Thinking about visiting Alaska with teens? My 14-year-old son joins me for a mother-son Alaska recap — and spoiler: he caught a king salmon just 12 hours after landing and hasn't stopped talking about it since. We cover four days of adventures based entirely out of Anchorage, and I break down how we pulled off the whole trip on points without paying for flights or hotels out of pocket and highlight our favorite things to do in Anchorage and on day trips.
In this episode:
•King salmon fishing on the Knik River (yes, we both caught one)
• Biking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail — 25 miles, multiple moose, and a very dramatic race back to the bike shop
• The Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier, including calving glaciers and a whole lot of sea otters
• Driving the Turnagain Arm: eagles at Bird Point and wildlife at Beluga Point
• A scenic float into the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
• The Alaska Native Heritage Center — surprisingly not just educational
• Where to eat in Anchorage (the halibut and chips at 49th State Brewing deserve their own billing)
• How we booked this entire trip in five weeks on Alaska miles, Southwest points, and Hyatt points
Timestamps:
00:00 — Intro
01:44 — King salmon fishing near Anchorage
06:07 — Biking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
10:39 — Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise from Whittier
17:29 — Alaska Native Heritage Center + Eagle River Nature Center
20:16 — Kenai River float into the National Wildlife Refuge
23:00 — Where to eat in Anchorage
25:47 — Alaska with a teen wrap up
28:50 — Flights, hotel, and rental car logistics
36:21 — Wrapping up
Resources:
Alaska travel planning hub
Anchorage guide
Day trips from Anchorage
Renting a car in Alaska
Alaska packing list
Rental car savings
Alaska itinerary eBook
Award travel:
How to travel free with kids
Best credit cards for family travel
Southwest Companion Pass guide
Related episodes:
•Ep. 17 — Southwest Companion Pass basics
• Ep. 32 — Alaska by land
• Ep. 41 — Companion Pass + World of Hyatt
Activities mentioned:
Knik River fishing charter
Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Kenai Rever float trip, Cooper Landing
Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.
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