If you’re heading to Alaska with kids, and are one of those panicky parents that it is constantly worried your kids will be cold, maybe give it a miss.  Whilst it gets warm in the summer and t-shirts can be worn, the winters can obviously be cold but it’s really the lack of day light hours that might cause a few issues with kids and you for that matter. From around mid November to January, there’s not much daylight and whilst this is good for viewing the Aurora, it doesn’t make for much fun for kids.

Most kids aren’t going to get too excited or stay entertained for too long with the scenery, despite it being impressive, so take them on a wilderness tour to see some animals.  You’re more than likely to see Moose roaming the streets of Anchorage, and if you take the Denali Star from Anchorage to Fairbanks, I remember seeing bears, caribou and a few other animals along the way.  If you’re in Anchorage for a few nights, you can head to Chugach State park which is renowned for Bears, and of course Denali National Park has a number of bus tours you’re likely to spot bears and other animals at. For the best bear viewing spots, check out this website here.

And here’s some links to the best viewing spots for other animals in Alaska with kids

• Best Moose viewing spots in Alaska with kids
• Best Salmon viewing spots in Alaska with kids
• Best Whale watching spots in Alaska with kids
• Best Caribou viewing spots in Alaska with kids

Of course, these are wild animals so anything goes, you could drive 100km into “bear country” and not see a single bear, or see three on the way to the airport on the side of the road.  And if your kids are anything like my one, they’ll appreciate seeing the animals in the wild much more than seeing them in captivity and this is one of the many great things about Alaska with kids.

Dog Sledding is kind of a national obsession in Alaska and there’s a number of different dog sledding adventures and tours you can do in Alaska with kids.  Some of them are longer and probably not so suitable for younger kids, but there’s some more tamer, shorter ones, that the little ones will enjoy and you can even just check out the dogs without going for a ride if you’re a bit of a wimp.  Overall, if you live in the city and want to take your kids into the wild wide open wilderness, Alaska is the place to do it. It just requires some planning and thinking ahead.  The next time I’m in North America with Grobbler I’ll be sure to take him here.

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