Skip to Main Content
Alaska

Wild About Alaska: Glaciers & Wildlife With Your Family

Program No. 24150RJ
Alongside your family, explore Alaska by foot, train, raft, dog sled and boat to get up close to towering glaciers and awesome wildlife.

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

At a Glance

Picture it: Floating down a clear river past jaw-dropping glaciers. Smiling from ear to ear while excited Huskies pull you and your family through the wilderness. During one unforgettable week in the wilds of Alaska, make memories that’ll last a lifetime as you explore some of the country’s coolest landscapes – literally! Experience train rides to amazing glaciers, wildlife walks through the forest and a rafting adventure while searching for moose and bears along the way. Learn about the animals that call Alaska home, all delving deep into the wild with your family.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking for up to two miles on sometimes rocky terrain, possible long periods of standing, floating down river for 3.5 hours, and dog sledding for 2 hours.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Visit the SeaLife Center, where you’ll learn about marine animals during two hands-on activities, a scavenger hunt and trivia, and explore among the sea lions and seabird habitats!
  • Sail past massive glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park as the experts help you search for local wildlife like whales, otters, puffins, sea lions and more.
  • Learn about Alaska’s long history of dog sledding at the Seavey Iditarod Racing Team's facility where the three-time champions train, enjoy a ride through the wilderness and meet the puppies-in-training.

General Notes

This is a family program for participants, their adult children and grandchildren ages 8 and up. For a comparable grandparent adventure for grandchildren ages 8-12, check out "Wild About Alaska: Glaciers & Wildlife With Your Grandchild" (#24149).
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Lee Vale
Lee grew up plying the rich waters of the inside passage with his mother on a commercial fishing boat. There he developed a love for the quiet power found in these places so far from human civilization. He began his career as a naturalist in Glacier Bay National Park, later returning to the inside passage as an expedition leader on cruises. Lee holds a degree in cultural anthropology and history, and loves to share his knowledge and his home with guests from across the world.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Lee Vale
Lee grew up plying the rich waters of the inside passage with his mother on a commercial fishing boat. There he developed a love for the quiet power found in these places so far from human civilization. He began his career as a naturalist in Glacier Bay National Park, later returning to the inside passage as an expedition leader on cruises. Lee holds a degree in cultural anthropology and history, and loves to share his knowledge and his home with guests from across the world.
Profile Image of Timothy Rawson
Timothy Rawson View biography
Tim Rawson came to Alaska in the 1980s to climb big mountains, and made Alaska his home. He earned a master's degree in northern studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a doctorate in American history from the University of Oregon. He remains on the faculty at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. When he's not teaching or studying, you can find Tim out on the hills, mountains, or streams. He has years of experience leading groups and lecturing.
Profile Image of ReAnn Johnson
ReAnn Johnson View biography
ReAnn Johnson has created a quintessential Alaskan life, with a long family history and a military career delivering engineering projects across the state. Her intrepid spirit has taken her to its wild places, and her curiosity has delivered an experiential Alaskan education. She is a perpetual student of adventure and enjoys sharing Alaska's magic with curious travelers. ReAnn lives with her husband and two sled dogs aboard the trawler, M/V Sea Dancer, in Ketchikan, and in their cabin in the Chugach National Forest.
Profile Image of Tina Odenbaugh
Tina Odenbaugh View biography
Tina Odenbaugh has a love of Alaska that came from her grandparents living there. As a child, she was intrigued by their stories of grand adventures. After earning her B.S. in Wildlife Biology, she moved to Alaska with the Fish and Wildlife Service to study seabirds and the Exxon Valdez oil spill, eventually becoming a Park Ranger in Seward, Nome, and Denali. As a naturalist, she's been leading groups for years, specializing in Alaska and National Parks. Always a birder, she's never without her binoculars.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.