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Going to Alaska is a bucket list trip for a reason! It is one of the most incredible states in the US. The landscape is truly one of a kind from glaciers to the impressive forests and giant mountains. This magical trip will let you see all the incredible wildlife, impressive landscapes, and unique foods. Alaska is truly the last frontier of the USA. 14 days in Alaska might seem like too much, but it will really only scratch the surface. In this itinerary, we will leverage a cruise to get to the many different port cities. We highly recommend going on a cruise to Alaska.
14 Days in Alaska Map
Arriving in Alaska
This is probably the most complicated part of the trip! It took us two whole days to get to Fairbanks. You don’t realize just how far north Alaska is until you have to get there. We recommend looking at multiple different types of options to arrive to Alaska. Either arrive early to Anchorage and drive to Fairbanks or use separate flights to get there. For example, we left North Carolina for Denver, stayed the night, then flew to Anchorage before connecting to Fairbanks.
For the first couple of days of your 14 days in Alaska, we will give you some options for things to do, including driving from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Most importantly, we will ensure you don’t stay too long in Fairbanks, as it isn’t so fun and there isn’t much to do.
Land Exploring (on your own)
Getting to Alaska is complicated, as I mentioned above, but getting there a couple of days before your cruise tour begins is a great idea. This gives you time to explore the “Golden Heart” of Alaska. If you choose to rent a car and drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks, there are several fun stops along the way. Of course, you can spend some days in Fairbanks and explore the local area, book some excursions, or simply relax.
Anchorage to Fairbanks Drive:
This drive is ideal if you want to spend more time at the Denali National Park compared to the time given in the Cruise Tour. In Denali National Park, you have the option to go white water rafting, go on some incredible hikes, and hopefully see some of Alaska’s amazing wildlife. In your 14 days in Alaska, you are bound to see moose, dall sheep, bald eagles, and hopefully some bears (once we get to the shore, we will discuss all the sea animals you’ll see).
Fairbanks Pre-Cruise:
- Take an Uber to North Pole, AK, to visit Santa
- Visit the Morris Thompson Cultural Center
- Go floating down the Chena River
- Stroll in Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
- Check out the Brewery Scene
- See the ice at the Fairbanks Ice Museum
- Soak in the Chena Hot Springs
Days 1-3: Cruise Tour
Fairbanks
For the start of your cruise tour, you’ll load onto the correct bus from your cruise lodge and get shuttled down to Healy. There will be a stop in Nenana. This is why we highly recommend arriving at a minimum of the day before your cruise tour is set to start. This gives you time to do a little exploring. If you’re only there for a couple of hours, head to the Morris Thompson Cultural Center. It’s totally worth it. You can also go to the Reindeer Station to see some reindeer!
Denali National Park
Your first stop will be to the north of Denali National Park in Healy, AK. Here, we recommend going on a UTV or ATV tour. While this tour cannot actually go inside the national park, it is essentially there. It truly is so much fun, plus they feed you an incredible meal. If you didn’t drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks and you want to spend time at the park, there are shuttles that will take you from the hotel to the Visitor’s Center.
The second stop is just south of the national park. We did the cruise tour, where this leg was a train ride. I recommend making the middle leg the train for two reasons. 1. You get to see the entire national park via train, which is amazing. 2. If you do the last leg via train, you are the last people to get onto the cruise, which sucks, and you don’t have time to explore Whittier.
This second stop gives you time to explore Talkeetna. Talkeetna is about an hour away from the hotel, so explore the town THEN go to the hotel. Here, there are some pretty cool restaurants and shops. Check out the unique Spinach Bread. Plus, if you head down to the river, you might be able to see Denali (Denali is huge; if you think you saw it, you didn’t. You’ll know it when you see it). I can recommend going to Shirley’s Homemade ice cream to get huckleberry and fireweed ice cream. Additionally, go to the Alaskan Wood Spoon shop for incredible wood spoons and spatulas (I use mine all the time). If you’d like an excursion, I recommend this seaplane excursion.
Anchorage & Whittier
You will board the cruise in Whittier, but first, a lunch pit stop in Anchorage. Anchorage was one of my favorite places to explore. Head to the K Street Market for coffee at That Feel Co and for amazing sandwiches at Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop. Absolutely everything there was amazing. Then I recommend walking around and slowly making your way to the Mushing District. Here you’ll see many cool items about the Iditarod. Of course, hit up the gift shops for some light shopping and get ice cream at Wild Scoops.
The drive to Whittier is very picturesque. The right side of the bus offers incredible views of the water and glacial silt. On the left, you’ll likely see Dall Sheep on the side of the mountains. The tunnel to Whittier is an experience on its own. It is the only way in and out of the town, and you can only cross once an hour. Even the train goes through the tunnel to get into town. Whittier is small and extremely walkable. After getting everything on the cruise, go out to explore the town. Get some locally harvested salt in town and some cool pictures of your cruise.
Days 4-11: Cruise
The first day on the cruise is a sea day. This is perfect for sleeping in, relaxing, and exploring the cruise ship. Take it easy and have fun. On our sea day, we had a huge storm, so we spent a lot of time exploring, going to the Naturalist chats, and trying not to bump into things when the waves hit.
