Our friends, the Newnum’s, took a 30 day trip to Alaska last Fall in our Gulfstream Conquest RV. A mother, the mother’s father and the mother’s daughter (3 generations) traveled across the country and spent time in the mainland US, Canada and Alaska. Below is an account of their trip and some tips they wanted to share with future roadtrippers who are thinking about taking an Alaska road trip.
As we traveled west, the first noteworthy place we stayed overnight was in Custer State Park in South Dakota and then toured the park the next day, it’s wonderful! They have buffalo round-up every year and also have bison sales throughout the year to other livestock owners.
We stayed at Cody, Wyoming at a Cody KOA Holiday, it was a very nice stay – you could go to the rodeo, each night if you want to.
The following day we went to the Buffalo Bills Center of the West. It was a really great museum!!
After Cody, Wyoming, we traveled to West Yellowstone, Montana. We stayed in the Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park and was our favorite stay of the entire trip!
It is landscaped very nicely! They have a store and it has everything you need for camping. And, best yet, it’s outside of town, so you sleep really well!
Upper Mesa Falls, Idaho is where we viewed the water falls that we liked more than Niagara Falls! The beauty of nature is so serene with the mountains, the sky and the birds that all make the stay outstanding!! The historical building there is really neat! Within the building, there is a designated room filled with animal pelts that you can touch—which is very unique.
Watertown Lake National Park in Alberta was just beautiful!! The campground was a great setting that offered beautiful views and solitude. It was very W-I-N-D-Y there, but was worth every minute.
If you like good ole’ home cooked food—then you MUST stay at Johnsons Crossing Lodge, Yukon. Family owned campground and restaurant who is well known for their homemade huge cinnamon rolls, mmm! We stayed there twice- on the way to Alaska and on the way back!
We didn’t stay here, but definitely made a stop at Matanuska Glacier. It is the largest glacier in the Western Hemisphere that is accessible by automobile. This is a definitely cool stop that we would encourage anyone to do!
In Seward, Alaska we stayed on the ocean front at a local campground/park. You can see all the boats even the cruise ships. They have a really nice downtown area. The museum is nice. If you have time in Seward, a really cool attraction is the Seavey’s Iditarod racing kennel. It is quite impressive and super educational.
We stayed for two nights in Homer, Alaska. I really liked where we stayed it was on a high bluff over the pacific called Baycrest RV Park. We took a private flight to Kodiak as my Grandpa was stationed in the Navy there in the early 1950’s. We saw 4 whales on our flight out, Kodiak brown bears, and a wealth of nature viewing. Upon our return, we had dinner at Captain Pattie’s Fish House who is renowned for their fresh halibut!
As we returned to the United States we came thru British Columbia and we followed the Fraser River and the Railroads and the view was always impeccable. The wildlife, scenery, and beauty of nature was remarkable and we got to experience it all because of Haydocy!!! Thank you for a trip of a lifetime!!
Canada + Alaska Road Trip Tips:
- Make sure that you have the most recent Milepost book/magazine. This is imperative to navigating the northern part of Canada and Alaska.
- Never let your gas tank get below ½ a tank. There’s always a possibility that you could go 100-150+ miles without civilization or a gas station. So always fill up when you can.
- Try to think about being as remote as possible… Then double that. That’s what makes this trip so unbelievable- because you really are off the grid and can observe nature in it’s purest form.
- If you can, take the World Famous Alaska Highway! It is truly beautiful and is the gateway to Alaska. Take your time, though, and budget time for construction and stops along the way to see animals and picturesque views.
- Plan on not having much Phone Service! When I say you’re off the grid- your phone is too!
- I know that this sounds cliché’- but always have Safety first. Weather conditions, wildlife, remote isolation- you can find yourself in these situations very quickly. Be prepared, pack accordingly, and always make sure you have enough bottled water for hiking, travel, and for your trips.
- The most important—Have Fun! Keep your eyes wide open! We saw wolves, bears, eagles, moose, caribou, elk, buffalo, mountain goats and sheep, even a mountain lion! This truly was a trip of a lifetime!!
We would like to thank the Newnum’s for allowing us to share their Mainland US/Canada/Alaska Adventure with our Road Adventures family. You can have a special story of your own by renting one of our Travel Trailers, Airstreams, RV Driveables, or Combo Packages. All you need to do is contact us today by calling 1-844-357-1879 or visit us at 3865 West Broad Street, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio, 43228. We look forward to hearing from you or seeing you soon! Let Road Adventures book your next adventure. Please keep checking back to see our latest blog posts!
