If you have always wanted to visit Alaska, but you also want to save time and money then look no further! The following list covers key spending areas from airfare to food. We cover the top 5 ways you can save time and money on your next Alaskan adventure.
1) Airfare
Booking flights to Alaska can be time consuming to track and stressful to organize, but can also be fun to plan and even exciting to finally know when you will be arriving. But, how do you save money and time when trying to plan your next big adventure? Flights should be booked 2 to 3 months in advance to save on last minute increase in cost. If you are flexible with which days you arrive and depart this can help you find the best price. Weekend tickets can be more expensive at times, and holidays typically have increased prices. For example, let’s say you want to visit in December. If you are flexible with coming in on the 21st instead of the 24th, this can save up to hundreds of dollars. Also, time of year can save some money as well. Typically the months of September and October tend to have slightly reduced cost in tickets. This may mean dealing with some cooler weather and certain activities not being available, but if this doesn’t phase you then this could leave more change in your wallet!
2) Lodging
Save money while finding lodging in Alaska by camping! This could be by tent, car, or camper. If you’re tent camping, in most places you can go off into the woods and pitch a tent and catch some rest or pull over your RV in an approved parking lot. Talk about saving money when you can sleep somewhere for FREE! With camp ground camping, you can also save lots of money as well. Some places are $20 or less a season, while others are $20+ a night just depends on location, what amenities they offer, and how you are camping at their site (RV, tent, etc.).
3) Food
When traveling in between major cities in Alaska, not only will it be 3+ hours, the drive will also be very remote. Very remote means only a hand full of gas stations, restaurants, or rest stops between your starting city and your destination. You will need to plan accordingly with food. If you see a stop take it, but also know prices may be increased due to having to ship products to location. You could save some money by purchasing ingredients for sandwiches before you leave a less rural area. For instance, if you’re driving from Anchorage to Fairbanks, pick up some food to go and extra for the road in Anchorage. Drinks and snacks are a great way to save money by purchasing in town before going out on a long adventure.
4) Entertainment/Activities
If you are looking to save time while booking or experiencing your Alaska activities, have an itinerary with all phone numbers, addresses and times you have events planned. This will save you and your party time and stress. Without an itinerary, you’ll be searching through your emails or trying to Google phone numbers or locations. This may be a big issue in the 49th state, where cell reception may not be found. We would also highly recommend, if you have a digital version of your itinerary having a printed copy with you and having a downloaded version or screenshot on your smart phone. This will help reduce the risk of you not being able to access your online version if you are in a location without cell service. Having all the essential information in one location will reduce the risk of missing an activity or not being able to reach someone when you need it.
5) Travel Agent
A travel agent can save you up to hundreds of dollars on all the above listed! They can also save you lots of time and stress in booking your full adventure. That’s a win, win for everyone. What if they also knew the local area? That would mean you not only save money, but could also trust that your agent is booking your vacation with top notch businesses in the area. No need to worry about whether the hotel is too far from your next adventure, or if your activity isn’t up to par, your local travel agent will have you covered!
If you are looking for an Alaskan Travel Agent or interested in what we offer, start the process of booking your Alaskan vacation by visiting our Contact page or email us at travelthelastfrontier@gmail.com. Come see what makes Alaska the last frontier!