Self Drive

From this page you will find all the information you need to know for a self drive tour of Alaska, by hiring a car and staying in hotels or motels as you travel you get the freedom of the empty roads with the added convenience and luxuries the hotels and lodges along the way have to offer.

Because Alaska is so vast distances between destinations can be big so planning a route is essential, although the larger towns are very spread out and the journey times between them large there are always places to stop off and stay overnight in this beautiful state. You are never far from a beautiful view or landscape and plenty of hotels line the routes most people choose. The roads are largely empty and this makes driving a pleasure which I'm sure you will agree is a rare thing today. This page includes a guide to the distances between certain destinations to give you an idea of the time you will need for your journey and the distances you can expect to travel.

Choosing the right car is important and when deciding don’t forget to take into consideration the number of people traveling and the luggage you will be taking, also if you are planning to use some of the smaller roads that are less well kept and harder on your vehicle a four wheel drive option may be a good idea. Overall driving in Alaska is a joy and a holiday you are sure to remember for a long time to come. Use this page to help you plan your trip you will find links to some hotels and car hire companies that will be sure to match your needs, these companies have been selected as they have good reputations and offer all you could possibly need for your self drive holiday in Alaska.

The accommodation you pick is entirely your choice but as a recommendation we would advise you consider some of the lodges along the way, these give you a real feel for the heritage of Alaska and complement the scenery perfectly adding a little luxury on the way. Another recommendation worth noting is to purchase a road map of Alaska before you travel, that way you can plan your trip highlighting your chosen route before you depart maps and guidebooks of Alaska can be purchased at great value from this page.

FROM

TO

MILAGE

JOURNEY TIME*

Anchorage

Seward

125

2 hrs 25 mins

Anchorage

Homer

221

4 hrs 20 mins

Anchorage

Skagway

811

15 hrs 40 mins

Anchorage

Juneau

838

19 hrs (inc 4 hr ferry)

Anchorage

Sitka

992

26 hrs (inc 6 hr ferry)

Anchorage

Haines

755

15 hrs

Anchorage

Valdez

298

5 hrs 30 mins

Anchorage

Glennallen

179

30 hrs 15 mins

Anchorage

Palmer

42

45 mins

Anchorage

Talkeetna (south Denali)

112

2 hrs 20 mins

Anchorage

Healy (north Denali)

248

4 hrs 5 mins

Anchorage

Fairbanks

358

6 hrs

Anchorage

Delta junction

332

6 hrs 20 mins

Fairbanks

Seward

483

8 hrs 20 mins

Fairbanks

Homer

578

10 hrs 15 mins

Fairbanks

Skagway

698

13 hrs

Fairbanks

Juneau

725

16 hrs 40 mins (inc 4 hr ferry)

Fairbanks

Sitka

879

24 hrs (inc 6 hr ferry)

Fairbanks

Haines

642

12 hrs 30 mins

Fairbanks

Valdez

365

7 hrs

Fairbanks

Glennallen

249

4 hrs 30 mins

Fairbanks

Talkeetna

274

5 hrs

Fairbanks

Healy

110

2 hrs

Fairbanks

Palmer

329

5 hrs 25 mins

Fairbanks

Delta Junction

96

1 hr 55 mins