by William Bosch

Created on: March 24, 2009

A trip to Alaska is like a breath of fresh air. You get introduced to a new frontier, a wide variety of beautiful landscapes, and sights possibly never imagined before. Some like to enjoy a cruise to our northern-most state. Others prefer to fly in for a week or two. Still others combine the treat as a best-of-sea-and-air vacation. But if you have the time and really want a vacation you'll never forget, try driving to Alaska! Getting there can be half of the adventure!

No matter where you are driving from, at some point you must reach the Al-Can highway. This is the one and only major highway connecting Alaska with the outside world. You will soon feel as if you are starring on the WB as the Al-Can highway begins in the city of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. Whether you approach from the south through Hope, or from the east through Edmonton, Dawson Creek is the point of no return: you either turn back, or begin the driving adventure of a lifetime. It is by far the biggest city you will see for the next 1800+ kilometers outside of Whitehorse, in the Northwest Territory. Dawson Creek has all the amenities of a major tourist stopping point, with arts and crafts, hotels, and the excitement needed to embark on your adventure.

Within miles of leaving Dawson Creek, heading west/northwest, houses begin to be less visible, and don't be surprised if you come across your first herds of moose grazing in someone's front yard. You will experience the grandeur of passing by bright yellow canola fields that fill the horizon. Your odyssey will take you through rough terrain, even possibly new gravel to replace what the weather wore away the past winter. But make no mistake: the farther you travel, the more wilderness you will experience.

Eighty miles could pass between signs of civilization. Cities like Muncho Lake, on many Canadian maps, are really mostly tourist stops along the way, with lodging for campers or R.V.'s, a general store, and an airstrip for additional vacationing extravaganzas around the lake. But do not expect large cities sprouting up in the interior wilderness areas! That is not what this experience is about. This is about excitement and survival, and sometimes battles with pesky Canadian black flies and other insects you'd probably rather avoid. The mosquito could well offer to be considered as the next Canadian bird.

You can't miss the city of Watson Lake, and the Signpost Forest. This tourist attraction features street signs literally from all

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