Around 1.7 million people take an Alaska cruise each summer, but there’s another way to visit the Last Frontier. Experience the wilderness on an Alaska road trip itinerary that goes from Talkeetna to Seward.

Alaska is America’s largest state by area, and one of its most remote. Its nickname comes from its huge swaths of protected, undeveloped land. With more coastline than all other US states combined, North America’s highest mountain, and over 100,000 glaciers, its extreme wilderness has long captured the imagination of pioneers and adventure seekers. Only a bush plane can access some places. Bears, moose, caribou, and bald eagles thrive in the nature preserves. That wild scenery makes it the perfect backdrop for an Alaska road trip itinerary.

We drove this 7-day Alaska itinerary with a camper van to try activities in Alaska’s interior and its coast. We walked on glaciers, rafted wild rivers, and spotted humpback whales. At night, we slept surrounded by moss-covered forests or snow-capped mountains.

See the 49th State up close on your own Alaska road trip itinerary by following this route. While the itinerary can be reversed, driving north to south will save one of Alaska’s most beautiful drives for last.

The best time of year for an Alaskan road trip

Summer’s warmer days and long daylight hours make it a popular season to visit Alaska. Around the solstice, Anchorage never truly darkens, with up to 22 hours of functional sunlight.

To avoid congestion, try May and September. Be prepared for road closures and variable weather if adventuring in the shoulder season.

Road trips during the Alaskan winter are possible, but your routes will be more limited. Activities include Aurora Borealis tours, dog sledging, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. 

Renting a car or RV in Alaska

Anchorage is central in Alaska’s road system and a major transportation hub. Numerous outfitters rent vehicles, trucks with rooftop tents, and full hook-up RVs Some will deliver a camper to Ted Stevens International Airport for a fee, with notice.

We rented a Mercedes Sprinter from Vanderlust Vans. It slept three, had a hot shower, a microwave, and a gas stove, but no sewer hookups.

Where to park a camper van in Alaska

A camper van means your bed travels with you! Dispersed camping is available in some areas, like the Chugach National Forest. Find a scenic pullout and set up camp for free. Other options along the route include US Forest Service, town, and private campgrounds with sewer and water. Our trip combined all three over the seven days.

If the idea of a USA road trip excites you, check out some of our other USA road trip guides to give you inspiration :

• Top tips for a USA coast to coast road trip
• A 10-Day Deep South Road Trip Itinerary: New Orleans to Nashville
• The Ultimate 7-Day Florida Road Trip: Orlando to Miami
• An Arizona road trip: Scottsdale, Page, Sedona and The Grand Canyon
• LA To San Diego: A 7-Day California Road Trip

What to know about driving in Alaska

Summertime is construction season. Limited highways leave few alternate routes, so expect slowdowns. Top up fuel tanks and watch the mileage, as distances are long between towns once you’re out of Anchorage. Be ready to spot wildlife at any time. We knew the brakes worked when a moose crossed in front of us near Talkeetna!

7-Day Alaska Road Trip Itinerary From Talkeetna to Seward

Day 1: Explore Anchorage

Give one day to adjust to the time zone, especially if you fly in late, as we did. We booked two hotel nights in Midtown Anchorage and spent a day wandering Alaska’s largest city.

We started at the Anchorage Museum. In three hours, we learned about earthquakes, volcanic activity, indigenous cultures, and local sea life. The interactive Discovery Center was as engaging for me as it was for my kid. Pretend to drive an icebreaker or create a volcano out of wax. Our kid loved it so much he wanted to return later.

On the walk to lunch, the guessing game of “seaplane or bush plane?” was a win. The sky buzzed all day with activity from Lake Hood Seaplane Base. We passed by on our way to Earthquake Park, where Anchorage preserved a landslide triggered by the 1964 Alaskan earthquake. 

Our walk taught an unrelated but important lesson: Alaskan mosquitoes are no joke. They swarmed exposed skin the second we paused to read a sign. We jammed our hands into our pockets, pulled the rain jacket hoods low, and walked quickly. 

Restaurants were packed at 6 pm on Friday. We landed at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse, which had the eclectic vibes of an 80s dive bar but served delicious fish and chips.

Day 2: Pick Up RV & Head North

Estimated distance: 117 miles

The morning began with picking up the camper van from Vanderlust Vans. The company sent an orientation video a week ahead, which let us hit the road sooner.

