Do you remember Northern Exposure comedy-drama TV series from 90′ about the eccentric residents of a fictional town in Alaska? Well, the series was shot in Roslyn, in Washington State. So, if you are in the Seattle area, it is worth visiting this small charming Roslyn town. Time stopped there, and you can still find...
In this article, you will find our subjective selection of 10 places to visit on your trip to Alaska. It is the summary and more information you can find in our separate articles. Enjoy! Katmai National Park (Brooks Falls) We ranked this place number 1 among 10 places to visit in Alaska because it is...
I can see why you put Katmoi National Park at the top of your list. I would sure like to see one of the 2200 bears in their natural habitat. But Denali has been on my travel wish list for a long time. We did an Alaska cruise and we felt we really wanted to head inland. We will plan to take the bus trip to Wonder Lake. It does sound like the Kenai Peninsula has many great places to visit. Would love to see the Seward Glacier and go kayaking from Homer. It is good to know that the Chena Hot Springs are accessible from Fairbanks. All great reasons why we need to head back to Alaska.ReplyCancel
What a dream to be able to explore Alaska, I think it is on everybody’s bucket-lis! You guys are so lucky! There are so many wonderful places mentioned on your top ten list but as I am a big fan of the movie “Into the wild” I would love to see the real magic bus but I wouldn’t dare to attempt going there by myself! ReplyCancel
Thank you for providing such an informative post! I haven’t been to Alaska yet, but it is very high on my list of places to visit. I love how many opportunities there are to participate in outdoor activities and observe wildlife in its natural habitat. I really appreciate that you included photography tips! Capturing nature is sometimes difficult, so your tips are very useful. I love your story about McCarthy. I love stumbling on unknown places like that and falling in love with the place.ReplyCancel
Wow, so many amazing places to visit in the Alaskan Frontier. Thank you for the detailed and informational article to help make the most of a trip. I love the book “Into the Wild” and hope to one day visit the Magic Bus (replica). Your bear photo is beautiful and your guidance for photography equipment is very helpful. ReplyCancel
I kinda thought Alaska was all ice, so this is a bit of a revelation to me. The scenery looks breathtaking and I’d love to hang out here for a while collecting some of those amazing hiking trails. Seeing a brown bear up close would be very cool as well – as long as it’s behind the safety of a car window or something!ReplyCancel
Amazing list!!! I totally dig your list. I have always had Alaska in my list and your post makes me realized the fun that I have been missing, The pictures which you have taken are amazing and breathtaking, even though I never expected less from Alaska. The number of outdoor activities you have mentioned are amazing and the magic bus looks so sick. Thanks for sharing such a detailed and incredible post.ReplyCancel
Alaska is so beautiful. It is my dream to visit Alaska some day. I can totally understand why you put Katmai National Park in th etop. The place sounds absolutely beautiful. It would be so exciting to see the brown bears! The photograph is just a hint about what it might look in the actual. Thanks for sharing the photography tips as well. Kennikot too looks absolutely dreamy!ReplyCancel
I would love to go to Alaska one day. I hadn’t heard of several of the places your list. I never knew Alaska had a lot of hot springs. The Chena Hot Springs do look like they would be beautiful in the autumn. I would want to go kayaking in Alaska for sure so I will have to add Homer and Valdez to my list of places to visit in Alaska. ReplyCancel
This is such an exciting post with varied options in Alaska that you have highlighted. Chena hot springs look very enticing that too after a hike, perfect indulgence, and probably head after for beer, oysters with great coffee & views at Homer! Valdez seems to be a great bet too with glaciers, kayaking, fishing & wildlife : what more could one ask for, isn’t it!? ReplyCancel
Alaska is so SO beautiful and it is a bucket list destination for me. So high up on my list that I would love to visit this fall. Living in the city, I don’t see any brown or black bears and I look forward to the experience. Katmai National Park sounds like a perfect place to start. Thank you for sharing this list – very helpful guide for my plans.ReplyCancel
Have you ever dreamed about seeing Magic Bus 142 from the movie/book “Into the wild”? Now you have a chance to make it. Here you will find all the details and directions. Good luck! (Attention! The post contains a spoiler! It should not be read by people who have not watched the movie “Into the...
