I've lived in Alaska for over 35 years. Here are 6 mistakes I always see tourists make when visiting the state.

26.07.2024 - 13:12 / insider.com

Tourism is an important part of life in Alaska. In fact, last year, tourism brought in nearly $158 million in revenue for the state.

As someone who's lived in Alaska for over 35 years, it's easy to see why tourists love traveling here. From the beautiful national parks to opportunities to see the northern lights, Alaska has something for everyone.

However, every year, I see many visitors make the same mistakes over and over. From expecting to drive everywhere to forgetting that some activities are seasonal, these are the six most common mistakes I've seen tourists make when visiting my home state.

I'm always surprised by how many visitors think Alaska is small — but I guess if you're used to seeing us tucked into a map inset right next to Hawaii, that makes sense.

In truth, Alaska is so big that if you split it into two states, both halves would be bigger than Texas. You can easily spend four to six hours — or more — just driving from one large community to the next.

However, Alaska has a shockingly limited road network for such a huge state. If we say a community is "off the road system," it means you can't drive there. Instead, you'll have to catch a plane or, in some limited cases, a boat to get there.

In Alaska, we have lots of local lingo that can be helpful to know. For example, if someone says they're going outside, they're not just leaving the building — they're leaving the state. To us, outside means anywhere that's not Alaska.

Another thing to remember is that we don't typically use road numbers for our highways (no matter what your GPS tries to tell you). Instead, we use the names of highways.

Here in Alaska, some of our biggest attractions are only available for a few months of the year.

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Two big ones to keep in mind are bear viewing season, which typically peaks with the salmon runs in July and August, and aurora viewing season, which runs from roughly late August to late April.

The umbrella term for Alaska's Indigenous people is Alaska Native. Most towns have at least one cultural center where visitors can learn about the Alaska Native traditions in that region.

These facilities are part visitor center and part museum, and offer a celebration of Native traditions and culture. I always recommend that tourists take the time to explore these centers.

Every year, Alaska tour guides field sincere questions like "When are the moose scheduled to show up?" That makes perfect sense in a controlled environment like a zoo, but Alaska's wildlife are ... well, wild ... and come and go whenever they like.

Our weather does pretty much the same thing, so if you're determined to hide inside until the rain and wind stop or the sun comes out, you'll miss out on a lot.

Dressing in layers