Family Fun Vacation by Car

Anchorage Arrival

Upon arrival in Anchorage pick up your rental car at the airport and drive to your hotel. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Offering an abundance of shopping, cultural attractions, and gourmet restaurants, Anchorage provides an excellent start to your vacation. Overnight in Anchorage. You will stay overnight at a hotel in the Anchorage midtown area.

Important Note: Please provide us with your flight arrival information at time of booking, so that we can schedule the car rental pick up time correctly.

Anchorage Day Trip

Start the Alaska family trip with a great highlight: a ride on Alaska Railroad’s whistle stop train and a float trip surrounded by stunning scenery and icebergs! In the morning drive from Anchorage along the scenic Turnagain Arm to the Portage Train Station. Plan some stops along the drive to enjoy the scenery. At 1:25pm depart from Portage on the Alaska Railroad and take a short but scenic train ride to Spencer Glacier in the remote Chugach Mountains. Board your raft for a 2 hour gentle float among the icebergs at Spencer Lake and down the Placer River. After the float trip, return to the Portage Train station at 5:15pm and leisurely drive back to Anchorage. Overnight Anchorage.

Anchorage to Denali National Park

Depart Anchorage and follow the Glenn Highway northbound. A few interesting stops along this highway are the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the village of Eklutna. Continuing on the Parks Highway towards Denali National Park, you drive through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Denali State Park. Take a side tour to the quaint town of Talkeetna, known for its special back-country town charm. Weather permitting Talkeetna can have one of the best views of the mountain Denali and the Alaska Range. From here you can depart on a spectacular flightseeing tour to land on a glacier on Denali or a jetboat tour. Upon arrival in Denali, you may wish to attend a dinner theater.  Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Denali National Park

Enjoy a free day in the Denali area. You may wish to add an optional bus tour into Denali National Park (select during the booking process) or tours in the Denali Park entrance area such as an ATV, rafting or flightseeing tour. Hiking and dog sled demonstrations are also excellent opportunities. Overnight near the Denali park entrance.

Denali National Park to Wasilla

Today drive the Parks Highway back south to the Wasilla area. Points of interest in the Mat-Su area include the Iditarod Museum, the Independence Mine State Historical Park, the Musk Ox farm and the reindeer farm. Overnight in the Palmer/Wasilla area.

Wasilla to Seward

Drive south towards the Kenai Peninsula today, passing scenic landscapes on your way to Seward. You have all day to explore the scenic driving route. You may visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a home for orphaned animals of Alaska and a great place for kids to see! As you enter Seward, you can stop at Exit Glacier, one of Alaska’s most accessible glaciers. Depending on your arrival time in Seward you may have time to stop by the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. The SeaLife Center is a state-of-the-art marine science facility where you can get an up close look at Alaska’s diverse marine life and sea birds. Overnight in Seward.

Seward

The morning is free to explore Seward.  At around noon you’ll depart on a 4.5-hour cruise through the rich waters of Resurrection Bay. The area boasts abundant wildlife, glaciers, and breathtaking scenery. The cruise stops at Fox Island for lunch at a lodge. You have time for beach combing and skipping rocks, or to attend the National Park Ranger educational program before continuing your cruise. Keep watch for Stellar sea lions, harbor seals, eagles and whales. Cruise past the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, home to a large variety of birds, such as puffins and cormorants. See Bear Glacier at a distance, the largest glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. The evening is at your leisure in Seward. Overnight in Seward.

Seward to Anchorage

Before you depart Seward, tour Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey’s Iditarod Racing Kennel, meet famous sled dogs, cuddle adorable puppies, dress up as an Iditarod musher, and take in the spectacular Alaskan wilderness as you mush for two miles with an Iditarod racer. Your drive back to Anchorage today is an excellent opportunity to stop by Portage Glacier and tour the visitor’s center or ride the aerial tram to the top of Mt. Alyeska in Girdwood. Overnight in Anchorage, at a midtown area hotel.

Anchorage Departure

Depending on your departure time, you might have free time for some souvenir shopping or additional excursions. Return your car to the Anchorage airport rental car station. Depart or start an additional program.