Ma Johnsons Hotel in McCarthy Alaska will take you on a time warp journey in this one road town.
Alaska Pictures
The best part about being in remote, hard destinations is that they are beautiful and haunting to photograph! From abandoned trains, to muskoxen; Alaska is a photographer’s playground. See all of my Alaska photography here.
Read More About Alaska Travel
Back to DestinationsAlaska Packing List: How To Avoid Freezing To Death In The Winter
I went to Fairbanks Alaska in the heart of winter and lived to tell the tale. Ok, so maybe it’s not quite that dramatic, but the fact is most people are scared of Alaska in the winter; especially the interior where the temperatures dip below 0 most nights and you have to plug in your […]
Alaska Sled Dogs and the Ultimate Denali Dogsled Expedition
The first thing Courtney said after introducing herself was, “we don’t adopt out our dogs”. At the moment, I thought it was an odd thing to lead with as we prepared to go on our first Alaska dog sledding expedition. I love Alaska sled dogs, but I had never considered adopting one…but then again, I […]
20 Things to do in Anchorage in Winter or Summer
Updated March 2022 – Anchorage is the biggest city in the state (population 282,000) and has the largest airport in the state. So when you visit Alaska, you’ll likely end up spending some time there at some point. It’s a great jumping-off point for your Alaska travels and I like to use it as a […]
Traveling to Alaska During COVID19: Why You should consider a Trip to Alaska this summer
As I landed in the Anchorage airport in February 2021, I was prepared to experience something new in travel – a line to get into Alaska. There were a row of podiums and iPads manned by masked locals up late welcoming visitors into Alaska. When I arrived, visitors had to have proof of a negative […]
Things to Do in Talkeetna Alaska Gateway to Denali National Park
Is it possible to fall more in love with a place after visiting for a 3rd time? Yes! This was my 3rd trip to the small community of Talkeetna Alaska, but my first visit in the winter. Talkeetna has always been one of my favorite small communities in Alaska . This once popular Denali climbing […]
Chasing Fall in Alaska: Where to go for Autumn Colors from North to South
The beautiful backdrop of snowy mountain peaks and glaciers is a great way to experience fall colors. Alaska in the fall is full of blooming pink fireweed that quickly turns to a rustic red color and bright gold birch trees. They practically look like they are glowing next to the green pine tree groves. You’ll […]
Fairbanks Your Homebase for Alaska Winter Fun
While Alaska is a popular dream destination in the summer, it gets little respect in the winter. The fear of frigid temperatures, lack of light, and heavy snow scare off most people. However, that’s the exact reason why I thought Fairbanks would be the perfect place to go for an Alaska winter adventure – I […]
Experience Dog Sledding in Alaska and Mush Your Own Team
I looked around the Two Rivers post office wondering what it was like to live in such a small community in Alaska. In this tiny little ‘rest stop’ along the Chena Hot Spring Road, the post office and the general store were attached to each other and seemed to be the hot spot of the […]
Why an Alaska Train Trip Should Be On Your Winter Itinerary
I see the big yellow engine against the scenic winter backdrop pulling into the flagstop. The whistle blows and immediately I can feel my excitement build. The steel wheels are frosted over and look bitter cold as they creak and roll past me on the track. It sort of felt like a winter scene out […]