5 Days in Alaska: 2 Itineraries for a Short Trip in 2023

To me, Alaska is chilly mornings with a bite of snow in the air, even in the summer months. It’s the smell of birch and spruce trees growing like mad during the long days of the Midnight Sun. If you’re planning a 5 day Alaska itinerary for an upcoming trip, you’ve come to a great place.

In addition to living in Alaska for 15 years and working three summers in the hospitality industry (helping people make their Alaska vacations unforgettable), I visit Alaska every 2-3 years. They say you can’t go back – but I do, a lot! –, because those sights, smells, and experiences still feel a bit like home. I’ve been fortunate to visit Alaska multiple times in the past few years, most recently in August 2022.

I’m honored you came to my blog to try and plan your own Alaska vacation, and I’ll do my best to steer you to what I consider the best parts of my ‘home’ state.

Five days is a nice length of time to spend in Alaska, also called The Last Frontier – it’s enough to see some of the top cities and attractions in Southcentral and Interior Alaska. Spending 5 days in Alaska is also a perfect add-on to your Alaska cruise.

Read on for some travel tips for Alaska to help you plan and make the most of your trip, then a detailed five-day Alaskan itinerary you can follow to a tee or customize to your heart’s content. If you want to plan a 5-day Alaska itinerary, I’ve got you covered. Let’s get into it!

In this post, I promote travel to a destination that is the traditional lands of the Alutiiq (Sugpiaq), Dena’ina Ełnena, and Tanana peoples. With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

This post was originally published in August 2019, and updated most recently in March 2023 for next year.

Get Your Free Alaska Itinerary

As part of my Alaska resources, I created a quiz that will give you a simple free Alaska itinerary based on your trip length and travel preferences. Answer a few short questions and you’ll get an itinerary for 5 days in Alaska plus other travel resources I offer too.

Can’t see the quiz? Click here to open it in a new tab!

Alaska Travel Tips

In each of my Alaska itineraries, I start with this section of Alaska travel tips. First, I get these questions all. the. time. so if you’re curious about them, you’re not alone. Second, if I don’t answer them first, the rest of the itinerary is a little confusing. Let’s cover them quickly, then read on for two in-depth 5-day Alaska itinerary options – all ready to help you plan your trip.

How to Plan Your Alaska Trip

To begin, I want to highlight this post: How to Plan Your First Trip to Alaska

In it, I cover a step-by-step process that will help you conceptualize your Alaska itinerary planning process before diving into the details below. It’s a good, quick read that will help you get your mindset right before planning your Alaska trip.

Best Time to Visit Alaska

You might not believe it, but Alaska has become a four-season destination. You can visit in the summer when it’s warm under the Midnight Sun; if you visit in the autumn, you’ll see the tundra turn ruby and gold; visiting Alaska in the winter you can see the Northern Lights and try dog-sledding, or you can visit in the spring as the snow starts to thaw before the summer crowds arrive.

That said, if there’s a “best” time to visit Alaska – best meaning warm weather and sun – the best time to visit Alaska is between June and August. During the summer months, the temperatures are at their highest, you’ll experience the least precipitation (no snow, but you may get some rain), and the Midnight Sun extends each day so you can make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime Alaska vacation.

In this itinerary, I’m assuming you’ll visit in the summertime – that’s when almost everyone does! Based on that assumption, I’m recommending activities and experiences that may only be available during the summer season (late May to early September). Where needed, I’ve noted options that aren’t available during the autumn, winter, and/or spring. If you’re visiting in the “off-season” and have specific questions, let me know in the comments.

The Cost of Visiting Alaska

As you begin planning your Alaska trip, you’ll quickly realize: Alaska is not a cheap, budget-friendly destination. That’s not to say you can’t be budget-conscious, but it’s not a default.

I’ve broken down how much it costs to visit Alaska on average, and that link also includes a bunch of tips to help you save if you want to visit Alaska and need to do it on a budget. Unfortunately, in 2022 the cost of travel to Alaska was more expensive than usual… and 2023 seems to be much of the same, especially with hotel and rental car costs.

Alaska by Land or Sea

One of the other big questions I get asked a lot as a sorta unofficial Alaska travel blogger is: should I do an Alaska cruise, or do my own land tour?

