A 10 Day Alaska Vacation Itinerary

​Alaska is a big place and certainly overwhelming when planning a first visit. When we started putting together our first, big empty-nester Alaska trip back in late 2019, I decided to reach out to Alaska Tour & Travel for assistance. It made sense to turn to a local company to put together our Alaska vacation package given the vast size of the state. The trip was all mapped out by January 2020, before travel came to a screeching halt. Fast forward to August 2022, and we finally got to take our Alaska trip. It was an amazing 10-day adventure that began and ended in Anchorage and included Seward, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Talkeetna in Southcentral, Alaska, and Denali National Park in the Interior region. I am confident this trip will be the first of several to see more of Alaska. 

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Before we left, it seemed that every time I mentioned we were headed to Alaska, everyone wanted to know if we were taking a cruise. It’s easy to understand the value of an Alaskan Cruise, with the ability to cover great distances and visit places that are not as easily accessible like Juneau and Ketchikan. But a land-based trip provides opportunities for extended exploration and excursions, local community interactions, and more time to wander and try local restaurants. Our hybrid Alaska road trip meant we would forgo the car rental and rely on local transportation, buses, and the Alaska Railroad to get from one destination to the other. Given that it was just the two of us versus our family of five, and the fact that Alaska is set up to accommodate cruise excursions, this choice worked well. Alaska Tour & Travel helped us put together our activities and took care of all the bookings, which was a valuable service during the busy summer tourist season.   

Here’s the itinerary for our 10-day Alaska vacation with a late August arrival. I’ve included activity highlights, our hotels, chosen for us as part of our vacation package, and restaurant recommendations. Keep in mind that the busy tourist season ends in early to mid-September, when things pretty much shut down in places like Denali National Park, and many excursions are no longer available. The most important thing to know when planning an Alaska trip is to book early and be prepared for changing weather. Packing layers with a water-resistant jacket worked well during our visit.  

​Evening Arrival into Anchorage (2 nights in Anchorage)
Day 1: Morning Valley & Forest Hike; afternoon Trolley Tour
Day 2: Travel by train to Seward; Exit Glacier Naturalist Hike (3 nights in Seward)
Day 3: Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise 
Day 4: Kayaking in Resurrection Bay
Day 5: Travel by bus to Talkeetna (1 night in Talkeetna)
Day 6: Scenic Flight over the Alaska Range by Denali National Park in the morning (weather permitting); lunch in Talkeetna; travel to Denali by bus in late afternoon (3 nights in Denali)
Day 7: Explore Denali National Park on a Tundra Wilderness Tour; Ranger Talk with Sled Dogs; Hiking
Day 8: Jeep Excursion Denali Highway; afternoon hiking in Denali National Park
Day 9: Early morning hike; mid day train ride to Anchorage (with GoldStar Dome service) (1 night Anchorage)
Day 10: Breakfast and exploring in Anchorage; afternoon departure

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​Day 1: There’s so much to do both in and around Anchorage! Some of the top activities include exploring the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, either by foot or bike,  tours to nearby Portage Glacier, or heading out for a hike in Chugach State Park.  

​We opted for a morning Valley & Forest Hike in Chugach State Park with Go Hike Alaska. Getting picked up in downtown Anchorage and having a guide familiar with the area was the perfect way to explore on our first full day in Alaska! The hike started from the Eagle River Nature Center, and ventured through a coastal and boreal forest with a variety of berries and mushrooms on display. One of the trails, the Albert Loop, was closed due to recent bear activity, but we were still able to get a good 3 mile hike in. It had been quite rainy the past few weeks but we were blessed with sun and spectacular views of the Chugach Mountains. After we completed the Eagle River hike, we took a short drive and hike to see Barbara Falls. 

Back in town, we grabbed lunch and popped into the Anchorage Visitor’s Center before taking the one hour Trolley Tour. It follows a 15 mile loop around the city, where we learned the history of places like Earthquake Park, and took in a view of seaplanes at Lake Hood. We decided against the Deluxe City Tour at double the cost, even though it allows you to jump off the trolley in a few places for photos. Depending on how much time you have in Anchorage, there are also day trip options for glacier and wildlife viewing, and flightseeing adventures.

