Alaska is the least visited U.S. state and, yet, it’s arguably the most beautiful, with towering mountains, ancient glaciers, and SO much wildlife. While Alaskan cruises remain the most popular way to visit, you miss so many incredible adventures by just sailing past its coastline.
My husband, Justin, and I spent three months driving all over Alaska in our RV and are convinced that road tripping is the best way to explore all of the state’s national parks, quirky towns, and beautiful landscapes. Based on our time in the Last Frontier, we put together the perfect 10 day Alaska road trip itinerary, packing in the very best adventures in the state.
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When to plan your Alaska road trip
This itinerary is designed for travelers visiting Alaska in the warmer months (i.e., June through September), when the roads and trails are free of ice and snow, the days are long, and the wildlife is out and about.
You can definitely road trip through Alaska in the colder months, but your itinerary would look a lot different than the one outlined below, focusing on exploring ice caves, soaking in hot springs, and chasing the Northern Lights. You’d also have to be a bit more intentional about your choice of rental car, such as making sure it’s equipped with snow tires and 4WD.
10 day Alaska road trip itinerary
In this article, we go into detail about all the things you should do and where to stay during your time here.
If you don’t want to read my blathering on, here’s our Alaska road trip at a quick glance. You can just jump to the day you’re interested in to find out more information:
- Day 1: Explore Anchorage
- Day 2: Take a day trip to Hatcher Pass from Anchorage
- Day 3: Go on a glacier tour from Anchorage
- Day 4: Make your way to Denali National Park
- Day 5: Explore Denali National Park
- Day 6: Make your way to Seward
- Day 7: Go on a Major Marine tour of Kenai Fjords National Park
- Day 8: Hike through Kenai Fjord National Park
- Day 9: Drive to and explore Homer
- Day 10: Take day trip from Homer to Katmai National Park
With that, let’s get into it!
Day 1: Explore Anchorage
1. Arrive in Anchorage
For this trip, you’ll fly into and out of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska’s largest city and pick up your rental car.
I see lots of people online that wring their hands about whether you need a high-clearance or 4WD vehicle to get around Alaska. If you’re visiting during the warmer months and sticking to the well-trodden areas in Alaska, you generally can get by just fine with any standard passenger car.
After driving our RV all over the state, we did encounter some gnarly roads in more remote areas, like the McCarthy Road that leads to the teeny town of McCarthy, the gateway to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, or the Taylor Highway that leads to Chicken (by far, the WORST road we drove here).
But, if you’re mainly sticking around the areas I highlight in this article, the roads are all paved and well-maintained. So don’t sweat it too much!
This Alaska road trip itinerary also works fine if you already own or want to rent an RV. Alaska is an RVers’ paradise—there are SO many great campgrounds here!
2. Explore some of Anchorage’s green space
Depending on what time you land in Anchorage, you may not have a ton of time to go have adventures today. So, instead of venturing outside of the city, I’d recommend checking out some of the awesome things to do in Anchorage, like exploring its beautiful green spaces.
For example, Kincaid Park sprawls over 1,400 acres, with forests and rolling green hills and is known for being home to one of Alaska’s most famous residents—moose!
The best place to spot them here is on the southwestern portion of the Sisson Loop, a moderate six mile trail that winds through the park (although you can hike as far as you like and, of course, turn back if you don’t want to hike the whole six miles).
Just remember to stay a safe distance from them—you should be far enough away that you can completely cover the moose with your thumb in your line of vision. Moose are HUGE and can be territorial, so always err on the side of caution!
If you’re looking for a more accessible option than the Sisson Loop, the Potter Marsh Boardwalk is a flat wheelchair-friendly wooden pathway that extends over a bog, with the Chugach Mountains serving as a spectacular backdrop. We just spotted a few birds and salmon when we stopped here for a visit, but other visitors have reported seeing bald eagles, moose, and even black bears here!
3. Watch the bore tide at the Turnagian Arm
The Turnagain Arm, which flanks Anchorage’s southern side, is home to one of the world’s largest bore tides.
If you’re not sure what the hell a bore tide is (I wasn’t either!), it’s essentially when sea water rushes into a narrow inlet after an extreme low tide, which causes an unusually large wave.
The bore tide in the Turnagain Arm can be up to 6-10 feet tall and can reach speeds as fast as 15 miles per hour.
The best places to watch the bore tide are along the Seward Highway, which has several scenic pullouts, like Beluga Point or the excitingly named Bore Tide Viewing Point #1, that offer vistas of the Turnagain Arm sitting in the shadow of the stunning Kenai Mountains.
To be honest, spotting the wave itself might not be that interesting, but watching locals surf on the bore tide is SUPER fun. We spent one evening chatting with local surfers and cheering them on as they caught the bore tide, and it was one of our favorite evenings during our summer in Alaska.
