When you think about Alaska, you can’t help but wonder about its picturesque natural beauty, miles and miles of untouched wilderness, diverse wildlife, glaciers, northern lights, outdoor adventures and salmon! There isn’t a better time to plan a trip for 7 days in Alaska than in summer, with the best months being June or July, since the days are the longest during these months over the entire year.
We planned our trip to Alaska in July since our wedding anniversary is in July, but this Alaska summer itinerary will work just fine in June too, if that works better with your schedule. Read on to get the details on how to spend 7 days in Alaska, which is a bucket list destination for most of us.
How We Planned Our 7 Days In Alaska
Wherever you are flying in from, you are most likely going to fly in to Anchorage (airport code ANC), since this is the largest airport in Alaska with many airlines providing non-stop service from other major airports. From Anchorage, you will head north to Denali National Park. Later on, you will drive down south to Seward by passing through Anchorage, before returning back to Anchorage as your final destination before heading home. Scroll down for a view of the Google map that highlights the entire trip.
The 7 day Alaska trip below covers spending 7 days in Alaska since you will most probably be flying in to Anchorage late in the evening (though you will still get to see sunlight!), so your first night will be spent picking up your rental SUV (highly recommended!) and getting into the hotel and settling in. Most of the good hotels are in the downtown area, so you can consider going for a stroll if time permits.
The 7 Days In Alaska Itinerary
Day 1: Explore Anchorage.
Today is the first day of your dreamy Alaska trip and you must be excited just like we were! After breakfast, head to the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
You will get to learn a lot about the Alaska native culture and their traditions. This is a must-visit location from our perspective, and this experience will help you appreciate Alaska even more during your entire trip. Tickets are required, but can be purchased at the entrance itself. Plan to spend 2-3 hours here.
Next, head to the Historic 4th Avenue and walk down the street and enjoy the sights of the old buildings, that reflect the history of Anchorage of about 100 years! The Anchorage Visitor Information Center is also located here, and there are many gift shops if you are looking to pick some souvenirs on the first day itself. This area has a lot of restaurants and cafes, so this is a good spot for you to grab lunch.
Post lunch, head to the Anchorage Museum. It’s quite close to the 4th Avenue area, so you could walk down there (around 10 minutes walk) if you prefer. This is another excellent way to learn about Alaskan history and culture through traditional and modern art. You will easily spend at least 2 hours here, and perhaps more, if you are museum person!
The rest of the day is for you to have dinner, get some sleep, before heading out to Denali National Park the next morning.
Day 2: Drive north to Denali National Park.
The drive from Anchorage to Denali is only about 5 hours, so you can certainly consider stopping at Talkeetna for lunch (slight detour), which is around 2 hours away from Anchorage. There are a few vista points along the that you can stop by at, for capturing some good photos. Email us if you need our help planning this portion of your trip.
Now, resources are limited in Denali town, so everything is expensive. I strongly recommend you book your accommodation well in advance, since they all sell out early. There are a few decent restaurants to grab dinner in the town before you catch some sleep.
Day 3: Visit Denali National Park.
Today (and tomorrow) is going to be the highlight of your trip; you are going to explore Denali National Park in this epic 7 days in Alaska trip! As part of this itinerary, you will get to spend two full days in the park, since it is huge!
The best way to explore the park on your own is to use the transit bus system. This is a free shuttle system provided by the park, that’s included with the cost of the park tickets. They provide maps and schedules of the entire park and the shuttle, so you are free to explore the park on your own. They also provide several bus tours (paid service) if you so desire, however, we are big fans of exploring the untouched by ourselves.
You can get on and off the bus at any of the stops, and flag the next one to take you to your next destination. In essence, you can explore any area of the park that you so desire, however, you should heed to local warnings around sighting of wild animals such as the moose or the black and brown grizzly bears.
There are several trails of varied difficulty levels that you can explore on your own, or you can consider a guided walk with the park rangers. Like us, I hope you are lucky to sight some wild animals (we got to see a moose and a brown grizzly bear with her cubs up close!) on your hikes from a safe distance!
After having your heart’s fill for the day, head back to the hotel, grab dinner and I am sure you will fall asleep soon since today must have been a fulfilling and exhausting day.
Day 4: Head back to Denali National Park.
It is your second day at Denali! There are two things that you must cover today. One is to see and photograph the Denali Mountain (if you didn’t do it yesterday), and the other is to see the Sled Dog demonstration!
There are several view points along the way from where you can possibly see the mountain. Just use the shuttle service and continue exploring on your own, and capture some fantastic photos of the mountain!
The demonstration of the sled dogs is a free event that happens at timed intervals during summer (no reservations required). You can spend as much time as you want with the dogs, pet them and take as many pictures with them as you wish!
Head back to the hotel and bid goodbye to the best part of your 7 days in Alaska trip.
Day 5: Drive south to Seward through Anchorage.
Today, as you get closer towards the end of your 7 days in Alaska trip, you will drive down south to Seward, passing through Anchorage. It’s going to take around 7 hours to get to Seward, so plan to leave from Denali accordingly. There are many towns on the way for you to stop by for lunch.
After you cross Anchorage, you will be on Seward highway that takes you along many roadside lakes such as Summit Lake, Tern Lake, Trail Lakes and Kenai Lake. Most of the lakes have pullouts, so do stop by to capture the magical scenery and click some photos before you continue down to Seward.
After you are settled in your hotel, head to 4th Ave and have dinner at one of the restaurants here. Seward is a small town, so your choices are going to be limited. However, the people are very warm and friendly, and we did enjoy excellent food out here.
Day 6: View glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park.
You will need to get an early start today since you will be on a cruise to Kenai Fjords National Park. There are ample of cruise operators in Seward, but book early! A full day (8 hour) cruise is recommended since it gives you enough time to view the stunning glaciers in the national park, and also discover wildlife such as bald eagle, whales and sea otters. Most of the day-long cruises provide lunch as well, so you should be good with food. The air is going to be cold, so layer up!
By the time you return to the shore in Seward, it will be close to 4 pm or 5 pm depending on your cruise. Head to your hotel, freshen up and explore the town to grab some dinner at one of the restaurants, preferably on 4th Ave.
Day 7: Head back to Anchorage.
This will be the last day of your absolutely magical Alaska trip that is sadly coming to an end. The drive from Seward to Anchorage is under 3 hours, so plan to get there by early afternoon. For the rest of the day, you have many options to choose from – visit Star the Reindeer, who is Anchorage’s mascot, visit the Alaska Aviation Museum, or stroll along the Historic 4th Ave and pick up gifts for your family and friends, it all depends on what your interests are.
It’s time to now bid goodbye to the wonderland of unspoiled nature and wilderness and head back home as your 7 days in Alaska trip comes to an end.
Your 7 Days In Alaska Itinerary Map
Need Help Planning Your Vacation?
We hope you can plan your magical 7 days in Alaska trip using the above itinerary. If you need help in planning your trip, we can create a unique itinerary just for you depending on your taste, right from leaving from home, and returning back. Just email us and we can help you experience Alaska in the most memorable and relaxed way possible! On a related note, if you are feeling adventurous and want to explore Costa Rica, check out our blog post on a fantastic Costa Rica 7 day itinerary!