Alaska has been one of the dream destinations for quite some time, especially because of its remote and untouched beauty. I wasn’t sure when I would get the chance to go, but I always thought I’d tag it along with a US trip whenever that happened.

As it turned out, we moved to San Jose for work purposes, and that made planning the trip much easier. The first vacation we planned after moving to the US was to Alaska.

We took tips from friends who had visited this incredible place and browsed through various travel blogs to come up with a suitable itinerary. This time, we wanted it to be less ambitious, considering we had our energetic two-year-old to manage and our parents joining us on the trip.

Day 1: Anchorage

The majority of the places we wanted to visit in Alaska were around Anchorage, and since it’s the city with a direct flight from San Francisco, we chose it as our base destination. The flight from SFO to Anchorage took about 4.5 hours.

By the time we landed, the sky was overcast, and our first glimpse of Alaska was simply breathtaking with beautiful mountains around.

There’s a charming little spot called Fire Island just off the coast, dotted with windmills turning in the breeze.

After collecting our rental car at the airport, we made our way toward our Airbnb, which was tucked away in a quiet part of town.

Anchorage gave off a cozy, small-town vibe despite being the largest city in Alaska. It felt unhurried, calm, and quietly beautiful—surrounded by nature in every direction. With the long daylight hours, it never really felt dark, which added a unique feel to our first evening.

Tip of the day: For great mountain views during landing, try to grab a seat on the D, E, or F side of the plane.

Day 2: Whittier – 26 Glaciers Cruise

This was the most awaited day, and all of us were excited about the cruise. Luckily, the day turned out sunny, and we were curious and more than excited to see what the cruise looks like in the stunning Prince William Sound.

There is a tunnel that we needed to cross to reach Whittier from Anchorage, and we had to carefully plan accordingly. The same tunnel is used for vehicles on both sides and the train, and it’s open for 15mins every one hour in a particular direction.

Even though our cruise was at 12 pm, we started around 9 am from Anchorage to reach the tunnel opening at 10:30am. The drive was amazing on the Alaska Route 1. It reminded me of the famous Big Sur road in California, but this looked even more beautiful with tranquil backwaters and towering mountains along the way.

We found a glacier right after we crossed the tunnel on the road side.

We got our seats reserved by the window, offering great views right from the start. The cruise was well-designed, allowing us to move freely between different decks to take in the scenery from every angle. A delicious vegetarian lunch was served on board, and the captain’s insightful commentary helped us spot several glaciers and catch glimpses of local wildlife along the way.

The cruise took us deep into the heart of Prince William Sound, a region renowned for having one of the world’s highest concentrations of tidewater glaciers—those incredible rivers of ice that flow all the way from the mountains and end dramatically at the sea.

We spotted a group of sea lions resting on the rocks near Esther Passage, peacefully enjoying the sun. As the cruise approached, they began jumping into the water one by one. Not wanting to disturb them, the captain gently steered the boat away, allowing them to remain undisturbed in their natural habitat.

We continued our journey into the breathtaking College Fjord, where the glaciers are named after prestigious U.S. colleges.

Harvard Glacier, the largest among them, stood out prominently as our boat edged closer to its massive tidewater face. It was thrilling to see chunks of ice break off and plunge into the water—a phenomenon known as glacier calving.

It was truly amazing to witness so many glaciers in just one day—we could hardly believe our eyes. Each one had its own unique shape, size, and shade of blue, and the sheer scale of them left us in awe. The cruise itself was incredibly calming and relaxing, gliding smoothly through the still waters with breathtaking views in every direction.

One of the key highlights of this cruise—and something that really caught our attention—is that it’s known to be sea sickness–free. And it absolutely lived up to that promise. The waters were so calm throughout the journey, making the experience even more enjoyable and comfortable for everyone on board.

The cruise lasted about 5 hours and 15 minutes, but it felt far too short—we found ourselves craving for even more time surrounded by the breathtaking wilderness. It was hard to leave the calm and beautiful place, and we wished we could stay there a little longer.

On the way back to Anchorage, we stopped at Potter Marsh boardwalk to take a nice walk and let our kid stretch his legs.