You also have a pretty good chance of spotting beluga whales (especially in the later summer months) in the half hour or so after the bore tide, as they hunt for fish that run into the shallow water in the inlet from the bay.
The timing of the bore tide changes every day—you can check out the schedule here. The timing isn’t an exact science, so I’d suggest grabbing a coffee, getting there about half an hour or so before the estimated time, and just enjoying the stunning views of the Turnagain Arm and the Kenai Mountains until something exciting happens!
4. Grab dinner at an Alaskan institution
For your first dinner in Anchorage, I’d suggest heading to Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria. This spot has all kinds of interesting accolades, including being ranked the third best pizza in the United States AND the highest-grossing single-unit independent pizzeria in the country.
Moose’s Tooth is known for its funky pizzas, like spicy Thai chicken or apricot and cream cheese. While their pizza is absolutely solid, my favorite part of visiting was the wide variety of beers brewed in house AND the cozy firepits that you can hang around if you need to wait for a table.
5. Check into your hotel
Check into your hotel, which will be your home for the next three nights.
For hotels, we’d recommend:
- The Wildbirch Hotel: This centrally located hotel was recently renovated, with a clean, yet cozy aesthetic. There also are some surprisingly nice amenities here, including two onsite restaurants, a bar, and a modern fitness center (with a Peloton!).
- The Voyager Hotel: This hotel is located within walking distance to most of the shops and restaurants in downtown Anchorage. My favorite feature of this property is that each room has its own kitchenette, with a microwave and refrigerator if you’re trying to save money and make some of your own food in Alaska. Plus, you get access to an indoor pool and sauna at the nearby Hotel Captain Cook (which is quite rare in Alaska!).
- Aspen Suites Hotel: If you prefer to stay someplace a bit quieter, this property is tucked away on the north side of the city, but still just a short drive away from all of the action. Again, you get access to a nice kitchenette, including a refrigerator, microwave, and stove, plus some of the rooms here have beautiful views of the surrounding mountains (which is surprisingly hard to come by in Anchorage!).
Day 2: Take a day trip to Hatcher Pass
1. Grab coffee at a drive-thru shop
One of my fondest memories of living in the Pacific Northwest for several years was always grabbing coffee from the quirky little espresso coffee shacks dotted along the roadsides in Oregon and Washington state. So, imagine my delight when I discovered that coffee shacks are a thing around Alaska, too!
I’d recommend either North Cup Espresso, which has a fun “secret” menu that changes with seasonal offerings, and Kaladi Brothers, which roasts its own beans.
2. Hit the trail in Hatcher Pass
There are so many cool hiking trails around Anchorage, it would be a shame not to check some of them out!
We hiked SO much during our summer in Alaska and, by far, my favorite was the Reeds Lake Trail in the beautiful Hatcher Pass area, about an hour and a half from Anchorage.
It’s a challenging 8.8 mile hike that leads you up into the Talkeetna Mountains, past countless wildflower meadows and waterfalls, to two BEAUTIFUL glacial lakes.
Most of the road leading up to the trailhead is well-maintained, with jaw-dropping views of the surrounding mountains, but it does get pretty pothole-y once you pass this bridge, about half a mile from the trailhead. Luckily, there are a number of parking spots along the road here, so I’d just recommend parking your car here if you don’t have a high clearance vehicle and walking the rest of the way to the trailhead.
3. Explore Alaska’s mining history
After your hike, stop at the Independence Mine State Historical Park, which is also located in Hatcher Pass, about half an hour down the road from the trailhead for Reeds Lake. The drive from the trailhead to the mine is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
This is one of the best preserved examples of Alaska’s mining camps during its iconic Gold Rush. The mine operated from 1938 until 1951, when the easily accessible gold in the area ran dry. At its height, the mine had 200 workers, who blasted 12 MILES of tunnels under the bedrock here and extracted 34,000 ounces of gold in a single year.
Today, you can either walk around the outside of the buildings by yourself on a self-guided tour or, alternatively, there’s a $15 hour-long guided tour of three of the mine’s buildings. Tours are offered at the top of the hour, starting at 10 AM with the last tour at 5 PM.
We’ve explored LOTS of old mining towns during our travels, but the rustic buildings of the Independence Mine, set against the snowcapped peaks of the Talkeetna Mountains, definitely have to be the most beautiful ones we’ve ever seen!
4. Get dinner
As a city with almost 300,000 residents, there are endless restaurants to eat dinner in Anchorage. However, as a beer lover, I’d recommend checking out one of the town’s 18 microbreweries, many of which serve up incredible food.
For example, I LOVE 49th State Brewing, which offers a wide selection of both classic and funky beers (like an apple fritter ale or IPAs brewed with spruce tips!) and has the BEST housemade veggie burgers I’ve ever had (really!). If you’re looking to partake in Alaska’s famed seafood, there are tons of options here to choose from, like locally caught halibut fish and chips or king crab legs.
