Q: I am considering visiting Alaska on my own, because I like to travel independently. But I also want to go on some tours. However, I don't care to spend several hours at a time on a tour, but I would be open to a few hours per day. Is this possible?

A: It’s great to travel independently in Alaska. But the same things that make this state unique and special (scale, wildness, terrain), make it hard to explore on your own. You need boats, planes, rafts, gear and expertise to see a lot of the best stuff up here. You might spot the Matanuska Glacier from the highway, but only experienced and intrepid travelers would walk on it without a guide. And your guides will make sure you do it safely, while teaching you a ton about glaciation.

Fortunately, there are day tours and excursions available in all destinations, including hiking, flightseeing, rafting, jeep tours, whale watching, fishing, bear viewing and more. They range from a few hours to all day, it’s up to you. You’ll still have the freedom and flexibility of traveling independently, yet you can choose to do one or two excursions per day.

These tours aren’t cheap, so make sure you factor them into your travel budget. But they are essential to experiencing Alaska. I see travelers who haven’t planned for this, and they spend their days wandering the streets of towns, rather than hiking alpine trails or floating down rivers. They're really missing out. I have a page on Alaska.org about how to do this, so check it out before you start to plan your vacation.