Alaska Roadtrip 2025

Hop aboard the wackiest Alaskan road trip with my sister and me! Watch as we bumble our way through The Last Frontier in a trusty campervan, stumbling upon hidden treasures and jaw-dropping scenery. Snag yourself a camper or RV from Outdoorsy for an Alaskan escapade packed with untamed beauty and endless shenanigans. Roam, Snap, Amaze: Your Epic Adventure Is Calling! All the snazzy snapshots in this blog post were snapped by yours truly ©2025CrystalBusch!

Day 1: Landed in Anchorage, where we strutted around downtown like we owned the place, marveling at the murals. (like the one pictured above) Dinner was at Alaska's first Mexican restaurant, La Cabana, where the food was so amazing, we almost considered moving in.

Day 2: Picked up our trusty campervan and hit the Alaska Zoo. We hung out with wolves and a snow leopard (pictured above), while the bears gave us a masterclass in the art of lounging. Then, we cruised south to Seward, making pit stops at Beluga Point and Bore Tide Point along Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet (pictured above), hoping to catch a glimpse of Beluga Whales. Spoiler alert: we did! But they were as camera-shy as a celebrity avoiding the paparazzi. The scenery, though, was ready for its close-up. Next, we dropped by The Wildlife Conservation Center, where injured or orphaned animals get the VIP treatment. The moose were the stars of the show, with their size making us question everything we know about animals. (pictured above) Finally, we rolled into Seward, greeted by the Kenai Peninsula.

Day 3: Played tourist in Seward, checking out the Mile 0 Historic Iditarod Trail Marker and statues of legendary "Trail Blazers" like Alfred Lowell with his sled dogs and Jujiro Wada. The Alaskan SeaLife Center was next, where the birds and seals stole the spotlight. Puffins were serving cuteness overload, while the seals showcased their quirky personalities. We hopped on a Kenai Fjords Tour to spy on wildlife in Resurrection Bay, and the captain took a detour into the Gulf of Alaska to give us a real-life Free Willy moment with not one, but two different pods of Orcas (pictured above). Talk about a whale of a time!

Day 4: Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey! We zoomed south to Whittier, ready to conquer the Chugach National Forest like the intrepid explorers we pretend to be. Our quest? The Byron Glacier Trail (pictured above), where Byron Creek, a frosty glacial creek, flows with water so icy white that just looking at it made me shiver in my hiking boots. The trail gives you a front-row seat to the glacier, with mountains so rugged they probably shave with a chainsaw. After wrapping up our hike, we made our way to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, or as I like to call it, the Whittier Tunnel—where road trips meet train tracks in a 2.5-mile-long game of "who goes first?" It's the longest single-lane tunnel in North America, which is just a fancy way of saying "hold your breath and hope for no cave-ins." Emerging on the other side felt like being reborn, and we headed to Whittier for the grand 26 Glacier Cruise with Phillip Cruises & Tours, LLC. Picture this: we cruised in style with heated, enclosed areas, and even had a lunch break that didn't involve soggy sandwiches! The showstopper was the College Fjords in Prince William Sound, starring the Harvard Glacier (pictured above). I spy someone (ME) striking a pose with Harvard like it's their new BFF! This icy giant had me gawking at its sheer size and vibrant colors. We even saw it calving, but luckily, it wasn't a Titanic-sized chunk—our boat remained the unsinkable Molly Brown!

Day 5: There's nothing quite like watching the sun rise over a lake, unless you're a vampire, in which case, yikes! We set off from Whittier and headed north to Palmer, but not without a pit stop at the Reindeer Farm (pictured above). Feeding reindeer? Yes, please! They even had some young reindeer in a separate pen, practicing their rooftop runway walks—Santa's future sleigh team getting ready for the big time. My other favorite critters included Lily the Moose, and the Highland cows/steers with names like Harry, Seamus, and Gilly. I even got to feed Butch Cassidy the Bison, who has a strict "no sharing" policy when it comes to his snacks. And let's not forget Frankie the pig, snorting his way into our hearts!

Since one farm is never enough, we also swung by the Musk Ox Farm (pictured above). These guys were smaller than I thought, but their names stole the show. Each year, the baby musk oxen get names based on a theme. My favorite was the egg-themed year, with little ones named Quiche, Sunny, and Frittata. Talk about egg-cellent names! Those babies were cute enough to crack you up.