5. Grab a scoop of locally made ice cream
Save some room for dessert and head to Wild Scoops, a microcreamery that makes small batches of ice cream using Alaska ingredients, like birch, rhubarb, and spruce tips.
Their main claim to fame here is a “Baked Alaska” cone, where you get a scoop of ice cream in a waffle cone, topped with a dollop of house made meringue that’s torched and perfectly caramelized before being handed off to you. Imagine having something that kind of tastes like a sweet, gooey campfire on top of your birch brittle ice cream!
I’m not ashamed to admit we went to Wild Scoops three times during our summer in Alaska—it’s SO good!
Day 3: Go on a glacier tour from Anchorage
1. Fuel up with breakfast
Since you’re going to be out adventuring all day, I’d suggest having a hearty breakfast.
Snow City is a favorite amongst locals and tourists alike, with a quirky interior and a creative menu with options for meat lovers, gluten-free, and vegan folks alike. There’s plenty of dishes that incorporate local Alaskan ingredients, like king crab or reindeer, plus lots of unique offerings you won’t find anywhere else in town, like an ube mimosa or birch syrup stuffed French toast (YUM!!). And don’t miss the sticky pecan buns—I still dream about them!
2. Go on a glacier tour
Did you even go to Alaska if you didn’t trek across a glacier?
Today, I’d suggest spending a good part of the day having adventures on one of the glaciers around Anchorage.
If you’re an adventure lover, one of the most bucket list worthy things to do in Alaska is to paddleboard through a river of turquoise water, directly on top of a glacier itself. Sounds pretty wild? It totally is!
On these epic tours, like this option, you’ll don a drysuit, get into a helicopter, and fly to the nearby Knik Glacier, spotting wildlife and taking in the incredible landscape along the way.
Once you land on top of the ice, you’ll paddleboard and even swim(!!) through channels of electric blue meltwater that are carved through the ice, including even tunnels and caves!
This experience was at the tippy top of my bucket list, but, unfortunately, was a bit out of our price range during our visit. I’ve had a few friends that have done it, though, and they’ve said it’s 100% worth the splurge!
If you’re on a tighter budget and are looking for something a bit more affordable, I’d suggest going on the tour to the Matanuska Glacier instead, which, unlike the Knik, does not require a helicopter to access. The glacier is partially located on private property and, accordingly, you can only access it on a guided tour.
There’s a couple of different tour options, depending on how adventurous you want to be. For example, this tour includes two hours of trekking on the glacier, past waterfalls, caves, and pools that are carved into the ancient ice. For something a bit more adrenaline pumping, check out this tour, where you can try your hand at ice climbing up the glacier’s walls and crevices.
Our experience climbing across a glacier was easily one of the highlights of our summer in Alaska. It’s WILD to think of how old some of the ice is beneath your feet and to see how the glacier changes and flows, from its technicolor meltwater to the massive tunnels and archways that become carved into the ice.
Note that, to go to any of these tours, you’ll need to drive from Anchorage to either to the town of Palmer (one hour away) for the Knik Glacier or to Chickaloon (about an hour and 45 minutes away) for the Matanuska Glacier. Accordingly, going on a glacier tour will take up a pretty good chunk of your day!
3. Stop at Eagle River Nature Center
On your way back to Anchorage, pop by the Eagle River Nature Center, which is considered to be the gateway to the spectacularly beautiful Chugach State Park.
If you visit when the Nature Center is open, there are some interesting exhibits about the geology, flora, and fauna of the area, plus some hands-on artifacts, with furs, feathers, and skulls from local wildlife (who doesn’t like touching stuff?).
Even if you visit when the Nature Center is closed, though, there’s a short, yet stunning trail that you can take that leads to a beaver dam and a salmon run, where, if you’re lucky, you might even spot a bear.
If you’re looking for a REAL adventure, there are also MUCH longer trails here, including the famous Crow Pass Trail, a 22 mile point-to-point trail that leads up into the Chugach Mountain, past the beautiful Raven Glacier, to the hipster town of Girdwood.
4. Get dinner
Take advantage of Anchorage’s diverse food scene by grabbing dinner at one of the following:
- Whisky and Ramen: An upscale ramen restaurant that’s dishing out creative takes on traditional Japanese fare (think matcha panna cotta) that’s been nominated twice for a James Beard award in the last few years
- Seoul Casa: A more laidback option with Korean-Mexican fusion that’s been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (you know it’s good if it’s Guy Fieri approved!)
- Palmeira Tropical Fusion: This spot is a hidden gem, frequented mostly by locals, with a modern interior and Caribbean fusion dishes that will make you feel like you’re at a beach resort.
