Alaska Excursions

Alaska Excursions

A wide range of trips throughout Southcentral Alaska.

Iditarod 41

Photos and stories from the last great race.

Anchorage: 47°/66°/Mostly sunny

Fairbanks: 45°/75°/Partly sunny

Juneau: 48°/69°/Cloudy

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Day trips south of Anchorage

More on Alaska travel highlights

Mat-Su, Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound, Copper River accommodations

Southcentral towns outside Anchorage often have a wide selection of lodging to accommodate visitors who come to town for a weekend's relaxation, to fish or to show off the state to relatives.

Inside Passage lodging: Juneau, Ketchikan and more

Visitors to Southeast Alaska have a lot of choices in lodging, from chain hotels in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan to fishing and hunting lodges tucked away on the shores of the Inside Passage.

Western Alaska lodging: Kodiak, Nome, Bethel and more

Western Alaska's grand expanse of terrain, water and wildlife attracts many visitors with an interest in the outdoors. Its larger cities -- Kodiak, Bethel, Unalaska/Dutch Harbor and Nome -- put up quite a few visitors and governmental and commercial guests for the night.

Northern Alaska lodging: Barrow and Kotzebue

Hotels in Barrow and Kotzebue, in Northern Alaska, cater to tour groups, which arrive by plane from Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Interior lodging and restaurants: Fairbanks, Denali and more

Interior Alaska has a broad range of accommodations, from rustic cabins to hotel suites with kitchens.

Anchorage-area hotels, B&Bs, hostels, lodges and resorts

Lodging in Alaska

Green buses shuttle visitors into Denali

Flightseeing at Denali

Denali campground guide

Bus service to Denali

Limited offer: Drive Denali for free

Tundra wildlife and natural history tours

Rafting the Nenana reveals Denali's wet side

Alaska Railroad to Denali

Reserve campsite, bus ticket early for Denali trip

Hiking and backcountry camping at Denali

Denali Institute ecosystem courses

Hotels, campgrounds, lodges welcome visitors

Driving Denali in autumn

Denali climate and sunshine

Driving to Denali

Ferry and cruise trips near Anchorage

Driving in Anchorage

Day trips south of Anchorage

Day trips north of Anchorage

A city of parks

Savvy shopping in Anchorage

Finding history

Attractions around Anchorage

Downtown Anchorage attractions

Kayaking a perfect sea -- Prince William Sound

Rafting and kayaking are good across North

River kayaking and rafting in Alaska

Kayaking the icy waters

Harvesting glacier ice

Ice worms on the glacier

Why is glacier ice blue?

Worthington Glacier

Kennicott Glacier

Matanuska Glacier

Exit Glacier

Glaciers in the distance

Other glaciers reachable by land

See the glaciers up close

Roadside glaciers

Glacier viewing in Alaska

Flightseeing at Denali

Flightseeing over Alaska's bush

Flightseeing in Alaska

Big catch, big cash

Ecotours in Alaska

Alaskans cruise Alaska

Health inspections of ships

Cruise lines serving Alaska

Alaska ports of call

Cruises in Alaska

Bird Creek is considered instant outdoors

Inside Passage camping

Arctic welcomes campers

Watch for wildlife and glaciers on way to Turnagain Arm, Girdwood, Portage and Whittier

Alaska.com

The Seward Highway south of Anchorage is one of the nation's most scenic. You can get more familiar with the animals and landscape in these locations.

McHugh Creek Picnic Area. Mile 112. Views of Turnagain Arm and a trail into the mountains of Chugach State Park. Restrooms.

Beluga Point. Good place to look for white whales and bore tides. Mile 110. (Mileage is measured from Seward, the southern end of the highway. Downtown Anchorage is at Mile 127.)

Dall sheep. Sheep feed on cliffs next to highway around Mile 107 at Windy Corner. Watch for slow traffic and pedestrians. Parking in a turnout.

Bird Creek. Salmon fishing in summer. Mile 101. A three-mile paved trail to Indian starts at the campground south of the creek.

Bird Point Scenic Overlook. Look for whales. 6-mile-long "Bird-to-Gird" hike-and-bike trail parallels the highway to Girdwood. Mile 96.

Girdwood. Alyeska ski area, tram rides up mountain year-round, gold panning, access to start of trail over mountains to Eagle River Nature Center. Turn off Seward Highway at Mile 90, a 30- to 45-minute drive south of Anchorage. (Map)

Portage and Whittier

Portage Lake and Whittier aren't in the Municipality of Anchorage, but their only land access is through sprawling Anchorage. Portage Lake/Whittier turnoff is 48 miles south of downtown Anchorage, at Mile 79 of the Seward Highway. Look for the quake-damaged ruins and skeletal forest of Portage town.

Portage Glacier. Landlocked glaciers and lake are a popular stop. Watch for moose and bears. Salmon-viewing deck. Hike less than a mile to Byron Glacier. The lake and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center are 5 miles from the highway. Part of Chugach National Forest.

The 11-mile road to Whittier turns off the Portage road near the visitor center and goes through a short tunnel and past the lake, where there's a great viewing area. The tollboth for the main tunnel is a little farther up the road.

Whittier. Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Prince William Sound town is continent's longest highway tunnel at 2.5 miles, and it's shared with the railroad. Whittier features saltwater fishing and kayaking. (Map)

The toll for driving the tunnel starts at $12 round-trip for cars and light trucks. There's a schedule for tunnel traffic.