Alaska is extremely deserving of its ‘Last Frontier’ nickname. The 49th state feels like a world apart from the rest of the US, a vast wilderness of wide-open tundra, towering mountains, frozen glaciers, and unique wildlife. It is one of the best places on Earth for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers to explore and an unbeatable spot to discover wild natural beauty.
Whether you are there for the majestic scenery or to spot moose or eagles, Alaska delivers adventure and excitement by the bucketload. Here are a few of the best places to visit and things to do that are worth thinking about before packing your bags and heading straight for Alaskan adventures.
Denali National Park & Preserve
Denali (previously known as Mount McKinley) is the highest mountain peak in North America and is a must-see for any visitor to Alaska. The magnificent summit looms over the Denali National Park and Preserve, a fitting backdrop to some of the most incredible landscapes and fascinating abundance of wildlife in the world. From taiga forests to tundra, it is a diverse, varied spot, and an amazing place to hike and camp, or just take a bus tour. You’ll have the chance to see grizzly bears, caribou, and even wolves, making it a stunning destination for animal lovers.
Glacier Bay National Park
No Alaskan adventure would be complete without seeing a few of its majestic and eye catching glaciers. And the best place for this is the awesome Glacier Bay National Park. In this UNESCO World Heritage site, you can take boat or air tours to get up close to some of the most impressive examples of glaciers in the world. You’ll get a chance to see glaciers calving – when chunks of ice break off from the main structure and crash into the water below – as well as an opportunity to spy seals lounging on the icebergs, or whales breaching in the open waters beyond the bay.
Kenai Fjords National Park
While most people who want to see fjords head to Norway, Alaska boasts some incredible fjord landscapes as well. Kenai Fjords National Park boasts dramatic coastal scenery as well as the Harding Icefields, one of the largest of its kind in the US. A guided kayak tour through the fjords is a remarkable experience, offering an intimate way to see the breathtaking scenery as well as whales, orcas, puffins, and sea otters.
Fairbanks & the Northern Lights
Many visitors come to Alaska with the express aim of seeing the Northern Lights, which is no surprise, as it is one of the best places in the world to do so! Even if you hadn’t planned on witnessing the magical Aurora Borealis, it is an experience not to be missed, and Fairbanks is a superb spot to see them. While winter offers the best chance of seeing this sumptuous lightshow, they can be seen year-round, and Fairbanks is a fascinating city overall, as well as being a wonderful gateway to the remote wildernesses of Alaska’s interior, as well as the Arctic Circle. If you come in the summer, while the Northern Lights might be unlikely, you will get a chance to see the Midnight Sun, which is a pretty spectacular and mind-bending sight on its own!
Alaska is a land of extremes, one of the most fascinating and otherworldly places on the planet, and a destination that revels in the raw beauty of nature. From towering glaciers and mountain hikes to the dancing electric extravaganza of the Northern Lights in the night sky, there is so much to see and do in Alaska, and it is no wonder that it is a bucket list destination for so many adventurous travelers!