Planning Your Dream Trip to Alaska with Valerie Stimac – Episode 11

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Planning Your Dream Trip to Alaska Summary

For this episode of Bon Voyage Besties, join Rosa, Rachel, and travel expert Valerie Stimac Bailey as they unveil the magic of Alaska — from iconic destinations like Denali and the Northern Lights to hidden gems like Wrangell-St Elias. Whether you’re planning your first trip or seeking insider tips, Valerie shares invaluable insights on travel logistics, sustainability, and crafting unforgettable adventures.

Key Takeaways

• Valerie’s personal stories growing up in Alaska and her favorite wilderness experiences
• Must-visit locations in summer and winter, including Denali, glaciers, and Northern Lights
• How to plan a budget-friendly trip and the best base cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks
• Hidden destinations like Homer and Valdez with fewer crowds
• Responsible tourism and eco-friendly cruise options
• Essential packing tips, including Merino wool and rain gear for Alaska’s unpredictable weather
• Navigating Alaska’s road system and understanding rental car restrictions
• Unique group tour options and how to find tailored travel experiences
• The true cost of visiting Alaska and how to create a savings plan
• Personal reflections on travel transformation and the importance of embracing new cultures and landscape.

Alaska Resources & Links:

• Valerie & Valise – Travel Blog
• Alaska Travel Tips Facebook Group
• Alltrails App
• Uncruise Adventures
• Alaskan Dream Cruises
• Salmon Berry Tours
• Great Basin National Park
• Wrangell-St Elias National Park
• Holland America Alaska Tours

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Planning Your Dream Trip to Alaska: Everything You Need to Know

If Alaska has been sitting on your bucket list for years, the glaciers, the wildlife, the sheer untamed wilderness of it all, you’re not alone.

Planning your dream trip to Alaska is one of the most exciting and, admittedly, overwhelming travel decisions you can make. It’s big, it’s remote, it’s expensive, and it is absolutely, unequivocally worth it. We recently sat down with Valerie Stimac Bailey, the travel blogger behind Valerie and Valise and an Alaska native, to get the real scoop on everything first-timers need to know. Here’s what she told us.

Summer vs. Winter: When Should You Go?

The first question to answer when planning your dream trip to Alaska isn’t where — it’s when. About 80% of visitors make their way to Alaska between early June and mid-September, and for good reason. Summer is when you can see glaciers, go whale watching, hike, and experience Denali National Park in its full glory. If you’re craving wildlife sightings and long, luminous days, summer is your season.

But if the Northern Lights are what’s pulling you north, you’ll need to embrace winter instead. Valerie recommends Fairbanks over Anchorage for Aurora viewing. It sits further north and offers better conditions for catching that elusive green glow across the sky. Dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and a truly otherworldly atmosphere round out the winter experience.

The bottom line: figure out what you want most, because you really can’t have it all in one trip.

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How Long Do You Actually Need?

Five days is the bare minimum for getting a genuine taste of Alaska, but Valerie is quick to say that seven to twelve days is the sweet spot for most independent travelers. With twelve days, you can really work through the road system, cover multiple regions, and avoid the feeling of rushing through one of the most spectacular places on earth. If you have two full weeks? Even better.

Don’t try to squeeze Alaska into a long weekend. The flying time alone will eat into your trip, and the distances between destinations are far greater than most people anticipate.

Where to Base Yourself

For first-timers doing a land-based trip, Anchorage is your best starting point. It’s the most centrally located city, and from there you can take day trips to Seward, Homer, Whittier, Palmer, and the Matanuska Glacier. Just note that Denali National Park is not a realistic day trip, sorry. Plan to spend at least one or two nights in that area if it’s on your list.

If seeing the Northern Lights is your primary goal, start your planning with Fairbanks instead.

Alaska Destinations Worth Your Time

Denali National Park is, without question, the crown jewel. Valerie describes standing at a viewpoint along the park’s bus route and looking out over a vast, unbroken wilderness. No roads, no power lines, no buildings as far as the eye can see. It’s a genuinely rare experience that most of us raised in the Lower 48 have simply never had. “There are still these beautiful places,” she says, and Denali makes you feel that deeply.

For travelers seeking something slightly off the beaten path, Homer and Valdez are Valerie’s top picks. Both receive very few cruise ships, typically ten or fewer per season, which means smaller crowds and a more authentic feel.

And for the truly adventurous: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the entire system (twice the size of Denali), remains wonderfully overlooked. Getting there requires a gravel road and a rental car with the right contract terms, but the payoff is a remote, breathtaking landscape that sees only a fraction of Denali’s traffic.

What to Pack for Alaska

Layers, layers, layers. Valerie swears by Merino wool for its odor resistance, wrinkle resistance, and packability — and she wears the same pieces across multiple trips. A good rain jacket and waterproof shoes are non-negotiable. Alaska’s wet season is summer, not winter, and you could easily see ten straight days of rain.

Two items most people forget: sunglasses and an eye mask. Summer daylight in Alaska is relentless. The sun can still be blazing at midnight, and if your hotel’s blackout curtains aren’t doing their job, you’ll be very glad you packed that eye mask.

The Cost Reality

Planning your dream trip to Alaska means making peace with the price tag. Budget somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000 per person for a week to ten days. Accommodation is expensive, tours add up quickly, and the remote nature of the state means everyday costs are higher than you’d expect.

That said, Valerie’s philosophy, which was thoughtfully shaped by a piece of advice from an older traveler she met while working in Denali, is that credit is a tool. “Travel when you’re young because when you get old, you can’t do anything fun anymore.” Do the whale watching. Do the flightseeing tour. Don’t wait for a perfect financial moment that may never come.

Should You Cruise or Go Independently?

Both are great options, but if sustainability matters to you, smaller is better. Valerie recommends small-ship cruise companies like UnCruise Adventures (30–50 passengers) for a lower environmental footprint. For those who want to go independent but don’t want to navigate rental car restrictions and remote roads alone, she highly recommends Salmon Berry Tours, a women-owned, Anchorage-based company that can accommodate everything from small private groups to larger tours.

One Final Tip

Before you finalize any rental car, call the company and ask exactly which roads you’re allowed to drive. Alaska has several restricted roads that many rental contracts prohibit — and the consequences of getting stranded on a remote gravel road (ask Valerie about her own flat tire saga) are far more expensive and stressful than a quick phone call.

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Want more Alaska trip planning resources? Check out Valerie Stimac Bailey’s blog at ValerieValise.com and join her 100,000-member Facebook group, Alaska Travel Tips, for free itinerary feedback and advice from people who know the state inside and out.