One of the best ways to enjoy an amazing Alaska family vacation is to be able to have a flexible schedule to go to the places you want, and do the things you want. Touring Alaska independently without worrying about getting to the next reserved hotel is the kind of vacation your family will greatly enjoy. With an RV you can visit all of the must-see sights at your own pace, and stop for the night when you feel like it. Drive on your Alaska family vacation with a rented RV! A regular-sized 20-something foot recreational vehicle can be quite overwhelming for people who are used to driving a regular sedan, but make no mistake, for the kids, the RV rocks!
Instead of packing and unpacking at each hotel along the way, just taking along your lodging with you all the time is a great idea. Traveling around Alaska, after all, requires long drives from point A to point B. Plus, with all the RV parks scattered all around the state, exploring Alaska on a motor home is as easy as 123.
Plan a trip to south central Alaska and begin your family vacation to Alaska in Anchorage, where the best place to stay is at the Anchorage RV Park. There are a lot of RV rentals in Anchorage, all you have to do is pick which one works out for you. Some companies like All Alaska Tours, even help you plan your day to day trip and give you safety tips on driving and traveling around with the RV. You will be amazed at how comfortable it is to be lodging in an RV when you stack your things in the drawers and realize that everything fits! Stock the cabinets with food and other essential supplies and you are off!
The best way to introduce the wildlife in Alaska in this family vacation is a stop at the Alaska Zoo. Apt to their slogan, Connecting People With Animals, the interactive attractions in Alaska Zoo will surely be a great way for your children to get acquainted with their favorite animals and some of the world's most endangered species. Driving from Anchorage to Portage Glacier is truly worthwhile. Get on full alert and your cameras ready as you might spot some wildlife as you skirt the shores of Turnagain Arm. Upon arrival at Portage Lake, check on the cruise schedule and board the ship that will give you an hour cruise you will forever remember. The iceberg-dotted Portage Lake will definitely leave you speechless.
Take another long drive (about two hours) from Whittier to Seward where you can find the Alaska SeaLife Center located just along the Seward Highway. The Alaska SeaLife Center offers up-close and personal experience with Alaskan marine wildlife. Admission rates vary depending on the season, but you can be sure that they will always be affordable - young kids can even get in free of charge!
Drive a little more than 2 hours to Kenai and spend the night at the Diamond M Ranch RV Park where fishing opportunities are available. Take another day cruise around the rocky and rugged Chiswell Islands the next day, a natural or wildlife area that is considered a sanctuary of nesting Alaskan birds. After the cruise, take the 3 1/2-hour drive north to Hope and enjoy the mesmerizing views of the Inlet as well as the Chugach and Kenai Mountains. At Hope, board the boat and cruise along the College Fjords, and you are sure to bring home some of the best pictures of your Alaskan family vacation.
Take the 2-hour drive to Palmer for the last stop of your Alaska family vacation with the RV. At Palmer, you can head to the Reindeer Farm and pet, feed and photograph the very friendly adult and baby reindeer or check out gigantic vegetables and monster trucks at the Alaska State Fair. Conclude your one-of-a-kind RV vacation with a stop at the Mat-Su Visitor Information Center where you can find not only informative and educational materials about the development of the Mat-su Valley, but also purchase souvenirs and other memorabilia for yourselves and your family and friends back home.
Head back to Anchorage to return your rented RV. As you do so, take this opportunity to reflect on the trip with your family. All the things seen and learned made the long hours of driving well worth it. Top it off with your children's unending reliving of everything that has happened during your trip convinces you that this is indeed an Alaska family vacation they will never forget.
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