When we decided to drive from New Mexico to our new home in Alaska, there were so many routes we could take. But no matter which way we started our trip, we knew we were going to end up driving the Alcan Highway. Our entire road trip itinerary ended up taking 19 days, with 119 hours of traveling, and we probably had the most anxiety about this leg. That is because we would be driving through the remote wilderness of Yukon Territory/Alaska for about 625 miles. This means limited stops for gas, food, and lodging. We knew, with our two kids and our dog, that we would have to divide this drive into two days. Two days of straight driving and minimal stops for breaking it up. To sum it up, this was the part of our trip we were dreading the most. However....we were extremely mistaken. Our last leg of driving started when we drove off the ferry in Haines, Alaska. (You can read all about our ferry ride here.) Haines is only 1 of 3 southeast Alaskan communities that are accessible by road to another city. The primary mode of transportation used here is through the Alaska Marine Highway and bush plane. It may be one of the harder places to get to, which is one of the reasons we took this route, and it's worth it! When we arrived, we checked into the Aspen Suites Hotel, which was right on Main Street. It was within walking distance to shopping, groceries, and restaurants. We were also very pleased with the spacious rooms and amenities. For dinner, we found a delicious pizza place called Alpenglow, which was just down the street from our hotel. My family is pretty obsessed with pizza (who isn't?) so it was definitely a win for us. It is important to note here, that no matter where you eat in Haines, most places we saw didn't have "normal" hours. They would close after lunch and open for dinner. Just a little FYI for meal planning :) The next morning, we departed for our destination. We only drove for about 45 minutes before we hit the border of Canada. Getting across was super easy! We had to show our passports and declare our weapons and pay the fee for that and then they sent us on our way. The drive was beautiful! Seeing snow on the mountains was a little trippy, since we made this drive in June. But I do want to say that we drove with a gas can our entire road trip just for this last stretch of driving. Even in June, it can get snowy, and you just don't know what can happen. We had a spare tire and a gas can and we had stocked our cooler in Haines so we were prepared. Summer is also "construction season" so we were prepared to run into delays, though we actually didn't! We made it to our lodging in really good time. Which brings me to.... ...Buckshot Betty's in Beaver Creek! This little place in the middle of nowhere was the perfect little stop for our Alcan drive. This was pretty close to halfway from Haines to Fairbanks, and we were pretty ready to get out of the car...and have access to wifi! ;) They have about 6 cabins and we had booked one of the two bigger sized ones. These cabins were behind Buckshot Betty's Bakery and Restaurant, which is where we ate dinner. All I can say is, their homemade hamburger buns....just salivating a little thinking about them.... Our final stretch from Beaver Creek to Fairbanks was pretty uneventful ;) About 25 minutes from Buckshot Betty's, we crossed the border back into the Alaska. This was also super fast and easy and they even gave us a few treats for our dog :) The wildlife and scenery was breathtaking. We felt pretty dumb for dreading this part of our trip because it was actually really awesome. Even though the drive went really well, we were so excited to finally arrive at our destination. 19 days, 119 hours of travel, 4137 miles, 2 countries including 6 states and 2 provinces, 11 hotels + 1 Airbnb + 1 friend's house + 1 berth, 3 theme parks, 3 national parks, 7 beaches, too many restaurants, countless movies....and we finally made it!! And now our Alaskan adventure begins! A few tips if you're planning on making this drive. First, book lodging in advance. Places to stay are very limited and beyond that, most places are only open seasonally, so plan accordingly! Second, kind of hand in hand with that, a lot of service stations along the way are not open 24/7 and are also open seasonally. We were driving during the summer season, which is when places are open, but it is still a good idea to be prepared just in case. Comment or questions? We'd love to hear them! Make sure to pin so you can come back to this post! Follow us on Instagram for some of our day-to-day adventures and until next time, get out and explore where you live! Update: You can read about the first leg of our trip, from New Mexico to Arizona, here.
2 Comments
Vincent
10/14/2019 04:58:54 pm
So much fun to view the trip and life events
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6/19/2024 05:39:09 am
Thanks for the excursion guides; they've been invaluable in planning my recent trip. Your detailed insights on various treks and tours helped me choose the perfect adventure. From trekking routes to hidden gems, your blog covers it all, making every journey feel like a well-planned expedition. I eagerly await your next post for more inspiring travel ideas!
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AuthorWe're just a military family enjoying where we live, one PCS at a time. Follow us as we explore our current home, South Carolina, and beyond. The world is our backyard. Archives
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