Kenai Fjords National Park · NPS Photo, S. Rainone · Public domain (US federal government)

Road Trip Guide:
Alaska

Explore Alaska

Driving to Alaska means crossing Canada: the Alaska Highway runs 1,387 miles from British Columbia through the Yukon to Delta Junction. Inside the state, about 82 percent of communities are not served by roads at all.

Around 23 breweries sit near the stops we cover in Alaska. 10 of them are brewpubs with a kitchen, which off the motorway is often the useful part. The kitchen figure is a floor: the source lists some full restaurants as production sites.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

Around 13 public campgrounds sit near the stops we cover in Alaska. All of them take reservations. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.

Outdoors

Public land, water and snow — the places that are the reason for the drive.

National parks and federal sites in Alaska

19 National Park Service sites in Alaska, including 8 designated National Parks. We have written guides to only a few of these — the rest are here so you can see what is in the state.

*Check before you go. Entrance fees, seasonal road closures, timed-entry reservations and whether a site suits your family are set by each park and change through the year. Follow the link and check with the park itself.

Park register from the National Park Service (public domain)

State parks in Alaska

19 state parks we know of in Alaska. We have not visited these and have no guide to them — this is a list of what exists, so you can look one up.

See all 19

Afognak Island State Park
Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
Big Delta State Historical Park
Birch Lake State Recreation Site
Boswell Bay Beaches State Marine Park
Castle Hill
Chena River State Recreation Area
Chena River State Recreation Site
Chilkat State Park
Chugach State Park
Deep Creek State Recreation Area
Denali State Park
Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site
Independence Mines
Kachemak Bay State Park
King Mountain State Recreation Site
Old Sitka
Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park
Wood-Tikchik State Park

*Check before you go. Opening hours, entry fees, campsite availability and whether a park suits your family are not in this data and change with the season. Several of these are day-use only. Please confirm with the park before setting out.

State park locations from Wikidata (CC0)

Lakes in Alaska

6 lakes in Alaska that we have checked. These are the ones from our research that we could check against an official page — not every lake there is. We have not been to these; this is what the official pages say, so you can look one up.

Becharof Lake
near Egegik (about 23 mi SE) · natural
- Fishingyes - popular angling sites; Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, salmon
Remote; reached by charter aircraft
Run by USFWS - Becharof NWR
Big Lake
near Big Lake; Wasilla · natural
- Fishingyes - summer fishing and winter ice fishing
- BoatingBoat launches at both North and South sites; waterskiing and jet skiing listed
- SwimmingSwimming listed as an activity at both sites
- CampingNorth: 60 campsites; South: 20 campsites; first come, first served
- EntryDaily parking fee at both sites (amount on the state fee page)
- SeasonYear-round recreation; winter ice fishing and snowmobiling
Run by state park - Alaska State Parks (Big Lake North and South SRS)
Eklutna Lake
near Eklutna (Municipality of Anchorage) · 3,520 acres · reservoir
- Fishingyes
- BoatingNon-motorized and electric-motor boats only; hand-carry launch
- Rentals & marinaKayak rentals available locally
- Camping50-site campground (first come, first served); 15-night limit
- EntryDaily parking fee and camping fees (amounts on the state fee page)
- SeasonCamping and wildlife viewing in any season
Life jacket advised on the lake
Run by state park - Alaska State Parks (Chugach SP)
Lake Clark
near Port Alsworth; Nondalton · natural
- Fishingyes - popular in summer and, if frozen, winter
- BoatingMotor boating via lodges and operators; life jacket on board for each person
- Rentals & marinaBoat rentals offered by lodges and commercial operators
- EntryNo NPS fee for fishing; Alaska fishing license required
- SeasonYear-round fishing, including winter if the lake freezes
Weather can turn the lake rough within an hour; cold water; bear country
Run by NPS - Lake Clark NP&P
Naknek Lake
near King Salmon (outside park, verify) · 150,000 acres · natural
- Fishingyes - Brooks Camp area; no rainbow trout kept near Brooks River mouth
- BoatingCanoeing and kayaking; Brooks Camp is a popular destination
- Rentals & marinaCanoe and kayak rentals at Brooks Camp (concessionaire)
- CampingBrooks Camp campground on the lake shore
- EntryWilderness camping needs no fee or permit
- SeasonBrooks Camp NPS services June 1 to September 17
Brown bears at Brooks Camp; bear safety talk required for all visitors
Run by NPS - Katmai NP&P
Skilak Lake
near Soldotna (about 30 min drive); Sterling · natural
- Fishingyes - lake trout, rainbow trout, Dolly Varden
- BoatingMotorboats allowed (4-stroke or direct-injection motors only); boat launch at both campgrounds
- CampingTwo campgrounds: Lower Skilak (14 sites) and Upper Skilak (26 sites)
- EntryUpper Skilak camping $15 a night; walk-in tent sites $10
State HAB advisories: ahab.aoos.org
Run by USFWS - Kenai NWR

