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.
Trip Highlights
- 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
Casual Inns
Alyeska Resort (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 (2 nights): Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Land's End Resort (2 nights): Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
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) | |||||||||
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 6/17-22 Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/24-29 Price: $2798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/1-6 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/8-13 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/15-20 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/22-27 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/29-8/3 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/5-10 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/12-17 Price: $2998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/19-24 Price: $2698 pp dbl. occ., (+ $700 for sgl. occ.)
Plus 6% Kenai Peninsula tax
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
- Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
- Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
- Minimum age restriction to raft: 5 years
- Minimum age restriction to kayak: 6 years
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:- 12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
- 9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
- 6+ several longer dinners; routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children; difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions
Guest Trip Reviews
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
Wow! Once again it was a truly magical, memorable, and amazing trip with Backroads! We loved Alaska! Thank you thank you!the itinerary was perfect and we will treasure our trip forever! A trip of a lifetime for me and my son!- Eden Prairie, MN
The multisport family trip was a special way to see and experience the Kenai Peninsula. We also enjoyed all of the other trip members. And the local outfitters were very knowledgeable and helpful. We'd use them again too. We have absolutely no complaints. It was a trip that provided a lifetime of wonderful memories and special moments.- Petaluma, CA
I always love traveling with Backroads. I have never been disappointed, and this trip was no exception. The Kenai trip was the highlight of our summer.- Salt Lake City, UT
This was a great family trip for us. The kids connected right away. They are still in touch now with the other families on our trip. We stayed on in Alaska after the group departed and the kids commented about how Backroads would approach things as well as what the other families would have thought of particular activites. It was a challenging trip for all of us so I think we feel like we came home and had accomplished something.The guides really made the trip; Blake, Erica and Ron made unique and wonderful contributions to our vacation. We thank them for their time and talents and for sharing both with us.- Hingham, MA
My daughter loved learning about sled dogs!- Riverside, CT
This was my first Backroads trip and I can't rave enough about it. The 3 leaders on my trip were amazing! They were all very knowledgeable, poised, fun, great with kids, and had excellent judgment about when to make changes on the fly. The attention to detail was impressive. They quietly and unobtrusively removed all the hassle from traveling, which let me really enjoy traveling with my 10 year old. When I travel alone with him I can usually only plan one or two activities a day because so much time and energy is taken up with logistics - getting from place to place, finding places to eat, checking into hotels, etc. But the leaders took care of everything. At lunchtime, food would magically appear with wonderful fresh food (and kid choices). And just as my son was getting hungry between meals, they would hand out yummy snacks. For restaurant meals they pre-ordered appetizers so some food would arrive as soon as hungry kids (and adults) sat down. When it was time for each activity, all the gear would be ready and waiting for us, including our bikes. They thought of everything! They were mind-readers. We had a range of ages on our trip (from 5 to 70) and a range of fitness levels, but there were always options for everyone and they never made anyone feel pressured to do the maximum activity. The bike ride with winery stop was really great. Other highlights: seeing salmon jumping upstream (!!); polar bear plunge with s'mores and beach campfire for kids; kayaking and seeing bald eagles and otters up close; hike to a glacier. This trip exceeded my expectations in every way.- Mill Valley, CA
I have recommeded Backroads to many people already. I don't think you could have a better experience with any other company.- Houston, TX