Question: Oreste Magliozzi asks: A group of six senior citizens is going to Alaska this summer and renting an RV in Anchorage. Do you have planning info for a road trip for a week ending back in Anchorage?.

Answer: Candy Christman, publishing communications manager says:  A must-visit destination for an Alaska drive trip is Denali National Park. From Anchorage, take the George Parks Highway which is AK SR-3 toward Denali. You will see quaint little places such as Trapper Creek, Chugiak, and Talkeetna that instantly give you a feel for the primitive way of life in part of the state as you make your way north. You will pass by Wasilla, made famous by now-Governor Sarah Palin. Stay overnight near Denali so you can spend an entire day in the park. Take the shuttle bus tour from the Wilderness Access Center. Summer is a busy time so I recommend making reservations in advance at 800-622-7275. As you enter the park, get your cameras ready. Shuttle drivers will stop for photo opportunities of caribou, moose, Dall sheep, bears, and more. My favorite photo from that day is a golden grizzly bear meandering through the brush.

Continue your trip north on SR-3 to Fairbanks. There you could take the Riverboat Discovery, a three hour stern-wheeler tour and AAA GEM attraction with stops along the Chena and Tanana Rivers. You will see a bush pilot demonstrate his take-off and landing skills, stop beside Susan Butcher’s Iditarod championship kennels (they will bring puppies slated for future stardom to the river’s bank), and get off the boat to tour a Chena Indian village.  We also enjoyed the Large Animal Research Station where you can observe caribou and musk oxen and work efforts to sustain their survival.

And of course we panned for gold at the Gold Dredge Number 8, the only authentic dredge in Alaska open to the public. It’s north on SR-2, and although might seem like a tourist must-do, I still have my little vial of gold flakes from that day. And for dining, you must go to the Pump House which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Order the salmon!

If you have time, I’d suggest taking a mail plane destined for remote areas above the Arctic Circle such as Bettles and Anaktuvuk Pass. Space available, the planes can accommodate 1-3 passengers and flying over the wilderness is one part of our trip I will never forget. In addition to the U.S. mail, our plane was transporting school supplies, dog food, and cases of Coca Cola.

From Fairbanks, you can take an alternate route back to Anchorage on the Richardson Highway, AK SR-2. Be sure to stop at North Pole, AK to snap a photo of the Santa Claus House. Just south you will see the Alaska pipeline snaking its way through the terrain. At Delta Junction, continue on Richardson Highway, now SR-4, toward Paxson en-route to Anchorage. Then, to enjoy coastal Alaska, head south 125 miles to Seward through the Kenai Peninsula. You will pass Cook’s Inlet and if you are lucky will see narwhal whales frolicking in the waters of Turnagain Arm.

The lower part of this drive is a AAA-designated scenic byway and you will quickly see why. The mountain peaks are rugged – and look for the mountain goats high atop.  How do they cling to those cliffs?  Get off the Seward Highway to visit Exit Glacier which is accessible by a paved road. You can walk to the glacier (a moderately strenuous walk) and enjoy its blue ice. In Seward, take one of the boat cruises to view marine wildlife in the waters of the Kenai Fjords National Park. Kenai Fjords Tours is one, is a AAA GEM attraction, and AAA members receive a discount off the admission. In Seward, also visit the Sealife Center, Seward Museum, and lots of little shops with Alaska specialties for sale. You will see that mountains, tundra, coastal waters, and wildlife abound throughout the state.

Wherever you decide to drive, you will find many pull-over spots where you can enjoy and photograph the magnificent scenery. And if you see cars ahead slowing down, pull over too, as there is bound to be wildlife up close. You can plan your trip using TripTik Travel Planner. Be sure to use the drag-and-drop feature to steer the return route from Fairbanks toward Delta Junction. AAA members can also obtain free maps and TourBook and CampBook guides. Just call your local AAA office.