Known as the last frontier, Alaska is a rugged destination full of natural wonders that attract tourists from all over the world. In the summer, horseback tours, kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, ATV trips, flight-seeing and fishing are popular activities. In the winter, many travelers arrive in Alaska with their skis, snowboards and winter sports equipment as ski resorts and helicopter or heli skiing companies are both large attractions. The winter is also a great time to try dog sledding, or enjoy Alaska’s famous hot springs.
Tour Denali National Park
Locally known as Denali or the tall one, the snow-topped Mount McKinley is the tallest mountain in North America and the crown jewel of Alaska’s expansive Denali National Park. This outstanding wild area is located 100 miles from Fairbanks or two to four hours by car or train respectively. Covering six million acres, this majestic wilderness area is larger than some states. The park is home to the Alaska’s most important animals, including grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves and the region’s iconic Dall sheep. One unpaved road winds across the open valleys, tundra fields and boreal forests that cover the rippling foothills surrounding Mount McKinley. Wilderness expeditions lasting approximately eight hours take visitors into the heart of Alaska with frequent stops to capture the views and snap photos of your up-close-and-personal encounters with the local wildlife.
See the Magical Northern Lights
Winter might not seem like the best time to visit this frigid state, but may visitors wouldn’t dream of going any other time. The mystical Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are visible to tourists 200 hundred nights every year with the best natural displays occurring outside the summer months. Visitors flock to Fairbanks and northerly cities in the remote Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights at their best. Fairbanks is one of the most accessible tourist destinations in Alaska that also offers visitors a fantastic view of the northern lights. Unlike cities along the Inside Passage, those in the Interior have superior weather and fewer clouds to obscure the view. In recent years, international travelers off all ages have been making a pilgrimage to remote towns in the heart of the wilderness. However, these towns lack the shopping opportunities and tourist attractions that Fairbanks and larger cities offer.
Discover the Storied Inner Passage
Alaska is a popular cruise destination that provides vacationers with a wildly different experience. In fact, roughly half of all the state’s visitors arrive by ship. The majority of these cruises take travelers along Alaska’s spectacular Inner Passage, which boasts thousands of miles of coastline, the Glacier Bay National Park, fjords, whales and natural wonders of all kinds. The coastal cities of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Anchorage and Seward boast an unlimited variety of activities in winter and summer as do interior cities like Fairbanks. According to statistics, tourism in Alaska is down 10 to 25 percent due to the economy, which makes now a great time to take advantage of better deals and shorter lines.