If you’re uncertain, have the time, and have the money, you can do both: if you’ve already booked your Alaska cruise – mega-ship or small-ship – now it’s time to plan to extend your trip. Great: you can use this itinerary (or my 7-day or 10-day itinerary) to plan your land portion. If you’re choosing between land or sea, I recommend land. You can always do a cruise later too!

What to Pack for 5 Days in Alaska

I have a whole Alaska packing list if you’re at that stage of planning. Check it out here. To give you the short version, be sure to pack:

• Rain gear – Even in the summer, you may need it to stay dry, especially if you’re doing an Alaska cruise.
• Good shoes – Bring solid, preferably water-resistant shoes for walking, not the traditional white trainers you’ll see older travelers in.
• Sleep mask – In the summer, the Midnight Sun can really mess with your sleep schedule.
• A great camera – Until recently, I shot on a Sony NEX-6; the modern version is the Sony a7iii. Capture those once-in-a-lifetime memories!
• Layers – Whether you’re an outdoorsy type or not (like me), layers are critical to staying warm and dry in Alaska. This can just mean a sweatshirt under your coat or leggings under your jeans. Trust me, if it gets chilly, they’ll help.

Let me know in the comments if you need more advice about what to pack for your 5-day trip to Alaska.

Quick Glance: Two 5-Day Alaska Itineraries

Okay, I’ve hopefully answered all your burning questions first, as quickly as possible. Now it’s time to get into the five-day Alaska itinerary I promised! Here’s a quick glance:

Below, I break down each of these days in a ton more detail, plus I recommend restaurants and hotels to make the whole process super easy to book right from this post. You can literally click each link and put in your dates of travel to make your Alaska trip happen.

5-Day Alaska Itinerary A: Into the Interior

As I couldn’t choose between the two itineraries for this post, I’ve decided to include both! This first itinerary takes you north from Anchorage to Denali and onto Fairbanks in Interior Alaska. Here are a few other notes before you dive in:

• It’s a great itinerary for those who are interested in land wildlife viewing (like Alaska’s Big Five including brown bears, moose, and Dall sheep) and cultural experiences.
• You can do a one-way car rental for this itinerary*, but I recommend the Alaska Railroad instead. (Don’t comment asking me for tips on making one-way car rentals less expensive – that’s the consequence if you skip on the Alaska Railroad!)
• This itinerary starts in Anchorage and ends in Fairbanks; you can either fly from Fairbanks to Anchorage to depart Alaska or fly home straight from Fairbanks. Alaska Airlines has plenty of daily flights from Fairbanks to the Lower 48.

*Car rentals were very expensive in 2022 (and one-way car rentals are usually expensive, to begin with), so I would strongly encourage you to take the Alaska Railroad.

Okay, now let’s dive into this first 5 day Alaska itinerary!

Day 1: Anchorage

Start your first day in Alaska with a tour of your first stop: Anchorage. You can do this one of two ways: on a guided tour, such as the Anchorage Trolley Tour, or on foot on your own exploring downtown Anchorage and Historic 4th Avenue. This is a good way to see Alaska’s biggest city and get oriented.

For lunch, I recommend Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse; it’s a perfect casual spot. For another option, I highly recommend Tia’s Reindeer Sausage. This food stand is located along 4th Avenue and has a distinctive yellow umbrella.

In the afternoon, I again recommend choosing one (or both) of two choices

1. If the weather is good and you enjoy being active, consider renting bikes and riding along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. This is an 11-mile scenic trail that gives you some incredible views and the chance to spot moose (give them lots of space!).
2. If the weather is crummy or you want something less active, I highly recommend the Anchorage Museum. Since I grew up in Alaska, the Anchorage Museum underwent a massive and impressive expansion. Now there are traditional art galleries as well as Smithsonian-affiliated galleries on indigenous Alaskan culture and even a science museum wing called the Imaginarium.

For dinner in Anchorage, I have one place I recommend above all others: 49th State Brewing. This restaurant took over the place from a different restaurant when I lived there – and is a massive upgrade. They offer incredible craft beer, delicious food, and sweeping views of Cook Inlet.

