Alaska by RV: What You’ll See That Cruise Passengers Miss

Do you want to see the highlight reel, or do you want to experience the “real Alaska”?

For many travelers, Alaska is a bucket-list destination, a once-in-a-lifetime trip of their dreams. Maybe you’ve considered an Alaskan cruise, but don’t dismiss an RV trip to Alaska. An Alaskan cruise will only show you the highlights. RVing is the immersive, flexible way to explore the 49^th State! If this is your one great chance to visit Alaska, skip the ship and choose to live like a local instead. The adventure is real when you embark on an Alaska vacation with Fantasy RV Tours!

Alaska RV Travel

Explore Alaska’s breathtaking wilderness by RV when you travel with Fantasy RV Tours. Enjoy the freedom of the open road, and let our professional guides handle all the planning and logistics (like booking campsites, determining the route, etc.). Travel with a community of friendly, helpful RVers and experience the best of Alaska, from Denali National Park to the Kenai Peninsula, without the hassle of planning the trip on your own. All you have to do is focus on creating unforgettable memories and soaking up the stunning landscapes!

When you travel by RV, you will be able to relax and truly take in the experience. A cruise shows off port cities, where you’ll be rushed through an 8-hour visit (if you’re lucky to get that long!) before the ship departs. This time constraint limits your availability to take in the sights, try the cuisine, and go on excursions. As a cruise passenger, you would miss wonderful interior Alaska destinations like Tok, the “Sled Dog Capital of Alaska,” or Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Haines, home of the world’s largest concentration of bald eagles.   

Plus, RVing through Alaska is a superior way to take in the sights. Every day of your trip with Fantasy RV Tours, you can bet on seeing glaciers, waterfalls, wildflowers or wildlife. You’ll be able to enjoy the land’s beauty and wildlife firsthand with the freedom to stop along the route to explore. After all, there’s no stopping a cruise ship mid-route to admire the views!

Alaska Road Trip Itinerary

On a guided trip with Fantasy RV Tours, you will visit roadside attractions and hidden gems only accessible by road. This is truly your chance to see the “real Alaska.” We offer six unique Alaskan RV tours, ranging from 48 to 63 days. Each tour has a unique itinerary, but you surely will explore all Alaska has to offer from coastal areas to interior destinations.

Curious? Read on for a preview of Featured Locations you can experience with Fantasy RV Tours:

• Top of the World Highway
  A cruise ship certainly can’t deliver this scenic route’s breathtaking views! Not to mention there are plenty of attractions and small towns along the way on this 175-mile highway, which connects Dawson City in the Yukon Territory to Tok, Alaska. Three of Fantasy’s tours traverse this route. One unique stop is Chicken, a small town known for its Gold Rush history and quirky charm. Explore the Pedro Gold Dredge – one of the only publicly accessible dredges – and grab a meal at Chicken Creek Café. A cruise can’t get you near an authentic, local experience like this!
   
• Denali National Park and Preserve
  Witness the vast tundra and towering Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America. Denali is known for its unique wildlife, including many species of fish, the Dall sheep, and peregrine falcon. Visit the Denali Sled Dog Rangers that patrol the park all winter long; guests can visit the dogs and even see a demonstration. Immerse yourself in the park’s rich Native American history and the natural beauty of the Alaska Range, known for its world-class mountaineering. Try a day hike down the gentle two-mile Horseshoe Lake Trail, or try fishing for trout on Wonder Lake. Don’t worry, Fantasy’s experts will guide you to the can’t-miss attractions based on your level of adventure!
   
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
  As the largest national park in the US, Wrangell-St. Elias is 13.2 million acres of opportunities for adventure. Named after its mountain ranges, the land contains some of the largest volcanoes and the greatest concentration of glaciers in North America. With Fantasy RV Tours, you’ll have access to boat trips, hikes, and activities to see the glaciers up close. With habitats ranging from temperate rainforest to tundra, the park is home to an incredible diversity of animals. Likewise, the park is rich in history. As you visit the towns of McCarthy and Kennecott, step back in time to the heyday of the Alaskan Gold Rush. See the past come alive by following the railroad route and visit the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark.
   
• Fairbanks
  Known as the “Golden Heart of Alaska,” Fairbanks is the ideal spot to view the Northern Lights. At 65 degrees north latitude, the sky takes on a life of its own – a canvas for the aurora borealis, the midnight sun, and sunsets and sunrises that seem to last forever. Don’t miss the city’s rich First Nations culture. Athabascan Indian Village is a can’t-miss. Oh, and be sure to try the local cuisine! Specialties include Alaska Salmon Bake and reindeer sausage.
   
• Valdez
  Located near the Prince William Sound and surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, Valdez is known for its coastal beauty. This port is rare to find on a cruise itinerary, but Fantasy RV Tours prioritizes Valdez because there’s so much to do in the area! You’ll see mountain peaks, fjords, waterfalls, glaciers, and other natural wonders. In fact, Valdez is home to Columbia Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in Alaska. Its seaside location is ideal for whale watching and charter fishing. After a day of exploring, dine waterside and enjoy the excellent local seafood including King Crab and six varieties of salmon. Then, as you drive inland from Valdez, you’ll see wonders like Keystone Canyon – a 3-mile pass featuring soaring rock walls, a rushing river, and gushing waterfalls. Driving through is great, but getting out of your RV to see this wonder is even better. You certainly can’t do that from a cruise ship!
   
• Homer
  Welcome to the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.” With Fantasy RV Tours, you can experience Alaska’s rugged side firsthand at Kenai Peninsula and Homer Spit. You’ll have the chance to camp on the Homer Spit, a long finger of land jutting 4.5 miles into Kachemak Bay. The area is home to recreation opportunities ranging from King Salmon fishing to beachcombing to bird watching. Or take a float plane to Katmai for up-close brown bear watching! You can even visit the Kilcher Farm, home of the Alaska: The Last Frontier TV show.

Plan Your Alaska RV Trip

Are you ready to see what cruise ships miss in Alaska? Experience the “real Alaska” with Fantasy RV Tours. Our Alaska RV tours are led by experts on carefully curated routes, so you don’t miss a moment of your dream vacation.

Learn more today! Explore Fantasy RV Tour’s Alaska Caravans.