Alaska is a beautiful state to visit for outdoor activities. There are plenty of hikes and tours to do once you base yourself in an adventure town! One of the downsides is that traveling around the state can be quite difficult, usually via a small plane. For those with limited PTO and can only take a week to vacation, I’ve put together an itinerary to get the most for your time and money in Alaska!
Day 1: Anchorage
Fly into Anchorage and get settled in to your accommodation. There are many day hikes out of Anchorage that I’ll list below. In town, there are also a few restaurants you can choose from. And don’t forget to buy ice cream at Wild Scoops for dessert!
Day 2: Anchorage to Seward
The drive from Anchorage to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. Without stopping, it’s about 2.5 hours. Allocate around half a day here for a leisurely drive down. Stops off the Seward Highway are detailed here.
Don’t miss Salmon Viewing at Moose Creek, Kenai Lake, the Meridian and Grayling Lakes, and the Lost Lake Trail. If you get lucky and have a clear day, these hikes are incredible!
A good place to settle in for the night is the Exit Glacier Campground. It’s a first come first served campground with a food locker, so you don’t have to worry about buying bear cans.
Days 3-4: Seward and Kenai Fjords National Park
For the next few days, you can spend your time in the Kenai Fjords National Park using Seward as your hub. I’ve written a more detailed post about Seward here. Zudy’s Cafe is a nice spot for a light lunch and coffee. There is also a Safeway in town to do some cooking to save money!
Day 5: Seward to Anchorage
Make the drive back up to Anchorage and settle in for the day before you head up to Denali. You’ll wait to stock on up food and rent bear canisters and bear spray if you don’t have them already. You can even stay a little bit north of Anchorage to make your drive to Denali shorter. While there, check out the Eagle River Nature Center. We unfortunately didn’t see any wildlife while we were there, but we were told that you have a great chance to! We probably just didn’t go at the right time.
Days 6-7: Denali National Park/Denali State Park
Spend the next few days in Denali, where you can either choose the state park or national park. I prefer the Kesugi Ridge Trail in Denali State Park, but everyone has different preferences. I’ve written a more detailed post here so you can decide for yourself!
Day 8: Back to Anchorage
On your last day, drive back to Anchorage and get ready for your flight back home. Here are some of the places we enjoyed in Anchorage.
Day Hikes from Anchorage
- Crow Pass
- Hatcher’s Pass (tough to see on a overcast/rainy day)
- Near Point and Wolverine’s Peak
Places to eat in Anchorage
- Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop
- Odd Man Rush Brewing
- Bear Paw River Brewery
- Pho Vietnam
- Moose’s Tooth
- Anchorage Brewing Company