Scenic Cruising: Glacier Bay National Park
This is definitely one of the most iconic things to do in Alaska. While you did see the Hubbard glacier the day before, nothing holds a candle to the Glacier Bay National Park. When the ship enters the park, Park Rangers will join the ship. They will host a learning session about the park and all its animals. There will be a National Park “visitor’s booth” to get your stamp if you collect those and to ask the rangers questions.
Prepare to dress warmly, get some hot chocolate or coffee, and grab your camera and binoculars. Throughout the visit, the rangers will give information about the park, the glaciers, and some of the wildlife. We saw so many sea otters (a true highlight for me). Then we saw 5 different glaciers. Each is unique in its own way. You will want to be on your balcony or out on the deck to see as much as possible.
PRO TIP: Not all cruises have this park on their itinerary because the park only allows two cruises to enter a day. So while it might be easy to skip this stop, don’t skip it! It is absolutely worth it!
Icy Straight Point & Hoonah
After your incredible day at Glacier Bay National Park, you’ll head to your first port stop. Icy Straight Point was essentially created for the cruise visitors. They have the world’s largest zip line and two cable cars. One of them is free, and the other one has a cost to get to the top of the zip line at the top of the mountain. You can walk back from the top of the zip line mountain down to the town. There are several restaurants and shopping. Our top recommendation here is to go whale watching. The bay by Icy Straight Point has the best whale watching (yes, better than Juneau). We recommend this whale-watching excursion for a smaller-boat experience.
PRO TIP: Walk the mile to Hoonah for lunch at The Fisherman’s Daughter, then tell the whale watching tour company that you’re already in Hoonah, so they don’t wait for you in Icy Straight Point. You’ll find their offices clearly marked right across the street from the boat docks. Take the tour company shuttle back to Icy Straight Point to rejoin the cruise.
Juneau
Juneau has many great excursion options. We opted for a helicopter tour to a glacier and dog sledding. Dog sledding is a must-do in Alaska. Mendenhall Glacier is another glacier you can go see with a quick bus ride from downtown. You can also rent a car and explore on your own. Seaplanes are another great way to get to a glacier or to a Native Alaskan village to learn about local Alaskans. There is also a cable car that takes you to the mountain in Juneau for some great views and a hike down.
After all your excursions, spend some time exploring the city. There are many great shops. Check out Jellyfish Donuts for a salmon donut. Head to the famous Red Dog Saloon or Tracy’s King Crab Shack for some of the most famous eats in Juneau. Don’t worry, there are plenty of salmon and king crab options in Ketchikan if Tracy’s is too expensive for you (it was for us).
Fun Fact! Juneau is the only US capital that is not accessible by road; you can only get there via boat or plane. It is also the only one without a Walmart!
PRO TIP: Have a backup plan for your excursion in Juneau because it rains a lot, and your excursion might be canceled, especially if it involves flying.
Ketchikan
This is Larry’s favorite town of the whole trip, and with good reason. It is very walkable, the food was amazing, and Creek Street was just so cute. If you want to see salmon runs, Ketchikan is the one for you. Be sure to go during the salmon run season (July-September). A great excursion if you’re into fishing is a salmon fishing excursion. You can also go on the Deadliest Catch Ship to learn about how they fish for king crab. Another popular excursion is a Lumberjack show. We wanted to go snorkeling in Ketchikan, but it sold out too fast. So if that’s of interest, book quickly.
Vancouver
As your cruise makes its way to Vancouver, there is one more spot to see whales between Vancouver Island and Vancouver. We end our adventure in Canada. Our cruise arrived early in the morning, and we spent the day exploring Vancouver before heading home that night. Luckily, we got a direct flight home from Vancouver. For our last day of these 14 days in Alaska, I recommend booking a Hop On Hop Off Bus so they can hold your luggage and you have built-in transportation around the city. We really liked Granville Island. We even got to see some harbor seals in the Vancouver harbor.
FAQs: Planning A Trip To Alaska
How do I pack for Alaska weather?
This is incredibly difficult. On any given day, it can be below freezing, then sunny, then hot, and then raining. My best recommendation is LAYERS and waterproof socks. Bring lightweight layers you can easily put on and take off (with a lightweight backpack). Ponchos and rain/wind jackets are better than umbrellas. Waterproof socks and waterproof spray for your shoes are also game changers. Think about wind and rain when packing, then hope for the best.
How far out should I book?
Most people recommend booking your cruise up to 2 years before you want to go. This can help you find good deals and a lower price. Alaskan cruises and excursions can be notoriously expensive. With more time, you can save more money to go on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Additionally, this gives you time to really narrow down which excursions you’d like to do. We booked about 9 months out, which worked for us but felt a bit tight at times.
Final Thoughts about Spending 14 Days in Alaska
As you can see, there is so much to do and see in Alaska that 14 days doesn’t always feel like enough. By doing an internal portion of Alaska as well as a cruise portion, you really get a good sense of this amazing state. Of course, while you’re there, you’ll likely start planning your next trip back! We absolutely loved our time in Alaska, constantly being in awe of the different things we saw and did. Make sure to eat plenty of salmon before heading home and sharing your experience with us.
