Q: Can you suggest the best way for us to see Fairbanks, Denali and the don’t-miss towns? We are trying to decide where to begin our journey, and whether to cruise first or last. We can travel anytime between May and end of August. Any ideas? —Jan

A: Jan, I have lots of ideas! Let me break it down, though:

• Consider cruising first. Most people actually take their land tour first, then their cruise—their logic being that it’s nice to relax on a cruise ship after a more strenuous week of land touring. I recommend the opposite: I would bet that the land tour will be the highlight of your vacation, if you do it right, so I would rather save that for last. This argues for cruising north to Alaska, taking your land tour, then flying south.

• Decide how to do your land tour. You could travel independently or with a group. If you travel independently, you can choose to travel by car, train, bus, or any combination. You’ll pre-book your hotels and key excursions, so you have the basics in place, but beyond that, you’re free to explore. To weigh your options more, check out our Independent vs Escorted Tours page on Alaska.org.

• See Seward and Talkeetna. Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and Talkeetna is a charming little town halfway between Anchorage and Denali. If you also want to see Fairbanks, then tour all the way north to Fairbanks, and take a commercial flight back from there. If you go to Fairbanks, seriously consider taking a day tour into the Arctic. For more ideas of great towns and sights, check out Alaska.org’s Land Tours guide.

• When to travel? I recommend June, but any month between May and August works. It gets rainier as the summer progresses.