Alaska Travel Guide

In 1867, the territory of Alaska was purchased from the Russians for $7.2 million. It took until 1959 for the territory to become a State of the Union. Alaska is the 49th and largest state in the United States of America. Separated from the rest of the country by Canada, Alaska lies on the Arctic Circle.

Alaska Travel Guide - Cities

* Anchorage -- Alaska's largest city.
* Barrow -- Northernmost city in the United States
* Deadhorse -- State's oil center, the production facilities are off limits to visitors
* Dutch Harbor -- Largest city in the Aleutian Islands
* Eklutna
* Fairbanks -- Alaska's second largest city
* Homer -- Halibut Fishing Capital of the World, Kachemak Bay State Park, Katmai National Park
* Juneau -- State capital and third largest city.
* Ketchikan -- Alaska's southernmost city and the first Alaska port for northbound cruise-ship travellers.
* Kodiak -- The Island Town
* Nome
* Petersburg -- A community on the Inside Passage
* Seward -- Resurrection Bay
* Sitka -- On Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska, was once the colonial capital when Alaska was a Russian possession.
* Talkeetna -- Small historic town 3 hours south of Denali.
* Valdez -- Prince William Sound, Alaska Pipeline, and Chugach Mountains
* Wrangell -- A community on the Inside Passage
* Yakutat -- A small town with a population around 1,000.

Alaska Travel Guide - Destinations

* Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
* Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
* Cape Krusenstern National Monument
* Denali National Park and Preserve
* Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
* Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
* Katmai National Park and Preserve
* Kenai Fjords National Park
* Kobuk Valley National Park
* Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
* Noatak National Preserve
* Wrangell - St. Elias National Park and Preserve
* Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve

Alaska Travel Guide - Get There

By plane

Anchorage itself, and to a lesser extent Fairbanks, are serviced by most major airlines. Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Juneau are also served by daily jet service through Alaska Airlines flights originating in Seattle and terminating in Anchorage. Other communities within the state are served by an extensive system of regional and local air services connecting to Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Ketchikan, the state's four largest urban areas. Air travel is the cheapest and most efficient form of transportation in and out of the state. Anchorage recently completed extensive remodeling and construction at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to help accommodate the upsurge in tourism (unofficial sources have estimated the numbers for 2004 at some four million tourists arriving in Alaska between May and September).

By car

Alaska is connected to the contiguous U.S. (known in Alaska as the "Lower 48") through Canada via the Alaska Highway. The highway is paved and maintained year-round. Sometimes it's a little too maintained, creating a uniquely Alaskan and Canadian situation: at any given time in the summer, you're bound to hit at least several dozen miles of road construction. Since the roads in construction zones usually have only one working lane, the construction companies operate "pilot cars" (usually pick-up trucks with yellow rotating beacons and large signs that say "Follow me"). They drive back and forth between the two ends of the construction zone and lead the vehicles safely to the other end. Depending on the length of the construction zone, the wait can be anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. Since there's only one main road, you can't really drive around the construction.

If you're planning to drive to or around Alaska, make sure to pick up a copy of The Milepost, which is widely regarded as the premiere road guide for western Canada and Alaska. Most roads in these regions have small white posts every mile or so indicating the number of miles from the start of the road. The Milepost has extremely detailed route descriptions of all of the roads, pointing out everything from scenic viewpoints and campgrounds down to the names of small creeks the roads pass over. If you're flying in to Anchorage and then driving around the state, wait and pick up a copy of The Milepost at one of the local Costcos or WalMarts--the price there is around half of list price.

By boat

The Alaska Marine Highway System operates a ferry service from Bellingham, Washington up the beautiful Inside Passage to Haines. Plan your travel early as this service tends to fill up fast. A connecting ferry can take you to Whittier, from which the Alaska Railroad connects to Anchorage. Some private companies operate shuttle vans between Whittier and Anchorage as well.

Various cruise lines sail up the Inside Passage as well, typically ending in Seward or Whittier (they usually provide transportation to Anchorage and may even include tours or your return air travel out of the state).

Alaska Travel Guide - Getting Around Alaska

Most cities and villages in the state are accessible only by sea or air. The Alaska Marine Highway System also serves the cities of Southeast and the Alaska Peninsula. Cities not served by road or sea can only be reached by air, accounting for Alaska's extremely well-developed Bush air services —an Alaskan novelty.

