Alaska Road Trip From Anchorage

Arrive in Anchorage, Alaska’s vibrant second city. After collecting your rental car and driving to the hotel, it’s time to explore. Nestled in the shadow of the beautiful Chugach Mountains, within touching distance of huge national parks, sparkling glaciers and vast expanses of water, Anchorage is surrounded by nature, while its vibrant social scene gives you a taste of Alaskan city life. If you have time, why not cycle along the Coastal Trail and explore some of the city’s parks? Finish the day dining at one of the many restaurants Anchorage is home to.

Drive from Anchorage to the seaside city of Seward along one of the country’s most scenic routes, Seward Highway. Certified as a National Scenic Byway, this epic road winds along the shoreline of Turnagain Arm and past the Chugach Mountains, offering incredible views at every stretch.

The landscape here is unparalleled, with the immense flats of Turnagain Arm reaching Cook Inlet and mountains in the distance. Stop at Beluga Point Lookout to see Beluga whales splashing in the ocean and incredible bore tides.

After travelling through the Kenai Peninsula, you’ll reach historic Seward. Known as the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward has a focus on outdoor adventure and recreation, and there are plenty of outdoor excursions and activities which you can take part in too, in the surrounding area.

Spend the day exploring the charming port city of Seward. The town has an attractive harbour and waterfront full of shops, galleries and restaurants, which makes it a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.

From Seward the impressive Exit Glacier can easily be reached by car. The glacier is a major attraction in the area and one of the most accessible glaciers in Alaska. Whilst here, you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and book on to a day cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park and Fox Island, where you can sail on sparkling turquoise waters, and see whales and other wildlife in their natural habitat, surrounded by breath taking icy glaciers.

Time to carry on your Alaskan adventure by heading back towards Anchorage and the delightful town of Talkeetna. This pioneer town offers fabulous views of Denali (Mount McKinley). It’s also the meeting point of three glacial rivers, so there are exhilarating excursions on the water to be had.

On the way to Talkeetna, take a detour to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in North America, which was built beneath Maynard Mountain.

Climbing to the summit of Denali might be a little too challenging, but you can still enjoy the unrivalled view from the peak of this enormous mountain.

Leave Talkeetna to delve further into the wonders of Denali National Park and Preserve, which is the third largest park in the United States and the pinnacle of Alaskan wild beauty.

Discover the splendour and tranquillity of Denali, a sprawling national park covering 6 million acres and home to wild animals that live undisturbed as they have done for centuries. The park is home to icy lakes, snow capped mountains, dense forest and alpine tundra. It’s where you’ll see the tallest peak in North America, Denali, which stands majestic with a summit standing at 20,310 foot above sea level. The park is intersected by a single 92 mile long road, Denali Park Road. During the summer months, cars are not permitted past mile 15 of the road, so jump on a hop on hop off shuttle bus or take a guided tour bus to fully experience the wonders of this breathtaking landscape.

Before returning to Anchorage, experience Denali from the water with an adventure on the Nenana River.  Alaska is known for its fishing and no stay in Anchorage would be complete without trying some fresh fish and seafood, caught locally in the freezing Alaskan waters. The city has a successful dining scene and you’ll be spoilt for choice by the array of seafood restaurants serving the day’s fresh catch.

It is time for your Alaskan adventure to come to an end. Stay another day in Anchorage or return home with memories to treasure forever.