Alaska is huge. Best to focus on one part with the most bang for your buck and time available. When friends come to visit for 7-10 days I usually do a Kenai Peninsula trip that includes mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, camping and great food, lots of wildlife and incredible scenery. The best time to do this is usually late July or early August. You miss out on the really long days, but the weather tends to be better than June/July and most of the tourists are gone. Also, a big bonus is the fireweed is in bloom and the hills are alight with the bright pink blossoms.

Having a car is pretty important to access the hidden jewels off the beaten path (and there are plenty)

Drop me a line if you like and I can give you specifics on really memorable places to see that you won’t find in a guide book for all of the above.