“The 49th State”, “The Last Frontier,” a state that’s 488 times the size of Rhode Island...but only contains 75% (750,000) of the Rhode Island population. With a history, unlike any other state in the country, you’re bound to experience and learn things unlike you ever have before. Whether you’re taking in the great outdoors, cruising down the highway in your rental, learning how to dog sled, or want to get to know the locals at the local pub, Alaska has it all for you!

A friend and I planned a trip to Alaska for June and July amidst the COVID-19 pandemic lingering throughout the United States and the rest of the world. We chose to head to Alaska as it was not only one of the fully open states at the time, but because we knew that we’d have to be tested ahead of flying and could fly knowing we wouldn’t be transmitted to anyone.

Over ten days, we managed to conquer over 1500 miles of the most scenic drives in Alaska in our powerful Mini Cooper we rented from “Turo” and saw so many different layers of beautiful Alaska. We made friends of all kinds in each town/city we visited and got to know what life in the state was like...as you may not know, during July in Alaska, they experience almost 24hrs of Daylight and the exact opposite in the winter months! So they deal with some very rare extremities that most of us are not typically used to witnessing. So what can you see in Alaska for 10 days?

Getting to Alaska

When looking into visiting Alaska, the first thing that comes to your head is, how do I get there? In a perfect world, you’d have a few options on how to do so. But as we’re still amid a pandemic, the only way to get to Alaska is by flight (or if you’re Canadian, you can drive over, haha). Alaska Airlines is offering incredible roundtrip flight prices at the moment for anyone living in the continental US. $288 RT from NYC to Anchorage as of today!

**As of today, September 14th, 2020, you’ll need to have a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of your departure to enter Alaska.

Driving through Canada to Alaska: 

As of today you’re still not allowed to drive through Canada as our borders are still closed due to the pandemic.  When they open up your last option for reaching Alaska from Washington is to drive. Yes, this is by far the longest and most expensive transit option, but from what we’ve been told, one of the most breathtaking, taking you through the real wilderness in Canada and Alaska. Technically, the Alaska Highway, runs 1,387 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction, Alaska. But you also have to get to Dawson Creek, which means tacking on another 805 road miles if you take the shortest route from Seattle. All told, you can easily take a week or more to drive the entire Alaska Highway.

Because you'll be passing through Canada, bring a passport, passport card, or NEXUS card, and make sure to read up on the admissibility requirements for crossing the border. If you have a criminal history, including DUI/OUI convictions, you may not be allowed into the country. That said, the ultimate decision is up to the border services officer at the entry checkpoint. Also, if you are from another country and planning a drive then you need to get an IDP on International Driver's Association.

Backpackers guide to Alaska – Budgeting

One of the most stressful things you’re going to run into while taking the Alaska road trip is budgeting properly! We had initially set out to spend a certain amount of money while there, only to double what we intended. Don’t make the same mistakes we did, and you should end up paying what you set out to do!  

Travel Insurance 

Not something to take lightly when out in the wilderness. You never know when things can turn for the worse, whether slipping down a slippery slope or getting bit by an animal out in the forest. These things can ruin your entire trip and the only thing worse than that is having it financially ruin you when returning home by not being insured. For the past 4 years, we have been using world nomads and couldn’t be more satisfied with the coverage and service. 

Getting a vehicle for your Alaska road trip itinerary

Car Rental in Anchorage

This will be the first point on your Alaska road trip list. This can be a tricky task depending on how much time you’ve got to look into it or if you’re very picky about what you’d like. If you’re in your 20’s and 30’s and aren’t trying to spend your entire life savings on an RV or off-road vehicle, you’re going to want to go for something comfortable but more affordable.  