Resources for Day 1:

• For hotels, I recommend the Hotel Captain Cook (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com).
• For vacation rentals, consider this water view apartment in a great location (also on Booking.com), this apartment, right near the Coastal Trail and downtown, and this huge house, which is gorgeous and has space for up to two families.
• If you’re looking for other places to eat than the one I’ve recommended, check out my list of 30 top Anchorage restaurants.

Day 2: Anchorage to Denali

Rise early on your second day to board the Alaska Railroad to Denali; the train usually leaves around 8am. This train trip takes eight hours, so it’s most of the day – but it’s worth it for the immersive and stunning views you’ll see from the glass-domed train cars.

Once you arrive in Denali, you’ll need to get a transfer to your hotel. When you book your hotel, be sure to let them know you’re arriving by train so they can help arrange that for you.

If you stay in Glitter Gulch (the nickname for the town near Denali National Park), you can walk around and explore after you disembark the train. You can also book or plan one of these other things to do in Denali for the afternoon.

Most hotels have a restaurant, but there are plenty of other great spots around town. I recommend Lynx Creek Pizza, Moose-AKa’s (Serbian food – in Alaska!), the Denali Salmon Bake (order the McKinley Margarita!), and Alpenglow Restaurant, but you can’t really go wrong.

Resources for Day 2:

• Denali has a limited number of accommodations in the small town; there are a few I recommend, including the Grande Denali Lodge (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com) or Denali Bluffs (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com).
• If you’ve chosen to drive for this itinerary, I highly recommend Denali Cabins south of the park (book on Hotels.com); staying there is like summer camp for adults!
• There aren’t a ton of vacation rental options near Denali National Park, so you’ll need a car if you choose to stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel right in town. This house or this house (also on Booking.com) are both good options.

Day 3: Denali National Park

I’m probably biased, but I consider Denali National Park the best national park. It’s massive, it’s wild, it’s empty – and there are no crowds. Because Denali National Park has controlled access, the only way to visit the majority of the park is by bus.

Denali bus tours can be a bit confusing because a landslide in late 2021 closed the park road and the bus tours adjusted accordingly. I’ve put together a full guide to bus tours in Denali, to help you understand your options this year.

As you’ll see in that post, I strongly recommend the Tundra Wilderness Tour. This is the official guided tour that focuses on giving you the best experience; the shortened version in 2023 lasts 5-6 hours and goes to mile 43. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to see wild animals like grizzly bear, moose, and wolves. On a clear day, you’ll also be able to see Denali herself!

After a long day on a bus, stretch your legs and walk to dinner. Enjoy dinner at one of the other places I recommend for where to eat in Denali.

Resources for Day 3:

• Stay another night in your Denali accommodation.

Day 4: Denali to Fairbanks

For your next stop (and final stop) in Alaska, it’s time to travel to Fairbanks. If you’re taking the Alaska Railroad (instead of a one-way car rental), you actually have most of the day to enjoy and explore Denali Park. The Alaska Railroad doesn’t leave for Fairbanks until around 4pm so arrange a transfer from your hotel to catch that train.

If you have it in your Alaska travel budget, here’s my top recommendation: book the Denali Glacier Landing tour with Fly Denali. They are my preferred provider after trying many of the flightseeing providers in the area when I worked in Denali one summer. It’s $649 per person, but 100% worth it. You’ll spend almost 2 hours in the air, plus 20 minutes on a glacier on Denali itself.

Here are some other suggestions:

• Stroll to the shops in Glitter Gulch; This is a great spot to stock up on souvenirs!
• Catch a ride up to the Grande Denali Lodge; from there you can hike up the ridge along Sugarloaf Mountain, or just admire the view from Peak Spirits Lounge with an Alaskan Mosquito (Mojito) in hand.
• There’s a nice cycling/walking path that parallels the Parks Highway back toward the park entrance. There’s a reasonable incline to walk back up to town, so be prepared and give yourself time!

Once you board the Alaska Railroad, it’s a four-hour train ride to Fairbanks. You’ll arrive around 8pm, and should head straight to your accommodation for the night.

