6 Incredible Things to See in Alaska and Add to Your Travel Bucket List

Oct 18, 2024

We’ve finally reached the “-ber” months! While many of us are out there enjoying the crisp autumnal weather, ever-changing treescape color palettes, and gearing up for ski season, there’s definitely something many of us will miss about the closure of road trip season. Today, we’re giving you some great inspiration for your 2025 trip planner: exploring Alaska! In honor of National Alaska Day, we thought it would be a lot of fun to share some great destinations to visit all over the state in every season. Let’s explore together

Know some friends or family who are planning their getaway to Alaska next year? Consider giving your travel obsessed loved ones a voucher for a future excursion this holiday season, so they have something to look forward to on their 2025 trip!

Book a glacier tour day trip through the Kenai Fjords. This excursion is a perfect opportunity to explore the state, especially in the Spring and Summer months! Whether you’re looking to do some birding, whale watching, photography, or you’d like to step off the boat tour and do some kayaking and hiking, this is certainly going to be an unforgettable experience. Tours follow a few main routes: National Park Tours lasting 6 to 8 hours; Resurrection Bay Tours lasting 4 to 5 hours; Northwestern Fjords Tours around 8 hours in duration; Glacier Dinner Cruises around 6 hours in duration. Tours run from March 10th through September 25th!

Take to the skies in a Flightseeing Tour of the Ketchikan area. Choose from a floatplane or helicopter, and receive a personalized guided tour of the region. You’ll learn all about the fjords and local wildlife (including some bear sightings!), and have opportunities to make a stop off at some remote fishing areas, hiking areas, a visit to a local Native American Reserve, stop at a few lakes for kayaking excursions, and even visit the Misty Fjords National Monument. No matter what option you choose, you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the coastal glaciers and surrounding natural cliffs and landscapes. Tour prices vary depending on aircraft and duration of flight, which is anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on additional selected excursions.

Immerse yourselves in the art of Totem Bight State Historical Park. This 11-acre park is an outstanding example of local Native cultures, and features restored and re-carved Totems and a beautiful Clan House. Learn about the history and culture of the Alaskan Natives by touring the Clan House, then traipsing through the rainforest to view the storytelling totems. Keep your eyes peeled while you hike as you will find some incredible wildlife hidden amidst the old growth rainforest including: brown and black bears, Sitka black tailed deer, bald eagles, harlequin ducks otters, sea lions, whales, and more! There’s a wonderful guided sightseeing tour and canoe tour option in the area that include the park in their excursion itinerary.

Go dog sledding on a glacier and through the Tongass National Forest in the Skagway area. Join in on the summer training camps and enjoy an authentic dog sledding experience as you learn about the sport from the pros. Veteran Iditarod Mushers will give you the ins-and-outs of the sport, take you on a husky-powered sled ride, and provide a little bit of local history and sledding stories as you go about the town’s history as a vibrant stop during the Gold Rush era.

Embark on a week-long excursion from Anchorage to tour the seasonal landscapes and see the Northern Lights in person. Choose your tour by car, train, or bus and take in some incredible autumnal landscape colors along the way! You’ll stop in areas like Talkeetna which are full of shops and restaurants and historic sites; make your way to Denali National Park to hike and enjoy the wildlife; head over to Fairbanks to explore the University of Alaska Museum of the North and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Hotels in the area will also provide an “aurora wake up call” if you want to rest during the day after some sightseeing and stay up later to catch the lights at night.

Book a stay at the Chena Hot Springs Resort and enjoy the Aurora Ice Museum. The museum was crafted from locally harvested ice and snow and is always a cool 25° all year round, even in the summer. The museum is open every single day of the year, and offers several tours a day. The natural mineral water hot springs are a very popular attraction, offering a geothermal fed bathing pool nestled between the granite rocks, as well as indoor pool and hot tub options. It’s also a prime spot to view the Aurora Borealis lights, and you’ll find many guests stay up into the wee hours of the morning to get some of the clearest views around!