Things To Do

University of Alaska Museum of the North

Pioneer Park

Wacky 50's style tourist spot with a hodgepodge of things. Just note - the Salmon Bake is not very good.

Large Animal Research Station

North Pole

A tumor town off of Fairbanks with Candy Cane light posts, Claus' house, a giant creepy Santa, a "North Pole", and a fantastic fancy Chinese restaurant.

Denali National Park and Preserve

Alaska Railroad - Fairbanks Depot

Ride a passenger train through Alaska wild lands.

Talkeetna

Cute tourist town that has tour flights to Denali and glacial views.

Hatcher Pass

If you are driving down to or from Anchorage this alternate route between Palmer and Willow is worth the added time.

Kenai Peninsula

South go Anchorage, this is one of my favorite summer spots in Alaska, there is fishing, hiking, horseback riding, walks along the beach, camping, boating, glacier cruises, wildlife watching, whale spotting and a huge pile of towns and parks to visit. If you are in Alaska for more than a couple days you must get down there.

The Dalton Highway - Road to the Artic Ocean

Artic Circle Sign: Welcome to the land where the sun doesn't rise in the deep of winter and doesn't set on the 21st of June. Wiseman: Nested into the foothills of the Brooks range, this town is a window into what AK was like when it was truly a frontier. Brooks Range: Beautiful mountain range the Dalton passes through. Galbraith Lake Campground: My go-to stop on the tundra to spend the night. Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse : End of the line - somewhere between an industrial complex and a space station. Multiple places to stay but I would recommend the Aurora. They have the best food with dine-in and to-go buffet (you can fill as many containers as you would like and staying there isn't cheap so load up!) along with snack bars with cheese sticks, chips, drinks, etc. Artic Ocean: If you want to take a dip you will need to schedule at least 24-hours in advance for security clearance (you will be driven through a secured oil field to get to it). If you want beauty fly to Utqiaġvik instead.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Kennecott, and McCarthy

Receding glacier hikes, preserved mining complex, and unique little tourist town - I have only explored this area a little bit so I can guarantee there's loads more, but just the little I've seen I can highly recommend.

Valdez

Another beautiful costal town, definitely worth a stop if you're travels take you to Wrangell-St. Elias.

Sourdough Saloon & Dawson City

For those who might have more time, a passport, and reliable transportation take the ride along Top of the World highway, across the Yukon via ferry, to Dawson City, Canada. There you can take a shot and join the ranks of Sourtoe Cocktail Club with the aid of a fake Canadian Captain.

The Milepost Guidebook

The best guidebook if planning to drive through Alaska. When you don't have service, you can easily identify your location and find nearby necessities with just your mile post # and highway name.