Resources for Day 4:

• There are some great places to stay in Fairbanks, but here are a few of my favorites.
  • Taste of Alaska Lodge – A cozy, family-run property with a nearby aurora-viewing business (book on Booking.com.)
  • Chena Hot Springs Resort – Summer packages are all-inclusive of meals, tours, and hot springs access (book on Hotels.com).
  • Sophie Station Suites – Great for families and closer to town (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com).

Day 5: Fairbanks

Your departure time will have the biggest effect on how much you can do during your day in Fairbanks. Most flights leave in the evening or as red-eye flights, so you should have pretty much the whole day. It will make life a lot easier if you rent a car for the day, but you won’t need a hotel.

The most popular activity I recommend in Fairbanks is to plan a day trip to Chena Hot Springs. This natural hot spring has been developed into a rustic resort; they have a restaurant and Ice Museum on site too to help you fill the day in between soaks in the indoor or outdoor pools.

If you choose to spend the day in Fairbanks, here are some options:

• Fairbanks has some surprisingly dynamic museums, including the Museum of the North (all about Alaskan culture and history), Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum (antique cars and matching fashion from each era), and the Fairbanks Ice Museum (the name says it all; open in the summer!).
• Pioneer Park is a quirky historic theme park that will teach you more about Interior Alaskan history, and if you can arrange transport or rent a car for your 24-ish hours in Fairbanks, Gold Dredge No. 8 is a little way out of town but offers an interesting peek at the gold mining history in this part of Alaska.

After spending the day in Fairbanks, it’s time to head to the airport and then fly home!

Resources for Day 5:

• None, as you’re departing.

5-Day Alaska Itinerary B: Southcentral & the Kenai

For a second itinerary option, this 5-day Alaska itinerary uses Anchorage as a base. It’s focused on Southcentral Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula and thus includes less travel time. Here are a few notes on it:

• This itinerary is good for those who love wildlife – you’re gonna (hopefully) see it all! (The Big 5 and tons of sea life like otters, whales, and sea lions.)
• You can rent a car (start/end in Anchorage), ride the train, or do a combination. I recommend either doing the train to/from Denali and car rental to/from Seward or just renting a car the whole time.
• Don’t forget to price out both options for transport keeping in mind how expensive car rentals are in 2022.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Day 1: Anchorage

Similar to Itinerary A, this five-day Alaska itinerary uses Anchorage as a starting point, and I have basically the same suggestions. On your first full day in Alaska, here are the best things to do in Anchorage:

• Start with a tour of Anchorage, such as the Anchorage Trolley Tour, or by exploring on your own in downtown Anchorage and along Historic 4th Avenue.
• Enjoy lunch at Humpy’s, Tia’s, or both! Then swing by Wild Scoops for local-ingredient ice cream. #yolo
• Spend the afternoon riding bikes on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, exploring the Anchorage Museum, or both if you’re really full of energy.
• Have dinner with a view at 49th State Brewing.

Resources for Day 1:

• For hotels, I recommend the Hotel Captain Cook (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com).
• For vacation rentals, consider this water view apartment in a great location (also on Booking.com), this apartment, right near the Coastal Trail and downtown, and this huge house, which is gorgeous and has space for up to two families.
• If you’re looking for other places to eat than the one I’ve recommended, check out my list of 30 top Anchorage restaurants.

Day 2: Anchorage to Denali

Itinerary B follows the same suggestions as Itinerary A up until Day 4, so stick with me.

As above, you’ll rise and shine early to catch the Alaska Railroad to Denali; the train leaves around 8am and arrives around 4pm – you can enjoy both breakfast and lunch aboard too! If you’re looking for a different, budget-friendlier option, check out Park Connection, a bus that operates between Anchorage, Denali, and Seward.

Once you arrive, disembark, and transfer to your hotel, you have the rest of the afternoon to explore. Use my guide for things to do in Denali as inspiration.

