Denali and Beyond: Hidden Gems for Your Alaskan Summer Adventure
Have you ever wanted to visit The Last Frontier? Alaska is a gorgeous state full of natural wonders and exciting adventures. This week we are joined by Jennie Flaming who shares all the insider info on visiting Alaska and making the most of your time in this amazing place.
Alaska’s Hidden Gems
Valdez or Homer, Alaska
Jennie encourages visitors to consider these towns instead of the typical stop in Seward, AK. Seward is wonderful, but very busy. Valdez or Homer are a little more out of the way, but will be way less crowded and still so beautiful!
If you are visiting Homer, consider visiting the Snug Harbor Outpost, which is right near the entrance to Lake Clark National Park. You will visit via plane ride. Upon arrival you can watch bears, go fishing, and take part in other outdoor adventures. This is a family owned and operated company and gives you a true Alaskan experience.
Gems near Anchorage
Visit Palmer, AK for beautiful hikes and awesome farm-to-table restaurants that are perfect for foodies! There are also lots of options for bike and kayak rentals in the area.
Ride the 26 Glacier Cruise that leaves from Whittier.
Take a daytrip to ride the Alaskan Railroad.
There are SO many hikes in and around Anchorage. You could hike everyday for months and never run out of trails!
Go on an adventurous fly-in bear sighting excursion at Lake Clark National Park.
Chugach Adventures offers some amazing rafting and helicopter tours that take you to see the glaciers up close and personal. You can pair this excursion with the railroad in the area!
Gems near Fairbanks
Take a day trip to Denali National Park. There is so much to do, see, and explore here.
Go on a hike along the Richardson Highway.
Fly to the Arctic Circle! This awesome opportunity is available through the Northern Alaska Tour Company.
If you LOVE Christmas, check out the city of North Pole (kind of a tourist trap but kind of awesome if you like Christmas).
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
This lesser-visited park is one to add to your bucket list!
The park is stunning and has so much beauty and adventure to offer.
Be aware that most rental car companies do not allow you to drive on the roads that you will need to take to get to this park. If you want to drive, you will need to find a local rental agency that will allow you to drive in this area. You can also fly directly over and into the park on tours.
Southeast Alaska as a whole
Although there are a lot of cruise ships here, you can easily avoid the big crowds. Cruises leave in the evening, and if you’re not right by the cruise port, you’ll have places to yourself.
Here are some more popular areas that you should take time to visit on your own! You won’t be able to see all of these in one trip (unless you take a cruise).
Juneau
Glacier Bay National Park
Sitka
Ketchikan
Haines
How to get around
If you want to explore hidden gems or anywhere off the main tourist areas, you’ll probably want to rent a car. You also may need to take small planes or boats to get to some destinations.
If you don’t want to navigate yourself around the state and you’re planning to see the main highlights, traveling via trains could be a great option. The train goes to each stop once a day, so you can move from one place to another. Be aware that these destinations will have a lot of tourists from cruises and bus tours.
Private Excursions
Making your excursions private will make a huge difference to your experience! It is way more personalized and allows you to have a more unique experience.
The same excursions are available to anyone who is visiting via cruise OR traveling around on land. Almost all of the companies allow you to book independently or through a cruise ship.
How to make visiting Denali National Park the BEST experience
When booking hotels, don’t have too high of expectations. They are very rustic and not luxurious. You are paying for the location, not a nice accommodation.
Jennie’s favorite hotel is the Denali Park Village. You can hike into the park from here.
If you are looking for a more luxurious experience, check out Kantishna Roadhouse! This is at the end of the road in Denali, but the road has been closed due to a landslide since 2021. However, now you get to FLY to this location on a small plane! It has the most amazing views! This is an all inclusive experience with incredible views and outdoor activities.
Private vehicles are not allowed past mile 15 into Denali. You HAVE to park and take a bus ride to get further into the park.
You can take a tour bus or the hikers shuttle, depending on what activities you are looking to do.
If you don’t want to go too far into the park but want to hike, check out the Savage Alpine Loop, Mount Healy Overlook trail, or Triple Lakes trail.
Be aware that the Denali Park entrance does NOT have views of the actual Denali peak. You won’t be able to see the peak from many areas of the park. Many people don’t even see it on their trip. Just be prepared if this happens.
If you don’t have time to make it all the way to Denali, you can take a day trip from Anchorage to Talkeetna for amazing views of the mountain range.
There are also flight tours that leave from Talkeetna and take you over Denali for incredible views. Some tours also have a glacier landing. This is a once in a lifetime experience that you do not want to skip if you have the opportunity!
Get in touch with Jennie!