Alaska Itineraries in Alaska

ANCHORAGE TO THE KENAI

2 Days: Hello Anchorage!

Explore the fun and somewhat kitschy downtown shops, head to the outdoor markets on the weekend, take in the sights at Ship Creek, and visit the city's museums. Logistics: Getting to town is a snap (buses, reasonable taxis, and hotel shuttles make the short ride). Car-rental offices are in the South Terminal of the airport.

1 Day: Chugach State Park

Anchorage's ½-million-acre backyard wilderness has glaciers, tundra meadows, forested valleys, and wildlife. In September this is one of the best places to see moose. Logistics: This is a do-it-yourself park: the only facilities are trailheads, a few basic campgrounds, and picnic areas. A good place to start is 3,350-foot Flattop Mountain, Alaska's most climbed peak. There's a fantastic viewpoint near the parking lot ($5 parking fee).

2 Days: Seward

Surrounded by lush mountains at the head of Resurrection Bay, Seward is the primary gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. You can join a coastal wildlife tour, explore the Alaska SeaLife Center, and take a stroll along the waterfront trail. Logistics: The spectacular drive south from Anchorage takes about two hours on the Seward Highway. An alternative is to take the Alaska Railroad.

2-4 Days: The Kenai's Wild Country

Option #1: Kenai Fjords National Park. Tidewater glaciers, rugged fjords, Exit Glacier, and ocean life are highlights of this spectacular coastal parkland. Logistics: Take a tour from Seward to spot whales. You can also stay in public-use cabins, hike up to the Harding Icefield from Exit Glacier, and travel by kayak out of Miller's Landing.

Option #2: Chugach National Forest. Sprawling across much of the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound, this 6-million-acre area is the country's second-largest national forest. Girdwood, Seward, Cooper Landing, and Cordova offer convenient access points to trailheads and campgrounds as well as visitor services and outfitters. Logistics: Stop in the Seward Ranger District Headquarters (334 4th Ave., 99664. 907/224-3374. www.www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/pages_district/seward.html) for trail and hiking info—they've got plenty.

Option #3: Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Covering nearly 2 million acres, the Kenai refuge encompasses part of the vast Harding Icefield as well as rugged peaks and forested lowlands inhabited by moose, black bears, and grizzlies. Logistics: The Kenai refuge is enormous, but road access is limited to a few trailheads and campgrounds. The Skilak Loop Road between Cooper Landing and Sterling is a gravel road that offers a chance to escape traffic. In Soldotna, the visitor center on Ski Hill Road has maps and updates on wildlife and park conditions.

1-2 Days: Kenai and Soldotna

The sportfishing hubs of South Central, sister cities Kenai and Soldatna lie along the world-famous Kenai River. Pacific salmon spawn here each summer, including the mighty king salmon. Be sure to take a stroll through Kenai's old town to see the Russian Orthodox church.

1-2 Days: Homer

This end-of-the-road coastal town calls itself the halibut capital of the world, but it also has a thriving community of artists and writers. Take a water taxi to nearby Kachemak Bay State Park and visit the Pratt Museum. Logistics: The Sterling Highway ends in Homer; it's a four-hour drive from Anchorage. Take the scenic Kalifornsky Beach Road loop from Soldotna, which loops back to the Sterling Highway and offers great views of volcanoes in the Alaska Range.

Anchorage to the Interior

1 day: Talkeetna

Mountaineers congregate at this rural community before flying into the Alaska Range. Denali National Park's entrance area is another 140 mi up the highway; if you can't get a bus reservation in the park, you can book a flightseeing trip here and land on a glacier. Talkeetna is a two-hour drive north on the Parks Highway from Anchorage. Even if you don't stay at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, stop by to take in the view from the patio. Try your fishing luck on one of the three rivers that converge here.

1-2 Days: "Little Denali"

Denali State Park has some of South Central's best tundra hikes, along the Curry-Kesugi Ridge. The park's spectacular views of Mt. McKinley are among the finest anywhere. Logistics: At Byers Lake you can camp or stay in public-use cabins.

2-5 Days: Denali National Park and Preserve

Larger than the state of Massachusetts, Alaska's most famous parkland is a wilderness of high mountains, glacial rivers, forest, and tundra plains. Mt. McKinley rises 20,320 feet into the heavens, while grizzly bears roam alpine meadows and wolves hunt caribou, moose, and Dall sheep. Logistics: We highly recommend making shuttle-bus reservations in advance, getting out on the first bus in the morning, and going as far as the Eielson Visitor Center for the best wildlife viewing. Check out www.nps.gov/dena.

1-2 Days: Fairbanks

Born as a gold-mining camp, the Golden Heart of Alaska is the starting point for trips into much of northern Bush Alaska. Near town, you can hike the trails in Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge; enjoy exhibits at the Museum of the North; visit Pioneer Park, a theme park with native and gold-rush exhibits; and take a riverboat tour. Logistics: Consider taking the scenic Alaska Railroad back to Anchorage to catch your flight home.