*Check before you go. Every lake here links to the official page we checked it against. 5 of these state a price we read off that page on the date we checked. Fees, seasons, water levels, algal advisories and ramp closures change without notice and belong to the agency that runs the water. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something the lake lacks. Never assume a lifeguard. Whether a beach is staffed turns on the season, the day, and which agency runs that particular beach — two beaches on one lake can differ. If that matters to your family, confirm it with the agency before you set out.

Skiing and Snowboarding

7 in this state.

Arctic ValleyAnchorage
Nonprofit-run hill above Anchorage on military land
Hilltop Ski AreaSummer bike parkAnchorage
In-town beginner hill with night skiing
Moose MountainFairbanks
No chairlifts; buses shuttle skiers uphill
SkilandFairbanks
Farthest-north chairlift area in North America
Alyeska ResortSummer bike parkGirdwood
Alaska's largest resort; aerial tram and hotel near ocean
Eaglecrest Ski AreaJuneau
City-owned hill on Douglas Island
SkeetawkPalmer
Newer nonprofit area at Hatcher Pass

This is a list of what is there, not a recommendation of any of it. We do not list rentals: our source marked every ski area in the country “likely” to have them and confirmed none, so there was nothing to publish. Most hills do rent gear — ring ahead rather than take that from us. Opening dates, lift schedules and trail conditions move every year and we hold none of them, so check before you build a day around it. Every name above links to the operator’s own site.

Lift-Served Bike Parks

2 in this state.

Hilltop Ski AreaAlso a ski resortLift-servedAnchorage
Small city hill with in-town lift-served riding
Alyeska ResortAlso a ski resortLift-servedGirdwood
Tram and chair access with coastal mountain views

This is a list of what is there, not a recommendation of any of it. Opening dates, lift schedules and trail conditions move every year and we hold none of them, so check before you build a day around it. Every name above links to the operator’s own site.

Long Bike Trails

1 in this state.

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
Length
11 miles
Surface
Paved
End to end
Anchorage downtown AK – Kincaid Park AK
Cook Inlet views, mountains and frequent moose

Days out with the family

Gated attractions with a front door, a ticket and a car park.

Zoos, Aquariums and Wildlife Parks

6 across Alaska, by town.

Alaska ZooAnchorage
Hours
Jan–Apr 10–4; May 10–5; Jun–Aug 9–7; Sep 10–5; Oct–Dec 10–4; closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25
Season
year-round (hours vary by month)
Admission
Adult from $25 (16+) · Child $12 (ages 3–15); under 3 free
Reservations
Not required
Last entry 30 min before close; Oct 31 Zoo Boo is ticketed event only
Reindeer FarmPalmer
Hours
By appointment; closed Sundays
Admission
Child varies
Reservations
Required
Visits by appointment only
Alaska Wildlife Conservation CenterPortage
Hours
May–Sep 15 daily 8:30–7; Sep 16–Oct & Mar–Apr daily 10–6; Nov–Feb Fri–Mon 10–4/10–5; closed Thanksgiving, day after, Dec 24–25, Jan 1
Season
year-round (Fri–Mon only in winter)
Admission
Adult from $30 (13+) · Child $26 (ages 4–12); 3 and under free
Reservations
Not required
Drive-through or walk; guided tours need booking
Alaska SeaLife Center — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSeward
Hours
Oct–early Mar Thu–Mon 12–5; Mar–May daily 10–5/9–5; late May–mid Aug daily 9–7; closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25
Season
year-round (reduced days Oct–Mar)
Online booking advised; entry times can sell out; 2027 prices not yet posted
* We could not confirm: prices not shown on page. Check their site before you go.
Alaska Raptor CenterSitka
Hours
Late Apr–Sep daily 8–4; Oct–Apr Tue–Fri 10–3
Season
year-round (reduced winter days)
Admission
Adult $17 · Child $8 (12 and under); 5 and under free
Reservations
Not required
Tickets sold on site only; page labels fall/winter as free admission while also listing prices
Fortress of the Bear — some details below are unconfirmedSitka
* We could not confirm: hours/prices not on homepage. Check their site before you go.

