All Destinations61.2181° N, 149.9003° W
Alaska
United States·Glaciers, grizzlies, and the last great wilderness
DURATION
7–14 days
BEST TIME
June – August (summer), February – March (aurora)
DIFFICULTY
Moderate to Challenging
About Alaska
Alaska is America's final frontier — a vast, humbling wilderness of tidewater glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and untamed coastline stretching farther than most countries. Watch grizzly bears fish for salmon in Katmai, cruise past calving glaciers in Glacier Bay, hike the Harding Icefield above Seward, or witness the aurora borealis ripple across a winter sky. Few places on earth offer this scale of raw, unfiltered nature.
Top Highlights
- 1Glacier Bay National Park — tidewater glaciers
- 2Denali National Park and North America's highest peak
- 3Katmai — brown bears fishing Brooks Falls
- 4Kenai Fjords — glaciers, orcas, and sea otters
- 5Aurora borealis viewing in Fairbanks
- 6Inside Passage cruise through fjords and rainforest
Insider Tips
- →Book bear-viewing flights to Katmai months in advance — spots are extremely limited
- →Summer days have nearly 20 hours of daylight — embrace the midnight sun
- →Layers are essential; weather changes rapidly even in July
- →A small-ship cruise through the Inside Passage reaches places roads cannot
- →For the northern lights, Fairbanks in February–March offers the clearest skies
- →Rent an RV or camper for the ultimate Alaska road trip along the Parks Highway
