Alaska in July: 6 Day Itinerary

Going on my Alaskan getaway was a bit random and unexpected but one of the best and most amazing trip! It just shows that when you least expect it, things will amaze you and take you by surprise. Everything about Alaska exceeded my expectations and I am still in awe of how beautiful this state is, especially during the summer. I can confidently say Alaska has become my favorite state to visit in the US and one of the top destinations I have ever visited. I hope the pictures, blogs, and video I post will inspire you to visit this special place as well. And I promise you will not be disappointed! Below is our 6 day itinerary (I will be writing more specific blogs about each day later on):

DAY 1

• Arrive at Anchorage airport: about 30 minutes away from downtown and a $20 taxi ride. 
• Pick up rental car: having a car is a must in Alaska if you want to able to see more of the state. It's a huge place!
• Buy camping food/supplies: since we were planned to camp for 3 nights to save money, we stopped by walmart to buy food and supplies for the next 4 days / 3 nights in nature.
• Check-in to AirBnB: we wanted to drive early to the campsite to secure a spot early in the morning so the first night we stayed in an AirBnB. 

DAY 2

• Wake up and head out of the house by 6am
• Pick-up camping equipment: our airbnb host let us borrow his tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads so we only had to rent a stove and hammock. Rented from Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental since they were the only one who opened early enough for us to get the equipment before our drive to Exit Glacier - Kenai Fjord National Park (our campsite location)
• Drive to Exit Glacier Campground: ~2-2.5 hours south of Anchorage. The campsite is free but first come, first serve so get there early to ensure you get a spot. There are only 12 sites total. 
• Set up campsite: put up our tent and hammock, and set out our sleeping bags/pads
• Hike exit glacier: Exit glacier is about 0.75 miles from the campsite and there are many short hikes along the glacier
• Walk around / have lunch in DT Seward
• Hike Mount Marathon: go up the Jeep Trail since the Runner's trail is a lot steeper and more dangerous. We only went up to the bowl but the top is another 30 minutes, so it's worth doing since you already went that far. Moderate - Strenuous hike; 3-4 miles round trip; 3-4 hours.
• Dinner in DT Seward  
• Hang out by the port: this is the most beautiful horizon and an amazing place to relax and take in the beauty of Alaska

DAY 3

• Hike Harding Ice Trail: this is a MUST DO! One of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done and definitely my favorite one thus far. Fair warning, it is strenuous and you should go in good hiking shoes/boots. There were others who went in tennis shoes but they were suffering since we hiked through many different terrains - jungle, water, and snow. Also pack layers! You will get hot and cold through the entire hike. 8.3 miles round trip; 6-8 hours long.
• Dinner in DT Seward
• Bar in DT Seward

DAY 4

• Aialik Kayaking tour: 7am - 6pm. Along with a 3 hour kayaking trip, you are on a boat to/from Resurrection Bay and Aialik Bay. Lunch is included and you get a chance to see a ton of wildlife along the way as well as get pretty close to a glacier. It is a bit on the pricier side but definitely worth it! All the guides were really friendly and knowledgable, which made the trip even better. Kayak Adventures Worldwide: $399 + Tax
• Dog Sledding: I did not go dog sledding because I wanted to go the glacier kayaking but the other people in my party did. I don't have a lot of information about this since I did not do it but it's a 6 hour dog sled and tour of seward. Real Alaska Tour: $139 + Tax
• Dinner/Bars in DT Seward

DAY 5

• Wake up & take down campsite: 
• Drive back to Anchorage: Left at 9:30am; ~2-2.5 hours
• Return camping equipment
• Drive to Glacier View (Matanuska Glacier): ~2-2.5 hours
• Ice Climbing: we climbed the Matanuska Glacier and it is a lot harder than it looks! It is a full body activity. We did well on our first few climbs so our guide had us do a hard one that he normally doesn't take his other clients. Getting over the top is the harder part! Bring a lot of layers because it is very cold there as well as gloves (my fingers were frozen!). Nova: $149 + Glacier entrance fee & tax
• Drive back to Anchorage
• Make dinner

DAY 6

• Drive to Hope: ~1.5 hours south of Anchorage
• Whitewater Rafting at Six Mile Creek: you get a choice of doing 2 or 3 canyons at level IV and V. DO 3 CANYONS! The last one is longer and the most fun! They do a river swim before getting into the raft. Fair warning, this was a lot harder than I thought! I can't swim (but shush don't tell them because I faked it well enough to do it) but the river will take you along but this was a very slow moving river compared to the water we were actually rafting in. SO MUCH FUN! It is one of the best in Northern America and a must do in Alaska! Nova: $105 + Tax
• Berry Picking along hope: It is raspberry season but we couldn't find any except for tart blueberries and cranberries.
• Drive back to Anchorage
• Shower and pack up to leave Airbnb
• Return rental car: Returned it 2 hours earlier and got ~$90 back
• Eat dinner: tried Reindeer hotdogs
• Bar hopping: check our Ginger (have great happy hour deals!) and Brown Bag (really good sandwiches and cool bar area downstairs)
• Buy souvenir: a ton of shops along 4th and 5th Avenue
• Taxi to airport

*Did a Ice Climbing/Rafting Combo with Nova: $234 + Tax

Next Time:

• Hike Lost Lake in Seward
• Camp/Explore Denali National Park
• Hike Mt. Mckinney
• Go salmon fishing

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