I never heard of the story of the Magic Bus 142 before. I can understand the lure of heading to the wilderness of Alaska. But sad to die in search of yourself. I am sure a visit to the replica bus was touching. But it would not be worth the risk to visit the original version. Thanks for sharing this tale. ReplyCancel
This is such an interesting and tragic story! I haven’t seen the movie, but will be checking it out for sure now! I can see where he thought going into the wilderness like this would give him a sense of purpose, but as he found out I think that things like this need to be in combination with the company of other people. Short solo trips are great, or even longer ones where you still interact with others on occasion, but completely cutting everyone off doesn’t have good results. I think exploring the bus would be very interesting, I always enjoy stuff like this. But I would be hesitant to place mine or the lives of those traveling with me at risk. The story about the 24 year old is so tragic. I think the replica would do just fine! ReplyCancel
What a great post. I remember watching the movie long back and now your post has forced me to watch it again. Passion is respected but people forget that they can’t challenge the nature. you have to bow down in front of the most powerful force, that is Nature. So tragic to know about newly wedded couple and their fate. I completely agree with you. One should follow the passion, but only to do so, don;t endorse stupidity. Great Post.ReplyCancel
What an interesting experience for you. The story is very intriguing and I can see why many young people who are seeking answers to the many mysteries of life would want to learn more about Christopher McCandless. I am glad that the original magic bus has been removed. It is not worth the risk.ReplyCancel
I cried so much when I first watched the movie, what a story! Visiting the magic bus has always been a travel dream of mine, but it never happened. However, I’m glad it’s been removed now, as too many travelers risked their lives to get there. Thanks for the great tips to visit the replica, really useful.ReplyCancel
Wow this is such a great story but tragic. Honestly speaking I had never heard of Magic Bus 142 before. This is the first time I have heard and it looks like a great story. I was seeing a similar story the other day where a guy goes in search of himself and loses his life. I am not sure if one would take that kind of risk. I wonder what goes on in their minds.ReplyCancel
Valdez is one of the best places to kayak in Alaska. You will encounter giant glaciers and have a chance to see ice caves and tunnels if you are lucky. There is a lot of opportunities to spend your time on the water. We describe one of them below in more detail. Welcome to Valdez...
All bears are working hard to catch as many salmon as they can at Brooks Falls before the salmon run ends. They packed on the pounds for hibernation. Aging isn’t easy for any species, and brown bears are no exception.
I would love to see some bears when I travel to Alaska. And Brooke Falls seems to be just the perfect place to do it. Can’t believe you saw so many bears there. I love your guide and all the helpful and interesting facts you put in there. I had no clue that bears have different fishing styles. That sounds so interesting.ReplyCancel
Now
this is a post you don’t read about every day! I’ve only ever seen brown bears in
wildlife documentaries, so this would be an amazing, and slightly anxious, experience! Brooks Falls sounds like a top place for some bear watching, plus I love that all the bears have their own numbers! Great photos of the bears with their catch, I’d like to try my skills out too.ReplyCancel
Aww how sad for grandpa bear to have lost some teeth! Funny how that is pretty similar to human grandpas LOL! This is for sure an incredible experience, and you’ve captured it perfectly. It seems that getting to this experience is no easy task – but all of your diligence and hard work certainly paid off!ReplyCancel
I have always seen bear in national parks or zoos but not in their natural habitat. The first photo of bear trying to catch his prey is really an awesome and natural capture. Good to know that Brooks Falls is one of the best places in the world to experience bear viewing in Alaska as they get their prey in abundant here. Knowing about pirating between the bears sound funny. Finding bears everywhere or encountering them at any moment sounds very adventurous. ReplyCancel
I am blown away by these photos of Brown Bears in Alaska. Visiting Katmai looks like a truly heart-pounding adventure. Love how the park ranger recommends paying the bear a compliment if you meet one on the path! Not sure I could as I would be trying to pick up my jaw from the trail. Thank you for this inspiring post!ReplyCancel
This sounds like an absolutely amazing experience! I am a huge animal lover, so this would be #1 on my list. I can see by your first statements in the post regarding the bears and safety how important it is for them at Katmai National Park to maintain the safety of the bears and their guests. Your photos are stunning! I loved reading about the different hunting styles that bears have, so interesting. I think watching a bear pirating would be very interesting, I love watching animals in their natural habitat. ReplyCancel
I have to admit, every time I camp I am most fearful of bears so I admire your courage to tent camp in this area! However, after reading this through and seeing your photos I would love to go here if given the opportunity. Seeing bears always seems like such a rare but sought-after occasion when I have traveled elsewhere, so it is so cool you got to experience this! Thanks for sharing!ReplyCancel
Bear watching is a great way to explore a wild country like Alaska. next time you want to see bears, I recommend you to come to my country – Romania. Our forests are still packed with bear and you can see them in their natural habitat. I used to hike the mountains every weekend and I remember how we were always forced to yell in the wood the keep bears away. ReplyCancel
When we did our Alaska cruise, one day trip we saw bears along the shore. But I would love to spend more time watching them – at a safe distance of course! You got some amazing action shots. I am not sure how I would feel about bears walking around the campground! Would love to visit in July when the salmon are running.ReplyCancel
I am surely visiting Katmai now. I would love to watch bears catching fish with various techniques that you have mentioned. I have also noted that summer is the best month because of the temporary barrier for the migratory fish. What a treat it will be to watch them getting caught by the bears, sorry for the salmon, though.ReplyCancel
OMG! This. Is. So. Cool! I’ve never seen a bear up close before. I had a close encounter with a black bear once, but I was hiding in a tent with a few other people, so I didn’t actually get to see it. This looks like an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience. You took amazing pictures of the bears. I think a good camera is a must for this experience. Putting this on my bucket list right now.ReplyCancel
That conversation is really something! When bear orientation is the first & foremost priority, that really gives an insight to the region! 2200 bears that congregate here to catch salmons? Wow! Reminds me of the Asian Elephants that congregate at a point for fresh grass in summer, in India.