Day 4: Make your way to Denali National Park
1. Drive to Talkeetna
It’s time to finally hit the road!
Today, you’ll be driving about four hours north from Anchorage up to Denali National Park, home to the tallest mountain in North America.
But, on the way, you’re going to make a stop at the quirky town of Talkeetna, which was actually the inspiration for the 1990s television series, Northern Exposure.
Talkeetna definitely has a unique vibe, with a cat serving as its mayor (really!) for the last twenty years and the historic and rustic buildings that line its streets.
But it’s also widely regarded as being the gateway to Denali, given it’s the biggest town before you reach the national park from Anchorage and the fact that it serves as the starting point for most mountain expeditions and flightseeing tours.
Speaking of which…
2. Take a flightseeing tour
The highlight of many visitors’ trips to Alaska is getting an aerial view of Mount Denali’s massive and snowy summit, towering over 20,000 feet in the air.
There’s several flightseeing tours from Talkeetna, like this one and a half hour option or this two hour option, both of which offer optional glacier landings.
On these tours, you’ll board a small plane and, after take off, soar over the Alaska Mountain range and its countless peaks, glaciers, and valleys.
After about 20 minutes in the air, you’ll finally get to see Denali and some of its most famous features. For example, most tours fly past its vertical North face, the most challenging climbing route that only a handful of mountaineers have taken to summit Denali, and over the Ruth Glacier, which has one of the deepest glacial ice pockets on the planet, of up to 38,000 feet deep.
Insider tip: I’d strongly recommend booking this tour at the beginning of your time in the Denali area, as it’s not unusual for tours to be canceled, due to wind, clouds, rain, or other inclement weather. If your tour is canceled earlier in your time exploring Denali, you should be able to shuffle things around and still go on this bucket list worthy experience!
3. Get a late lunch in Talkeetna
Before you drive the rest of the way to the national park, I’d suggest grabbing some food in Talkeetna. And, luckily, some of our favorite food spots in Alaska are located here!
For your main course, pop by Talkeetna Spinach Bread, an adorable food truck, housed in an Airstream. It serves up a super limited menu, including DELICIOUS hot and cheesy spinach bread and homemade blueberry rhubarb crisp. This is a must-stop in Alaska, in my opinion!
On your way out of town, stop at the Alaska Birch Syrup & Wild Harvest shop, which is actually the world’s largest producer of birch syrup, tapping over 16,000 trees annually!
Birch syrup is pretty rare, with only about 50 producers globally, given how difficult it is to make. For example, Alaska Birch Syrup collects about 135,000 gallons of sap each year, which only makes about 1,000 gallons of birch syrup—pretty wild!
For $15 per person, there’s a tour offered at the top of every hour, where you can learn how the syrup is made and taste a variety of the products that they make here. Alternatively, you can just purchase some of their products in their gift shop, including birch syrup ice cream topped with birch brittle (sooooo good!).
4. Drive the rest of the way to Denali National Park
Drive the remaining two hours and 15 minutes to the national park.
If you’re lucky enough to be making the drive on a clear day, though, I’d highly recommend stopping at some of the viewpoints in Denali State Park along the way, like this spot and this spot.
Denali National Park has an elusive membership, called the “30% Club”, which is supposedly the amount of visitors that actually get to see Denali while they’re in the park. Between Alaska’s general raininess and the unique weather systems that form around its massive peak, Denali is obscured by clouds about 70% of the time. So, take advantage of every chance that you get to see it!
We were lucky enough to see the Great One for two days straight while we were in the national park, as well as from the viewpoints I suggested above. And I actually think the views from the state park viewpoints are WAY better than inside the national park itself—so they’re definitely well worth a stop!
5. Check into your hotel in Healy
There are no accommodations in the national park itself, but there are a handful of basic hotels in the nearby town of Healy.
Here are the best options to stay in the next two nights:
- Denali Tri-Valley Cabins: This is my top recommendation of places to stay in Healy, with cozy log cabins that are well-equipped, with kitchenettes and barbecues to cook up your own meal. Plus, it’s an excellent place to spot moose!
- Denali Park Hotel: This no-frills hotel is located a bit outside of Healy, but still conveniently located close to Denali National Park. It’s a good value for the area, but still is super clean and plenty comfortable.
- Denali Rainbow Village Motel: If you want to be a bit more in the heart of the action, this property has a mix of cabins and hotel rooms, just a few steps away from Healy’s shops and restaurants. My favorite thing about this property is that there’s a free shuttle to Denali National Park right across the street.
6. Get dinner in Healy
There are a handful of solid restaurants around Healy. Here are some of our favorite options:
- Healy Thai Food, a food truck that’s parked in front of the Denali Grizzly Bear Resort. Don’t miss the Thai iced tea!