Our grand finale for the day was the Iditarod Trail Race Headquarters in Wasilla. The small museum there was like a treasure chest of tales, with the names of past winners and the red lantern award for the last musher to cross the finish line. I even got to see Togo on display (pictured above). Togo's story is one of epic endurance, leadership, and loyalty in saving Nome. While Balto might hog the spotlight, Togo was the real MVP, leading his team across the toughest and longest part of the treacherous relay, covering over 260 miles. Talk about a marathon!

Day 6: I woke up to views so stunning they’d make my morning coffee jealous—if I actually drank coffee! Picture this: mountains and a sunrise at my favorite turnout by the Nenana River. Denali National Park and Preserve is so extra, it has three different entrance signs (one is pictured above)! I found that oddly fascinating, like a park with an identity crisis. We hiked the Nenana River Trail (pictured above), which cleverly follows the Nenana River Canyon and winds through a mixed white spruce broadleaf forest (try saying that three times fast). The views were so incredible, I nearly tripped over my own feet. Next, we made our way to Riley Creek Campsite in Denali National Park and Preserve. We hopped on the courtesy shuttle bus to the Sled Dog Kennels, where we met the real stars of the show: the dogs! We even got to pet some of them, which was pawsitively delightful. They put on a dog sledding demo with a few of the canine athletes, but let's be honest, the puppies stole the show (pictured above)!

Day 7: We kicked off the day bright and early to catch the bus to East Fork (mile 43). The wildlife on this trip was like a scene straight out of a nature documentary! We saw 5 grizzly bears (three of them pictured above), a moose or two, several Dall Sheep doing their best mountain goat impressions, caribou, and more. Our bus driver was a real gem; he tossed out fun facts and some juicy history about Denali National Park like he was hosting a game show. It's mind-blowing how massive Denali National Park is, with over 6 million acres, and we only managed to poke around a tiny corner of it. Only about 30% of the people will see the peak of Mount Denali. (pictured above is the closest we came) After our wild animal escapades, we were itching to hit more trails, so we picked the Horseshoe Lake Trail (pictured above). The hike was smooth sailing until we hit the steps going downhill—about 4 sets, which screamed "good luck on the way back up!" Steps and I have a love-hate relationship. The views along the trail and Horseshoe Lake were worth every step, though. Once we were tuckered out for the day, we headed back to the campsite. And guess who decided to crash our campsite party? A porcupine! They look cute in pictures, but in real life, they're absolutely adorable with their little waddle (pictured above).

Day 8: Prepare to pack your bags and travel north to Fairbanks! Be sure to take in the breathtaking Alaskan scenery—just be careful not to stumble over your dropped jaw while doing so! When we rolled into Fairbanks, we moseyed on over to the Golden Heart Plaza to gawk at the "Unknown First Family," an 18-foot-tall fountain sculpture by Malcolm Alexander. This jaw-dropping structure gives you a 360-degree view, so you can spot a fur-covered family and their two loyal pooches, all doing their best impression of a compass, standing back to back and facing every which way (pictured above)! We embarked on a 15-minute sleigh ride south of Fairbanks along the Richardson Highway to the magical land of North Pole, where holiday decorations deck the halls—even when it's hotter than a reindeer's armpit in July. Our first stop was the Santa Claus House, where we couldn't resist snapping a pic of the jolly giant Santa statue (pictured above). Inside, the Santa Claus House was a treasure trove of goodies that would make even the Grinch's heart grow three sizes. I stumbled upon some woven coasters—one flaunting a puffin striking a pose like it's auditioning for a bird fashion show, and the other showcasing majestic mountains with "Alaska" proudly painted, as if the mountains needed a name tag.After our shopping spree, we hit up Little Richard's Diner, a blast-from-the-past rail car decked out with enough chrome and neon to make a disco ball jealous (pictured above)!

Day 9 & 10: All things Chena! Buckle up for the 56.5-mile adventure from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs Resort. It's like driving through a wildlife theme park, but with real animals! Keep your eyes peeled, because those moose love to hang out in the Chena River's water holes (2 pictured above). We even saw a moose mama with her two little ones at Slough Lake (1 pictured above)! Can you believe it? Talk about a VIP wildlife encounter! On our journey, we also bumped into two other bull moose who were just chilling, savoring the lovely day and their all-you-can-eat buffet. After rolling into Chena Hot Springs Resort and getting our room keys, we signed up for the grand tour of the Aurora Ice Museum. Let me tell you, the sculptures were so impressive that I almost expected them to start giving TED Talks. Post-tour, we decided to defrost ourselves in the hot spring (3 pictured above). I just wish there was a sign for the water depth—being vertically challenged, I suddenly felt like I was auditioning for a role in "Honey, I Shrunk the Tourist!" Kicking back and soaking in the hot springs between our two days felt like a delightful pit stop from the never-ending game of car tag and the perpetual motion marathon!

