My mission has always been to dispel many of those rumors that surface when RVers come back from Alaska. I have no idea why, but many RVers seem to come back to the “lower 48” with bizarre stories about their trip!!! Frankly, it seems some of them may have lost their mind sometime during the trip!
I’ve heard returning RVers talk about the “highways were not paved” (of course they are paved—the final stretch of the Alaskan Highway was paved in 1992). Others were crying about “not being able to get replacement parts” (you can order them—it’s the same process as down here but it will take a bit longer). A common one was that “no campgrounds were available due to caravans” (there are ample campgrounds and if they are full with a caravan, wait a day or two. Caravans don’t stay very long anywhere.) Plus, there are plenty of wonderful places to boondock. I’ve been told their RVs were “getting beat up with paint chipped and broken windshields” (slow down in construction zones and don’t follow too close).
I even read in one of those RV “newsletters” some companies send out, that the writer stated that all she could find was frozen bread in the grocery in Alaska! Sorry, but this is just nuts—maybe she just shopped in the frozen section and never walked around the store! Alaska has all kinds of grocery stores—both large and small—including several Walmarts, Fred Meyer stores, other biggies, and a bunch of small ones! From our lengthy experience in Alaska (three different trips over three full summers), we never had a problem finding bread (or any other normal groceries).
So let me speak from personal experience here… First, we have probably driven our big RV on 90% of the normal highways in Alaska during our three trips. Second, Sandy and I made the trip to Alaska THREE times (THREE full summers) in the same RV—a 2007 Monaco Dynasty (a 42-foot long motorhome) and towed our car. We NEVER had a single paint chip, NO windshield chips, cracks, or “stars.” Third, we NEVER had a problem buying a “normal” loaf of bread (or anything else we wanted to eat—and we eat pretty normal). Fourth, we went WITH reservations one trip and WITHOUT reservations another trip and SOME reservations on the third trip, but ALWAYS had a campsite when we needed it, drove nearly every paved highway in state, NEVER carried any spare parts other than what I normally carry all the time (a set of filters), and ALWAYS had available all the groceries (and fresh bread) we needed.
We would go back tomorrow if possible and probably will go back but will have to wait for a couple of births in the family. Maybe next year.
What About Buying Stuff In Canada
If you drive to Alaska, you have to pass through Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. It’s a really nice, small city but more importantly, it’s the LAST city/town of any size before you get into Alaska. From Whitehorse, it’s another 700 miles to Anchorage or about 600 miles if you are headed up to Fairbanks. If you want a large and nice selection of groceries and fresh fruits and veggies, get them in Whitehorse. So, shop here…
Real Canadian Superstore
2270 2nd Ave, Whitehorse, YT
867-456-6618
It is primarily a huge grocery store but their big sign on the building just says “Canadian Superstore,” so you have no idea what they have inside. It’s worth the stop.