In the state of Alaska you’ll see some of the most amazing landscapes in the world – and some of the most spectacular wildlife is roaming free amongst it. If you want to take a tour of Alaska, hiring a car is often the best option.

Driving around the state is surprisingly easy. There isn’t a comprehensive road system but there are enough highways to escape the crowds and head off into for a true wilderness adventure.

You’ll find there is a selection of famous driving routes across the state, giving you access to the iconic sights. The Parks Highway from Anchorage to Fairbanks will allow you views of Mount Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley and Denali National Park; the Seward Highway, from Anchorage to Seward, offers stunning coastal scenery; the Glenn Highway, from Anchorage to the Richardson Highway, is great for viewing glaciers.

The seasonal differences will make a big impact on any driving in Alaska. In the summer you’ll find road conditions can be much like any normal driving experience on smooth, well-maintained roads. In the winter however, there can be severe weather and extra preparations and caution will be required.

The driving laws in Alaska are very similar to the other states in the US – you can read all the details online here.

This huge area of mountains, forests, lakes and Arctic tundra is the real attraction of the state, rather than any particular sight or destination. Nevertheless, Alaska does offer a handful of must-see attractions. You’ll find that the small number of towns and cities are overwhelmed by the vast uninhabited wilderness of Alaska.

Denali National Park

Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest peak in America. Reaching over 20,000, this peak forms the centrepiece of an acclaimed national park, which is sited around 200 miles north of Anchorage. From the small settlement at the park entrance you can take a self-drive tour (for just 15 miles) or a coach tour (up to 92 miles). There is only one track into the park and it can be rough and demanding but you will be able to see wildlife and incredible scenery.

Exploring Anchorage

You’ll find Alaska’s biggest city is a cultured place with museums, restaurants, shops and skyscrapers, like any American city. But it stands on the Arctic waterfront with snow-capped mountains behind, and is a short distance from some of the world’s most extreme environments.

Many use the city as a base for adventures further afield, others simply arrive by cruise ship for a few hours. But Anchorage deserves to be explored because it has its own character: part frontier town, part modern city. The Anchorage Museum is one of the highlights. It’s an enormous modern building housing an extensive collection about the culture and history of this Arctic region. The city also boasts a family-friendly zoo with Arctic animals like wolves and moose, and an extensive botanical garden with hundreds of plants from the region too.

Kenai Fjords National Park

To the south of Anchorage is the acclaimed Kenai Fjords National Park with yet more dramatic landscapes to explore. This park occupies a mountainous peninsular where over 40 glaciers flow down from the Harding Icefield. Around the edges are the freezing Arctic waters and dense evergreen forests full of rare wildlife. Visitors take boat tours to look for whales or bears, and get up close to the glaciers by hiking or kayaking. You can even stay in the Park in a quaint and cosy wooden cabin.

Around the State

Alaska is full of outdoor experiences you may not find anywhere else. Wherever you go in the state, you can take flights in helicopter or seaplanes, boat trips and cruises, hike into the wilderness or simply drive. For example, you can take a ferry along the chain of treeless, mountainous Aleutian Islands, visiting remote fishing towns like Unalaska and Dutch Harbour. Or you could head to Kodiak Island where large brown bears live among the wilderness. Visitors here take tours to spot bears – from a safe distance, of course.

With the beautiful landscape which graces the Alaska state to the buzz of adventure found across the many cities, Alaska can offer you a holiday or business retreat like no other. With so much to do, from watching the natural wildlife to the visiting the cultural sights on offer, this is a memorable place to explore.