Alaska: Before You Go Guide (Printable + iPad)

Alaska is huge, remote and seasonal, and it catches first-timers out: few roads, long drive times, a Denali road that is still cut, bookings that sell out months ahead, bears and moose, mosquitoes, gravel-road rental bans and a border to cross if you drive through Canada.

This printable guide puts everything you should know before a trip to Alaska in one place, in short plain-English points, researched in autumn 2026 with links to the official sites so you can double-check anything.

WHAT'S INSIDE

• Conditions right now: the Denali park road still closed at mile 43 (full bus service expected in 2027), the thin state ferry schedule, Juneau and Hyder closures, and what has just ended for the 2026 season
• When to go: seasons, daylight hours, midnight sun and the aurora window
• Entry, ID and international visitors: REAL ID, ESTA, visas, park fees and the $250 non-resident pass
• Driving the Alaska Highway through Canada: passport, firearms, bear spray, alcohol limits, fuel gaps and a DUI warning
• Getting there: flights, the Alaska Marine Highway, cruises, the Alaska Railroad and the Whittier tunnel
• Driving, rental cars and RVs: gravel-road bans, distances, the Dalton, McCarthy and Denali highways, Turnagain Arm mud flats
• Parks and permits: Denali, Kenai Fjords, Katmai and Brooks Falls (lottery and campground), Glacier Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias, Anan and Hyder bear viewing
• Bears, moose and wildlife safety, including bear spray and why you cannot fly with it
• Weather, bugs, hiking, fishing licences (2026 prices) and flightseeing
• Money, costs, phone coverage and three sample budgets
• Respect and local rules: Alaska Native etiquette, dry villages, cannabis
• Eating Alaskan, and 14 mistakes first-timers make
• What things cost: 34 everyday prices, from park fees to bear-viewing flights
• A month-by-month calendar, a pre-trip countdown, a tick-box packing list and a first-day checklist
• Place names, Native names and Alaska words with pronunciations (Denali, Kenai, Utqiagvik and more), and emergency numbers
• Two editions: a printable PDF and an iPad edition with a tappable contents page

PERFECT FOR

• First-time visitors to Alaska
• Anyone planning a road trip, a Denali trip, a bear-viewing trip or a drive up the Alaska Highway
• Travellers who like to arrive prepared
• A thoughtful gift for someone with an Alaska trip booked

PAIRS WELL WITH

The Alaska Travel Guide (150 best things to do), or the Alaska Travel Pack that bundles both for less.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

You'll receive 2 PDFs. No physical item will be shipped.

• Print edition (27 pages): US Letter, prints fine on A4
• iPad edition (38 pages): tappable contents, room to write

This guide is general travel information, not legal, medical or immigration advice. Rules (including firearm, border, fishing and entry rules) depend on your situation: always confirm with the official sites before you travel.

PLEASE NOTE

Rules and prices were researched in autumn 2026 and are subject to change: admissions, fares, tours, hotel rates and taxes can change without notice, and many summer operators had not yet published 2027 prices. Please confirm important details with the official sites before you travel. Photos are illustrative. Researched and written with the help of AI tools.

Made by Global Trip Insight. For personal use only.