Alaska is great, but I won't be going back because it's just
too exhausting 😂 I just got back, and to be honest, the scenery is incredible, but the trip itself is a real hassle. Many photos online make it look easy, but you only realize how grueling it actually is once you're there.
The place is just too big, and the cities are so far apart. You often spend 1 hour looking at the scenery and 3 or 4 hours driving. The roads aren't difficult to drive, but long stretches are just straight wilderness highways with no shops around, and gas stations are few and far between. Driving for so long makes you feel dazed, so if you get carsick, make sure to prepare in advance.
Matanuska Glacier is worth visiting. It's not just one of those places you look at from afar; you can actually walk on it. You follow a guide, put on crampons, and the ice beneath your feet is a translucent blue. Occasionally, you can hear the faint sound of the ice cracking. Just keep in mind that it's much colder on the glacier than at the base, and it's windy, so don't just wear a cute, thin jacket. If it's cloudy, the blue ice looks quite pale and a bit ordinary, so whether you get good weather is just a matter of luck.
I really liked the fjord cruise in Seward. The boat goes quite far out, and you can see glaciers calving. If you're lucky, you might even spot whales or sea lions surfacing. The wind on the boat is intense, and it can give you a headache if you're out in it for too long, so remember to bring a hat. The cruise is long—at least 2 or 3 hours—so if you're prone to seasickness, definitely take medication beforehand. The town is small, dining options are limited, and prices are high, so bring some snacks if you can.
Don't set your expectations too high for Denali National Park. Private cars aren't allowed in; you have to take the park bus, which takes a long time one way. Seeing the main peak of Denali is a matter of luck; it's often completely covered by clouds, and many people spend hours on the bus only to see no mountain at all. Spotting wildlife is also a gamble; most of the time, you'll only see trees and grass. However, occasionally catching a glimpse of a moose in the distance is a pretty exciting moment.
Chasing the aurora in Fairbanks isn't something that just happens the moment you step outside. Don't believe those stories about how easy it is to capture. You have to drive out to the suburbs with a tour group at night and wait for hours on the side of a pitch-black road, freezing until your hands and feet go numb. Sometimes you wait all night, and the sky is completely clear—with nothing to see. But once the aurora actually appears, with that pale green light slowly moving across the sky, you feel like all the suffering you just went through was worth it.
Prices are really high. Even a simple meal is expensive, and accommodation prices skyrocket during peak season; even a decent room isn't cheap. Various activities—glacier hiking, flightseeing, dog sledding—are all pricey on their own. If you book just 2 of them, your budget will jump significantly.
There isn't cell service everywhere, either. You'll often lose connection while driving, and navigation can sometimes lag. Download offline maps before you leave, and save the locations of your hotels and gas stations.
After all this complaining, I'm not saying it's bad. It's precisely because I've seen it that I know how breathtaking it is. The wilderness, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, the ocean, and the flowing aurora at night—these images will stay with me for a long time.
It's just too draining, time-consuming, and expensive. It's beautiful, but I really don't want to do it again. For those with energy, a sufficient budget, and the ability to handle long hours of travel, it's well worth a visit. If you hate being tired, hate high costs, or get carsick easily, think carefully before you go.