This part of your adventure has several options! Flying to Juneau is as easy and affordable as flying to any popular vacation destination. Juneau is the hub for all air travel in Southeast Alaska. Alaska Airlines offers year-round daily jet service to Juneau from Seattle and Anchorage, and Delta Airlines provides seasonal service.
Book a window seat so you can enjoy a spectacular view of snow-capped mountains, sprawling glaciers, and some of the largest ice fields in the Western Hemisphere! Regional air carriers and charters serve the smaller communities surrounding Juneau. Humpbacks breaching, orcas jumping, porpoises playing, glaciers sliding down mountainsides to meet the coastline — these and other sights await the Juneau-bound ocean traveler.
Cruising is the most popular way to explore the Inside Passage; the ships dock right downtown, making Juneau a natural port of call for large and small lines alike. Large cruises offer entertainment, extensive dining options, and shopping; small cruise companies focus on a quieter, more intimate wilderness experience. Either way, if you decide on an Alaskan cruise, your itinerary will probably include Juneau. Independent travelers can soak up the scenery as well as local flavor aboard the Alaska Marine Highway System, the state-run ferry system providing year-round transportation to more than 30 coastal communities.
In addition to treating passengers to spectacular scenery, ferries allow you to stop and explore some of the smaller towns of the Inside Passage. Accommodations range from comfy staterooms to tent camping on the upper deck. Planning tip: the ferries can accommodate vehicles of most sizes; book well in advance if you want to bring yours! Forget all the old stories about a muddy, bumpy dirt road: the ALCAN is fully paved and well maintained, with year-round roadside services including gas, food, and lodging.
This is true in British Columbia especially the further north you go , the Yukon and Alaska. Another important note is that the majority of your drive will be in Canada, so contact your cell phone provider to find out how much it will cost to use your phone there, including data charges. This is important as it can be very expensive! I have T-Mobile, which does not charge for roaming in Canada or Mexico fantastic perk!
You may also be able to get a temporary international plan through your provider, but make sure to make a plan for this in advance! Also check with your provider about specific locations where cell phone service is available. Do not count on having the internet to look up your options on yelp. You need The Milepost to be your guide and let you know what lodging or camping is available on your route!
If you prefer vacation rentals or chain hotels, these are available in the bigger towns along the Alaska Highway, such as Prince George and Whitehorse. My perferred way to drive to Alaska is to do a combination of camping and roadhouses.
Roadhouses are a really fun, affordable and unique way to spend your nights along the drive. More on this below. Road houses in Alaska, the Yukon Territory and Northern British Columbia are generally small, family run establishments. Sometimes there are in or near a town, other times they are out on their own far from the nearest town. They often do not have wifi or cell phone service and are usually in stunning locations.
They always have atmosphere and usually terrific food. Typically there will be a restaurant and some rooms. Occasionally there are also cabins or camping on site. Some are more like rustic lodges and others more like motels. Camping is an affordable way to travel the Alaska Highway and gives you a lot of flexibility in where you stop for the night. Plan on stopping early for the night to make sure you get a spot, especially further south in British Columbia and Alberta.
In addition, there are many private campgrounds and RV parks that welcome tents as well. Some private campgrounds and RV parks offer showers and laundry.
The Alaska Highway is a wonderful place to see wildlife, particularly moose and bears. Keep your eyes out and watch your speed, especially around moose! For moose viewing, keep your eyes out along the sides of the road, especially when there are marshy or brushy areas or lakes near the road. Northern British Columbia, the Yukon territory and Alaska are all places where you may see moose.
The Cassiar Highway is the place where I have seen the most bears on the drive to Alaska. Even if you take a different route, you have a good chance of seeing a bear. It is important that you follow all recommended bear safety procedures , especially when camping or hiking.
Follow all post signs and warnings related to wildlife. The most important thing is to never, ever leave food out when you are not actively eating it. Keep it locked in your vehicle. There are also different kinds of wild sheep that you may see, as well as many birds and other mammals such as foxes and maybe even a lynx. There are so many fun and quirky things to do along the Alaska Highway!
Way too many to list in this article. This is one reason why taking your time makes it a lot more fun. Denali National Park is the natural habitat for many types of wildlife including caribou, moose, wolves, Dall sheep, bald eagles, and the mighty grizzly bears.