Day 3: Seward

While most people visit Seward mainly for the glacier cruises, we wanted to go there to enjoy the scenic drive and explore Exit Glacier. We debated between the Seward and Whittier cruises, but since we were especially interested in glaciers, we chose the Whittier cruise. The Seward cruise, on the other hand, is better known for its wildlife sightings.

We headed straight to Exit Glacier, one of the most easily accessible glaciers in the area. There’s even a trail that lets you hike all the way up to the ice field above the glacier. Since we had a stroller, we took the stroller-friendly path to a viewpoint for a closer look.

Exit Glacier, which flows down from the massive Harding Icefield , is one of the main highlights of Kenai Fjords National Park. It’s one of the most accessible valley glaciers in Alaska.  The glacier has been steadily retreating, and between 2013 and 2014 alone, it shrank by about 187 feet. We could clearly see the difference from the pictures posted at the trail. It’s a powerful and visible reminder of the effects of climate change, and park scientists continue to monitor its retreat.

After lunch, we made our way to Seward Waterfront Park—a beautiful spot to simply relax and take in the views. It was quite windy when we visited, which added a bit of drama to the already stunning scenery.

Interestingly we found this scenic train all throughout our journeys and the train also looked like a great way to explore Alaska.

Tip of the day: Many restaurants in the area are closed on Mondays, so it took us some time to find a place open for lunch. Plan ahead if you’re visiting on the start of the week!

Day 4: Anchorage to Denali National Park

From the coastal beauty of southern Alaska, we headed next to one of the most iconic destinations in the state—Denali National Park. Today was all about the road trip, as we drove from Anchorage to Healy, a small mountain town near the park. It was a long stretch—about 4.5 hours—and the weather wasn’t on our side. Rain followed us most of the way, casting a grey, misty filter over the landscape.

We’d initially planned to take a Denali glacier landing tour from Talkeetna on our way, but due to the weather, we decided to move it to Thursday.

After about 2.5 hours on the road, we officially entered Denali National Park territory, with mountains starting to appear around us. Unfortunately, the cloudy skies meant we couldn’t see much—most peaks were hidden behind thick fog. The road was almost empty, adding to the sense of remoteness. Compared to our earlier drives in Alaska, this one felt much quieter, more isolated—just us and the wild.

We made a quick stop at Denali Viewpoint South, hoping to catch a glimpse of the towering Denali peak. But, as expected, all we could see were clouds. A little disappointing, but not entirely unexpected—clear views of Denali are rare and often come down to luck. There were a few more scenic viewpoints along the way, but with visibility so poor, it didn’t make much sense to stop again.

By afternoon, we reached our cozy cabin in the quiet mountain village of Healy, surrounded by forest and fog. We settled in and decided to take it slow for the rest of the day, letting the calm and stillness of the place set the tone for our upcoming Denali adventures.

Day 5: Denali National Park Shuttle

Today, we had our shuttle tour booked to explore the vast wilderness of Denali National Park. Since private vehicles are only allowed up to Mile 15, the only way to truly venture deeper into the park is by using the official park shuttles.

We chose the East Fork Transit Tour departing at 9:00 AM. This particular route takes you up to Mile 43 and then returns, covering roughly 4.5 hours in total. The ride offered a chance to experience the remote and untouched beauty of Denali, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife and enjoy scenic viewpoints along the way.

https://www.reservedenali.com/tours-transits/transits/

These shuttles run every 30 minutes and follow a hop-on, hop-off system—so if you choose to get off for a hike or to spend more time at a specific viewpoint, you can easily catch another bus later to continue your journey. It’s a flexible and convenient way to explore the park at your own pace.

Due to a major landslide that occurred near Mile 43, the road beyond that point is currently closed, making it the farthest any vehicle can go for now. For those hoping to travel all the way to Mile 92, the full road is expected to reopen only in 2027.

Although the tour was officially non-narrated, our driver made the journey much more engaging by sharing interesting facts about the park and answering questions along the way. One question that kept coming up on the shuttle was whether we’d get to see the Denali peak. With a smile, the driver told us the chances were about 0.01% that day—he wanted to set the expectations low, explaining that it takes at least 60 miles of clear visibility to catch a glimpse of the mountain’s summit.

