Spending a hot, sweltering summer in the Lower 48 isn’t necessary when you’ve got your home on wheels. Why not turn the key and make the great RV trip north to Alaska?
Even if it’s too late to take off this year, you can start your 2016 planning process with the help of the iRV2 Discussion Forums community – it’ the best place to start planning your trip. Here’s why:
iRV2 Members Know the Best Tips About Alaska
RVing to Alaska is probably one of the longest road trips any RVer can make to one specific region. There’s a lot to know, from how to prep your vehicle to the best Alaska sights to see. Don’t get overwhelmed: through the years iRV2 members have offered gems of advice about traveling to Alaska, such as:
One thing I would advise for anyone taking the long trip to Alaska…. save any lower 48 touring for your return trip or for another trip. If you try to do too much siteseeing before you even reach Canada, there’s a good chance you’ll cut back on the Canada, Yukon and Alaska minor things and they are all worth doing. It’s an awesome trip once you cross the Canadian border.
Don’t wear yourself out beforehand. This may be your only chance to see things in the north country. You can always do shorter trips to the lower U.S. sites. Have a great trip.- twogypsies
Alaska RV LIFE Campgrounds
Once you have a general idea of where you want to go, head over to the iRV2 Discussion Forum topic “Campgrounds: Alaska” which has an extensive list of over two dozen different campgrounds throughout Alaska. You’ll find firsthand accounts of iRV2 member experiences with everything from mosquitoes to Internet connectivity.
I have a question. I am taking that trip next year and was wondering if you found internet (wifi) in most of the campgrounds? I will need internet connection from time to time to conduct banking transactions. Can you give me any insight on this? – ajm12
“We found internet most places in Alaska, even in Chicken. It may be slow at times but not a problem.”
“My experience with wifi was not that great. Spent several nights sitting on the porches of campground offices struggling with really slow internet. Seldom got it at the campsite.”
IRV2 members can also tell you when you definitely need RV park reservations and when you have the option to just be spontaneous:
We have never made reservations along the ALCAN portion of the trip and have always done well with finding an open site. Having said that We have only made one summer trip. All others have been in the late fall or early winter. – sdennislee
Take the fear out of RV trips to Alaska
Hundreds of iRV2 members have taken the Great American Alaska RV Road Trip through the years. For the most part their experiences all echo the same sentiment: the long haul to Alaska is worth the effort:
Once you get the Alcan, it will be like no drive you have ever had before. Miles and miles of wilderness connected by a thin ribbon of pavement. There is no shortage of places to pull off and you don’t necessarily need to get too far away from the road for peace and tranquility. – sirpurrcival
Alaska road trip planning tools vary but the most widely used Alaska guidebook by iRV2 members is the The MILEPOST®.
The MILEPOST® is the “quintessential” travel guide to Alaska and the highways and byways of the North. Since 1949, this “bible of North Country Travel” has offered mile-by-mile logs of all Northern routes, with details on road conditions, ferry travel, lodging, camping, fishing, sightseeing and services in Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta and Northwest Territories. Travelers will find trip planning help and answers to frequently asked questions on such topics as wildlife viewing, crossing the border and traveling with pets. Updated annually, The MILEPOST® gives readers over 700 pages of detailed information on everything from the famous Alaska Highway system to cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage.
Ready to get started with your Alaska RV adventure? Check out these helpful iRV2 Alaska road trip discussion forum posts for endless insights by RVers on the best places to visit and what to expect in the Great White North.
Often called “The O.G. of full-time RVing,” Rene Agredano and her husband Jim Nelson hit the road in a fifth wheel trailer in 2007, after their dog Jerry lost a leg to terminal cancer. Sixteen years later they are still traveling and sharing their nomadic adventures at LiveWorkDream. As a self-employed wordsmith, Rene shares her expertise for many RV industry videos, publications such as the Escapees RV Club Magazine, and has authored numerous books, including the Essential RVing Guide to National Parks, and Income Anywhere, a guide to earning money on the road. She has been featured in global media outlets including the PBS documentary “NATURE: Why We Love Cats and Dogs,” The Guardian Sunday Edition, and the Dan Pink book Free Agent Nation.
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