Top 3 Things to Know about Renting a Car in Alaska

We’re all independent travelers here, right? So when we tell our friends and family we’re going to Alaska, and they inevitably ask, “Oh! Are you going on a cruise?” we’re going to answer: NOPE! Not to say there’s anything wrong with cruises, but it isn’t our preferred method of travel.

We like to travel by our own rules, on our own timeline. And if you don’t have 6+ days to drive your own personal car up to Alaska, it means hopping on a flight there and renting a car.

I recently did this, and I would absolutely do it again, but I must admit that I was blissfully ignorant of what I was signing up for. Here are the top 3 things you need to know before renting a car in Alaska.

1. Do not, do not, rent from Avis Alaska

On this blog, I’ve never shied away from recommending and praising my favorite travel brands. It’s unfortunate, but it goes the other way too; I have to let you guys know, I had a horrible experience renting a car in Alaska with Avis Alaska. And according to Yelp, it wasn’t just me!

Long story short: despite being a high-status member with Avis, someone who rents with Avis almost weekly for business travel, despite having a copy of my rental agreement and previously quoted price, Avis still charged me $256 more due to “fine print” of me being 24 years old at the time. (Which is part of my profile and should have been included in the original price estimate.)

This is all fine, and I was willing (although not eager) to pay the higher price, but what followed was just as annoying. After being promised the price would be amended, and jumping through hoops with customer service, I find out that Avis Corporate takes no responsibility for Avis Alaska, somehow a separate entity. I can promise I won’t rent with them again next time! Be sure to rent your car in Alaska with someone else.

2. Ask yourself this question: “Can I drive there?”

Alaska is a big state — huge, actually. When you’re planning your trip, there’s so much to think about, and learn, and research as you decide where to go and what to do. And there is so much information out there that you may overlook some of the basics. Something I did not realize until several days after I arrived in Alaska was the fact that, though the state has over 14,000 miles of public roads, only 31% of Alaska’s roads are paved. The others, for the most part, are gravel roads winding through tundra and wilderness.

Think you’re ready for some rugged road conditions? You may want to think again. Most rental car companies do not allow you to drive on unpaved roads. Although the “Alaska Highway” and “Dalton Highway” may sound like smooth freeways, they actually fall into the “unpaved” category.

Many of the popular places for your Alaska road trip itinerary will be accessible via paved roads: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Homer, Seward. But some others are not: Gates of the Arctic NP, the Arctic Circle, Barrow, Wrangell-St. Elias NP, Juneau (not accessible by road at all).

Check out The Milepost online magazine or order a copy for more information — it provides great information on highways and road conditions.

And of course, if you’re dead-set on renting a car in Alaska and driving to some of these less-accessible places, check out some of the rental-car companies that WILL allow you to drive on gravel roads:

• GoNorth
• Arctic Outfitters (Dalton Highway only)

The most important thing is making sure you have a plan, for whatever you want to do.

3. Be prepared for anything and everything

Driving is a lot of responsibility, especially in an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar place. Especially when that place is Alaska.

For one, there was sooooo much more rain than I expected. Not that I didn’t expect it to rain, but I didn’t expect it would rain so often. I joked with my friend that in the first 2 days of our trip, it must have rained on us 50 different times. We drove just short of 2,000 miles in a week, and the weather was almost always a factor. Once, we even had to pull over because the rain was so heavy.

Second, at least on the George Parks Hwy between Anchorage and Denali, you’ll see signs warning you about Moose every 3 or so miles. They’re running across the street, they’re on the sides of the road — they could be anywhere, and so could other animals. Always be conscious of your surroundings and ready to react if needed.

If you decide on renting a car on Alaska, consider everything that could go wrong. You may get a crack in your windshield thanks to stray gravel (yes, even on paved roads), you may get a flat tire, and you may not always have cell service. Be as smart and prepared as you can, and remember Alaska is the boss.

 

What other tips do you have for renting a car in Alaska? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

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Originally Published on July 15, 2017.