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 1 of these carries an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. 2 entries are marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.

Water Parks

1 across Alaska, by town.

H2Oasis Indoor Waterparkwater parkAnchorage
indoor water park described as open year-round; official site loads (hours on separate page)

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.

Distilleries in Alaska

2 producers in Alaska that we have checked. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is. We have not been to these; this is what their own sites say, so you can look one up.

Port Chilkoot Distillery
distillery · Haines, AK
Distillery in the historic Fort William H. Seward area of Haines.
- HoursApr-Sep Thu-Sat 2-9pm; other days when cruise ships are docked
- Phone(907) 766-3434
34 Blacksmith St, Haines, AK 99827
Amalga Distillery
distillery · Juneau, AK
Describes itself as Juneau's first distillery.
- HoursSun-Thu 12-8pm; Fri-Sat 12-9pm
134 N Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801

*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.

Venues and Annual Events

10 across Alaska, by town.

Where to see something

Alaska Center for the Performing ArtstheaterAnchorage
Hours
Box office Wed-Sat 12-5pm; windows open 90 min before events
Address
621 W. 6th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone
(907) 263-2900
Capacity
2,000 (Atwood Concert Hall) / 700 (Discovery) / 340 (Sydney Laurence)
Opened September 15, 1988
Alaska State Fairgroundsfestival groundsPalmer
Hours
Event days only
Address
2075 Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK
Capacity
300 acres
Home of the Alaska State Fair since 1936

What is on, and when

Fur Rendezvous Festivalcultural festivalAnchorage
Usually
Late February, over several days
Held at
Downtown Anchorage
Since
1935
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - ceremonial startsports-motorsportAnchorage
Usually
March, over several days
Held at
4th Avenue and D Street (restart in Willow)
Since
1973
Deltana Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairDelta Junction
Usually
Late July–early August
Held at
Deltana Fairgrounds
* We could not confirm: anything beyond the month it usually runs. Check their site before you go.
Tanana Valley State Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairFairbanks
Usually
Early August
Held at
Tanana Valley Fairgrounds
* We could not confirm: anything beyond the month it usually runs. Check their site before you go.
World Eskimo-Indian Olympicscultural festivalFairbanks
Usually
July, over several days
Since
1961
Southeast Alaska State Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairHaines
Usually
Late July
Held at
Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds
* We could not confirm: anything beyond the month it usually runs. Check their site before you go.

See the other 2

Kenai Peninsula FairfairNinilchik
Usually
Mid-August, over several days
Held at
Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds
Alaska State FairfairPalmer
Usually
Late August-early September, over several days
Held at
Alaska State Fairgrounds
Since
1936

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. 3 entries are marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.

On the road

Before you set off.

Scenic roads through Alaska

Federally designated scenic byways and All-American Roads, with the places we publish along each one in the order you meet them.

Seward HighwayAlaska · 13 places we publish Glenn HighwayAlaska · 9 places we publish Alaska Marine HighwayAlaska · 7 places we publish The George Parks Highway Scenic BywayAlaska · 3 places we publish

What to wear in Alaska

Illustrated outfit board for Alaska: four seasonal panels of clothing with average temperatures.

Spring 35°/17°F (2°/-8°C)

Spring can feel like winter early on, with snowmelt and muddy stops later.

