Experience the Wonders of Alaska with iBestTravel

For all its insanely beautiful natural wonders, there’s one thing Alaska has that many other rugged places don’t: accessibility. Thanks to a direct United Airlines flight from Newark to Anchorage during the summer, you can get to Alaska in just seven hours. (From September through April, there are plenty of short connections, too.) Taking the red-eye direct back to Newark via United means that Alaska is now practically one of the most accessible remote destinations on the planet. It can even be visited over a long weekend, allowing you to leave the office on a Thursday afternoon and be back in time for a Monday morning conference call. Additionally, it’s all within the four walls of the U.S.: no passport, no immunizations required, and, for some, the convenience of TSA Pre-Check. If you fly United’s first class, you’ll also have the benefit of a full lie-flat seat for resting up before the adventure.

Where to Stay in Alaska

The Sheldon Chalet is a property that challenges the notion of exclusivity as we know it. It feels like it’s in one of the most remote locations in the world. The chalet is situated within the only five private acres directly on the flanks of Denali National Park—and it’s just 10 miles from Denali’s crown jewel: the highest peak in North America. The peak of Denali, at 20,310 feet above sea level, is notoriously elusive and hard to see from the base. Those at the chalet are the privileged few who will likely see it from one of the most sumptuous beds imaginable. This five-acre anomaly exists as a result of a legendary pilot named Donald Sheldon, arguably Alaska’s greatest bush pilot, who used the site commercially in the ’50s and was able to successfully secure the epic property through the Homestead Act.

The Northern Lights Are Finally Visible Again—Here’s How to See Them

The Sheldon Chalet prides itself on the idea of “adventuring in place.” The warm, attentive team of hosts is well aware that this location is so amazing you don’t need to go anywhere else to be entertained. As one of a maximum of 10 guests that can occupy the chalet at a time, there is ample space and privacy to find your own little slice of heaven to take it all in. Relaxing in hammocks dangling hundreds of feet over a deep glacier below, enjoying an Alaskan seafood platter with champagne beside a fire on the helicopter deck, or soaking in the sauna while gazing out at massive granite rock faces floating above a sea of white snow—these experiences are truly dreams come to life. Moreover, their seafood platter is indeed spectacular, and the world-class private chef takes your taste buds on a journey with homemade delicacies made from ingredients flown in by helicopter just for you, leading to culinary experiences like decadent glacial picnics on benches hand-carved from snow. The Northern Lights often illuminate the night sky, visible from the piping hot sauna’s window that lies beneath the helicopter pad. For the adventurous, snowshoeing or skiing across glaciers, mountain climbing, rappelling, sledding, and downhill skiing are available. The Northern Lights season runs from September through April and is extraordinarily spectacular at the Sheldon Chalet.

What to Do in Alaska

Seven of the ten largest national parks in the United States are in Alaska alone. Ultima Thule is one of Alaska’s best options to explore them in style. Located 100 miles from the nearest road, guests can explore by air in Piper Super Cubs flown by some of the best pilots around, allowing them to access remote slices of wilderness. Want to fish? While salmon may not match the size of giant tuna, river fishing for salmon is an exhilarating experience. Put on Tordrillo Mountain Lodge’s waterproof waders and saunter through one of the cleanest rivers you will ever see; you can continuously cast and reel in endless amounts of salmon, turning fishing into an active sport rather than a passive pastime.

If you want to up the adrenaline, utilize Tordrillo’s helicopters. In the winter, their capable pilots access some of the best heli-skiing runs suited for Olympic-level skiers. In the summer, these same helicopter pilots can take you heli rafting, heli mountain biking, or, best of all, heli climbing at Tordrillo’s new Via Ferrata, a newly installed 1,200-foot track of cable-and-wire steps drilled into a vertical granite rock face sitting high above the 28-mile-long Triumvirate Glacier. Being tethered to the cable cord ensures mountain climbing is safe and accessible for even a first-time climber with moderate fitness. Alternatively, you can stay at the lodge itself and enjoy waterskiing, wake surfing, tubing, swimming, soaking in the hot tub, or shooting powerful shotguns at clay discs. Other lodges like Winterlake Lodge push the limits of culinary excellence while Tutka Bay Lodge serves as the perfect home base to see brown bears fishing for salmon during the annual salmon run.

How to Plan a Trip to Alaska

For travelers seeking unique experiences, planning a trip to Alaska can be a thrilling endeavor. Alaska is a wild and wonderful wilderness that continually took my breath away. While the luxury lodges in Alaska are still few and far between, the low number of travelers to these lodges enhances their exclusivity. Consequently, in that seven-hour direct flight from NYC, you may feel as if you’ve just landed in another world entirely.

For more information about planning your Alaska adventure, feel free to reach out to Mark Lakin at The Legacy Untold. Lodges start at $1,500 per person, per night.