Planning an Alaska Trip? Start With These Tools

Dreaming of an Alaska adventure but feeling overwhelmed by where to start? Between choosing destinations, figuring out drive times, deciding what is actually worth doing, and trying not to miss something amazing, Alaska can feel a little overwhelming to plan. The good news is, you do not have to piece it all together from scratch. We’ve got you covered! From insider tips to helpful planning tools, these eight resources will take the stress out of travel planning and help you make the most of your time in Alaska. 

When I first started exploring Alaska, I relied on guidebooks and travel blogs like everyone else. But over time, I have found a handful of tools and websites that make the process so much easier. Some help with itineraries. Some are great for local ideas. Some are just plain practical when you are trying to sort through the details. In this post, I’m sharing my favorite Alaska trip planning resources to help you save time, cut down the stress, and start building a trip that feels like you.

Artificial Intelligence Tools

Overview: AI-powered tools are my newest go-to travel planning resource. From getting general knowledge about a destination to creating specific itineraries, AI is an easy and quick way to get a wealth of information. 

Why I Love It: I use ChatGPT, but there are many AI tools available these days. Use whichever you are most comfortable with. AI has been a game-changer for me when planning travel. I use it to generate drive times for road trips, find things to do along the way, and provide me with a rough budget for the trip. 

But AI tools are only as good as the questions you ask, or prompts as they are called in AI lingo. I have developed a list of prompts that you can use when planning a trip to Alaska, or any other destination. These prompts allow you to ask for and get information based on your specific travel requirements. See the sidebar to get the prompts.

That’s the cool thing about AI. Depending on what you ask, you’ll get travel information that’s just right for the type of traveler you are. Generate an Alaska itinerary that has accommodations you’ll love, hikes that are just your speed and tours that are just your style.

Alaska.Org

Overview: Alaska.Org is a comprehensive resource that offers everything from travel guides and itinerary suggestions to tips on wildlife viewing and outdoor adventures. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or an Alaska veteran, this site has something for everyone.

Why I Love It: Whenever I need to plan an itinerary or find updated information on specific regions of Alaska, I turn to Alaska.Org. The site provides detailed descriptions of popular destinations and some hidden gems, making it easy to tailor trips to different interests and activity levels. You’ll see that I reference Alaska.org in many of the posts I write for this blog. Their information is comprehensive and covers a broad range of Alaska topics. 

Visit Anchorage

Overview: Visit Anchorage is the official tourism website for Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska. It is packed with ideas for things to do, sample itineraries, neighborhood guides, seasonal suggestions, and practical trip-planning information. If Anchorage is part of your trip — even if it is just your arrival point — this site is a great way to figure out how much time to spend there and what is worth adding to your itinerary.

Why I Love It: I like this site because it helps travelers see Anchorage as more than just the place where they land. There is a lot to do in and around the city, and Visit Anchorage does a nice job showing the mix of outdoor adventure, local culture, restaurants, and easy day trips. It is also a really helpful resource when you are trying to decide how Anchorage fits into the bigger picture of your Alaska trip.

The Mat-Su Alaska

Overview: The Mat-Su Alaska is the official visitor site for the Mat-Su Valley. It covers a huge region just north of Anchorage that includes Wasilla, Palmer, Talkeetna, and Willow, with trip ideas, local attractions, events, hiking, and visitor planning tools. It is especially helpful if you want to explore beyond Anchorage and get into an area that feels spacious, scenic, and a little more off the beaten path.

Why I Love It: Naturally, I am a little partial to the Mat-Su, but this is one of the best places to send people who want to understand just how much there is to do here. I love that the site gives visitors a better feel for the region as a whole, not just one town at a time. It is a great tool for discovering hikes, local experiences, and road trip stops, especially for travelers who want a home base near both Anchorage and Denali without staying right in the city.

Only in Alaska

Overview: Only in Alaska is part of Only in Your State. The website and email newsletters are full of great ideas for destinations, experiences and hidden gems. Only in Alaska is a treasure trove of quirky, fun, and uniquely Alaskan adventures. Whether you’re interested in local culture, outdoor adventures, or off-the-beaten-path attractions, this resource will give you plenty of ideas to fill your trip. 

Why I Love It: I subscribe to their email and get surprising trip ideas delivered right to my inbox. You can sign up for any state separately. I usually add the place I am planning to visit a few months before the trip. 

Facebook Groups

Overview: Facebook Groups can be a goldmine for real-time, local advice, I just recently started using them for travel planning and now I’m hooked! Before any trip, I’ll join a few Facebook Groups that mesh with my travel interests. The local expertise and up-to-the-minute information you can access through these groups are invaluable.

Why I Love It: What I love most about Facebook Groups is the real-time, community aspect. You can ask about current conditions on a trail, get recommendations for local guides, and discover events that will be happening in your travel destination. Most groups include posts from travelers asking questions and answers from both locals and other travelers. It;s a great way to get both perspectives. 

Facebook groups are a great way for travelers to connect with one another too. I’ve seen posts about lost items, restaurant recommendations and current weather and road conditions. 

To find a group, type in Alaska Travel in the Facebook Groups search bar. Look through the list that pops up and see how many members are in each group and how often people post. Find a few that look like a good fit and request to join them. 

The Milepost

Why I Love It: Alaska’s size can be both thrilling and daunting, but The Milepost makes it navigable. It’s packed with maps, driving tips, and descriptions of every possible stop along the way—whether it’s a scenic viewpoint, gas station, or local attraction. Even as a local, I always keep a copy of the Milepost in the truck for road trips. Knowing where to find the nearest services, or a great spot for a picnic, makes road-tripping in Alaska a much more relaxed and enjoyable experience.

You can find the Milepost in just about any bookstore in the travel section and on  Amazon. Get a copy before your trip and use it to help plan your Alaska road trip. And check out their website before you leave. You’ll find helpful suggestions and travel tips.

TripIt

Overview: TripIt is a lifesaver when it comes to keeping all your travel details in one place. This app organizes your flight itineraries, hotel reservations, rental car bookings, activities and even dinner reservations into a single, easy-to-access itinerary.

Why I Love It: Tripit is great for traveling to places where you might be without cell service (like Alaska!). Your full itinerary can be accessed even when offline. My favorite part is that I can upload documents so all my tickets, reservation documents, etc. are all in one place. And populating the app with all those details is super simple. Just forward your confirmation emails to Tripit – the app adds your flights, accommodations, and activities and keeps them in order by date. So easy to see what is on your travel schedule each day. 

The app also provides lists for nearby places like gas stations, coffee shops, ATMs and more. You can also store your passport and driver license information in Tripit.

Another fun feature, is that Tripit saves your past trips. Since I started using the app in 2012, I’ve traveled 1,235,619 miles to 96 cities in 20 countries!

Bonus Resource

And don’t forget my favorite resource. It’s the Live Local AK Newsletter. Once a month we’ll send out information about what’s happening in Southcentral Alaska, travel tips, restaurant and tour suggestions and more.

Get Alaska the way the locals know it – delivered to your inbox.

Final Thoughts

Planning an Alaska adventure is no small task, but with the right resources, it becomes an exciting and manageable endeavor. Each of these tools has helped me and our guests experience the best of Alaska, from iconic landmarks to hidden treasures. I hope these resources will inspire you and make your Alaskan dream trip a reality. If you have any favorite resources I didn’t mention, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

If you found this guide helpful, make sure to subscribe to the Live Local AK newsletter for more Alaska travel tips from a local, exclusive offers, and updates on the latest happenings in Southcentral Alaska. 

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