Anchorage Hotel & Restaurants. The Comfort Inn Ship Creek was conveniently located to the train depot, and offered a free shuttle to and from the airport. This basic hotel with a free breakfast worked well for us; the hotel shuttle was at the airport when we arrived and was often available to take us into town when we didn’t feel like making the walk up the hill to get to restaurants and stores. 

With 2 nights in Anchorage, we had the opportunity to try several local restaurants. We enjoyed the Alaskan Seafood Chowder and “World Famous Yak Burger'' from 49th Street Brewing, the Famous Halibut Fish and Chips from Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse, and the Smoked Salmon Dip and meaty calamari at Glacier Brewhouse. Microbrews were plentiful and we enjoyed trying a variety of local beers. For breakfast on our last morning in Anchorage, we were lucky to snag a seat at the counter at the popular Snow City Cafe on a busy Saturday morning. You can’t go wrong with any of their coffee drinks and one of their eggs benedict. 

Day 2: No trip to Alaska would be complete without a ride on the Alaska Railroad. Our 4-hour journey to Seward started early, with a 6:45 a.m. departure. Unfortunately, it was a drizzly day, but the views from our Adventure Class seats were still nice. Throughout the ride, we had the option to visit the shared upper-level car for better views.

The scenery upon arrival in Seward was dramatic! The area is the homeland of the Aultiiq (Sugpiaq) people and is home to Kenai Fjords National Park. The busy harbor is also a cruise port, so expect more crowds when a ship is in port. Our afternoon plans included a hike to see Exit Glacier, which we did with a guide who picked us up from downtown Seward. The Exit Glacier Nature Area is about 8 miles down Exit Glacier Road. It’s the starting point for any hikes, including the short Glacier View Loop Trail. The trail includes year markers to demonstrate how much the glacier has retreated over time. 

Day 3: While it’s hard to pick one favorite activity from our trip, the six-hour Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise with Major Marine Tours ranks high on the list! Dress warm because you’ll want to be out on deck enjoying the spectacular views. While my husband preferred the windy upper deck, the covered outdoor deck on the main floor was my favorite place to hang out. Plus being outside really helped to keep the seasickness away. Besides the jaw-dropping scenery and glacier viewing, we saw sea otters, Steller sea lions, puffins, seals, and bald eagles. Unfortunately there were no whale sightings that day from our boat. Depending on how long you want to be on the boat, shorter and longer tours are also available. 

Day 4: After being out in Resurrection Bay on a large boat, we were excited for our kayak tour with Sunny Cove Kayaking. We met our small group of two other kayakers in town and took a short ride to Lowell Point. We knew it was going to be a good day when a bald eagle swooped in to watch us as we prepared to launch! It’s hard to describe the beauty of Resurrection Bay from the perspective of a tandem kayak. The snow-covered mountain views with an occasional waterfall flowing into the shimmering green water and a few harbor porpoises made for a memorable day. 

Seward Hotel & Restaurants. The Seward Gateway Hotel was perfect for our 3 night stay. It was a short walk from the marina, restaurants, and shops, and our room faced 4,800 foot Marathon Mountain. Free breakfast was included, but we still made the walk each morning to grab coffee at 13 Ravens Coffee House. It’s one of several restaurants housed in historic train cars, so you can also grab a breakfast burrito from Smoke Shack. Dinner at The Cookery required a reservation which I made a few weeks in advance (or you risk a long wait). But it’s worth it for the oysters and small bites. We also enjoyed Ray’s Waterfront near the boat harbor and an outside dinner with a view at Seasalt Alaskan Grill & Bar at the other end of town. Be sure to check out some of the many murals while you are down on Main Street. Read more details about our 3 fun days in Seward. 

Day 5: We had time for one last cup of coffee at our favorite Seward coffee shop before hopping on the Park Connection Bus around 10:30. It was a long travel day from Seward to Talkeetna, with a stop in Anchorage for lunch. Our final stop that day, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, was about 115 miles from Anchorage. Upon arrival, we immediately walked out on the back deck to be greeted by the expansive view with the backdrop of the distant Alaska Range. On a clear day, Denali, at over 20,000 feet, could be seen from the lodge. While the mighty mountain was mostly obscured by clouds with peaks showing through here and there, the fireweed around the lodge was putting on its own show. 

