How to Plan a Trip to Alaska

Welcome! Are you dreaming of Alaska? Let’s make that dream come true!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, let me help. I have worked in the Alaska travel industry since the late 90s, lived in Alaska and spend several weeks in Alaska each year, both on my own and working as a tour director.

Jennie’s Favorite Things (Discount and Tour page)

Here are the ways I can help you make it happen without missing out on anything important, blowing your budget or sinking months of your life reading the whole internet:

Step 1 – Prioritize

Start by deciding whether you’re going to take a cruise, cruisetour or other organized tour or if you want to plan your trip on your own. Here’s all my advice about figuring that out.

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Step 2 – Big picture itinerary

Next, you’ll sketch out your itinerary! You’ll find my advice about cruise itineraries here and my suggested itineraries to plan on your own here. Make sure to include ways to learn about Alaska Native Culture while you’re visiting Alaska so you understand Alaska’s land and people on a deeper level.

Listen to Alaska Mary share some ideas on how to get started:

Step 3 – Lodging

Determining where you will stay in Alaska is the next step. Lodging is the most limited resource and for most people the biggest budget item, so you want to figure this out first. Cruises, RV rentals, hotels and vacation rentals are all good options in Alaska, depending on your travel group, how long you’re staying and how you like to travel.

Step 4 – Transportation in Alaska, Tours, Flights

Now you’re ready to book everything else, including your transportation in Alaska, flights to and from Alaska and any tours or activities that need to be booked in advance.

Pro tip – Get the Alaska TourSaver – this is the best way to find deals on tours across Alaska. Available in both app and paper book form. You can see all the offers and find out if it makes sense for you on their website.

Step 5 – Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is not the most exciting subject, but it’s an important consideration when traveling to Alaska.

I always have travel insurance when I go to Alaska. It’s particularly crucial to have medical coverage. I like to use InsureMyTrip (this is an affiliate link, which means if you make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you) because you can compare prices from different travel insurance companies and search based on the features you need in your plan instead of what a single company offers.

All my Alaska Articles

Planning and Itineraries

A display of green northern lights above black spruce trees against a background of stars in Fairbanks Alaska
Northern Lights over Fairbanks

Visiting Alaska’s National Parks

Mountains and a glacier are reflected in the water which has lots of little pieces of ice in it on a visit to Glacier Bay national park
Glacier Bay National Park

Alaska Cruising

View from the top of Mt Roberts in Juneau on an overcast day. There are forested hillsides in the foreground and higher mountains with lingering snow in the background
Gastineau Channel near Juneau

Alaska Road Trips

Mountains seen from the side of the highway from Anchorage to Valdez. The mountains are jagged and have some snow and in the foreground are green meadows
Thompson Pass on the Richardson Highway near Valdez

Fairbanks and the Interior

A white Love Alaska sign seen across the Chena River in Fairbanks with green trees on a sunny day
The Chena River behind Pike’s Landing in Fairbanks

Southeast Alaska

A blue ice berg in the water with forested and snowy mountains in the background
Icebergs in Tracy Arm Fjord

Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska

Hiking on Flattop Mountain