Are you heading to Alaska for the first time? I just got back from my first trip to Alaska and here are my unfiltered first impressions (both good and bad).
This post about first time in Alaska tips was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
While Alaska has always been fascinating to see in movies and TV shows, I’ll admit that it wasn’t high on my bucket list. Even though I live in Seattle (which is just a 3.5-hour flight from Anchorage), it’s never been a must-see destination for me.
I say that because I want to be transparent that I might have some biases. But it also means that I didn’t go into my trip with rosy glasses.
Before you pack your bags, here’s what no one tells you about visiting Alaska.
12 Things That Surprised Me on My First Trip to Alaska
The Airport Uber is Confusing
No, I didn’t have a hard time navigating through the airport (which was actually quite beautiful), but I did have a very hard time getting an Uber at the airport.
I found out that several other travelers also couldn’t get their Uber to pick them up and we discovered that the app was sending them to the OTHER side of the airport!
When I chatted with my Uber driver (who called me to figure out where I actually was) he told me that people who fly in from the villages arrive on the other side of the airport (where my app said I was) and other people arrive by seaplane.
So there are 3 places that visitors can enter and depart at the airport! So, I suggest double-checking that the Uber app knows exactly which pick-up spot you’re standing at!
It’s Not Just for Outdoorsy People
I had in my head that Alaska is geared for people who like to climb mountains or spend all week fishing in a remote area.
Being more of an “inside person”, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy myself.
But, I’m happy to report that there are lots of activities that are “light” adventures, like doing a short glacial hike, riding on a train, visiting wildlife sanctuaries, seeing glaciers from a boat, tasting local beer, etc.
Ethnic Diversity
I’ll admit, most of what I knew about Alaska came from Northern Exposure, which was actually filmed outside of Seattle back in the 90s.
I assumed that the state would be mostly Caucasian people, along with some Native Alaskans.
So, I was really surprised to see so many Asian and Polynesian people around Anchorage.
The Number of Smokers
Coming from Seattle, I’m always caught off guard when I bump into people smoking outside of buildings when I’m traveling. I think I’ve experienced this most often in the U.K.
But I wasn’t expecting people to be smoking right outside of the airport (in front of the no smoking signs) and there were people smoking right outside some of our hotels.
The Natural Scenery is Breathtaking
Being from the Pacific Northwest, a lot of the scenery looked pretty familiar to me since it reminded me of Washington State and British Columbia. But it was still crazy to see SO many mountains so close to the water.
I highly recommend doing some boat rides, going on the Alaska Railroad, and hiking up some mountains to really soak in the variety of views.
We also went during fall so we got to see the leaves change, which is a pretty short window. I can only image how lovely things look during the summer or late spring!
The Amount of Homeless People in Anchorage
Like I said, I’m from Seattle and I’m no stranger to the homeless crisis. But I really wasn’t expecting to see SO many homeless people all across downtown Anchorage.
I was not prepared.
I was walking with some friends and we actually had a homeless guy come up and start punching near our faces, which I’ve never had happen before.
You Can Drink Glacier Water and Use Glacial Ice
For some reason, I had it in my head that glaciers were under protection or something and that we needed to preserve them.
So, it caught me off-guard when we were encouraged to drink glacier water or when our boat crew fished up chunks of icebergs to put in drinks.
Hotels Can Be Pricey & Outdated
We visited in the fall, which is supposed to be low season. But hotels in Anchorage were a lot more expensive than I expected. The same goes for some of the hotels/resorts we stayed in outside of Anchorage.
And what’s interesting is that most of the places are pretty dated/rustic. I think there’s no incentive to upgrade hotels.
Wildlife Tours Can Be Hit or Miss
We visited Alaska in the fall and it was just at the tail-end of whale season. So, I wasn’t surprised that we didn’t see any.
But, we also went to see the bears at the end of the tour season and we saw 14 of them!
I think it’s really important to set realistic expectations for bear viewing, whale watching, etc.
It sounds like the best bet for seeing wildlife is by visiting Alaska in the summer. That’s when it’s full tour season and you can see a bunch of wildlife.
Internet and Cell Service Can Be Spotty
I know this shouldn’t come as a complete shock, but you’ll want to prepare yourself for not having service everywhere you go.
But, I was surprised how often I DID have service, even in remote areas. And when I didn’t, there was usually wifi if we were at a restaurant or attraction.
If you are driving yourself around, you’ll want to make sure to use navigation apps or maps that work offline so you won’t get lost.
Some Places Are Only Accessible by Plane or Boat
One of my mom friends grew up in Haines, Alaska and when she told me that she has to fly into Anchorage and then take a long ferry to get to her family’s house, I didn’t quite understand what a long journey that was.
Now that I’ve been to Alaska, I realize that you just can’t get to a lot of cool destinations just by driving. A lot of them require small planes or boats!
We took a seaplane to get to Lake Clark National Park and it was such a fun way to see an aerial view of Alaska AND get to a remote destination.
And you’ll have to take a plane if you want to see Juneau.
Alaska Can Be Overwhelming—In the Best Possible Way
Alaska is one of the most beautiful states I’ve visited. From the array of mountains, to the fjords and rustic retreats, Alaska is perfect for nature lovers.
Now that I’ve been to Alaska, I understand why people feel they need a second (or third) trip to take it all in. The state is MASSIVE and you just can’t see it all in one trip.
I personally recommend picking a few key experiences (like seeing bears at Lake Clark and hiking Matanuska Glacier) rather than trying to “see it all.”
Alaska may not always be what you expect, but that’s part of its magic!