- Get a car. If your trip does not have a car wait for rental availability. Trains can get delayed and uber/ lyft/taxi can get expensive. Your trip is truly limited without a car.
- Alaska weather can be unpredictable. There are far fewer weather stations in Alaska, so the weather on your phone may not be analogous to what you see outside.
- Book excursions that include wildlife. It’s really exciting to see sea lions and bears. The excursions show you some “can’t miss” stuff.
- Lower your food expectations. Some girls we met on our trip said it best: “they have the best ingredients and the worst food.”
- Be friendly. Alaskans are so welcoming and will do really nice things for you. We got upgraded on our train simply because we made an effort to converse with the staff.
- Do your research. If Wi-Fi is a must for you make sure your hotel includes it.
- Shop local. Supporting the Alaskan economy helps these people continue their small businesses.
- Expect long wait times. There are staff shortages all over the place here.
- If you end up taking the train do not check your bags. It takes quite a while to get them when you get off the train.
- In Denali Google Maps is not accurate when it comes to showing where restaurants are. When my husband and I tried to walk to a Thai restaurant we walked two miles in the wrong direction and got caught in the rain.
- If you are not from Alaska or Hawaii you will be known as someone from the “lower 48.”
- Go to Homer
- Take a cruise in Seward, but prepare your stomach so you don’t get sick on the ship