Day 11: Time to mosey on back south to Anchorage to return our trusty van, like returning a library book that's overdue for a joyride fee. As we cruised south, we hit up a few spots we earmarked for a return visit, because why not? One of these gems was the Hurricane Gulch Bridge, which boldly stretches across Hurricane Gulch. (two photos pictured above) It's perched on Parks Highway in Cantwell, and let me tell you, this bridge is so tall it could give a giraffe a run for its money—only topped by its railroad sibling. You simply have to see it up close, if only to gasp at the jaw-dropping views of the valley below. While in Cantwell, we couldn't resist a pit stop at Igloo City. (pictured above) This four-story concrete igloo was supposed to be a hotel, but the interior never got the memo. Instead, it was sold, and now there's a convenience store/gas station next door that closed in 2010. Because nothing says "road trip" like an igloo-shaped hotel that never was!

As we cruise down Parks Highway, we take a quick break to pay our respects at the Alaska Veterans Memorial. (pictured above) Right next to it, there's a panel that explains the details about the 1954 plane crash. Imagine this: Alaskan bush pilot Cliff Hudson swoops in like a hero after a C-47 broke apart mid-air over Kesugi Ridge. Unfortunately, ten people didn't survive, but six had an incredible survival story. *Info from the on-site panels. There are other monuments and memorials here that you'll want to take some time to check out.

Just before making it to the Seward highway, we stopped off in a little town called, Eklutna. Eklutna is home to one of the most interesting cemeteries in Alaska. Within Eklutna’s Russian Orthodox cemetery are colorful spirit houses, which reflect the blending of beliefs between the Dena’ina, a Native Alaskan Athabascan people, and the Russian Orthodox Church. (three photos pictured above) As we made our way to Seward Highway for a little overnight adventure, we stumbled upon a mama black bear with her trio of adorable furballs! (pictured above) It was like a live episode of "Wildlife Reality TV," but boy, were we way too close for comfort!

Day 12: The countdown is on! With our van's curfew looming like a strict librarian, we zoom south of Anchorage. Our mission: to play peek-a-boo with the Beluga Whales at Beluga Point and Bore Tide Point along Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet. This time, the whales were having a buffet, and we were the uninvited guests! We also made a pit stop at Bird Point Park (pictured above), a prime spot along the Seward Highway where you can gawk at Turnagain Arm, the majestic Chugach Mountains, and a wildlife cast worthy of a nature documentary. The foliage was throwing a color party, making the scenery even more Insta-worthy! Goodbye, dear van! We couldn't have made this trip without your wheels and engine. Until we meet again, keep on rolling!

Day 13 & 14: So, we waved goodbye to our trusty van (pictured above), but fear not, our escapade is far from over here in Anchorage! We unleashed our inner tourists and dove headfirst into the treasure troves of shops designed to empty our wallets. Did we spend too much? Probably. Do I regret it? Not one bit! Everything I snagged is absolutely fabulous. Wandering through downtown Anchorage was like navigating a people maze—so many humans, so little time. Naturally, we made a beeline to The White Spot Cafe, because, well, tradition calls! This place has been flipping burgers and serving smiles since 1946. Of course, I had to indulge in their famous halibut with chips. Hats off to the chef—it was a taste explosion! A sign on the cafe wall demanded, "Put on your big girl panties and deal with it."(pictured above) Now, the real mystery is, how do I snag that sign for myself? Over in Anchorage's Mushing District, buildings are practically wearing murals of mushers and their dog teams like they're the latest fashion trend. (two photos pictured above) There's even a sled dog statue called "Racing in the footsteps of a legend," complete with a plaque that might as well say, "Welcome to the starting line of the world's top doggy marathons: the Fur Rendezvous World Championship and the Iditarod."(pictured above)

Day 15: So long, Alaska! Time to trade in those moose and mountains for some runway views at Minneapolis Airport. Buckle up, folks, because this farewell tour is headed straight to the land of 10,000 lakes and probably just as many flight announcements! It was the adventure of a lifetime! I'd hop back on that plane faster than you can say "lost luggage" because there's still a ton of stuff I haven't accidentally stumbled upon yet.

To see my wild escapades captured in photos, mosey on over to the Travels page and feast your eyes!