With Alaska’s vast size and limited amount of developed land, you probably aren’t surprised to learn that just about any road trip you take in the great 49th state is going to require a lengthy trek. These wildly unique excursions throughout the Last Frontier will lead you to some of the most unforgettable places in the world. Because of the amount of drive time, you might be wise to break them up with an overnight stay or weekend outing so that you can fully soak in all the stunning beauty that there is to behold. Take any of the best road trips in Alaska and have a wonderful time exploring our great state!

1. Picturesque Small Towns Road Trip
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Flickr - Ian Collins
Start by soaking in epic views of North America's tallest mountain of Denali in the charming town of Talkeetna. Continue down south through Hatcher Pass, Palmer and eventually make your way to The Kenai, Alaska's Playground. Although this road trip is only eight hours long, you are covering a lot of ground so we recommend making it into a weekend getaway adventure filled with breathtaking beauty. Check out Alaska Airbnbs to stay with someone local! This road trip offers many wonderful things to see in Alaska.
2. Epic Northern Lights Road Trip
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Flickr - Malcolm Manners
The road trip is quite beefy, so do yourself a favor and check off parts of it at a time depending on the forecast. If the weather calls for clear night skies on a chilly winter evening, drink a little extra coffee and stay up late soaking in the spectacular views of the Aurora Borealis dancing over-top of you. Make sure the northern lights are going to be active during your trip, and check out the Aurora Forecast before your trip.
3. Haunted Alaska Road Trip
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Flickr - Cody Wellons
Great around Halloween but just as spooky no matter what time of the year you take this haunting trip. Enjoy visiting ghost towns, abandoned buildings, haunted cemeteries and so much more. This trip is filled with awesome Alaska attractions! Even the famous Hotel Captain Cook is reputed to be haunted.
4. Epic 3 Day Restaurant Road Trip
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Facebook - The Grape Tap
Sometimes it's just better to be fat and happy. After a long, stressful week of working hard and sticking to the grind - take a load off during the weekend and indulge a little. All of these restaurants are prized for their consistently high quality and delicious menu options. No matter where you choose to go, your taste-buds are guaranteed to be dancing with joy after just the first bite. You can find out more about The Grape Tap on their website here.
5. Ultimate Natural Wonders Road Trip
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Flickr - Dave Bezaire
The Last Frontier is king when it comes to stunning natural wonders. Enjoy glistening glacier views, low bush tundra, massive canyons, waterfalls and so much more. This road trip requires a good camera because you will want to take photos of everything in sight. The Smithsonian offers a great list of more interesting natural phenomena you will see in Alaska on your road trip!
6. Ultimate Waterfalls Road Trip
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Wikipedia by Frank Kovalchek
There is something so special about viewing waterfalls in the Last Frontier. When the glacial runoff pours down at rapid speeds, it makes for quite the viewing spectacle. If you go during the winter or springtime many of these waterfalls will be frozen, which adds a whole new meaning to the term 'winter wonderland'. Check out the hike for Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood, that will bring you up close and personal with a gorgeous waterfall. Visiting these waterfalls are great things to do in Alaska!
7. Magical Christmas Lights Road Trip
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Flickr - Elias Angulo
Sure the holiday season just came and went, but that doesn't mean that you can't start planning for next season already. Wink wink, nudge nudge! And if you want to stay somewhere during your road trip that takes these festivities seriously, you need to book a night in the Santa Suite at the Hotel North Pole.

Have you taken any of the best road trips in Alaska? What did you think? Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

If you thought those were cool, you’ll never forget this haunting trip through Alaska’s ghost towns. If you have the traveling bug, be sure to check out this ultimate road trip through America’s most notorious ghost towns.

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More to Explore

Best Road Trips In Alaska

Megan McDonald | October 14, 2020

Can you see most of Alaska by road?

Actually, the majority of this huge state is inaccessible by road. There are few roads, and our state is gigantic. Only 20% of this vast land is accessible by road. Otherwise you must fly, or boat, or hike in to access most of the places this great state.

How many roads are in Alaska?

Not many. While there are 14,336 miles of public roads in Alaska, that represents more the long highways you drive to get to one of the major cities. In fact, there are only four major highways in Alaska. The major highways in Alaska are: A-1 which is the Glenn Highway and the Richardson Highway. A-2 which is the Alaska Highway and the Richardson Highway. A-3 with is the Sterling Highway and the Seward Highway. And A-4, which is solely the George Parks Highway.

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