Alaska is a popular tourist location for its giant glaciers, stunning scenery, romantic lodges, pristine forests, and abundant wildlife. Watch the largest mountain in North America, see the Northern Lights, drive along the 1,500-mile Alaska Highway, and travel Alaska's charming tourist locations, such as Juneau, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Ketchikan, Haines, Skagway, Sitka, Homer, and Valdez. Here are the top places to see, including Glacier Bay, Denali, and Homer.
1. Denali National Park
Denali National Park is situated in central Alaska with the Denali Mountain at its heart. One of the Alaska tourist locations destinations, Denali, is a part of the Alaska Range, also, with its highest peak at 20,310 ft, it's the highest mountain in North America. The mountain's area is covered with glaciers and snow, and the temperatures can reach minus 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Regardless of the extreme cold, home to many animals, among them, 39 species of mammals and 169 species of birds.
The flora of the park varies depending on the elevation, from taiga and combined forests at the lower slopes to tundra under the snowline. During summer, the slopes of the mountain are full of some 650 species of flowering plants. According to archaeologists, Athabascan individuals have been living in the parking area for centuries. Denali National Park is among the most famous places to see in Alaska, and approximately 400,000 people come to go to the park each year.
The flora of the park varies depending on the elevation, from taiga and combined forests at the lower slopes to tundra under the snowline. During summer, the slopes of the mountain are full of some 650 species of flowering plants. According to archaeologists, Athabascan individuals have been living in the parking area for centuries. Denali National Park is among the most famous places to see in Alaska, and approximately 400,000 people come to go to the park each year.
2. Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is situated within a 25-million-acre World Heritage Site, and it's among the largest protected areas in the world. It is situated where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates strike, and the coastal mountains, three miles high, are still rising.
Glacier Bay covers over three million acres of rainforest, glaciers, mountains, rugged coastlines, and deep fjords. It is one of the best things to do in Alaska. The landscape is continually changing; glaciers continue to evolve and retreat, dramatically impacting the landscape. The Alaska Marine Highway provides easy access to the park from Juneau. Bartlett Cove, near to the park headquarters, is situated in a rich coastal temperate rainforest. It's a beautiful place for hiking, biking, boating, and fishing. You can take one of the boat trips to see the glaciers.
Glacier Bay covers over three million acres of rainforest, glaciers, mountains, rugged coastlines, and deep fjords. It is one of the best things to do in Alaska. The landscape is continually changing; glaciers continue to evolve and retreat, dramatically impacting the landscape. The Alaska Marine Highway provides easy access to the park from Juneau. Bartlett Cove, near to the park headquarters, is situated in a rich coastal temperate rainforest. It's a beautiful place for hiking, biking, boating, and fishing. You can take one of the boat trips to see the glaciers.
3. Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier is situated approximately 200 miles northwest of Juneau off the shore of Yakutat and is among the best tourist locations to See in Alaska.
It is vast– around six miles wide at the point where it reaches the ocean - and is continuously active its two surges in the last 30 years turned the Russell fjord into a lake and almost flooded Yakutat. The frequent calving of the glacier is dramatic, and its face, which is observed from many visiting cruise ships, is around 400 feet tall.
It is vast– around six miles wide at the point where it reaches the ocean - and is continuously active its two surges in the last 30 years turned the Russell fjord into a lake and almost flooded Yakutat. The frequent calving of the glacier is dramatic, and its face, which is observed from many visiting cruise ships, is around 400 feet tall.
4. Girdwood
Girdwood is a lovely Alaska mountain town enclosed by the heights of the Chugach Mountain Range and surrounded by rich old forests and seven glaciers.
It is situated just 36 miles south of Anchorage and provides year-round recreational opportunities. It is the tourist location to come for dog mushing, snowmobiling, great Nordic skiing, biking, hiking, rafting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and much more. Travel to Chugach Powder Guides for helicopter skiing and snowcat or Alyeska Resort for the spectacular Aerial Tram to watch breathtaking scenes of the water and hanging glaciers.
It is situated just 36 miles south of Anchorage and provides year-round recreational opportunities. It is the tourist location to come for dog mushing, snowmobiling, great Nordic skiing, biking, hiking, rafting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and much more. Travel to Chugach Powder Guides for helicopter skiing and snowcat or Alyeska Resort for the spectacular Aerial Tram to watch breathtaking scenes of the water and hanging glaciers.
5. Haines
Haines is situated in a deep fjord on a narrow peninsula in northern Southeast Alaska. Like so many others, Haines was constructed on a trade route of Chilkat Indians, also used by gold seekers going north into Canada. This stunningly beautiful small city is surrounded by 20 million acres of wilderness preserved areas, with majestic Takinsha Mountains towering above the town and the famous Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve on the outskirts.
The dominant feature of the town is Fort William H., which is now home to houses, shops, and galleries. The city is renowned for its large variety of musicians and totem carvers, in addition to the curious Hammer Museum, having a collection of 1,500 hammers.