I love how nature-friendly and nature-prioritized it is. Its a bear beach, it is! Humans have many other beaches, let this be for the bears! That said, I’d be absolutely freaked out to come face to face with a bear. As much as I want to visit this place, I also don’t want to! ‘Schrodinger’s place’, haha…. Its amazing how you caught some awesome photos. ReplyCancel
OMG!!! Those pictures are absolutely stunning! I always imagined one would definitely see a bear or two in Katmai National Park just because of the bear population in the reserve but so many! and so many near one falls, this must have been some experience.To be frank, it felt like I was reading some Nat geo blog and I absolutely loved it!! I didn’t even know there were so many fishing styles bears used, very interesting. 😀ReplyCancel
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Hi, we are Agnes & Chris! Welcome to The Van Escape! We are travelers, photographers, and bloggers. Our goal is to share travel & photo experience and inspire you to outdoor adventures through America. We love wildlife, off the beaten path places, soaking in hot springs, and van life. We also like cities by night and tasting local food & wine. We give you ready itineraries, hints, and essential tools to prepare you for your unforgettable lifetime journey. We only describe the places we have been, which we know and recommend without hesitation. All photos are also ours. We are so glad you’re here!
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It is always quite interesting to visit a place that is used for a movie or tv set. We found it felt so familiar yet different than we were expecting. I would not have expected a town just outside of Seattle to be the setting for Alaska. So good to get a view of Roslyn in the day and at night. I bet a bed and breakfast would be good in this place with so much great sounding food. I have never seen the series Northern Exposure. But interesting to see so many of the spots still there.
This is so cool! I never watched Northern Exposure even though I know a little bit about it. No doubt if you’re a true fan like you are, this is a cool little town to explore. That cafe mural is huge and such a cool photo you took. Such a quaint little place. Did you see a Moose on the streets?
This place is absolutely unique and vintage. I never saw that movie but I got the feeling they chosen a good location. Every business here tells a good story, especially that gift shops, with so many interesting items.
It’s so cool that you get to visit this place. I’m always interested in visiting a destination that was in a movie. I’ve never watched Northern Exposure but I can learn so much from your post. Love the Roslyn Historical Museum and all the street arts here.
It’s always exciting to visit a place which you have seen in a movie or in a television series because you can start relating with the scenes. We found Dubrovnik in Croatia similarly exciting where the ever famous Game of thrones was shot. Roslyn has such a vintage feel and I found a lot of similarities with the countryside of London. Would love to spend some time in Roslyn cafe. It looks so cool.
I too have that small thing for visiting places that served as a movie location. Good to know about Arizona’s Monument valley. Sadly I don’t know about ‘Northern Exposure’, it wasn’t popular in side of the world, but good to know 110 episodes of it were shot here! I can imagine Rosyln’s Cafe as something similar to Central Perk in NY! Cicely’s Gift Shop is adorable with all those vintage souvenirs.
Just like you, my husband and I also loves to visit places that served as a movie scenery. I was able to catch a couple of episodes of Northern Exposure and would love to see their site. Thank you for sharing this itinerary. Will surely consider a road trip in Alaska when things are better. 🙂
I must admit I have never thought of planning a road trip through Alaska but I would have expected to see only snow in your photos – which proves to me that I was totally wrong in my way of thinking. Cicely town looks so peaceful and it would be a great place for me to spend a summer (if there’s no snow in Alaska!) and watch that Northern Exposure series which I haven’t done until now. Thanks for all this complete information. I have learned something new.
The original town chosen for the series, and from which the show was modeled, was Talkeetna, Alaska. Unfortunately, the area was considered to be too cold by the cast for filming, and Roslyn, WA was selected instead. Both towns are similar in size and charm.