We receive frequent questions regarding driving the Alaska Highway.  How long will it take?  What route should we take?  What services are available?  These are just some of the most common questions.  Alaska Tour & Travel does not offer any lodging or tours along this highway but we thought we should steer those interested to the best travel guides to help with the trip! The Alaska Highway is commonly called the Alcan Highway as it begins in Canada and ends in Alaska.  It was constructed in 1942 to serve as a link between Alaska and the contiguous United States (known locally as the “Lower 48”).  The highway has seen vast improvements since its construction, not only in road conditions but in services provided for travelers.  Now the highway is somewhat of a tourist destination in and of itself, not just a way of getting to Alaska!  Alaska Highway travelers truly experience the vastness of Alaska and are amazed at the scenery and wildlife offered by the last great frontier. (more…)

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How to travel through Alaska is a difficult decision.  Should you travel by rail, by bus or by rental car?  Taking a train allows you to travel in style. You can get up, walk around and have a meal in route.  On the motorcoach you travel faster for less money and the bus can stop for photos along the way.    We think that we have the perfect solution!  Alaska Tour & Travel recommends traveling one way by rail and the other by motorcoach.  This solution offers many benefits which include cost savings, time savings and getting to see the most diverse Alaskan scenery!

For example, if you would like to visit Denali for the wildlife, Talkeetna for views of Mt. McKinley and Seward for glaciers we recommend the following itinerary.  Travel by rail from Anchorage to Denali, spend two nights and take a tour into Denali National Park.  Then travel by Park Connection Motorcoach to Talkeetna, spend one night and enjoy a flightseeing trip around Mt. McKinley.  The next day travel once again by motorcoach from Talkeetna to Seward, spend two nights and travel on a day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park to see glaciers and hopefully catch sight of a whale.  Then return to Anchorage by rail.  This loop allows you to experience the benefits of both modes of transportation and you get to enjoy the scenery on both the railway and the road routes. Our packages can be customized however you would like them so you are free to use only motorcoach service or only rail service if that is what you prefer.  (more…)

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Karen Hessert, has worked for Alaska Tour & Travel for over 10 years, and has lived in Alaska for over 20 years.  Last summer Karen decided it was time to fulfill her dream of becoming an Alaskan pilot and late in the year she received her private pilot license.  Karen recently said “as I reached another milestone in my journey I looked back and am amazed at all the skills I have acquired as well as the spectacular adventures I have experienced.  Whether I am at Merrill Air Field doing touch and go’s around Anchorage, going out to the practice fields near Big Lake or going on another cross country trip to Fairbanks, Seward, Soldotna, Gulkana or other areas within South central and Interior parts of Alaska I am reminded each time of the precious scenery Alaska has to offer.  Absolutely stunning views and I have the best seat to witness it all.” (more…)

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Alaska is a great place to visit anytime of the year.  The “best” time really depends on what you want to do in Alaska.  For instance – the driest, warmest months don’t offer views of the Aurora Borealis due to extended hours of daylight, so if the Northern Lights are what you are coming to see June is not the best time for you to visit. Most visitors come to Alaska from mid-May to mid-September, with the peak season from June 15th to August 15th.   The peak period offers the most tour options, the best weather and the best wildlife viewing opportunities.  Below is a breakdown of what is great and not so great about different travel time periods.

MAY is a great value time to visit Alaska – the weather is warming up, the trees are blooming and the grass gets greener every day.  Usually, May is a drier month than later in the summer.  Alaska tends to get more rain as the summer goes on.   Temperatures are cool at the start of May and warm up as the month progresses.  The days are long and Alaska begins to bloom.  The trees in Anchorage usually leaf out around May 10th and a bit later than that further north. Keep in mind that the further north you go during early May, the more chance you have of encountering ice and snow that have yet to melt.  Summer is slow to come in Interior Alaska! (more…)

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A recent visit to Juneau reminded me how fortunate Alaskan’s are to have such an abundance of fresh, local seafood available to us.  In Juneau for meetings, I had the opportunity to splurge on Alaskan king crab, Alaska salmon kabobs, and salmon cakes.   One of my favorite restaurants in Juneau is The Twisted Fish – it specializes in Alaska seafood and is popular with both locals and visitors.  As a result of my trip to Juneau, I have fresh enthusiasm for including Alaska seafood in meal plans this winter. 

