Alaska
Alaska is one of the few places in the world where you can still see unspoilt wilderness. With wide-open vistas, impressive mountains and a diverse wildlife, Alaska is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and with a hire car in Alaska, you can see so much more. Alaska is the ideal destination for anyone who loves the great outdoors. Opportunities range from wildlife watching to hiking and from classic train journeys to glacier cruises.
Renting a car in Alaska is the ideal way to explore this state, and the Seward Highway is road trip nirvana. Smooth winding turns take you through mountains, and with 127 miles of scenic byway there are plenty of places for photo opportunities. There are few billboards, petrol stations, tollbooths or towns along this route, but plenty of waterfalls, blue glaciers, whales, ocean fjords and mountains. Running from Anchorage across the Kenai Peninsula to Seward, the road is a destination in itself. The Alaska Marine Highway connects Bellingham with 14 towns in southeast Alaska. The route takes in 35 ports, and ferries run from the main towns to Prince William Sound and the Aleutians.
The historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad is one of the most spectacular railway routes in the world. Travel along the narrow gauge line built during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Starting from Skagway, you travel through some spectacular scenery including Dead Horse Gulch, Glacier Gorge and the Bridal Veil Falls.
The Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a world-renowned icy wilderness. Eleven glaciers spill out of the mountains to fill the bay with icebergs of all shapes and sizes. If you thought ice is simply white, then prepare to be surprised and delighted by the different shades of glacier blue. The bay is also a haven for wildlife, the most spectacular being the humpback whales that leap from the water in impressive displays. Other wildlife includes sea otters, seals, porpoises and killer whales; on land are wolves, black and brown bears, moose and mountain goats, as well as over 200 species of bird.
The town of Fairbanks is the best place for observing one of nature’s most spectacular displays, the Aurora Borealis. Winter is the best time to visit, when the display often fills the night sky for hours. The best views are from the hills outside Fairbanks.
Anchorage has all the comforts of any other US city but is just a 30-minute drive from spectacular wilderness, the perfect place to start your Alaskan adventure. Search for flights to Anchorage International Airport and do not forget to check National Car Rental for some great deals.