Wear: Start with a long-sleeve tee, stretch pants, and a fleece or sweater. Add a rain shell when the wind or showers pick up.
Shoes: Water-resistant walking shoes with grip; boots for muddy stops.
Pack: fleece or sweater
rain shell
light beanie
spare dry socks

Summer 60°/44°F (16°/6°C)

Summer ranges from cool coastal weather to warm interior afternoons.

Wear: Wear a tee with lightweight pants or shorts, then carry a fleece and wind-resistant shell. Keep the warm layer handy even on sunny days.
Shoes: Walking sneakers for town; trail shoes for rougher stops.
Pack: fleece
wind and rain shell
sun hat
sunglasses
spare socks

Fall 34°/21°F (1°/-6°C)

Fall brings cooling temperatures, rain, and an early return of snow in some areas.

Wear: Build around a long-sleeve tee, comfortable pants, and a sweater or fleece. Add a wind-resistant jacket for breezy overlooks.
Shoes: Walking shoes with grip; water-resistant boots for wet or muddy routes.
Pack: sweater or fleece
wind and rain shell
beanie
light gloves
spare socks

Winter 13°/0°F (-10°/-18°C)

Winter brings prolonged cold; interior and northern areas can be extremely cold.

Wear: Use thermal top and bottoms, an insulating fleece or sweater, and a wind-resistant insulated parka. Add insulated pants for extended outdoor stops.
Shoes: Waterproof insulated winter boots with wool or synthetic socks.
Pack: thermal base layers
insulated parka
insulated pants
beanie
mittens
neck gaiter
dry spare socks

Adjust for your route. Southeast Alaska needs dependable rainwear; interior routes need a wider range of layers. Arctic and remote winter travel require route-specific preparation.

Climate background: NOAA State Climate Summary

See what to wear in every state →

Keep exploring

See It in the Book

Explore Alaska

Locations in Alaska

Anchorage

Fairbanks

Juneau

Seward

National parks and federal sites in Alaska

State parks in Alaska

Lakes in Alaska

Skiing and Snowboarding

Arctic ValleyAnchorage

Hilltop Ski AreaSummer bike parkAnchorage

Moose MountainFairbanks

SkilandFairbanks

Alyeska ResortSummer bike parkGirdwood

Eaglecrest Ski AreaJuneau

SkeetawkPalmer

Lift-Served Bike Parks

Hilltop Ski AreaAlso a ski resortLift-servedAnchorage

Alyeska ResortAlso a ski resortLift-servedGirdwood

Long Bike Trails

Zoos, Aquariums and Wildlife Parks

Alaska ZooAnchorage

Reindeer FarmPalmer

Alaska Wildlife Conservation CenterPortage

Alaska SeaLife Center* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSeward

Alaska Raptor CenterSitka

Fortress of the Bear* — some details below are unconfirmedSitka

Water Parks

H2Oasis Indoor Waterparkwater parkAnchorage

Distilleries in Alaska

Venues and Annual Events

Where to see something

Alaska Center for the Performing ArtstheaterAnchorage

Alaska State Fairgroundsfestival groundsPalmer

What is on, and when

Fur Rendezvous Festivalcultural festivalAnchorage

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race - ceremonial startsports-motorsportAnchorage

Deltana Fair* — some details below are unconfirmedfairDelta Junction

Tanana Valley State Fair* — some details below are unconfirmedfairFairbanks

World Eskimo-Indian Olympicscultural festivalFairbanks

Southeast Alaska State Fair* — some details below are unconfirmedfairHaines

Kenai Peninsula FairfairNinilchik

Alaska State FairfairPalmer

Scenic roads through Alaska

What to wear in Alaska

Spring 35°/17°F (2°/-8°C)

Summer 60°/44°F (16°/6°C)

Fall 34°/21°F (1°/-6°C)

Winter 13°/0°F (-10°/-18°C)

Keep exploring

Alaska SeaLife Center — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSeward

Fortress of the Bear — some details below are unconfirmedSitka

Deltana Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairDelta Junction

Tanana Valley State Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairFairbanks

Southeast Alaska State Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairHaines