Fodor's Expert Review Denali Park Village

This sprawling 20-acre resortlike property operated by one of the National Park Service's largest concessionaires, Aramark, sits just 7 miles south of the park entrance next to the Nenana River. Denali Park Village brings two of the company's properties (The Lodge and The Cabins) under one name. Dining options include the Gold Rush Dining Room, Lucky Miss Saloon, and Quigley's Coffee Cart. There's also a gold rush–theme dinner show, Cabin Nite Dinner Theater. You can also book activities from river-rafting to bus tours. There's plenty to do on-site during your off-hours including taking an easy walk on the trails, browsing the gift shop, or just gazing out on the Alaskan wilderness as you warm up with a drink by the deck's fire pit.