Have any of you driven from south Texas to Alaska, and...?

Question

if so, what tips can you give me as I plan such a road trip for myself for this coming October? I have been to Alaska four times, but I've always traveled by air. I have friends who are there, and am considering relocating there, myself. I will have about a month to work with, and I will be making the trip either alone or with my dog. I'm a little afraid of driving through mountains and could use any tips or wisdom you might have for that. Also, I'm interested in knowing what the best route might be (from San Antonio to Anchorage, Alaska.), taking gas stations and motels into consideration. I will be driving my Ford Ranger pickup truck. Would you recommend I take the AlCan Hwy, or the ferry from Washington to Alaska?

Thanks for any and all help, tips, info you can provide!

Answer 1

I haven't driven from TX, but have from CA. My husband has driven the AlCan several times, he loves it. He's crazy. I hated the drive only because it was slow & overcast the entire time so I saw NOTHING as far as scenery. Which you may have to deal with since you'd be coming here in Oct'. I've never done the ferry, but know many who have & they seem to recommend that over driving, especially if you are bringing a full load. It's easier & probably cheaper with the gas prices as high as they are. Believe it or not, the roads are actually better in the winter then any other time, you will have to watch for snow & black ice. Which is scary. Just drive cautiously & the speed limit & you will do fine. (You might want to bring kitty litter, this helps if you get stuck in ice, though Oct' wont be THAT bad.) In Oct' you may also run into a lot of road construction, which is a pain. I know an older lady who traveled on the Al-Can by herself, she loved it. You'll see northern-lights at night & probably a lot of amazing wildlife during the day. (Please don't touch a moose, they're aggressive.) If $ is an issue, you can sleep in your truck, but there are hotels spaced out along the way. Keep your doors locked. A cooler w/water & food, bring a passport for crossing the Canadian boarder (not necessary but will save you a lot of hassle.) If you don't have a passport, get one or bring your birth cert instead. Bring a camera, map, pillows & plenty of CD's or audio-books because you will get NOTHING on the radio once you hit the Alcan. If you bring your dog, make sure you have pepper spray on you when you stop to let him out along the way, it's highly unlikely bears will bother you, but it can happen. Also a GPS or something like this isn't a bad idea. Take your time driving too, don't try to make it to Anchorage quickly, make it an enjoyable trip, sight see & take pictures. It's a LONG drive, make it a good one. I'd suggest the ferry but I know my husband would suggest the road trip. So you got a vote for both from us. & welcome to an awesome place to live!

Answer 2

please rent a van and pick me up after Candi and Flutter. I will bring snacks, a cooler of Snapple and fishing gear. I don't care what road you take and I have a Super 8 Motel Discount Card.

Answer 3

my family drove from san antonio where we lived to anchorage where we now live. it took us about 3-4 weeks, and that was with going out of the way a little bit to stop and visit places. we went through glacier park or something like that in montana and i know we went through colorado. i dont remember much it was 5 years ago, but i do know we too the AlCan highway, no ferry! you will miss the adventure! the yukon was the most exciting part of the drive! it was a little scary though. make sure you have plenty of emergency supplies packed for that part, and dont drive in bad weather, and make sure you know where you are going. we didnt bring a dog though, but i wouldnt put it in the back of the pickup truck the roads can get pretty nasty on the yukon, plus there is wildlife EVERYWHERE. good luck!

Answer 4

I want to Go!  I live in Houston and grew up in Eagle River Alaska.  The AlCan is beautiful.  Take Me! Take Me! Take Me!...and we can pick up Candii_jojo in Oklahoma on the way to share in bills, because she really wants to go to see Alaska Too!  I was in Galveston the other night and I so want to go to Alaska again!