Alaska Travel

Travel Alaska is the official site of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, presenting detailed information and photos on the state’s regions, cities and towns, and parks and public lands. Consult the “Things to Do” section for activity ideas, such as fishing and ecotourism. The site backs up its content with visitor comments related to each region.

The New York Times Travel section on Alaska is a wellspring of inspiration and practical advice. Browse feature articles and photos by Times’ writers, or peruse the Frommer’s recommendations, and don’t miss the reader suggestions for unique tips.

Alaska.org is maintained by Alaska natives, and offers a good variety of guided tours for several Alaska destinations. The site’s brief but detailed descriptions of destinations are accompanied by videos and photos. Best of all, most of the destinations also have an “Our Advice” section with tips from the site’s local writers.

Alaska Discovery is a Mountain Travel Sobek Company with active and adventure tours in Alaska’s wilderness. Find river expeditions, kayaking and hiking trips, and various wildlife viewing tours, including bears and whales. The site’s interactive map of national parks includes helpful descriptions and links to tours.

The Milepost is a prolific guidebook to Alaska with select content available online. This article focuses on cruises in Alaska in 2008, with links to the best large, medium and small vessels. Look for details about specific voyages, such as the Discovery Voyages route that offers wildlife viewing and kayaking.

Gadling has blogs for individual countries, as well as a main blog with travel news and essays on destinations around the world. This entry is a 17-part series on “Exploring Alaska without the Cruise Ship,” and provides detailed travel advice and photos taken along a “land cruise.”

The New York Times Travel section profiles a road trip around the Kenai Peninsula, an area south of Anchorage. Learn about sights along the way, including canyons, beaches, intriguing wildlife and historic miners’ cabins, or stop for an Alaskan amber brew.

Alaska HDTV is led by native Alaskans and presents free high-definition videos of various Alaska attractions and quirks, such as coffee and glaciers. Consult the site blog for upcoming new content, check out the “Hike Of The Week,” and peruse the tag cloud feature on the right to link to the many varied videos.

The Chena Hot Springs are located about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, and the area is a jumping-off point for winter tourism and northern lights viewing. The Chena Hot Springs Resort Web site explains the history of the springs, including its healing properties, and has reservation information. The resort is also home to the Aurora Ice Museum, a year-round ice structure full of ice sculptures.

Mount Aurora Fairbanks Creek Lodge has a 12-room bunkhouse and private suites with access to great views of the aurora, also known as the northern lights. The lodge’s deck has aurora viewing from mid-August to mid-April, with 360-degree full-sky views.

The Alaska Public Lands Information Centers present state and national parks with campgrounds, as well as RV campground information and resources for camping in national forests in Alaska.

Earthfoot is a tree house in the wilderness near Anchorage, with opportunities for hiking, fishing and rafting. The owner provides meals and acts as your guide for a five-day stay, but asks that you be in relatively strong physical condition.

Alaskan Yurt Rentals are available relatively inexpensively at Kachemak Bay State Park near the city of Homer. The great location offers access to beaches and tidal pools, and kayaking and hiking opportunities. Check the bookings calendar for open yurts and make a reservation online.

GoNomad details how to get around in Alaska, with specific advice for driving, flying, hitching rides and riding buses. Learn which roads to take, when to hop on a boat and whether an RV or camper may work best for you. The site also recommends a few budget tour providers if you’d rather travel with a group.

Alaska Airlines has flights within Alaska, and between Alaska and the U.S. and Canada. Sign up for the airline’s newsletter to receive 500 bonus miles and be alerted of savings, typically up to 20 percent. Also peruse the “Air Deals and Fare Sales” section for the latest discounted fares.

Alaska.org has a section on navigating Alaska by bus, van or charter. Read about the different bus options available between various locations, and get contact information for bus companies.

The Milepost has helpful resources for highway driving in Alaska. Read about the various highways running throughout Alaska, and find mileage maps for different areas.

Avis Alaska caters specifically to Alaska drivers with cars suitable for the state’s varied terrain, as well as special weekend rates in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Learn about booking car rentals through Avis online, and get rates.

The Alaska Railroad extends for more than 500 miles between Fairbanks and Seward, the last stop on many Alaska cruises. Get schedules and routes on the Alaska Railroad official site, learn what to expect from the trains, and book your trip online.