Heading north on Alaska Highway 1 and 3, take your pick of easy hikes or attractions. Reflections Lake Trail in the Palmer Hay Flats is an easy walk right off Glenn Highway. On sunny days, the Chugach Mountains reflect on the surface. Another hike option, Talkeetna Lakes Park, has interconnected trails around several lakes and kayak rentals. 

Alaska is a top producer of birch syrup, which we tasted at Kalhitna Birchworks. The flavour is richer than maple syrup. It’s also more labour-intensive, with 100 trees needed to produce one gallon. Sample the difference or try the birch-flavoured ice cream.

The Susitna River has limited dispersed camping options, so we backtracked to Sunshine Creek Campground off Parks Highway. The Mat-Su Borough campground came with a fire ring, picnic table, pit toilets, and creek access. Spots are first-come, first-served, but we had no problem picking a campsite.

Day 3- Tour Talkeetna 

Estimated distance: 32 miles

America’s tallest mountain looms on the Talkeetna horizon, but rain and clouds obscured Denali as we arrived at this historic mining town. We tucked into a warm breakfast of cinnamon rolls and razzies at the Roadhouse Inn. The bakery stays open until pastries sell out, usually 3- 5 p.m. 

Flags and stickers from climbing expeditions dating back to the 1970s line the dining room. Denali climbers use Talkeetna as a jumping-off point, as the mountain is closer here than in Denali National Park. 

Talkeetna sits at the confluence of the Susitna, Talkeetna, and Chulitna rivers. June snow and glacier melt churned the waters into a powerful grey eddy at the end of Main Street. Walk along the riverfront, or cross over the railroad bridge and onto an island for a secluded picnic. Be careful when crossing. Signs warn hikers to yield to ATVs, as locals use the bridge to reach their homes in the roadless wilderness beyond. 

For the afternoon, we checked in at the Talkeetna River Guides’ Main Street yurt for a Chulitna River family-friendly rafting trip. The guided adventure launches at Denali State Park for a row through a canyon into the twisting maze of a wild river. Bald eagles watched our progress, perched on whole trees washed down by the spring melt. 

Interested in checking out some of the best National Parks in the USA? This guide gives you everything you need to know about 15 USA National Parks you must visit.

The sun peeked just in time to frame Talkeetna as we returned. We followed our guide’s suggestion and tried fish and chips at the Fairview Inn, the best meal of our trip. A mead tasting flight from Denali Brewing next door ended our day in Talkeetna.

We drove to Susitna Landing Campground near Willow. Another Mat-Su Borough facility, the riverfront campground has electricity, showers, and vault toilets.

Day 4- Hatcher Pass with Alaskan Huskies and ATV

 Estimated distance: 210 miles

Willow is the official restart location of the Alaskan Iditarod, a roughly 1,000-mile dog sled race starting annually on the first Sunday in March. We met some of the competitors at Snowhook Adventures. The over 70 Alaskan huskies showed off their distinct personalities. Some shied away while others poked noses into pockets, hunting for treasures. One named Red bonded with our kid and rolled over for a belly rub. 

Huskies keep training in the summer. Our guide hooked a team to a 9-seater UTV for a ride to the Iditarod site. As we bounced down the trail around mud pits, she explained the huskies could pull the vehicle with the engine off, but then they’d grow too strong to control on winter sleds.

Afterward, we headed to Snowhook Adventures’ Hatcher Pass base to drive UTVs ourselves. The rain persisted as our UTV plunged through creeks and ascended over old pipes and quartz boulders, past mining claims old and new into a mossy valley. The beauty shone through despite the drizzle. 

The dirt road through Hatcher Pass opens only for a few months. Pressed for time and unsure of traction around the tighter turns in the rain, we opted to return the way we came. 

Finished with the Alaskan Interior, we headed south to Seward on a roughly 3-hour drive. This evening we parked at a pullout overlooking a field of bluebells and the Chugach Mountains on the Kenai Peninsula. 

Day 5- Seward and Wildlife Cruise

Estimated distance: 24 miles

Seward is the launching point for glacier and wildlife tours into Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay. The perfect activity to add to your Alaska road trip itinerary.

