Alaska

Our Alaska trip was two summer weeks built around Denali National Park and the Kenai Peninsula — hiking, fishing and a lot of wide-open scenery. The hiking window is short: late June through August, when trails are snow-free and daylight barely ends. Start with the Harding Icefield Trail in Seward for the single most spectacular day hike, then read the Denali bus tour guide before you plan park logistics. Core reads: Harding Icefield Trail, Kesugi Ridge Trail, Mount Healy Overlook, Denali National Park Bus Tour, Pioneer Ridge Trail.