Boston → Anchorage
- AMFly BOS → ANC (1 stop, ~10–12 hrs total via SEA or MSP)
- PMLand Anchorage. Pick up rental SUV (Turo or Avis at ANC)
- EVEDinner: 49th State Brewing or Moose's Tooth. Sleep early — sun won't set until ~11:30 PM
Drive Seward Highway → Seward
- AMDepart Anchorage. Stop at Beluga Point (whale spotting), Bird Point, Girdwood
- MIDDetour: Alyeska tram or Crow Creek Mine. Lunch in Girdwood (Jack Sprat)
- PMContinue over Turnagain Pass. Stop at Tern Lake junction
- LATEArrive Seward. Walk waterfront, dinner at The Cookery or Ray's
Kenai Fjords Glacier Cruise 🧊
- 7:30Boarding — Major Marine Tours or Kenai Fjords Tours
- 8–4Full-day Northwestern or Aialik Glacier cruise (8.5 hrs). Calving glaciers, orcas, humpbacks, sea otters, puffins, Steller sea lions
- PMBack in Seward. Soak at the harbor, beer at Seward Brewing Co.
Kayak Among Icebergs 🛶
- AMTop pick: Liquid Adventures — Bear Glacier ice-field paddle (helicopter or water-taxi in, paddle through a lagoon of icebergs the size of houses)
- ALTSunny Cove Sea Kayaking — Aialik Bay water-taxi + glacier paddle (full day)
- EZMellow option: Resurrection Bay 3-hr guided paddle from Lowell Point
- EVETonsina Point hike (4 mi RT) for a sunset stretch, dinner in Seward
Exit Glacier → Anchorage
- AMExit Glacier — choose: Harding Icefield Trail (8.2 mi RT, 3,500 ft, 6–8 hrs, world-class views) or Edge of the Glacier (2 mi easy)
- PMPack up, drive back toward Anchorage. Stop in Hope or at Portage Glacier visitor center
- EVEAnchorage overnight — easier launch toward Denali tomorrow
Anchorage → Talkeetna → Denali
- AMDepart Anchorage on Parks Hwy
- MIDDetour to Talkeetna (quirky river town, Denali viewpoint, brewery). Lunch at Denali Brewing
- OPTIf clear skies: Talkeetna Air Taxi flightseeing + glacier landing (1.5–2 hrs). This is THE flight to take
- PMContinue to Denali (Healy or McKinley Park area). Check in, easy walk near visitor center
Denali — Bus Into the Park
- AMTransit bus deep into the park (Toklat River turnaround, ~6.5 hrs RT — note: road closed past Mile 43 due to Pretty Rocks landslide repair, check 2026 status)
- ALLSpot grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, possibly wolves. Hop off bus to walk anywhere
- EVEDinner in Healy (49th State Brewing — Magic Bus from Into the Wild is here)
Denali — Hike & Flightsee
- AMHike: Savage River Loop (2 mi flat, easy wildlife) or Mount Healy Overlook (5.4 mi, 1,700 ft, big views)
- PMFlightseeing + glacier landing from Talkeetna or Kantishna — Sheldon Air Service, K2, Talkeetna Air Taxi. Land on Ruth or Kahiltna Glacier
- EVESled-dog kennel demo at park HQ (free, ranger talk + huskies)
Denali → Anchorage
- AMSlow morning, last Denali viewpoint stop
- MIDDrive south. Lunch in Talkeetna or Wasilla
- PMArrive Anchorage. Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail (rentals downtown — sunset moose & beluga sightings)
- EVEDinner: Marx Bros Cafe (splurge) or Snow City Cafe
Anchorage Day — Matanuska Glacier Trek
- AMDrive to Matanuska Glacier (~2 hr each way, scenic Glenn Hwy)
- MIDGuided ice trek with MICA Guides — walk on the glacier, blue ice, crevasses (3–4 hrs)
- PMBack to Anchorage. Flattop Mountain trailhead for sunset (7-mile views over Cook Inlet)
- EVELast dinner: 49th State or South Restaurant. Pack up
Anchorage → Boston
- AMReturn rental car. Snow City Cafe for breakfast if time
- MIDFly ANC → BOS (red-eye works well — sleep on the plane)
Bear Glacier Kayak
Helicopter or water-taxi into a hidden lagoon filled with icebergs the size of houses. The headline kayak experience in Alaska.
