Alaska Trip

We all know how big our 49th state is, but few of us know much about what there is to see and do here, and even fewer have enough knowledge to choose among the Alaska trip options available. This article is not meant to be an in-depth guide to planning an Alaska trip, but instead it will provide some general information about the options available.

See It Now: Alaska Inside Passage Photo Tour

Big-Ship Cruise Alaska Trip

Almost all big cruise lines offer Alaska trip packages. These most common trip is a one-week cruise from Vancouver through the Inside Passage to Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Glacier Bay. A 10-day itinerary will go further north to Seward and take in more locales.

• Description: Big ships carry up to 2,000 passengers and when two or three are in a port at once, you'll find so many cruisers on the streets that it's almost impossible to see the city for the visitors, so to speak.
• Pros: Convenience of traveling in a floating hotel and having someone else plan their itineraries and activities.
• Cons: Crowds, long lines just to get off the ship. You'll only skim the surface of the rich Alaskan culture and heritage.
• Costs: One-week cruises start from $800 per person.

Small-Ship Cruise Alaska Trip

Small ships can get into places where the big ones can't go, such as the Wrangell Narrows, a 22-mile stretch of water that requires no less than 46 course corrections.

• Description: These smaller vessels can take you into smaller towns and give you a closer view of the coast, for a more intimate Alaska trip experience.
• Pros: More casual, informal atmosphere. Few crowds.
• Cons: You won't find a swimming pool, hot tub or midnight buffet here. While the small-ships may provide a more intellectually-stimulating Alaska trip, you still won't get to really know the state.
• Costs: One-week cruises cost $3,000 to $4,000 per person at list price, but frequent specials such as free airfare or a discount on a companion fare.

Land Tour Alaska Trip

Independent tour operators offer land-based Alaska trips that mostly go through the interior of the state.

• Description: Many of these tours are the bus-based equivalent of a cruise, giving you a chance to see the interior.
• Pros: Convenience. You won't have to worry about much and you won't have to drive.
• Cons: Your Alaska trip experience will be limited to what they show you, and you'll see much of the state through a bus window.
• Costs: Budget tours run $45 to $130 per person, per day and luxury tours can go up to $400 to $600 per person, per day. Airfare will cost extra.

Independent Alaska Trip

The traveler who wants to plan their Alaska trip on their own can choose their own sights, plan their own itinerary and get to know the state more intimately than anyone who chooses a group tour or cruise of any size.

• Description: Plan your own itinerary, stay in local bed and breakfasts, meet the locals and travel at your own pace.
• Pros: Offers the most opportunities to get to know our largest state on a more personal level, and by avoiding the crowds you can get a close-up look at its sights and attractions.
• Cons: Takes a lot of planning, and it can be hard to figure out the patchwork of rail, highway, ferry and airplane required to get around.
• Costs: For a comfortable Alaska trip, plan on spending $200 to $250 per night or more for transportation, lodging and tours. You can spend less if you choose to camp out and prepare some of your own meals.

Perhaps it's the vastness of the place, or its distance from the "lower 48," but planning an Alaska trip is a daunting task even for those who normally tour independently, figuring out where to go and how to get there. If you're looking for an Alaska trip that's more like a voyage of discovery than the Discovery Channel, a good travel agent may be your best ally. These independent Alaska trip pointers may also help you get started:

• Get a map and figure out what parts you want to visit. Juneau, Skagway and Glacier Bay are on the southeast coast. Denali is inland. The Alaska Highway comes in from Canada.

• Many cities here are accessible only by water. Those you can reach by highway include Valdez, Homer, Fairbanks and Seward. At Haines and Skagway you can take roads that go from the coast into Canada. Viewing our highway map may help you get oriented.

• The Alaska Ferry (Marine Highway) runs along the coast and the Inland Passage, stopping at many cities and towns. Its route runs from Bellingham, Washington and the north-most stop is Haines. It takes over two and a half days to get from Bellingham to Juneau. The best way to use the ferry is to fly into one of the coastal cities and take the ferry to get from place to place.

• The Alaska Highway runs from the Canadian border in Yukon Territory to Delta Junction. From it, you can connect to the James Dalton Highway going to Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay, or to highways going to Anchorage and Valdez.