7-Day Fairbanks to Anchorage with Denali and Seward for Families With Teenagers

Welcome to Fairbanks! Here are some ideas for things to do with kids:

• At the University of Alaska Museum of the North to enjoy interactive exhibits on Alaskan wildlife, history, and art.

• Let your teens try to strike it rich by panning for gold - a nod to Fairbanks’ gold rush past.

• Go on a dog sledding tour to learn about the sport of dog mushing and watch a demonstration of how the dogs get geared up for the trail. Some tours include a short ride on a wheeled cart.

• Buckle in for a fun ATV tour

• Go on a guided walk with Reindeer!

Spend the morning in Fairbanks doing one of the activities you missed yesterday, then begin the 2.5 hour drive to Denali in the afternoon. Upon arrival, visit the Denali Visitor Center . Walk one of the short trails from the visitor center to begin your Denali discovery. In the evening, go to a dinner theater performance! You’ll gather around a grand table and enjoy a family-style meal while being captivated by an interactive show where the area’s rich history comes alive in front of you. Overnight in Denali.

Photo: Savage River Loop Trail

Spend the day exploring Denali National Park. Start with a demonstration at the park's working sled dog kennel. Kids will love watching the demonstrations and meeting the dogs. Afterward, take a shorter (4-hour) Denali Park Road Bus Tour, which offers stunning views and opportunities to spot wildlife. Other fun tours include ATV’ing and ziplining. Overnight in Denali.

Photo: Ziplining in Denali

After breakfast, start the 5-hour drive to Anchorage. Byers Lake is a great place for a pit stop. There’s a nature trail around the lake, or kayaks and paddleboards available for rent. Continue onto Anchorage where you’ll spend the night. If you arrive in the early to mid-afternoon, rent bikes and cruise the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail Spend the night in Anchorage.

Photo: Coastal Trail

Wake up early and begin the 2- to 3-hour drive south to Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula. Here are some ideas when you arrive:

• Visit the Alaska SeaLife Center, where interactive exhibits and touch tanks allow you to get up close with marine life like sea stars, anemones, and puffins. It's both educational and entertaining.

• Visit Exit Glacier. This is the one part of Kenai Fjords National Park that’s accessible by road. There’s an accessible, paved loop trail that leads to a view of the glacier and an optional short spur that gets you even closer. If you’re in for challenge, hike all or a portion of the Harding Icefield Trail which leads to an overview of the glacier and the Harding Icefield Itself.

• Take a kayak tour around Resurrection Bay.

• Go dogsledding! Canine athletes will pull you along fun trails, and you’ll get the chance to play with puppies.

• Take a day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park.

Overnight in Seward.

Photo: Sea kayaking in Seward

If you didn’t visit Exit Glacier on your first day in Seward, hit it on your way out of town. About an hour before you reach Anchorage, visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage. This center offers a chance to see and learn about Alaskan wildlife like moose, musk ox, bears, wolves, porcupine and more in a natural setting. Return to Anchorage in the evening.

Photo: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

On your final day in Anchorage, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn about Alaska's indigenous cultures through exhibits, storytelling, dance performances, and exploring the life-size outdoor replicas of Alaska Native dwellings. If fishing is on your agenda, you can rent poles (and a guide) from The Bait Shack at Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage and try your luck angling for the big one.

Photo: Alaska Native Heritage Center