We chose to go with the app “Turo” as it allows you to browse vehicles by size, price, transmission, and location. Think of it as the Airbnb of cars as you connect with the vehicle’s owner directly with Airbnb. This time around, we rented a Mini Cooper Clubman edition for our 10 days in Alaska and honestly couldn’t have been happier. This powerful and fuel-efficient car got us everywhere we needed to go quickly and comfortably...and yes...you can let this lousy boy rip on the highway tour of Alaska up in the mountains where no one is around. We came into contact with one state trooper up there, and the only thing we talked about was caribou and bears!...and no, I’m not condoning speeding...just for you to test out the car for a second ;)  

The price of a rental was $50 a day plus $10 a day for insurance. We were also getting 350-400 miles on a tank of gas.

NOTE: Be sure to get decent insurance for the car! Lots of loose rocks on the highways of Alaska! We cracked our windshield on the last day of our rental due to a rock shooting out from a truck’s back. When we stopped in Seward and saw out of the 50 cars in the parking lot, at least a quarter or more of the vehicles had cracked windshields.

Now that you’ve got the most crucial part down, let’s take a look at the map below and see precisely where you’ll be headed over the next ten days. We found it best to stay in Anchorage for the first two nights before getting the car to get acclimated to the sun being up all night and to get our minds/bodies ready to be safely behind the wheel. Not to mention it’s great getting the local advice from all the locals in the restaurants and pubs in the area as they’ve all got different hidden gems they want to let you know about.

Note: This is just a suggested course throughout what we experienced while on the Alaska road trip in 2020. The state has plenty of different directions to go in. It’s impossible to answer how many days do you need to see Alaska? We hope you have the privilege of exploring this excellent state as much as possible. If you feel we can add something to our Alaska road trip itinerary, please send us a message or drop a comment below.

Day 1: Anchorage to Talkeetna

Roughly 4hrs with stops

Total Distance: 115 miles 

Anchorage scenic drive is one of the most manageable days of driving you’ll have on this trip! You’ll want to stop for pictures every so often since you’ve probably never seen landscapes like this before. We chose to stop for burgers at “RWs Hamburger House” in Wasilla, as it’s been voted the best burger in Alaska year after year. After you’ve finished passing through the outlying suburbs in the first couple of hours, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to have the roads almost entirely to yourself!

Day 2: Explore Denali National Park

(Stay in Talkeetna)

Your chance to experience the highest peak in North America is awaiting your arrival. With backdrops you’ve only dreamed about, winding rivers and wildlife like you’ve never seen before! Had we not chosen to make a road trip in Alaska this time, we would’ve spent a lot more time here as we did not this time around. You can only drive a certain distance into the park before you have to either take a bus or walk. It’s best to check the park’s website ahead of time before traveling out.

Day 3: Talkeetna to Fairbanks

Roughly 6hrs with stops

Total Distance: 275 miles

A fantastic drive through the mountains totaling around 300 miles for the day and stops should take you just over 6 hours. Trust us, and you’ll want to stop all the time to take pictures along this route! Not only will you be impressed by the beautiful nature, but by the infrastructure and architecture that’s been places into these valleys. Note that if you have any rain in the forecast you’re going to almost want to double your time for driving on this stretch. The elevation will cause visibility to go down a lot and your speeds will be greatly reduced! When you reach the main stretch and change highways you’ll have a good amount of accommodation to choose from, we opted to do what we were familiar with and chose the Best Western Plus. It made for a perfect decision as it was an easy place to get a Starbucks coffee in the morning across the street and then immediately get a move onto the highway.

Day 4: Explore Fairbanks and the North Pole

25-mile round trip

This will be one of the unique places to visit, depending on the time of year you choose to visit. If it’s during the summer, you’ll witness the sun “set” around midnight but never fully set, or if you visit during the winter months, you’ll see total darkness around the clock and most likely be able to witness the northern lights! Fairbanks is a city of just over 30,000 people and doesn’t have much to do in the town itself other than visiting the Botanical Gardens, sleep, gather groceries, and fuel up. But on the outskirts, you’ll find the Chena Hot Springs, Hoodoo Brewery, and many attractions in Fairbanks, Alaska! If you have a chance to visit the North Pole, do visit! “”

Day 5: the North Pole to Glenallen

Roughly 6hr drive with stops

Total distance: 250 miles

Easily the most wildlife-filled drive that we made during our entire Alaska road trip itinerary! During this stretch, we were able to see large numbers of caribou and moose. Some of the swimming across the shallow waters with the babies to get to the other side. Simultaneously, others were crossing the highway or looking for something to eat in the fields that line the road and mountainside! When in Glenallen, you won’t have many different accommodation options or what you can eat, as it’s supply and demand out this way. Your typical middle of nowhere Alaskan accommodation will cost you nearly $200 a night, and your options for food will be either pizza or Thai food! 