Day 6: Our next adventure was a Denali Experience Scenic Flight; I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about my first flightseeing adventure in a 10-seater plane. Our flight had been booked with K2 Aviation, a National Park Service concessionaire. We had signed up for the Denali Experience, hoping to fly within a few miles of the summit and over Ruth Glacier. After listening to a short safety briefing, we boarded our 11 a.m. flight, still uncertain if the weather near the Alaska Range would be clear. Once in the air, we quickly learned from the pilot that the cloud cover was too thick in the Denali area, but we were able to take a shorter ride in the nearby Talkeetna Range. As you can see, the views were quite amazing! 

Talkeetna Hotel & Restaurants. The interior of the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge was impressive. The massive stone fireplace in the main lobby was built with local stones, and each floor had a smaller lounge area with a fireplace, cozy chairs, and mountain views. We enjoyed a casual dinner with a view at Base Camp Bistro and drinks on the outside patio. The property also has a few walking trails which we explored, ever mindful of the fact that a bear had been spotted on the property. The lodge offered a shuttle to the busy, downtown Talkeetna area. For a small town, there were a surprising number of restaurants in a few block radius. We stopped in for lunch at Mountain High Pizza Pie. The Main St. Gossip pizza was delicious, and they have a fun outdoor beer garden. Denali Brewpub is another popular spot.   

Day 7:  It was exciting to spend the last few days of our Alaska vacation exploring Denali National Park. The National Park website and app were helpful tools as we tried to understand the best way to navigate the accessible parts of this 6 million acre park. Private vehicles are not allowed past mile 15, and due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide, no one can travel past mile marker 43 at this time. We opted for the Tundra Wilderness Tour, with a convenient pick-up at our hotel at 7 a.m. The narrated tour lasted roughly 5.5 hours, and traveled along the park road to a turnaround just before the landslide area, stopping occasionally for photos and to search for wildlife. It's a nice way to get an overview of the park. Moose came out of the woods while our bus was stopped, and we enjoyed watching a grizzly from afar, foraging across the terrain. Transit buses and hiking shuttles are other options for hikers and more adventurous explorers. Advance reservations are strongly required for the narrated buses and transit buses. No fee or reservation is required for the regular shuttle bus that goes as far as Savage River.  

During the summer months, you can watch a short, ranger program and demonstration when you visit the sled dog kennels. Being a dog lover, this was high on my Alaska to-do list and it was fun meeting the dogs in person.  In 2022, the Denali Sled Dog Kennels celebrated 100 years of service. Read more about their fascinating history.  After the short ranger talk, we headed back to the Visitor Center area and took a hike to Horseshoe Lake. Shuttles run to the dog kennels, or there are hiking paths if you choose to take that route.

Day 8: Even though the weather was hit or miss between sun and clouds, we made the decision to keep our Jeep excursion on the Denali Highway. On a good day, the views of the Alaska Range and Reflection Lake are spectacular. On a drizzly, rainy day like we had, the experience was still memorable (and fun for my husband who drove our Jeep!). Our 4 hour tour gave us a good view into how rugged life truly is in this part of Alaska. The Denali Highway is a hard-packed road and many rental companies prohibit driving on this road. The entire highway is 135 miles between Cantwell and Paxson, and is closed during the winter. Along the way we saw a handful of campers and hunters. On our return trip, we were treated to a view of a pair of trumpeter swans, considered to be the largest, native waterfowl.  

By mid-day, we were back in the park and on the shuttle to the Savage River area. Several hikes leave from the area, including the easy 2 mile loop around the river. Despite the clouds and drizzle, the hike rewarded us with views of the fast-moving river and some fall color from the dwarf birch. We also made a short hike up to a vantage point from the Savage Mountain Trail. The shuttle buses run regularly so it was easy to get back to the Visitor Center area. 