Please read our itinerary to have more detailed day-to-day experience. On request, this trip can be customized and can be organized in reverse order. Booking Request Inquire A Trip. Welcome to Juneau! Pick up your rental car at the Juneau airport. Today explore the sights of Juneau including Mendenhall Glacier - a half-mile wide ice field - for many the most accessible and breathtaking glacier in Alaska.
The Mount Roberts Tramway takes guests up to an observation deck, providing arguably the best picture-taking opportunities. Another option is the full day bear viewing tour to Admiralty Island, home to the largest concentration of brown bear in the world.
Admiralty Island, also known as the "Fortress of the Bears" is the location for some of the finest brown bear viewing in Southeast Alaska. Journey through one of the most dramatic sites in the world - Tracy Arm Fjord. This narrow fjord twists and turns for over 30 miles, culminating in a spectacular view of the twin tidewater Sawyer Glaciers. Your captain will navigate as close as the ice floe allows, stopping for an extended stay at the face of the glacier. Watch for seals relaxing on the icebergs and bald eagles soaring above the cliffs.
Learn about the natural history of the fjord, glaciers and the wildlife from our onboard naturalist. Gain insights into Tlingit Native culture. Overcast days will not dampen your enjoyment as clouds and mist only heighten the drama of the fjord and intensify the glacial blue color.
Skagway has a historical district of about buildings from the gold rush era. The entire distance from Skagway to the summit was completed in only two years in 's. The steamer pulls the train a couple of miles, then diesels take the cars - some of them originals more than years old - up steep tracks that were chipped out of the side of the mountains. In the afternoon walk around the historic townsite and check out the old buildings. You may even visit the grave of "Soapy Smith".
Leave Skagway this morning and continue your journey on the South Klondike Highway. Near the summit of the Klondike Highway Pass you'll encounter a scene that resembles a moonscape more than any earthly vista. Ancient, twisted trees cling to rocks polished smooth by prehistoric glaciers, or crumbled by years of erosion.
Myriad waterfalls, several glaciers and glimpses of the White Pass Railroad and White Pass Trail are among the highlights of the drive to the summit.
After crossing the Canadian border, you'll travel past the ruins of the Venus Mine on Windy Arm of Tagish Lake, visit the historic community of Carcross before arriving in Whitehorse. Water in the Yukon River travels more than 3, km from headwaters near the Chilkoot Pass to the mouth at the Bering Sea.
As you travel you will leave country that has been glaciated many times to visit an environment, known as Beringia, which was ice free during the last major ice age.
Steppe bison and woolly mammoths inhabited this cool, ice-free land that once connected the continents of North America and Asia. The highway passes through three communities on the way to Dawson City - and there is plenty to see along the way.
Drive along Lake Laberge to Carmacks — a trading post established in and stopover at the 5-Finger Rapids — a navigational hazard for many stampeder. A full day to explore the goldrush town Dawson City and the gold fields: Visit the historical buildings, Jack London and Robert Service cabins and old stores that were the pulse of the gold rush capital in its hey-days.
Their spirit is as alive today as it was in From the one-time capital of the Yukon you'll follow history up Bonanza Creek pan for gold to Discovery Claim and Grand Forks once boasted a population of 10, where the Eldorado Creek and Upper Bonanza come together.
Cross the Yukon River by ferry no charge after leaving Dawson City and enjoy a scenic drive on the Top of the World Highway offering endless views into spectacular alpine valleys. Stopover in Chicken - a former mining camp and trading post on the banks of the Fortymile River. Explore some old remnants of the old frontier Alaska such as: the mercantile emporium, Chicken Creek Saloon and the historic Tisha's Schoolhouse.
Continue your journey on the famous Alaska Highway 1 and drive via Tok towards Fairbanks. In the evening enjoy a dinner at the Pump House on the banks of the Chena River. Please Note: We can add an overnight in Tok if you wish to drive the distance in two days.
The allure of crossing the Arctic Circle becomes a possibility once you reach Fairbanks. If we talk about it long enough, eventually it will become a mute issue. Garry Gamber is a public school teacher and entrepreneur. He writes articles about real estate, health and nutrition, and internet dating services. He is the owner of Anchorage-Homes.
By Garry Gamber Juneau is the capital of Alaska, but did you know that you cannot drive there from anywhere? Beam me up Governor. Article Source: EzineArticles. It is at least two time zones away from the rest of Alaska. There are no roads in Juneau.
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