Day 6: Glenallen to Anchorage

Roughly 4hr drive with stops

Total distance: 180 miles

One of the most comfortable drives you’re going to have during this trip and with very little to see compared to what you’ve witnessed the past five days! When you’ve finished back in Anchorage, you should try one of the restaurants in the city center and possibly find karaoke night somewhere to interact with some more locals. Yes, you should be able to find karaoke during any weekday in Anchorage! You’ll be fascinated to see yourself singing in the window at midnight with the sun still up.

Day 7: Kenai

Roughly 4hr drive with stops

Total distance: 160 miles

Kenai is a cute coastal town in southern Alaska, where you can find some of the best fishing in Alaska, better yet, some of the best fishing with the best drop shot rods in the world!! When in Kenai itself, you’ll find most of your typical shops to grab food and supplies, and you’ll come across some cozy cafes and restaurants the closer you get to the water. We had an incredible nights sleep after walking around all day exploring the coastline, we chose Aspen Suites based on all the reviews. $100 for the night was a no brainer as the rooms were very clean with air conditioning, flat screen tv, and a kitchenette for us to prepare some of our own food to save some money.

Day 8: Homer

Roughly 2½hr drive with stops

Total distance: 81 miles

The southernmost town on the Alaska highway system, home to the singer jewel, and known by many as the world’s Halibut capital! This wonderful little fishing town with a “spit” unlike any other will have you trying out all the local restaurants and bars on this 4.5 miles long narrow finger into Kamechak Bay. Like most towns in Alaska, accommodation is supply and demand, so check around for hotel prices before agreeing to overspend on one. We got lucky and found another Aspen Suites just off the spit for $125 a night, and it was only an 5-minute drive away from all the places we wanted to visit!

Day 9: Seward

Roughly 4½hr drive with stops

Total distance: 168 miles

While we didn’t get to see Seward correctly due to the ongoing Pandemic, we were warmly welcomed by the locals when we found a spot to sit down to have some excellent fried cod and locally brewed beer! They filled us in on what it’s typically like around there and what we’re missing. Seward was supposed to be the spot where we went kayaking out to the glaciers and where we wanted to do our fishing excursion, all of which were closed until further notice as was the brewery.

Day 10: Seward to Anchorage

Roughly 3hr drive with stops

Total distance: 127 miles

This leg of our journey quickly became our most depressing drive on Alaska highway, to be honest. Only because we knew it was the ending of our great Alaskan adventure by car! I hope we answered on how can you see Alaska in 10 days and inspired you to start planning an Alaska road trip! 

So, how many days do you need in Anchorage? Realistically, three days in Anchorage is enough. However, we did stay in Anchorage for an entire week after just making friends off of the Couchsurfing app. Going out for dinner and trying all of the different foods and drinks we possibly could before hopping on a flight to Las Vegas, where I showed one of my best friends how to do las vegas for the first time.

What month is the best time to visit Alaska?

After doing all of our google research and being google ninjas, we found that the end of June and early July was the perfect time for us to achieve our goals on our Alaska road trip. If you’ve got other plans to see the Northern Lights up north or would like to do an RV tour or Off-Roading self-drive tour of Alaska, we would recommend you to check out Alaska.Org to get the proper guidance for your excursion!

Useful resources for your Alaskan adventure:
- Ensure you pack all the Alaska essentials
- What steps to take if you get involved in a trucking accident
- Prepare your vehicle for the challenges ahead

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