Returning to Anchorage, I took a poll around the office asking what they think the best seafood restaurants are around the State, so if you are visiting Alaska be sure to check out some of these restaurants our staff themselves seek out when they want fresh Alaskan seafood:

Anchorage:      Simon & Seafort’s
Juneau:              Twisted Fish
Fairbanks:        Pikes Landing
Skagway:           The Fish Company
Seward:             Resurrection Roadhouse
Talkeetna:        Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (more…)

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Congratulations to Doug Croft whose photo Yearling Cub was selected as this year’s Alaska Travel Photo Contest winner. Doug is from San Jose, California.  Doug and his wife visited Alaska for a week in the summer of 2010 after many years of dreaming about coming to Alaska, and in particular traveling to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park. Doug describes the opportunity to take the photograph as “The picture was one of the last that I took before we had to depart Brooks and has been our favorite of the trip.  We were ready to leave the viewing platform and go back through the woods to the lodge when we stopped to watch this little guy “fishing” with his mom…he was actually getting in her way.  He suddenly got quite agitated and bolted from the water and up a tree right next to the platform where we were standing, providing the perfect photo op.” 

While in Alaska, the Croft’s also traveled via the Alaska Railroad to Seward, kayaked in Resurrection Bay then took a day cruise into the Northwestern Fjord area.  They hiked Exit Glacier and visited the Iditarod championship Seavey Kennels. Doug was constantly amazed at opportunities to view Alaska wildlife and scenery during their trip to and ran out of superlatives to describe it. (more…)

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Some of the most common questions that we receive at Alaska Tour & Travel are about the Alaska Railroad.  It is amazing how many people believe that the Alaska Railroad runs through Canada all the way to the lower 48 States. 

The history of the Alaska Railroad  involves many ownership changes. The Alaska Railroad was started in Seward in 1903 under the name of Alaska Central Railroad.  They completed 51 miles of track before going bankrupt in 1907.  In 1909, the Alaska Northern Railroad Company purchased the railroad and completed 21 more miles of track.  In 1914, the federal government purchased the line with the intent of creating a direct route between Seward and the town of Fairbanks in the interior of Alaska.  President Harding drove the final spike that completed the railroad in 1923.  In 1985, the State of Alaska purchased the railroad from the Federal Government. 

The railroad is a valuable link between the interior of Alaska and the ice free ports of Seward and Whittier.  The railroad continues to operate both freight and passenger services.  The passenger service offers not only transportation from point A to point B but has the benefit of incredible Alaskan scenery along the way. Alaska Tour & Travel offers many rail vacation packages that feature travel on the Alaska Railroad. (more…)

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Another beautiful day to drive along the Cook Inlet; the tide was out so no chance to see the Beluga Whales, but the mud flats were interesting with many waterfalls and glaciers in the distance; had to slow down for the Dall Sheep near the roadside. Denise, my friend Carol’s sister from California, was excited. Leaving from Anchorage, our drive took about thirty minutes to get to the tunnel entrance, the only way to get to Whittier by car. Denise was a bit apprehensive driving through a two and half mile tunnel on railroad tracks. Me too; hadn’t done it for a long time. It was cool; we were in and out in five minutes but it seemed like fifteen. The tunnel had lights and nice restrooms at both ends. We arrived early so waited and watched the train have its turn. Another five minutes out of the tunnel and we were parked.

Whittier is totally Alaskan. I don’t think it’ll ever grow up. I love to watch the diversity of humanity enjoying their independence; doing what they like to do best near the most beautiful stretch of water in all America. Boats everywhere-such a sight. I’ve never seen so many boats, all kinds: little dinghies, huge beautiful private cruise-like boats, floating in the water or parked on lots near where we parked our car. A few more steps and we were on the ramp shaking hands with the smiling crew as we boarded our own beautiful boat, Major Marine Tour’s Emerald Sea. (more…)

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