Best of Alaska for Families: Q&A with Travel Advisor Helen Buckner

In addition to planning memorable vacations for families across the globe, CB! Senior Travel Advisor Helen Buckner also spends around 10 months of the year traveling in her RV. Her goal? To explore all 50 states, national parks and the Canadian provinces. Last year, she and her husband spent three months driving through almost all of the Alaska tourist areas that are reachable by car.

“It really is the Final Frontier of the U.S.,” says Helen. “We’ve traveled all over the world, and there is nothing else quite like Alaska. If you love nature, beautiful scenery and animals, it’s a must-see!”

Here, Helen shares her favorite Alaska moments along with tips for families.

Advisor Q&A: Alaska for Families 101

Ciao Bambino: What surprised you most about Alaska once you were actually there?

Helen Buckner: Two things surprised us most. First, how absolutely gorgeous Alaska is. It’s kind of like going back in time to the ’50s, as the infrastructure is older but super quaint. Second, we were pleasantly surprised by how mountainous it is, especially along the coast. Usually, mountains don’t go directly into the ocean, but they do in Alaska.

CB: Alaska is huge and varied. How do you help travelers choose where to go when they only have one trip or limited time?

HB: I start with a conversation about what they want to achieve. The key factors are a) how long they have and b) what their priorities or must-sees are. Is their priority scenery/nature? Do they have enough time to do both by land and sea?

Based on their responses, I can create an itinerary that maximizes their interests in the allotted time. The ideal would be a combination of an Alaska cruise plus time in the interior to get the full experience.

CB: Was there a moment on your trip that made you stop and think, “This is why people come all the way here!”?

HB: We said that multiple times on our journey. There were so many unique experiences. Among them:

• We took a day cruise to see the whales, orcas, puffins, glaciers, etc., while surrounded by white-capped mountains.
• Finally getting to see the enormous Mt. McKinley in Denali National Park (only 30 percent of people get to see it since it’s often covered in clouds).
• Experiencing the salmon run at its peak, where brown bears fish in their natural habitat.
• Kayaking among the icebergs — a surreal experience and not as cold as you might think!

CB: If travelers worry that Alaska will feel either too big or too rugged, how do you strike the right balance for them?

HB: Thankfully, there are properties and towns that have all the amenities of the lower 48 states but are a relatively short distance from being able to experience the ruggedness of Alaska. As for the size, 99 percent of what people want to see is in the lower 20 percent of the state. These locations can be accessed by car, train, short boat rides and small aircraft flights for more remote experiences.

CB: Is there one Alaska experience you think most first-timers overlook, but absolutely shouldn’t?

HB:  While Brooks Falls [in Katmai National Park] is a bucket-list item for some, we’ve found that many do not know about it. There’s no other place in the world where you can see so many brown bears together and get so close to them in their natural environment.

The number of salmon during the salmon run is absolutely amazing. You’ve never seen so many fish in your life! Then take off in a float plane from a turquoise glacial lake and fly over the most beautiful mountain range. It’s pricey, but it’s an experience you will never forget. We took a day trip from Homer, which is just over a 2-hour flight, but you can also fly from Anchorage, which is a little farther.

CB: How does traveling in Alaska during summer differ from what people imagine, especially when it comes to weather, crowds and daylight?

HB: Many people think that Alaska is covered with snow year-round, but in reality, the snow is only at higher elevations. Alaska summers are mild and not cold, similar to the Washington and Oregon coastal cities.

Yes, it can be daylight until midnight, but that gives you lots of time to explore. Most places are not overly crowded if you know where to avoid. Complaints about overcrowding usually stem from being in major cruise ports like Skagway, where four large ships can dock simultaneously. But there are plenty of alternatives that are just as pretty without being crowded.

CB: Since you mention cruises, for travelers deciding between a cruise and a land-based trip — or a mix of both — can you talk about some tradeoffs?

HB: Cruises are typically lower-cost, provide lots of marine wildlife viewing, have lots of fjord views and take you to multiple interesting ports without having to unpack, move hotels, etc. But you have to like being around crowds. A couple of cruise lines have some interesting land packages where you can cruise to Alaska, take the train (or buses) into the interior, participate in many different excursions and stay in some very nice resorts. But again, you have to like being around lots of people most of the time.

Land-based tours allow travel advisors to craft a tailored itinerary based on exactly what people want to do and see. I think it’s a great mistake to do only a cruise and miss the interior, unless you plan to come back another time.

CB: What should people know about driving in Alaska?

We found it easy as there aren’t many roads there! There are only about three major highways (though smaller than you would imagine) and then smaller roads in the cities. Nothing was in too bad a shape except the McCarthy Road, which not that many people will see as it is pretty off-path. We definitely recommend downloading offline maps for those times when GPS might not want to cooperate. Occasionally you will see moose or other wildlife crossing the road, so keep your eyes peeled for them!

We did not drive the very long and very rough road to the Arctic Ocean, and we don’t recommend it for the average tourist.

CB: Who do you think Alaska is not right for, and who will fall completely in love with it?

HB: People who love the outdoors, natural beauty and mountains will completely fall in love with Alaska. People who prefer large cities over small, quaint towns (some quirky) might not enjoy it as much. There’s a fair amount of rain in Alaska during late summer along the coast, so people who don’t want to deal with that may not enjoy it either. But all that rain is why their mountains are so beautiful. And it’s typically not nonstop rain.

Travel to Alaska is pricey, and there aren’t a lot of luxury properties, so the expectations should be set to mostly 4-star stays with 5-star price tags. But there are also some incredible remote lodges that are really amazing, with price tags to match.

CB: Can you share a favorite memory and a favorite souvenir you brought home from Alaska?

HB: We have so many great memories, but the day trip to Brooks Falls was “over the top” amazing. There’s just nothing like it anywhere on earth. Walking near the bears, seeing the incredible numbers of salmon (you could almost walk across them in the rivers), experiencing the float plane and scenery — all of it was simply incredible.

As for souvenirs, believe it or not, the T-shirts we bought have been our favorite. They have scenes from Alaska on them, mountains, bears, stuff like that … When people see them, they ask questions, which lets us share our great memories. Or they tell us about their amazing adventures in Alaska too. Either way, we get to relive our experiences over and over.

Relevant Links: 

Browse all travel tips and ideas in Alaska on Ciao Bambino

Best things to do on an Alaska family vacation

Alaskan Dream Cruises: See Alaska with Alaskans

The best cool-weather summer vacations for families

Photos by Alan Buckner Photography.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.