- Panorama Pizza Pub, with solid pizza, a laidback atmosphere, and views that live up to the name!
- Prospector’s Pizzeria and Alehouse, which probably has the best pizza we had in Alaska, with lots of creative options (including with smoked Alaskan salmon or king crab, PLUS lots of vegan pies!) and an extensive beer list
Day 5: Denali National Park
1. Hike the Savage Alpine Trail
Head to Denali National Park, bright and early, to explore some of the most wild and raw landscapes in Alaska. Entrance to Denali is $15 per person, unless you have a valid interagency pass, like an America the Beautiful pass.
Given that Denali is the largest mountain in North America, you might assume that you’d be able to spot its massive peak from anywhere in the park. But, in fact, there are actually only a few trails here where you can see it.
After Justin and I completed most of the hikes in Denali National Park, I can confirm that the Savage Alpine Trail is the best option to see the Great One. On this trail, you’ll hike through a pine tree forest and boggy area up to the ridgeline of a mountain, with spectacular views of Denali’s iconically white peak and the surrounding Alaska Mountains.
Getting around this national park is a bit funky. There is limited parking outside of its main visitor’s center. So, most people get around with the free hiker shuttles that depart from the visitor center.
However, if you arrive at the park early enough (around 7 AM or so), you can usually snag parking at places other than the Visitor Center, like at the main trailhead for the Savage Alpine Trail, which is located here, at the Mountain Vista Picnic Area.
Alternatively, you can take one of the free hiker shuttles from the Visitor Center towards Savage River, getting off at the Mountain Vista area. The shuttles depart, based on the following schedule:
- From May 15 through May 19: 8 AM to 8 PM
- From May 20 through September 7: 6:20 am to 10:10 pm
- From September 8 through September 20: 8:20 am to 8:10 pm
The Savage Alpine Trail a challenging hike that’s typically hiked as point-to-point, starting at the Mountain Vista picnic area and ending at the Savage River.
If you’ve still got a bit of energy after the hike, I’d suggest tacking on the Savage River Loop Trail, whose trailhead is right by the end of the Savage Alpine Trail. This gentle and flat pathway follows along the river’s milky glacial waters, with stellar views of the rugged canyon walls and, with any luck, even some wildlife.
We spotted an Arctic ground squirrel and some ptarmigans here, but other hikers have reported seeing caribou, foxes, and even grizzly bears!
Once you’re done, catch the Savage River hiker shuttle back to wherever you parked.
2. Catch a sled dog presentation
One of the most popular things to do in Denali National Park is to meet its sled dog team, which is the only one in the entire National Park System.
The team dates back to 1922, when the dogs helped patrol the park’s borders against poachers.
Today, they still help rangers conduct scientific research, patrol its vast National Wilderness Areas (where motors, like snowmobiles, are prohibited), and maintain trails for winter recreationalists, especially amidst sub-freezing temperatures that make mechanical motors unreliable.
From mid-May to mid-September, you can stop in and visit the sled dog team’s kennels from 9:30 to 4:30 pm daily. There’s even three demonstrations per day, at 10 AM, 2 PM, and 4 PM, where a ranger will provide some general background and history on the team and you can see the team pull a ranger on a specialized cart.
You also have the opportunity to pet the dogs here, which we’re ALL about! Just be sure to carefully follow the rangers’ instructions on interacting with the dogs—since they’re working dogs, they’re not as friendly and cuddly as the pups you might have at home!
In the summertime, parking of private vehicles is prohibited at the kennels, so you’ll need to catch the free Sled Dog Demonstration shuttle from the Visitor Center here.
3. Hit one of the hikes near the Visitor Center
If you’ve got some time and energy left to burn after the Sled Dog demonstration, I’d suggest hitting one of the trails at the front of the park around the Visitor Center.
I’d recommend heading to either:
- Mount Healy Overlook Trail, which is the second best hike in the park for seeing Mount Denali on a clear day. This is on the more challenging side and a steep climb, but the views of the Alaska Range are totally worth it!
- Horseshoe Lake Trail. This is a better option if you’re looking for an easy to moderate option, with a gentle pathway that winds around a beautiful alpine lake.
4. Get dinner
Grab dinner at one of the spots in Healy I recommended above that you haven’t gotten to try yet!
Day 6: Make your way to Seward, Alaska
Next up on your Alaska road trip—Seward, located on the coast of the beautiful Kenai peninsula and home to Kenai Fjords National Park!
But first, we’re not quite done exploring Denali just yet!
1. Go white water rafting
Denali offers some of the best white water rafting in all of Alaska, thanks to the glacially fed Nenana River, which borders the park’s eastern edge.
White water rafting is such an epic way to take in Alaska’s rugged scenery and even spot some wildlife along the way, like bald eagles or moose. Plus, the Nenana offers something for every kind of traveler, from gentle floating for rafting newbies to adrenaline pumping Class IV rapids for more advanced adventurers.
