Alaska is a gigantic playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering once-in-a-lifetime adventures unique to the 49th state.
During an Alaska cruise, you can book a helicopter ride to land on a glacier and go dogsledding or take a journey on the historic narrow gauge railroad, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (also known as "The Scenic Railway of the World"), in Skagway; take a floatplane into a remote location for a bear-viewing adventure from Anchorage; or go crabbing in Ketchikan on the famed Aleutian Ballad from the Discovery Channel show "Deadliest Catch."
If that's not enough excitement, you can ramp up the thrill level a few more notches with these six adventure-filled excursions. They are only available if you've booked a cruisetour (a type of package that combines a cruise with a multinight land-based tour) to Alaska and will be heading north to Denali and Fairbanks — or are independently traveling to the National Park and Fairbanks before or after your cruise. Large cruise lines offering cruisetours include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Since these are small group tours and specialty excursions with limited space, you'll want to reserve them as far in advance as possible. Also make note of the cancellation policy when booking in case you need to alter your travel plans.
It's important to know that several cruise lines can offer the same or similar excursions, however, the physical and age requirements may be different — and the pricing can vary. If you're comfortable going it on your own, consider contacting the tour provider or outfitter directly to book the excursion as the pricing may be lower.
Search for bears and other wildlife in Denali National Park & Preserve
The National Park Service offers several excursions that you can book through its website, and the tours range from five to 13 hours. with costs starting at around $144 per person ($65.00 for kids 15 and younger). The approximately 5 1/2-hour narrated "Tundra Wilderness Tour" is the most popular outing. It offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities to see Denali's "Big Five:" brown (or grizzly) bears, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and caribou.
If you want to spend a full day in Denali, learn about the park's history from a NPS Interpretive Ranger and visit the old mining town of Kantishna (which gives you multiple chances to see the "Big Five"), book the "Kantishna Experience" tour. The 13-hour adventure, which takes guests to the end of the drivable portion of the Denali Park Road at mile No. 92, will be available to reserve in 2027. (The road is currently closed.)
Complimentary shuttle service to the Denali Visitors Center and the Denali Bus Depot (where you'll meet your tour) is available when you're staying in one of the cruise line's hotels, such as the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge or the Holland America Denali Lodge. You can also book tours through the property's guest services desks, but it's advisable to book them in advance, as they often sell out.
It's important to note that private vehicles are limited to the first 15 miles of Denali Park Road, which ends at Savage River. You'll need to book either a transit bus or a narrated tour bus to explore farther into the park.
Ride the rapids in Denali with a white water rafting tour
This 3 1/2-hour adventure on the Nenana River takes thrill-seekers on an 11-mile journey through white water rapids with views of Denali's Mount Healy and Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance. You can opt to hold on as an oar boat rider, making the tour accessible for almost anyone. More intrepid and active travelers (15 years of age and older) can paddle through the waves along with the guide.
The minimum age for the tour is 12. There's also a weight limit of 265 pounds for Princess Cruise Line. The outfitter provides the appropriate gear, including a dry suit, a helmet, paddle river shoes and a life jacket. You can reserve the excursion in advance or through guest services at one of the wilderness lodges.
Be sure to bring a waterproof case for your smartphone so you can take photos and videos during the wild ride. Expect to pay around $149 for the excursion.
Take the drive of a lifetime along the Denali Highway
This 135-mile stretch of gravel road was once the gateway to the park and was named the No. 2 "Drive of a Lifetime" by National Geographic Traveler. With the guided and narrated 4 1/2-hour "Denali Highway Jeep Excursion," you'll travel approximately 50 miles along the Denali Highway (100 miles round-trip) for unparalleled views and photo opportunities.
The four-wheeling Jeep tour will take you past some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery, including vast glaciers, the snowcapped mountains of the Alaska Range, far-reaching vistas and, on a clear day, views of Denali's peak. You may also encounter some wildlife, so be sure to bring your binoculars (in addition to your camera). Expect to pay around $189 per adult and $119 for kids 12 and under. You must be 25 or older to drive.
Chase the northern lights in Fairbanks
Fairbanks is one of the best places in the world to witness the magical (but sometimes elusive) northern lights. On a cool, clear evening, you may be able to see the light show dance across the night sky during aurora season, which falls between Aug. 21 and April 21.
The Explore Fairbanks website has an Aurora Tracker that correlates data from three different sources to predict the chances of seeing the lights across six areas in and around Fairbanks, so you can check the probability of viewing the lights while you're in town.
Cruise lines offer late-night to early morning tours (typically 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.) as optional excursions during aurora season, but you can also book an independent tour through a local provider. Some companies also offer photography tours, where you can learn how to capture natural phenomena.
A top-rated excursion that you can book on your own is the 9-hour Northern Lights Tour from Fairbanks with Face the Outdoors. The small-group experience (maximum 10 guests) includes a pickup from your hotel where you'll travel to a private wilderness lodge for optimal aurora viewing. Here, you'll have a toasty warm indoor space with a fireplace, panoramic windows along with complimentary hot drinks and snacks. If necessary (due to weather), the guide may chase the northern lights by heated van to another location. In addition, tour-goers will receive photography assistance with cameras or smartphones and aurora photos from the experience. (Note that this tour is not wheelchair accessible.) Prices start at $359 per person.
Take a flightseeing adventure over the Arctic Circle
This bucket-list trip from Fairbanks crosses the Arctic Circle, which is approximately 140 air miles north of town. Once you've arrived, you'll be in the far north polar region, formally known as the "Land of the Midnight Sun."
Holland America Line's approximately six-hour optional excursion across the Arctic Circle includes a flight over the Yukon River valley and the Brooks Range, landing just outside Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve in Coldfoot. You'll also have 2 1/2 hours on land to visit the wilderness communities of Coldfoot and Wiseman and learn how the few residents who call this remote area home survive the winter with extreme temperatures that reach as low as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A souvenir Arctic Circle Certificate is awarded at the end of the trip. The weight limit is 340 pounds.
You can also reserve one of these tours independently with a local tour operator. Prices start at $729 per person, but vary based on the length of the excursion, departure time and season.
Play a round of golf at the northernmost 18-hole golf course in the US
You'll come home with another certificate saying you played at the northernmost golf course in the country after a round of golf at the Midnight Sun Golf Course in Fairbanks. This six-hour excursion (prices from $169 per person) is a true Alaska adventure, featuring a late-evening golf game between May and July (when the sun doesn't set, from approximately May 17 to July 27) on a rustic course underlain with permafrost. The golf course also offers views of Fairbanks and the Alaska Range — and even Denali from the eighth and 17th tees.
The price for the excursion (offered by Holland America Line and Princess Cruises) includes transportation to the Midnight Sun Golf Course and everything you'll need for your golf game, such as a golf cart, a standard set of clubs, green fees, balls and tees. In addition to your certificate, you'll also take home a bag tag, hat clip or pint glass as a souvenir.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.