The day began with overcast skies, but as we continued our journey, the clouds gradually started to clear—revealing the stunning landscapes of the national park.

Along the way, we were lucky to spot some wildlife too, including caribou, moose, and even a mountain goat.

After the first stop at Teklanika River campground, there came the moment we weren’t sure we’d get—the clouds parted just enough to reveal a clear view of Denali. Our driver, clearly just as excited as we were, happily announced the rare sighting and encouraged us to soak it in while it lasted.

Denali looked like a moonscape—soaring into the sky with a texture and glow that felt lifted from another world. It was as if I were peering through a telescope at the moon’s surface itself; the light, the contours—it all felt unreal. I couldn’t take my eyes off the stunning contrast of the landscape—lush green grass in the foreground, barren brown mountains with no vegetation, and towering above it all, the brilliant white peak of Denali.

As we continued further, we found varied landscapes along the way and each one looked like a painting.

We stopped at Mile 43—the point where the landslide had occurred—before beginning our journey back.

I wish we had continued our journey to Mile 92, as the landscapes beyond that point looked absolutely stunning.

We were lucky enough to spot Denali again on our way back—and it was just as breathtaking. Standing as the highest mountain in North America, Denali also holds a unique distinction: it has the highest vertical rise from base to peak of any mountain in the world. While Mount Everest is the highest in terms of elevation above sea level, its base begins at a much higher altitude. In contrast, Denali rises dramatically from a much lower base, making its vertical ascent even more impressive.

Denali’s landscape is a blend of forests, including deciduous taiga at the lowest elevations, tundra in the middle, and glaciers, snow, and bare rock at the highest peaks—an impressive mix that’s clearly evident.

About 15 minutes later, it was partially hidden behind the clouds 🙂

We returned to the bus depot and, after a short break, headed to see the famous “Into the Wild” movie bus, which is on display in the yard of the 49th State Brewing Company in Healy—a recommendation from our shuttle driver.

We spent the evening at Otto Lake Park, letting the little one play and unwind in the fresh air.

Day 6: Drive back to Anchorage 

We set off for Talkeetna from Healy for our Denali glacier landing flight with Talkeetna Air Taxi. However, as we arrived, the weather wasn’t on our side—clouds hung low and visibility was poor. During the flight briefing before the takeoff, we were informed that the visibility around Denali was only partial, making it impossible to safely land on the glacier. As a result, the glacier landing portion of the tour was cancelled, and the trip would be limited to a sightseeing flight instead. They gave us the option to decide whether we wanted to proceed or not. After some thought, we decided to take the refund, knowing that the main highlight would be missed.

Instead, we changed plans and headed towards Eklutna Lake on our way back to Anchorage. The lake turned out to be a beautiful, peaceful spot to spend the rest of the evening. Surrounded by beautiful mountains and calm waters, it was the perfect place to relax and soak in the natural beauty we had been chasing all day—making the best out of an unexpected change in plans.

Day 7: Anchorage to San Francisco

This was the day we began our journey back to San Francisco—our final day in Alaska. As we packed up and got ready to leave, there was a quiet sense of reflection in the air. One last look at the peaceful streets of Anchorage, the towering mountains in the distance, and the crisp, fresh air we’d come to love. It was bittersweet—grateful for the incredible experiences and breathtaking landscapes, yet a little heavy-hearted to say goodbye. Alaska had given us moments of awe, stillness, and wonder that we’ll carry with us for a long time.

The weather was on my side today, and I was lucky enough to catch stunning views of several glaciers from the plane during takeoff.

Watching Denali fade into the distance from the airplane, I took in one final glance—its towering presence framed by shimmering tidewater glaciers below. It felt like bidding farewell to a good friend, as Alaska’s untamed beauty unfolded beneath us one last time—from the dramatic glaciers of Prince William Sound to the serene, quiet majesty of Denali.

Bye for now, Alaska—hopefully, we’ll be back again someday.

This trip was everything we hoped for and so much more—filled with wonder, stillness, and the kind of beauty that humbles you. Until we meet again, stay wild, stay magical—and long live the glaciers. 💙

Back to the golden city of San Francisco—where the fog rolls in.

It’s the end of this icy chapter for now, but the awe and calm they brought along will linger for a long, long time.