Aialik Bay Kayak
Water-taxi to Aialik Glacier, paddle right up to a calving tidewater glacier. Seals on bergy bits, full day.
Kenai Fjords Cruise (8.5 hr)
Calving Northwestern or Aialik Glacier, orcas, humpbacks, puffins, sea otters, sea lions. Hot lunch included.
Matanuska Glacier Trek
Walk on the glacier — crampons, blue ice, crevasses. Drive-up access, no boat needed.
Exit Glacier — Harding Icefield
One of the great day hikes in North America. Climb to the edge of a 700-square-mile ice sheet.
Portage / Byron Glacier
Easy stop on the Seward Hwy. Boat tour out to Portage Glacier face, or short walk to Byron Glacier ice cave.
Denali Transit Bus
Best wildlife viewing in the state — grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, wolves. Hop off anywhere.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Rescued bears, moose, wood bison, lynx. Easy stop on the way to Seward.
Beluga Point
Pull-off on Turnagain Arm. Beluga whales chase salmon up the inlet on incoming tides — check tide tables.
Bear Viewing — Lake Clark
Splurge add-on: fly to Lake Clark NP for guided coastal brown bear viewing. Bears feeding on sedge in June.
Talkeetna Air Taxi — Denali Grand Tour
The classic. Circle the south face of Denali, land on a glacier in skis. Pick a clear day.
Sheldon Air Service
Smaller operator, deep Denali history (Don Sheldon was the original mountain pilot).
Seward Helicopter
Add-on if you skip Bear Glacier kayak — fly over the Harding Icefield, optional dog-sled landing.
Hatcher Pass
Alpine tundra, old gold mine (Independence Mine SHP), wildflowers. Easy half-day from Anchorage.
Whittier — 26 Glaciers Cruise
Alternative to Kenai Fjords. Drive through the one-lane Anton Anderson tunnel, cruise Prince William Sound.
Alaska Railroad — Denali Star
Dome cars, slow scenic ride. Use one-way to swap out a driving day.
Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop
Take the train to a trailhead, paddle a small lake of icebergs, train back. Cult favorite.
- Dates
- Mon Jun 1 – Thu Jun 11, 2026 (11 days)
- From
- Boston (BOS)
- To
- Anchorage (ANC)
- Daylight
- ~19 hrs in June. Sunset Anchorage ~11:30 PM, Denali ~midnight
- Weather
- 40s–60s°F. Rain likely. Snow possible at altitude
- Driving
- ~1,000 miles total. Rent SUV/AWD for peace of mind
- Time zone
- AKDT — 4 hrs behind Boston
- Cell
- Verizon best in AK. Spotty in Denali, none past mile 30 in park
- Cash
- Cards everywhere. ~$100 cash for tipping guides
Anchorage (Nights 1, 5, 9, 10)
South Addition Airbnb or Hotel Captain Cook downtown. Easy car drop on departure day.
Seward (Nights 2, 3, 4)
Seward Windsong Lodge, Harbor 360, or a downtown VRBO. Walkable to harbor.
Denali (Nights 6, 7, 8)
Denali Bluffs, Grande Denali, or Healy cabins. Healy is cheaper and has 49th State Brewing.
- Flights BOS↔ANC — June is peak. Book 3+ months out.
- Denali transit bus — sells out fast.
- Bear Glacier kayak (Liquid Adventures) — limited slots.
- Kenai Fjords cruise — 8.5 hr Northwestern Glacier tour.
- Lodging in Seward & Denali — both fill up by spring.
- Rental car — AK rentals get expensive late.
- Flightseeing — flexible, can book 1–2 weeks out and watch weather.
Layers (most important)
Footwear
Daypack
Optics & camera
Comfort
Documents
Liquid Adventures (Bear Glacier kayak)
Search "Bear Glacier" — pick the helicopter add-in for the iconic shots.
Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking
Aialik Glacier full-day or Resurrection Bay half-day.
Major Marine Tours
The 8.5-hour Northwestern Glacier cruise.
Denali Park Bus
Transit bus to Toklat or Eielson (depending on road status). Grab the earliest morning departure.
Talkeetna Air Taxi
Denali Grand Tour with glacier landing.
MICA Guides (Matanuska)
Glacier trek — the standard 4-hour is plenty for a first ice walk.
Alaska Railroad
Denali Star, Coastal Classic to Seward — book Goldstar for the dome car.
Turo / Avis (rental)
Pick up at ANC, return at ANC. AWD SUV recommended.