The dominant feature of the town is Fort William H., which is now home to houses, shops, and galleries. The city is renowned for its large variety of musicians and totem carvers, in addition to the curious Hammer Museum, having a collection of 1,500 hammers.
6. Homer
Homer is a unique, charming tourist location on the shores of Kachemak Bay in South Central Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula. It is quite a long drive from Anchorage. It's renowned for its spectacular nature, excellent fishing (the city is called the halibut world capital), and superb artwork and culinary scene. The majority of the life in Homer spins around the Spit, the 4.5-mile-long street on the sand bar that points directly into the beautiful blue bay.
Restaurants and shops line this famous street. The Kenai Mountains to the north and east not just offer a great background but also save the town from the cold, creating an extremely mild climate. Almost any road from town ends as a biking or hiking route, taking you into the picturesque wilderness. Go fishing, just like everyone else in town, explore the landscapes, or have a boat tour to see the abundant marine life.
Restaurants and shops line this famous street. The Kenai Mountains to the north and east not just offer a great background but also save the town from the cold, creating an extremely mild climate. Almost any road from town ends as a biking or hiking route, taking you into the picturesque wilderness. Go fishing, just like everyone else in town, explore the landscapes, or have a boat tour to see the abundant marine life.
7. Ketchikan
Ketchikan is situated on Revillagigedo Island in the Tongass National Forest, a 17-acre rainforest filled with Sitka cedar, spruce, waterfalls, and wildlife. Ketchikan is the southernmost Alaskan town lined by wild hills of Deer Mountain and in front of Tongass Narrows waterway, which is buzzing with fishing boats, float planes, barges, and ferries.
The city welcomes the bluffs along the coastline for 31 miles, and many businesses are situated over the water and can be reached through suspended walkways. Tlingit, Native Haida, and Tsimshian arts are visible everywhere throughout Ketchikan, in totem parks, and museums. Ketchikan, among the best towns to go to Alaska, is known as the salmon capital of the world and also known for its salmon fishing.
The city welcomes the bluffs along the coastline for 31 miles, and many businesses are situated over the water and can be reached through suspended walkways. Tlingit, Native Haida, and Tsimshian arts are visible everywhere throughout Ketchikan, in totem parks, and museums. Ketchikan, among the best towns to go to Alaska, is known as the salmon capital of the world and also known for its salmon fishing.
8. Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier reaches 12 miles of the Juneau Icefield heading to Mendenhall Lake and is among the most famous Alaska tourist places. It's about half a mile broad, and the ice is 1,800 and between 300 feet deep. The glacier has retreated two and a half miles since the mid-1700s. Its beautiful blue color attains from its crystalline structure, which affects how light reflects off the ice.
The best way to visit the glacier is by kayaking up to its face or from a helicopter. Amongst many well-known glacier-based activities are ice climbing and experiencing ice caves. There are also a few well-maintained hiking paths leading up to the glacier.
The best way to visit the glacier is by kayaking up to its face or from a helicopter. Amongst many well-known glacier-based activities are ice climbing and experiencing ice caves. There are also a few well-maintained hiking paths leading up to the glacier.
9. Northern Lights in Fairbanks
The mysterious curtain of swirling, flowing, ever-changing yellow, Purple, green, and red lights that brighten the night sky is called the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. Fairbanks, Alaska, is among the best places on Earth to see this magical scene of nature.
The city has two things going for it: The area around the North Pole known as Auroral Oval, and its continental climate provides more clear nights than other places on the coast. In this area, the lights appear more frequently and are more vibrant and pleasing than almost anywhere else. The best time to see it is early in the morning or late at night. Have a sleigh or a dog sled to enjoy lights. Take a dog sled or a horse-drawn sleigh to experience northern lights in comfort.
The city has two things going for it: The area around the North Pole known as Auroral Oval, and its continental climate provides more clear nights than other places on the coast. In this area, the lights appear more frequently and are more vibrant and pleasing than almost anywhere else. The best time to see it is early in the morning or late at night. Have a sleigh or a dog sled to enjoy lights. Take a dog sled or a horse-drawn sleigh to experience northern lights in comfort.
10. Seward
Seward sits at the foot of the grand Mount Marathon on the coast of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. For ages, Seward ice-free harbor has worked for a gateway to Alaska’s vast, wild and resource-rich interior. The city resembles a real starting point for gold lovers during the gold rush, and the dog sled trail that starts from Seward to the goldfields in Iditarod is now the location of the popular Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
Visit Kenai Fjords National Park, participate in a dog sled race, the Harding Icefield, glacial lakes, go fishing for salmon or halibut, take a kayak trip, or take a small plane tour and see everything from the air.
Visit Kenai Fjords National Park, participate in a dog sled race, the Harding Icefield, glacial lakes, go fishing for salmon or halibut, take a kayak trip, or take a small plane tour and see everything from the air.