By plane

Although Anchorage itself is accessible via most major airlines, Alaska Airlines has a virtual monopoly on jet air travel within the state, meaning prices are extremely high. The airline offers frequent jet service (sometimes in combination cargo and passenger Boeing 737-200s) from Anchorage and Fairbanks to regional hubs like Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue, Dillingham, Kodiak, and other larger communities as well as to major Southeast and Alaska Peninsula communities. Smaller communities are served by the three main regional jet and turboprop commuter airlines: ERA Aviation, PenAir, and Frontier Flying Service. The smallest towns and villages must rely on scheduled or chartered Bush flying services using general aviation aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan, the most popular aircraft in use in the state. But perhaps the most quintessentially Alaskan plane is the Bush seaplane. The world's busiest seaplane base is Lake Hood, located next to Ted Stevens airport in Anchorage, where flights bound for remote villages without even an airstrip carry passengers, cargo, and lots of items from Costco and Sam's Club.

By train

The Alaska Railroad runs from Seward through Anchorage, Denali, and Fairbanks to North Pole, with spurs to Whittier and Palmer. The railroad is famous for its summertime passenger services but also plays a vital part in moving Alaska's natural resources, such as coal and gravel, to ports in Anchorage, Whittier and Seward. The Alaska Railroad is the only remaining railroad in North America to use cabooses on its freight trains. The route between Talkeetna and Hurricane (between Talkeetna and Denali) features the last remaining flag stop train service in North America. A stretch of the track along an area inaccessible by road serves as the only transportation to cabins in the area. Residents board the train in Talkeetna and tell the conductor where they want to get off. When they want to come to town, they wait by the side of the tracks and "flag" the train, giving it its name.

By car

Alaska is arguably the least-connected state in terms of road transportation. The state's road system covers a relatively small area of the state, linking the central population centers and the Alaska Highway, the principal route out of the state through Canada. The state capital, Juneau, is not accessible by road, which has spurred several debates over the decades about moving the capital to a city on the road system. One unique feature of the road system is the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which links the Seward Highway south of Anchorage with the relatively isolated community of Whittier. The tunnel is the longest road tunnel in North America at nearly 2.5 miles and combines a one-lane roadway and train tracks in the same housing. Consequently, eastbound traffic, westbound traffic, and the Alaska Railroad must share the tunnel, resulting in waits of 20 minutes or more to enter. Anchorage International Airport is serviced by all of the major national rental car chains as well as a number of independents, while Fairbanks is served by somewhat less. Some smaller towns around the state may have a national chain company presence.

By boat

One of the best ways to see Alaska is by cruise ship. Cruise ships bring you wonderfully close to glaciers, whales and rocky coasts. Larger boats offering more amenities, while small ships and yachts carrying 12-100 passengers go where the big ships can't, getting you up close to Alaska's nature and wildlife. Many vessels include naturalist guided hikes and sea kayaking right from the ship, perfect for active, casual travelers.

Cruise ships have 2 main itineraries: The Inside Passage Route going roundtrip from either Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, Canada and the Gulf Route running Northbound and Southbound cruises between Seattle/Vancouver and Seward/Whittier.

Companies offering cruises in Alaska include:

* Holland America. The Glacier Discovery Cruise offered by Holland America Line, runs between Seward and Vancouver, BC.
* Princess Cruises, offers both Inside Passage and Glacier Bay routes as well as roundtrips from San Francisco.
* Royal Caribbean.
* Celebrity Cruises.
* Norwegian Cruise Line, offers only roundtrips in Seattle and Vancouver.
* Carnival Cruises, has only one ship deployed in Alaska annually doing mainly Northbound and Southbound cruises.
* AdventureSmith Explorations. Specializes in small ship and yacht cruising in Alaska with over 25 years experience.

Ferry

* Alaska Marine Highway System, Phone: 1-800-526-6731. Ferry system serving many port towns throughout the inside passage. Cabins and vehicle transport is available on some vessels. Naturalists sometimes on board to give commentary on local wildlife etc.

Alaska Travel Guide - Eat

Alaskans love their food. Fresh or otherwise you need good feed to keep up with daily life here. The portions in this state are huge. Almost every little town will have a smoky diner where one can get a filling breakfast and lots of hot coffee. Try the reindeer sausage with your eggs and hash in the morning and you'll feel like a true Alaskan.

Two foods indigenous to this area are fireweed honey (distinctive and quite uniquely delicious), and spruce tip syrup made from the Sitka spruce which grows very commonly throughout Alaska. If you are sightseeing, please be sure to pick some up while you are there.

Many local restaurants close to the shore serve fresh halibut and salmon daily, right off the boats.

Alaska Travel Guide - Stay safe

Alaska is wild and beautiful, but does not tolerate fools easily. It is quite possible to get lost, cold and wet - and die - within sight of downtown Anchorage.

The remote parts of the state are its jewels, but be prepared for the trip you plan. Do your homework, and plan on being self-sufficient. Consider using a guide, or checking out local conditions with locals before jumping in the kayak, and heading for yonder point that looked so nice on the map.

Don't let this warning scare you away, necessarily, but know your limits, and plan your trip well.

Article Source: Wikipedia