For example, this tour may be better for beginner rafters or families with smaller children, traversing more chill Class II-III rapids as the river winds through a boreal forest. Alternatively, this option may be better suited for more adventurous travelers, given that it goes over Class III-IV rapids, as you paddle your way through a rugged canyon.
Most of the rafting tours here start around 8 AM and only last for three hours, giving you plenty of time to make the six and a half hour drive down to Seward in the afternoon.
2. Drive to Seward
The rest of your day will be spent driving down to Seward.
Luckily, the views along the way, from the Chugach Mountains to the Turnagain Arm, are ABSOLUTELY stunning and make the time fly by!
3. Check into your hotel in Seward
Seward is one of the most beautiful towns in Alaska, along the coast of Resurrection Bay and surrounded by the snow-capped Kenai Mountains. With its small-town charm and stunning views, Seward was one of our absolute favorite places in all of Alaska!
Check in to your hotel for the next three nights. I’d suggest staying at:
- Harbor 360 Hotel Seward: This is the nicest hotel in Seward, with its location right on the harbor and jaw-dropping views of Resurrection Bay and the surrounding Kenai Mountains. It has some REALLY nice perks, like an indoor hot tub and pool (the only one in Seward!), solid continental breakfast, and a laundry room. We checked in at its front desk for our Major Marine tour and were so jealous of the people staying here!
- Harborview Inn: This hotel is more budget-friendly than Harbor 360, with a convenient location between Seward’s downtown and the harbor. The rooms are very clean and have some helpful amenities, like a microwave and refrigerator. Plus, the staff here are SUPER friendly and happy to answer any questions about Seward you might have!
- Nauti Otter Inn and Yurt Village: If you’re looking for something with a bit more personality, this quirky property has a mix of cabins, vintage trailers, yurts, and even hostel-style dorm rooms for budget travelers. This isn’t a good option if you’re expecting luxury—most of the options have a shared bathroom—but for a creative stay with a social vibe, this is one of the coolest accommodations in Alaska!
4. Get dinner
Despite its tiny size, Seward has some seriously yummy restaurants, like:
- The Cookery: This is considered the best restaurant in Seward, with lots of local seafood, including oysters and salmon; hearty stick-to-your-ribs fare that’s artfully plated; and friendly service.
- Lone Chicharone: For something way more budget-friendly, this laidback taqueria dishes up street tacos and burritos, with a killer salsa bar. Don’t miss the homemade paletas!
- Seward Brewery: This local favorite mainly brews classic beer styles (think IPAs and lagers) and has a menu with creative takes on pub favorites, like wood-fired pizza and hot chicken sandwiches.
- Flamingo Lounge: A super fun lounge with vaguely tiki-esque, retro vibes. This is a MUST stop in Seward if you’re a cocktail lover—it was actually voted as the best all around bar in Alaska a few years ago! Just a heads up, though, that the food menu is pretty meat and seafood heavy—if you’re a vegetarian/vegan, I’d stop here fora drink and then head elsewhere for dinner!
If you’re feeling a nightcap, don’t miss the Yukon Bar, a Seward icon that’s been operating since 1942 (i.e., before Alaska was even a state!!). The interior is covered with hundreds of dollar bills, a tradition that harkens back to when sailors or fishermen would staple money to its walls as a gesture to ensure they’d have enough money for a drink once they returned from sea.
Day 7: Go on a Major Marine tour of Kenai Fjords National Park
1. Take a Major Marine tour
Kenai Fjords is a GORGEOUS national park, but more than half of its footprint is taken up by glacial ice or water. Accordingly, you can really only access a tiny sliver of the park by the road, so the best way to explore it is by boat!
Taking a Major Marine cruise is one of the most popular things to do in Seward, allowing you to see some of the park’s tidewater glaciers (i.e., glaciers that terminate in the ocean) and its incredible wildlife.
We took this six hour tour with Major Marine (or here’s an eight and half hour option) and it was EASILY one of the highlights of our Alaska road trip. In addition to seeing two tidewater glaciers and the spectacular coastline of the Kenai Peninsula, we saw sea lions, orcas, sea otters, humpback whales, puffins, harbor seals, black bears and fin whales—just to name a few!
We also learned SO much about the animals that we spotted on the trip from the onboard naturalists, such as how humpback whales use bubble net feeding to cooperatively hunt together and how humpback whales have been observed saving other marine life from orca hunts—how cool is that?
Most of these cruises take all day and include lunch and unlimited coffee and tea. I’d just recommend bringing along some Dramamine—the water can get a bit rocky!