11. Sitka
Sitka is a little Alaskan treasure of an island rich in nature, culture, and history. Located on the Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago, Sitka is enclosed by subtropical mountains covered by old pine forests stretching to the waters’ edge and myriads of little islands in the archipelago that welcome thousands of tourists every summer.
It is the city where Americans came to buy Alaska from Russians, an event that is celebrated with much enthusiasm every year. The culture of Sitka's original native inhabitants supplies much of the vibrancy of the city. The spectacular surrounding nature is excellent for outdoor adventure. Move through the spruce and hemlock rainforest to find black-tailed deer, the bald eagle, or brown bears at the Fortress of the Bear. You can take a boat trip to see thousands of birds, sea otters, sea lions, and humpback whales.
It is the city where Americans came to buy Alaska from Russians, an event that is celebrated with much enthusiasm every year. The culture of Sitka's original native inhabitants supplies much of the vibrancy of the city. The spectacular surrounding nature is excellent for outdoor adventure. Move through the spruce and hemlock rainforest to find black-tailed deer, the bald eagle, or brown bears at the Fortress of the Bear. You can take a boat trip to see thousands of birds, sea otters, sea lions, and humpback whales.
12. Skagway
You can feel the excitement of the gold rush in Skagway. Old saloons and stores, wooden sidewalks, and people in clothing from the end of the 19th century welcomes visitors now as they did during the city's heyday when more than 40,000 people settled on Skagway on the moving plan to Yukon in the dream of becoming rich quickly.
It's all part of this natural museum today that is Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The gold rush of today includes thousands of tourists that arrive during the summer on cruise ships to experience a bit of history. Have a 45-minute trip of the Skagway historic region with one of the National Park Service guards or take any hiking trail to the waterfalls and cold alpine lakes throughout the city. You can also take the famous Chilkoot Trail for an interesting three- to four-day hike that follows the trails of the gold rush stampeders on the way to the Klondike Gold Fields.
It's all part of this natural museum today that is Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The gold rush of today includes thousands of tourists that arrive during the summer on cruise ships to experience a bit of history. Have a 45-minute trip of the Skagway historic region with one of the National Park Service guards or take any hiking trail to the waterfalls and cold alpine lakes throughout the city. You can also take the famous Chilkoot Trail for an interesting three- to four-day hike that follows the trails of the gold rush stampeders on the way to the Klondike Gold Fields.
13. Talkeetna
Snuggled at Mt. McKinley or the base of Denali, the tallest mountain in the nation, Talkeetna is a historic town that's an excellent starting point from which to experience real Alaska. Taking photos of this towering Alaska Range is a treat. Near Talkeetna, you can go skiing, hiking, fishing, mushing, and mountain climbing, have a ziplining tour s, or see with art galleries, excellent restaurants, and local craft breweries.
Where else can you still see people moving for gold or old log cabins created by gold miners over a hundred years ago that are still surviving strong? Take Alaska Railroad to Talkeetna and find a piece of history.
Where else can you still see people moving for gold or old log cabins created by gold miners over a hundred years ago that are still surviving strong? Take Alaska Railroad to Talkeetna and find a piece of history.
14. Tongass National Forest
Tongass National Forest sits in 17 million acres, which is most of Southeast Alaska. It's the largest forest in the US. Most of it comprises of a temperate rain forest full of rare flora and wildlife. The region is very diverse and varied from the Alexander Archipelago islands and various fjords and glaciers to the Coast Mountains. It's home to 75,000 people, and the most magnificent city in the region is Juneau.
Three Alaska countries live in the region: the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Tongass National Forest represents the real wild Alaska, and it gives the exceptional opportunity to see bears, eagles, and salmon, and also to take a sled-dog ride across a glacier, hike through boardwalk paths, and to fish in the sea or the wild streams.
Three Alaska countries live in the region: the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Tongass National Forest represents the real wild Alaska, and it gives the exceptional opportunity to see bears, eagles, and salmon, and also to take a sled-dog ride across a glacier, hike through boardwalk paths, and to fish in the sea or the wild streams.
15. Tracy Arm Fjord
Tracy Arm Fjord is situated 45 miles south of Juneau and is part of the Tongass National Forest. It's one of two narrow and deep fjords in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Forest. Tracy Arm Fjord is over 30 miles long, and one-fifth of it is covered in ice. Throughout the summer, the fjord has floating ice, which ranges from small pieces to three-story building size.
The common way is by ship on Stephens Passage to Holkham Bay and then to the fjord. Lots of tourist ships visit the fjord and North Sawyer and South Sawyer, the two glaciers at its end. The bottom of the glaciers is a place where the visitors can see local wildlife such as brown and black.
The common way is by ship on Stephens Passage to Holkham Bay and then to the fjord. Lots of tourist ships visit the fjord and North Sawyer and South Sawyer, the two glaciers at its end. The bottom of the glaciers is a place where the visitors can see local wildlife such as brown and black.
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