An adventurous family took an incredible Alaska vacation. The kids hiked to the Exit Glacier; parents hiked to the Harding Icefield. They all tried dog sledding, witnessed moose and eagles during a river float trip and watched salmon swimming upstream. To this day, they all agree: it was the best family vacation ever!
Days
1-2 Delve into Alaska's dramatic landscapes on a single astonishing peninsula 
Kick off the trip with a spin along bike paths leading you out of Anchorage and onto the gently rolling Tony Knowles Coastal Trail—keep your eyes open for moose! 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 and explore the fascinating Alaska SeaLife Center, home to sea lions, harbor seals, Alaskan king crabs, puffins and other marine wildlife Meanwhile, adults embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trek with spectacular views of the vast Harding Icefield, where glacial ice extends as far as the eye can see Meet some of the famed Iditarod race's canine participants and experience the excitement of racing on comfortable wheeled dogsleds.
Day
4 Explore 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.
Days
5-6 Circle 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.
This trip was an A+ family adventure! We all had so much fun. My three boys (13, 10 and 8) loved spending time with the leaders and the other kids on the trip. My husband and I loved spending time with our boys without worrying about logistics or our next meal - we were in such good hands with our trip leaders.- Salt Lake City, Utah
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception. Read the Straight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
Stay up to date on the latest Backroads news. You're free to opt out at any time.
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the Dates & Prices tab.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
This stylish hotel with an aerial tram to the top of Mount Alyeska has earned accolades from Travel + Leisure. (pool, spa)
Nestled in the woods of the striking Resurrection River Valley.
Commune with eagles, otters and seals where land meets sea on Kachemak Bay. (spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 4 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
100%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Reviewed by 4 customers
Displaying reviews 1-4
Comments about Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
This trip was an A+ family adventure! We all had so much fun. My three boys (13, 10 and 8) loved spending time with the leaders and the other kids on the trip. My husband and I loved spending time with our boys without worrying about logistics or our next meal - we were in such good hands with our trip leaders.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by Allison
Images shared by Allison
Images shared by Allison
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Comments about Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
This trip put the ACTIVE in Active travel - - great hikes, great bike rides, rafting, kayaking and fishing. Beautiful vistas at every turn. And the food is delicious, especially the fish/seafood.
Comments about Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
Everything from the activities to the food and lodging was special. The leaders were knowledgeable and super friendly. The bikes were state of the art! Meals popped up in unusual places complete with flowers on the table!!
Comments about Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
Our 3rd Backroads trip, 1st with children. Leaders did great job meeting needs of all, including teen who did all adult activities and younger child who did shorter rides and optional children's activities. Accommodations worked well for our family of 4. Food very good, especially the leader laid out lunch spreads and snacks! All activities excellent with amazing scenery and wildlife all around - Harding Icefield hike was the highlight! All Backroads leaders are amazing, they clearly love their jobs!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by Steve
Images shared by Steve
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Displaying reviews 1-4
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
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.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
| 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 | ||||||||
| Biking | 16 | 400 | |||||||||
| 2 | Walking/Hiking | 7 | 600 | ||||||||
| Other | Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Visit (1.5 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 3 | Walking/Hiking | 3 | 1500 | 4 | 2000 | 8 | 3000 | ||||
| Other | Dogsled Ride (1.5 Hours) | ||||||||||
| Kids | Exit Glacier Hike (2 Miles; 100’ elevation gain) | ||||||||||
| Kids | Visit to Alaska SeaLife Center (2 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Biking | 10* | 300 | 23* | 500 | 33 | 1900 | ||||
| Biking | 42 | 2500 | |||||||||
| 5 | Kayaking | on Kachemak Bay (All Day) | |||||||||
| 6 | Other | Kenai River Float Trip (2 Hours) | |||||||||
Note: On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle rolling terrain, except for the rigorous hike to Harding Icefield. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary and mileage is moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own. Operating under Special Use Permit on the Chugach National Forest. Backroads is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Backroads offers the only multisport tour on the Kenai Peninsula that ties together all of the spots your family will want to see, including Homer and Kachemak Bay, as well as Seward and Kenai Fjord National Park. And we do it by deftly balancing the two best ways to explore: biking spectacular wilderness routes to the very end of the North American road system; and kayaking in the most biologically diverse waters in Alaska, with incredible wildlife spotting everywhere.
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Alaska—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Alaska, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
At Backroads we've honed our expertise in active family travel over many years and a lot of trips. We host at least 20 times more family guests than any other active company, so we're constantly gaining new insights that make our trips even better. Detailed planning, behind-the scenes logistics, unrivaled support from three Trip Leaders—all backed by a team that proudly creates the kind of experiences we'd want to share with our own families.
We design and support our Alaska trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Coordinating multiple activities throughout a single day can be tricky, but with Backroads you'll never know it. When you explore Alaska with us, you switch activities seamlessly without missing a beat. We invented the multisport concept, and we're constantly adding new dimensions and fine-tuning the experience to make it even more enjoyable.
On our Alaska trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road and trail—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
A great bike is obviously critical for a great multisport trip; you don't want to gamble on one that's been sourced locally to trim costs. This trip features our acclaimed Backroads Custom Titanium bikes, expertly tuned and fitted, and included in your trip price. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for a single family of three or four people, subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
This Family Adventure, with its blend of challenging activities and cool places to explore, is ready to erase the doubtful looks of the toughest travel critics around: teenagers. We're not saying there won't be a single eye-rolling response (or the odd WhatsApp exchange with the gang back home), but this trip has plenty to keep teens in the moment and part of the family.
In addition to the ideal balance of comfort and hospitality in our choice of lodgings, this Casual Inns trip includes nearly all of your meals, plus everything from cocktail receptions to the best snacks along the road. So there's rarely a need to reach for your wallet – we've got you covered.
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.
Sign up with NO RISK Your deposit is fully refundable or transferable
Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