2. Get dinner
The Kenai Fjords cruise will take pretty much all day, so once you’re off the ship, head back to your hotel to freshen up a bit and grab dinner at one of the spots recommended above that you haven’t gotten to try yet.
Day 8: Hike through Kenai Fjord National Park
1. Get coffee
One of my favorite coffee shops in all of Alaska is the Resurrect Art Coffee House & Gallery in Seward, which is housed in an old Lutheran church from the early 1900s.
They have an assortment of fun coffee drinks, like a Dubai chocolate latte or the “Killer Clown” coffee (i.e., with caramel, vanilla, and chocolate mocha!), plus a microbakery, with DELICIOUS cinnamon rolls and bagel bombs.
Just be sure to get here early (they open at 7 AM every day). This place is POPULAR and it’s not unusual for there to be a queue straight out the door!
2. Hike the Harding Icefield Trail
Kenai Fjords National Park is actually home to the largest icefield in the United States, the Harding Icefield. This massive sheet of ice measures up to 4,000 feet deep and sprawls an eye-popping 700 square miles across the Kenai Peninsula.
The Harding Icefield Trail lets you hike up to a mountain ridge to overlook its cracked, otherworldly surface, with mountain peaks poking out of it. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve EVER seen—an entire mountain range, just buried deep by an ancient sheet of ice.
The hike gains 3,198 ft in 4.3 miles (one-way) to its endpoint, so it’s definitely a challenging trail that will take you most of the day. We stopped a TON to take photos of the epic views around us and spent a long time at the summit, just gawking at the icefield, but it took us almost eight hours to complete!
I’d suggest bringing along trekking poles and some crampons for extra traction and support, in case you run into any icy sections along the trail. We hiked it in early July and there was still a decent amount of ice and snow along the upper quarter of the trail or so.
Pssst… if you’re not up for doing a challenging eight mile hike or the Harding Icefield Trail isn’t open (it’s usually closed through July, due to avalanche risk), I’d suggest hiking the Exit Glacier Trail, instead.
This easy loop trail offers different vistas of the Exit Glacier, a four mile long valley glacier that’s fed by the Harding Icefield. It's famous not only for being one of the most accessible glaciers in all of Alaska, but also for being a visible indicator of climate change, with its ice retreating thousands of feet per year. The trail and the road leading up to the trailhead has signs indicating where the glacier terminated each year, making it easy to visualize its rapid recession.
Even if you have mobility challenges, this is an excellent option. A decent amount of the trail is even wheelchair accessible.
After completing the Exit Glacier Trail, I’d suggest spending the rest of the day on a kayaking tour to see more of Kenai Fjords’ beautiful landscape and wildlife, like this half day option in Resurrection Bay or this five hour option through the bay to the 100 foot Bridal Veil Falls.
3. Get dinner
Again, grab dinner at one of the places in Seward recommended above that you haven’t tried yet.
Day 9: Drive to and explore Homer
1. Drive to Homer
The last and final stop on our Alaska road trip—Homer, Alaska.
This teeny fishing village, surrounded by the waters of Kachemak Bay and the snow-capped Kenai Mountains, is fittingly referred to as the “End of the Road”, given that it’s the southernmost spot you can drive to on the Peninsula.
Even though Homer is only about 80 miles away from Seward, you basically have to drive around the entire Kenai Peninsula to reach the town, given that much of the land here is covered with glaciers.
So I’d strongly recommend getting up bright and early (around 7 AM or so) so that you can make the three and a half hour drive to Homer and still have all afternoon to explore the town.
2. Grab lunch on the Homer Spit
Homer is most famous for its spit, a 4.5 mile-long narrow strip of land that juts into Kachemak Bay. It’s actually one of the longest spits in the world and is home to the world’s longest road into ocean waters.
Given Homer’s popularity as a stop on Alaskan cruises, its spit is now lined with touristy shops, restaurants, and outfitters.
I’d suggest parking along the spit and then grabbing lunch at one of the restaurants here. Swell Taco, Glacier D, or Finn’s Pizza are some of my favorite places to eat in Homer!
3. Hike to the Grewingk Glacier in Kachemak Bay State Park
The town is renowned for its impressive spit and for being the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.”
But one of the best things to do in Homer, in my opinion, is to visit Kachemak Bay State Park, which is the first state park in Alaska with over 400 THOUSAND acres of mountains, rainforests, coastline, and glaciers.
The best thing to do in the park is to hike the Grewingk Glacier Lake hike, a moderately challenging trail that winds through a beautiful rainforest to a lake, fed by a massive glacier and filled with impossibly blue icebergs. Justin and I actually camped overnight here and it was SO magical, falling asleep to nothing but the glacier groaning and rumbling nearby.
There are no roads leading to Kachemak Bay State Park, so you’ll need to take a half hour water taxi across the bay there, like with Coldwater Alaska. On the ride over to the park, there’s a good chance you’ll see sea otters, puffins, bald eagles, and sometimes, even orcas!