Our three-hour Resurrection Bay express tour with Kenai Fjords Tours departed at 8 am. Cloudless sunshine and calm waters had even the captain remarking on the exceptionally good conditions. 

In an audiobook-worthy voice, the captain narrated our journey to waterfalls in hidden coves, past hanging glaciers to cliffs packed with nesting kittiwakes and puffins. Sunbathing Steller sea lions ignored our presence, but the harbour seal pups popped onto the rocks. A sea otter family stared as the boat backed away to give a mom and pup space.

Two humpback whales emerged on the return to Seward. They surfaced in slow arcs as if showing off. When finished, they lifted their tails in a synchronised dive.

Back on land, we drove the 12 miles into Kenai Fjords National Park. Signs along the road and trail mark Exit Glacier’s retreat by year. From the year 2000 sign, a rock face hides the retreating glacier’s current terminus.

For dinner, we temporarily left Seward for Las Vegas at the Flamenco Lounge. The gilt ceiling and red velvet benches were talking points, but again, the halibut and chips were the star. 

That evening’s camp was 20 minutes north at Renfro’s Lakeside Retreat, a full campground with RV hookups, hot showers, and laundry on Kenai Lake.

Day 6- Portage Valley & Whittier

Estimated distance: 82 miles

After a slow morning watching the fog roll across Kenai Lake, we began heading north through the Chugach National Forest. Sprinkles of rain created rainbows over the peaks and valleys on another sunny day.

We took multiple hikes along the way, but chose Byron Glacier in Portage Valley for the chance to get up close to a glacier. Our kid discovered that compressed ice pellets make terrible snowballs, but a decent sledging hill. The main glacier hangs far above, but dirt-crusted patches are accessible on the valley floor. 

From Byron Glacier, we drove to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. It runs 2.5 miles through Maynard Mountain. The one-way road alternates direction at specific times and with the Alaska Railroad. Check the timetable before you go.

Whittier and Prince William Sound await on the other side of the narrow darkness. In summer, commercial boats, sailboats, and cruises pack the harbour. Private boats launch and recover in an endless stream from the town’s ramp. Waterfront restaurants serve freshly caught fried fish and shrimp with a side of coffee and a view.

Back through the tunnel, we found Portage Valley’s dispersed camping spots full. We parked at Black Bear Campground, a first-come, first-served National Forest area with pit toilets, picnic tables, and a fire ring. 

Day 7- Turnagain Arm & Return

Estimated distance: 48 miles

Experience the sights along Turnagain Arm on the return drive to Anchorage. The road runs along towering coastal mountains and Cook Inlet. Pull-offs along the way encourage you to admire the view and, at the right time of the month, spot surfers riding the bore tide.

Girdwood is a town off the arm. Chalets and towering ski lifts give it European ski-town vibes. You don’t need to stay at Alyeska Resort to hike there. Winner Creek Trail starts behind the aerial tram. Walk through a boreal rainforest where ancient trees tower overhead and ferns carpet the forest floor. 

For high adventure, try Chutes and Ladders: an unmarked trail with ropes and handmade ladders that descends into a canyon.

We had no luck spotting beluga whales at the Bird Point and Beluga Point lookouts. Our visit to Indian Valley Gold Mine was more productive. A quick panning lesson from the proprietors gave our kid gold-panning fever after spotting flecks of Alaskan gold and garnets. It was the perfect souvenir to end our Alaskan road trip.

Additional top activities to do in Alaska

A few things on our Alaska road trip itinerary that we skipped due to time, budget, or other family interests:

• Salmon fishing. June is early in the season, but we met some anglers who landed fish on their excursions.

• Whitewater Rafting. Several locals recommended Six-Mile Creek in the Kenai Peninsula, but age limits kept us off it.

• Floatplane tour. The views are spectacular, and it’s how to reach remote places like Katmai National Park.

• Harding Icefield. This hike was too ambitious for our group, but returning hikers reported incredible views and a bear sighting.

Have you been to Alaska?

This 7-day Alaska camping road trip itinerary packs a lot into a week. What are the best things to do in Alaska? What activities would you add to this bucket list?

Casey McKenna-Monroe

Travel writer covering adventure and family travel. Find her on the water rowing or kayaking, or in the woods on hiking and backpacking trips. She is based in the Carolinas. Check out her blog www.mcmotravel.com or her social media @mcmotravels.