Plan the Perfect Alaskan Vacation

Where to go, what to see

Whenever you can, take a chance to mingle with the locals. From native peoples steeped in tradition to modern-day pioneers, Alaskans are a special breed. Orient yourselves to Alaska’s multi-faceted history and cultures by visiting the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the Alaska State Museum in Juneau or the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.

Lesser-known but worthwhile stops include the Alaska Heritage Library Museum in Anchorage and the Fairbanks Community Museum. Explore the diverse heritage of the Yup’ik, Tlingit, Inupiat, Aleut, and Haida people at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage.

Take time to venture beyond Alaska’s Big Three, the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Though these modest urban areas offer unique attractions and fewer people than most cities back home—Alaska’s entire population tops out at just over 670,000—the small towns and communities dotting the road system have appealing character.

• A float plane is often the best way to see Alaska.
• Rich H. Legg

Seward, Whittier, and Skagway are fun, though they’re overflowing with tourists when the cruise ships dock. At the end of the Sterling Highway, artsy Homer is a local favorite, but you’ll have to fight traffic to get there when the salmon are running in the rivers of the Kenai Peninsula. To get further off the beaten trail, head to Haines to watch the eagles soar, or drive the winding road to tiny Eagle, once a big player in the frenzied rush for gold.

Where to stay

Alaska’s bed-and-breakfasts are friendly places that make families feel right at home. Be sure to chat with your host about what it’s really like to live in the area.

• The one that got away was THIS big...
• Frank Flavin

If time and money permit, take off in a float plane for one of Alaska’s premier wilderness lodges. The best of these tours offer lodging, first-rate meals, and a slew of outdoor activities such as fishing, bear-watching, ice cave exploration, kayaking, and rafting.

As in all things Alaskan, research the available options before you sign on. Here lodge can mean anything from the all-inclusive resort experience of a lifetime to a collection of ramshackle cabins with an outhouse out back. If you can’t do a fly-out, road-accessible lodges are another great way to get a taste of real Alaska.