Enjoy dinner in town, either at your hotel, or one of the following restaurants:

• Lynx Creek Pizza
• Moose-AKa’s (Serbian food – in Alaska!)
• Denali Salmon Bake (order the McKinley Margarita!)
• Alpenglow Restaurant

Resources for Day 2:

• Denali has a limited number of accommodations in the small town; there are a few I recommend, including the Grande Denali Lodge (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com) or Denali Bluffs (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com).
• If you’ve chosen to drive for this itinerary, I highly recommend Denali Cabins south of the park (book on Hotels.com); staying there is like summer camp for adults!
• There aren’t a ton of vacation rental options near Denali National Park, so you’ll need a car if you choose to stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel right in town. This house or this house (also on Booking.com) are both good options.

Day 3: Denali National Park

Again, this day is the same as I recommended in Itinerary A – you’ll spend this whole day visiting Denali National Park on a bus tour.

As mentioned, I recommend the Tundra Wilderness Tour above other tour options offered through the National Park Service. (I have never done a non-park service-operated bus tour so don’t recommend them.) This tour takes 8 hours, so most of your day will be spent on the bus. If you’re not sold, check out my guide to Denali bus tours for more info.

Afterward, grab dinner at one of the other restaurants in Denali I recommended for Day 2 (whichever one you haven’t yet visited).

Resources for Day 3:

• Stay another night in your Denali accommodation.

Day 4: Denali to Seward

Here’s where Itinerary B gets interesting (compared to Itinerary A, which it has been mirroring up to this point). While Itinerary A travelers will head north from Denali, those of you who choose Itinerary B will head south, back toward Anchorage.

Obviously, if you chose to rent a car for this whole itinerary, you can set out at any point. The drive to Seward takes about 6.5-7 hours, so plan accordingly. (I recommend stopping in Talkeetna for lunch at Denali Brewpub.)

If you took the train or bus, it leaves Denali around noon and arrives in Anchorage around 8pm. You can have lunch and dinner on the train. From the train, you’ll then want to get a transfer (Uber/taxi) to pick up your rental car (likely at the airport) and drive along Turnagain Arm onto the Kenai Peninsula and finally to Seward. This is a 2.5-hour drive, which means you’ll arrive quite late in Seward. (That’s a point in favor of renting a car the whole time…)

For yet another option, you could choose to take the train north to Denali, and then take a bus to Anchorage. The Park Connection bus runs between Denali and Anchorage daily leaving at 7am, and takes less time than the train while still allowing you to experience the Alaska Railroad at least once. (Note that the 7am departure continues on to Seward but don’t book the bus to/from Seward – it won’t work to get you back to Anchorage at a good time on Day 5! You still need a rental car for the next two days.)

In any event, it’s a long day of travel; you might have some time to explore Denali in the morning, but I recommend taking it easy so you get to Seward without being exhausted.

Resources for Day 4:

• For hotels, I recommend the Harbor 360 (book on Booking.com) right on the Seward harbor, the Gateway Hotel (book on Booking.com) which is great for families, or the Seward Windsong Lodge (book on Booking.com or Hotels.com), a little ways out of town but beautifully remote.
• In terms of vacation rental options, stay in this retro yet modern apartment, cozy up in this downtown studio, or try this award-winning B&B.

Day 5: Seward to Anchorage

For your final day of this 5 day Alaska itinerary, you’ll spend most of the day in Seward, returning to Anchorage at the end of the day to depart back home.

The main activity today is visiting Kenai Fjords National Park. The best way to do this is aboard the 8.5-hour Northwest Fjords cruise from Major Marine Tours; there are a number of other Kenai Fjords cruise options, but this one is my favorite and has gotten rave reviews from readers I’ve sent on that cruise in the past. The cruise departs at 9am and returns at 5:30pm so it takes up most of the day and includes a light breakfast and lunch.

(If you are an early riser, you could start the day by doing an early morning hike at Exit Glacier, which is a short drive from Seward – but be sure to time this so you aren’t late for your cruise!)

Before driving back to Anchorage, I recommend having dinner in Seward at Seward Brewing Company. This is another must-eat place that I recommend to pretty much everyone because it’s just that good!

Then it’s time to make the 2.5-hour drive back to Anchorage to return your rental car and depart Alaska.

Resources for Day 5:

• None due to departure!

Do you have other questions about how to spend 5 days in Alaska? Let me know in the comments or join me in my Alaska Travel Tips Facebook Community!

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