Alaska Family Multisport
- Mushing! An exhilarating dogsled ride through the forest
- Bike to Homer, one of Alaska's most beautiful towns
- Hike right up to the face of a glacier
- A float trip on the Kenai River
- The chance to spot moose, eagles, dall sheep and even salmon swimming upstream
The Majestic Kenai Peninsula
Once upon a time, there was an outdoor-loving family seeking an action-packed vacation. A clever bunch, they decided on Alaska. And as soon as they arrived and witnessed the dramatic peaks of the Alaska Range, they knew they'd chosen wisely. The kids hiked to the face of Exit Glacier; parents ascended to the Harding Icefield. They all raced through the woods on a thrilling dogsled ride, spotted moose and eagles during a river float trip, and watched salmon swimming upstream. And to this day, they all agree: it was the best family vacation ever.
Days
1-2 Alaska's dramatic landscapes on a single astonishing peninsula 
Kick off the trip with a spin alongside Turnagain Arm, the site of extreme high and low tides 
Spend the afternoon hiking through a lush coastal forest or enjoy an exhilarating tram ride to the top of Mount Alyeska for unparalleled views of mountains and hanging glaciers Journey south to the Kenai Peninsula, a wonderland of rugged mountains, glaciers, fjords and lakes Hike the beautiful Ptarmigan Lake Trail through Sitka spruce forest and past crystal-clear Ptarmigan Creek, where red sockeye salmon spawn in summer.
Day
3 In Kenai Fjords National Park, kids hike to the face of Exit Glacier while adults embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trek with spectacular views of the vast Harding Icefield Meet some of the famed Iditarod race's canine participants and experience the excitement of racing on comfortable wheeled dogsleds.
Day
4 Homer, one of Alaska's most beautifully situated towns Take in jaw-dropping views of Cook Inlet and the volcanoes of the Alaska Range A scenic bike ride leads to a viewpoint overlooking Grewingk Glacier and Homer Spit, a narrow finger of land in picturesque Kachemak Bay Stop in at a local winery specializing in non-grape fruit wines.
Days
5-6 Circumnavigate Yukon Island by kayak, watching for harbor seals, porpoises and sea otters Got your camera ready? During a leisurely float trip on the glacial waters of the Kenai River, you'll likely spot eagles, moose and dall sheep.
Guests Reviews About This Trip
Our trip was wonderful and exceeded expectations. The schedule of activities was varied and timed well. We saw more than we ever could have if we'd taken this trip on our own. Alaska is so beautiful and we felt the activities allowed us to experience the landscape and the wildlife from multiple viewpoints. We were able to see moose, bear, sea otters, beluga and humpback whales, bald eagles, salmon spawning, and so much more! On top of all of this, were also able to make new friends and memories that will last a lifetime.- Glenview IL
Our Alaska vacation was all that we hoped for and more! All of the leaders were friendly, courteous, professional, fun, engaging and very accommodating! They all contributed in their own unique ways to making this vacation one that my son and I will both remember for the rest of our lives. For a family trip, there was just the right amount of activity for the kids. We met many fun, interesting and friendly people, and we took home with us many wonderful memories. I am already recommending Backroads to all of my family and friends back home. We will definitely be traveling with Backroads again!- Georgetown, MA
We had an absolutely wonderful time - the fabulous trip leaders made the trip extraordinary. Our children will remember this trip for the rest of their lives. In addition to just being great companions, examples of their extra effort were they secured a fantastic behind the scenes tour of the sea life center for the kids, gave my (substantial) 6 year old a mile + long piggy back when she refused to continue walking, and Allan literally took baby steps with me on the walk up to Harding Ice Field - as a result I made it to the top! We have told many friends about the trip and we plan to do another one soon.- Westport, CT
Casual Inns
Alyeska Resort
Girdwood (1 night) This stylish hotel with an aerial tram to the top of Mount Alyeska has earned accolades from Travel + Leisure. (pool, spa)
Seward Windsong Lodge
Seward (2 nights) Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Land's End Resort
Homer (2 nights) Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
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This Trip Is Rated Level 1-3
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of
interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one
day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat
from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each
day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Biking | 10 | 200 | ||||||||
| Walking | 2.5 | 300 | |||||||||
| 2 | Hiking | 7 | 600 | ||||||||
| 3 | Walking | 4.0 | 1500 | 6.0 | 2200 | 8.0 | 3200 | ||||
| Kids | Exit Glacier hike (1.5 miles; 100’ elevation gain) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Biking | 10* | 300 | 23* | 500 | 33 | 1600 | ||||
| 5 | Kayaking | On Kachemak Bay (all day) | |||||||||
| 6 | Rafting | On the Kenai River (2 hours) | |||||||||
On this Family Trip, our routes follow rolling terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
* Includes a shuttle
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For 34 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Alaska tour experts. See our award-winning USA multisport tours, USA biking tours and USA walking and hiking tours.
