Alaska in August
Planning a trip to Alaska in late August 2022 and seeking recommendations! I went to Alaska as a teenager about 20 years ago and remember loving it, but this time I'll be bringing my almost-9-year-old and I expect at least some Covid restrictions will still be in place, so it will be a different experience. We have three days already reserved at Katmai National Park and we are looking to fill another week to 10 days. Alaska is so big and I want to do so many things! What are some not-to-be-missed adventures with kids? Is it crazy to think we could squeeze in Katmai, Denali, and Glacier Bay in less than two weeks, and still enjoy ourselves? Thoughts on whether we might catch the Northern Lights in Fairbanks that early in the year? Our son is adventurous, active, and loves the outdoors, but we aren't at all interested in fishing or hunting.
I know this is all a little vague; just getting started on the planning process and hoping to hear any and all great ideas from those who have taken elementary-aged kids to AK in the past few years. Thank you!
Parent Replies
We took our 3 kids to Alaska last July (ages 9, 8 and 5).
Highlights included: Fairbanks (Running Reindeer Ranch), Denali (bus tour of the park and white water rafting with Denali Raft Adventures), Talkeetna was a cute little town and there are a lot of adventures you can go on from there. We went with Alaska Sled Dog Tours and had a blast. Learning all about the Iditarod and then going on a sled with wheels (in the summer) with the dogs was so much fun.
Btw, the train from Denali to Talkeetna was gorgeous and I'd highly recommend the Wilderness Explorer Train. Conductor was awesome with tons of stories, fun facts, the food was incredible and the views were amazing.
We also rented a car and drove from Anchorage to Seward. Gorgeous drive and loved the Alaskan Wilderness Conservation Center. In Seward we hiked to Exit Glacier, played at the beautiful local playground/ skate park and did the Northwestern Fjords Tour which was amazing. We saw everything from humpbacks to killer whales, seals, etc. Those were the highlights from our trip. The weather there is very unpredictable and it rained about 1/3 of the time - just come prepared and it'll be fine. Our kids absolutely loved it!
I grew up spending summers and winters in alaska. End of august you can definitely catch the northern lights. Go to chena hot springs for a great experience. Denali is amazing but the bus rides into the park are looong, i think i went first when i was 9 but its a lot. River rafting there is also a highlight and pretty safe. You can also consider the kenai peninsula, the drive to seward is gorgeous, and further south to Homer is a also fun for clamming and boating. You cant really go wrong in the state, everything is gorgeous as long as the weather cooperates.