VirtualTourist.com: tips and reviews from real travelers who have visited Alaska
Alaska
Alaska sits near the top of many travelers' wish lists, and justly so. In a world where wild places are rapidly dwindling, the state remains a wilderness masterpiece, with scenery that seems to define the word "spectacular." Not only does Alaska contain North America's highest mountain (20,320-foot Mt. McKinley), but also the next 15 highest peaks in the United States! You could fit six Yellowstones inside 13-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and one of the park's glaciers reaches 60 miles across! Despite its reputation for cold, Alaska is surprisingly diverse, from the flat tundra plains of the Arctic slope to the towering Alaska Range, to dense rainforests. Interior Alaska can see temperatures into the 80s F during August, while winters seem to drop off the thermometer. Coastal areas, especially in Southeast Alaska's Inside Passage, are mild year-round, and it can (and probably will) rain almost any day in Ketchikan. Alaska's largest city, Anchorage is a major hub for transportation and commerce, while most cruises focus on Southeast Alaska.
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Don Pitcher has written or photographed 10 travel guidebooks to Alaska, Wyoming, Yellowstone-Grand Teton, and the San Juan Islands for Avalon Travel Publishing, Random House, and Sasquatch Books.
Don Pitcher has written or photographed 10 travel guidebooks to Alaska, Wyoming, Yellowstone-Grand Teton, and the San Juan Islands for Avalon Travel Publishing, Random House, and Sasquatch Books.
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Alaska Must See/Do
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Alaska Most Overrated
- Don't get taken in with cruise ship shore excursions
- You may pay less if you book your own adventures
- Many gift shops sell trinkets from China
- Always look for those with the "Made in Alaska" symbol
When to Visit Alaska
June through August is the peak time to visit, but early September brings fall colors
Search Fares
Alaska Maps
Alaska Events
- April-May: Alyeska Spring Carnival and Slush Cup, Eagle River Nature Center Seymour Challenge
- July: Great Alaska Salmon Bake and Fly-by, 20th Annual Bear Paw Festival, Eagle River, Anchorage July 4th Celebration
- October-November: AlaskaFest!, Nye Frontier Hockey Classic,Thanksgiving Weekend and "Downtown for the Holidays!"
- February-March: Ski for Women, Duct Tape Ball
- June: AWAIC Summer Solstice Festival, Blues on the Green Festival
- August-September: Alyeska Blueberry & Mountain Arts Festival,Alaska State Fair - Fun Amongst the Giants!
- December-January: Anchorage International Film Festival, Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival
More Alaska Info
Tripadvisor.com: 5,000,000+ traveler reviews & opinions of hotels, vacations & more in Alaska
Today's Travel Deals
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Editor's Review - $569+: Inside Passage, College Fjord Alaska cruise
Editor's Review - $849+: Oceanview Vancouver & Hubbard Glacier sail
Editor's Review - $612+: Luxe Alaska cruises w/up to $100 credit
Editor's Review
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More Destinations
- In Alaska:
Alaska's Inside Passage, Denali National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Katmai National Park, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Nome & Kotzebue, Prudhoe Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Anchorage, College Fjord, Fairbanks, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Talkeetna, Valdez, Whittier
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