You’ll have about five hours to hike and explore on the island before the water taxi picks you back up.
4. Grab dinner
Once you’re back on land, grab dinner along the Homer Spit at one of the places recommended above for lunch.
Be sure to save room for gelato at Carmen’s (the owner literally trained in Italy under a Gelato Grand Master!) and a beer from the Salty Dawg Saloon, a quirky bar that dates all the way back to 1957.
5. Check into your hotel
For such a tiny town, there are lots of accommodation options in Homer, including:
- Homer Floatplane Lodge: This would be my go-to pick of where to stay in Homer. The lodge has several cute-as-a-button log cabins in downtown Homer, with dreamy features, like an outdoor fireplace, hot tub, and balconies where you can watch floatplanes take off!
- Pioneer Inn Downtown: This adorable hotel feels more like you’re staying at your sweet aunt’s house, with bear throw pillows and quilts with moose sewn onto it. It feel home-y AND extremely well-thought out at the same time, with tons of USB ports and certain rooms with well-equipped kitchens or balconies overlooking Kachemak Bay.
Day 10: Take day trip from Homer to Katmai National Park
1. Join a tour from Homer to Katmai National Park
I know I’ve mentioned some of my favorite activities along our Alaska road trip so far, but, HANDS DOWN, my favorite thing we did throughout our entire three months in Alaska was seeing the bears in Katmai National Park.
Even if you haven’t heard of Katmai, I KNOW you’ve seen photos of it, with salmon leaping up a waterfall into a waiting bear’s mouth. Yup, that’s the famous Brooks Falls in Katmai, which is home to 2,200 brown bears, one of the densest populations on the entire planet!
The best months to see the bears here are in July and September when these massive creatures flock to catch the salmon runs through the Brooks River.
To view the bears safely here, there’s a series of elevated wooden catwalks and platforms, where you can watch them fish, hunt, and fight—it’s seriously SO cool!
Getting to Katmai National Park is definitely bit challenging (and expensive!). It’s located on a remote area of the Alaskan peninsula along the state’s southern coastline and, accordingly, is only accessible via boat or plane.
Luckily, Homer is one of the few places in the state where you can actually fly directly to Katmai on a 45 to 75 minute flight. Plus, if you visit on a clear day, you’ll have absolutely jaw dropping views of Cook Inlet and the Aleutian Mountains along the way.
Most tours from Homer, like this Katmai Bear Viewing from a Seaplane tour or this Katmai Falls Bear Viewing Experience option, leave around 8 AM, give you about four or so hours to explore the park, and return to Homer around 3 PM or so.
2. Drive back to Anchorage
Homer is a little over a four hour drive south of Anchorage, so, depending on when your flight home is, you can either hang out in Homer for another night or head back to Anchorage towards the airport.
I know it’s sad to say goodbye to Alaska, but you’ll be back again, I promise!
Tips for planning your Alaska road trip
Be prepared for unpredictable weather
The weather in Alaska, especially in the summertime, can be quite cloudy and rainy. During our summer here, it rained pretty much all across the state for over a week straight during the Fourth of July holiday, when we saw tons of families visiting Alaska.
You’ll enjoy Alaska a LOT more if you come with a positive attitude; a willingness to get a little wet or adjust your plans if necessary; and some solid waterproof gear. Here’s the rainjacket that I use and here’s the one that Justin uses, as well as rain pants for him and her.
Alaska is expensive
Everything, from gas to groceries, is expensive in Alaska, given that most of the goods here needs to be shipped in.
As just an example, I’d expect most dinner entrees to run from $18-35, hotel rooms to cost $200-500 per night, and rental cars to run from $120-250 per day.
If you want to save money, I’d suggest buying groceries and making some of your own meals, like breakfast and lunch. We’ve frequently packed along a soft-sided cooler when we’re traveling somewhere expensive so that we can make some of our own meals.
You can also pack along a tent and stay at campgrounds, which typically cost around just $30 per night. Just be sure that you bring along a decent waterproof tent—we’ve used this one, with its footprint, a ton, including while it was pouring all weekend in Katmai National, and it’s kept us nice and dry!
Book things ahead of time
Hotels, rental cars, and even tours can be on the more limited side. By booking in advance, you can usually snag the best deals and ensure that you can secure a reservation at your top choice.
If you wait to make your reservations until a few months out, you will still be able to travel to Alaska—you might just have to spend a bit more money or go with your Plan B or C option instead.
I hope you enjoy your Alaska road trip. We’ve visited over 40 states and live in an RV (so our whole life is basically one long road trip!) and our summer in Alaska remains one of the best travel experiences of our lives!
Do you have any questions about planning your trip to this magical place? Let us know in the comments below!