Denali Hotel & Restaurants. Our 3 nights in Denali were spent at the Denali Bluffs Hotel. Choices are limited if you want to be close to the park, and keep in mind that most hotels cater to groups so they tend to be busy. Our room had a wonderful view of the mountains which lit up at sunset. The hotel grounds are hilly, but you can request help with your luggage if necessary. If you decide to walk down to the strip of restaurants on the Parks Highway, it’s a steep walk back up the hill (you can also catch the shuttle). I was disappointed that we couldn’t try the Denali Park Salmon Bake which is still feeling the impact from the past few years, but we enjoyed a pizza and the extensive beer list at Prospectors Pizzeria and Alehouse. There’s also a 49th State Brewing, ice cream, and a coffee shop. Just across the highway sits the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. We had no idea until we walked through the lobby that the grounds were so extensive, home to several restaurants including Fannie Q’s Saloon. We enjoyed the Fannie Q Burger and the Bear Paw dessert, two popular items on the menu. 

Day 9: On our final morning in Denali National Park we were excited to wake up to blue skies! Luckily, the Alaska Railroad Denali depot is conveniently located in the park. It was surprising to learn that the train was the primary way into Denali until the Parks Highway was completed in 1971. Since the hotel was transporting our luggage for us, it made it easy to spend a few more hours in the park before hopping on the train. Note: there is no train service to the Denali depot between mid-September and mid-May. 

We made one last ride on the park shuttle to Mountain Vista and Savage River. Along the way, we were blessed with a clear view of Denali set against the fall colors on the ground! At over 20,000 feet, you would think it would be easy to see most days, but in reality, only roughly 30% of visitors see the mountain uncovered by clouds. We were able to spend some time taking in the beautiful views around Savage River. 

My husband had completed the Junior Ranger Badge work (yes, adults can get sworn in as Junior Rangers) so before we left we spent a few minutes with the ranger for him to get officially sworn in. He was excited to add the special Denali National Park badge to our collection. Plus it gave us a chance for a quick walk through the exhibits in the Visitor Center. 

Around midday we hopped on the Alaska Railroad, ready to enjoy the GoldStar service as we traveled back to Anchorage on the Denali Star! We couldn’t have asked for a more picture-perfect day (literally, every 30 seconds was another spectacular view). From our upper level seats, we could see both sides of the train through the dome windows. The covered outdoor space was perfect for capturing photos of the mighty Denali, on full display at many points along the ride. As part of the GoldStar service, meals are served in the first floor dining car, with linens and table service.  Although there is never a guarantee of a clear day for travel, I would highly recommend this train ride with the upgraded GoldStar service! 

​Day 10: Our last day in Alaska started with breakfast at Snow City Cafe in Anchorage. Expect a crowd so try to call ahead if you can. We were lucky to snag two seats at the busy counter, where we enjoyed one of the signature coffees and a hearty meal of Eggs Benedict. After all that food, it was a good time to take a short stroll on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Next time, I would rent bikes in order to explore the full 11 miles of the trail most efficiently. 
 
While we did not have the opportunity to visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center, my husband did spend a bit of time at the Anchorage Museum. He particularly enjoyed the Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First Peoples of Alaska exhibit which features hundreds of items that came from Smithsonian Museum’s collections.  

A few things to know as you are planning an Alaskan vacation:
 
*Keep in mind that the main tourist season from May to September is when most of the tours are operating. Some of the hotels are also only open seasonally. It’s important to make plans well in advance, as blocks of rooms are put aside to accommodate tour and cruise operators. I highly recommend a company like Alaska Tour & Travel, who can easily help create a customized Alaska vacation. 

*In hindsight, knowing that August is typically the rainiest month, I would probably plan my next trip in late June for a better chance of sun and before the peak month of July. Considering how rainy August was, I’m grateful for the number of sunny days or days without constant rain that we experienced during our visit. Plus by visiting at the very end of August we got to see the beautiful colors in Denali. 

*If you have extra time, consider continuing up to Fairbanks on the Alaska Railroad. Depending on the time of year, you may be able to view the Northern Lights. 

*Excursions add up quickly. Some of the bear viewing excursions with a floatplane can run around $1,000 per person; we made a decision to save that for another trip. We also opted for learning about the sled dogs in Denali National Park versus visiting one of the sled dog kennels or taking a helicopter trip to visit Iditarod sled dogs. 

*Don't feel bad that you can't do everything. I loved that our itinerary included glaciers, wildlife, national parks, kayaking, and riding the Alaska Railroad but know that there is much more to see and can't wait for a future visit!  

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