I'm looking at RVing from Florida to Alaska and back in my fifth wheel. How much money should I budget for a trip like this? I would like to spend at least 10 weeks. My best guess right now is that I'll need about $15,000.

Put another $5K in reserve and you will be in the ball park. We left Pinellas County 4/6 and arrived mid May. Then left after Labor Day arriving in Clearwater late Oct and spent over $20K.

Hello,We left from Dallas after Mother's Day this year. We were gone 10 weeks and 1 day. We spent $4,730 for gas, $1,448 on camping fees, and $1,029 on the marine highway. We did not track food, because you got to eat anyway. We have an older Class B, average 11.25 MPG. There is a section called "RVing in Canada and Alaska." There is more than a ton of information and questions already answered. Check it out.

Those figures sound about right. We did the trip in 2010, just remember the biggest cost is fuel in Canada. Also carry a fair amont of food because that's also expensive in Canada. At one stop we paid over $8 for a gallon of milk.By the way we spend part of the winter in Panama City Beach. You will enjoy the trip, the scenery and wildlife is incredible.

I think you are close, but might need a little more. We did a four month trip from NC to Alaska and back about seven years ago. We did fifteen thousand miles and believe it or not, we spent fifteen thousand dollars. It was the trip of a life time and worth every centjack L

It has been a long time since I pulled a 5th wheel over the Alaska Hwy. the last 4 round trips have been in our truck camper. Last trip in 2011. We normally will average between 12,000 and 15,000 miles, depending on our route. So I will use about 1,100 gallons of diesel on the trip. We will normally spend about half our time boon docking (free) and the other half in private or government type campgrounds. To budget my costs, I add up the major items, fuel, camping, entertainment , etc and I can have a great trip of about 100 nights for about $10,000. We eat out very seldom, don't often go to the paid tourist type entertainment events, etc. there are some costs I can control to some degree, such as camping costs and others are somewhat fixed, such as fuel. It is much easier to find good boon docking spots in northern Canada and Alaska than in the lower 48. So we don't tend to stop a great deal, prior to the Canadian border. I go to Alaska to spend my time there, not setting in campgrounds along the way. How many days of travel to get there is a very personal matter. Some of our forum members, due to age, health or lack of, enjoyment of driving, etc, take take 3 or 4 times as long to get to Alaska than I tend to do. But after 13 round trips by RV, to/from Alaska, we know where we want to spend our time.

Budgeting for an Alaska Trip | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

Allworth
Explorer II
Nov 12, 2014
Our last trip (several years ago) ran $130 per day total. I would budget at least $150/day at current prices.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2014
We went, for the third time, this year. There are lots of variables along with the set costs of food, fuel & accomodation. The attractions like fishing & flightseeing are not cheap.

Throwing everything into the pot our costs came out at something like $150 per day. Most expensive day included a stop at a Dawson City fuel station. $300 later we were moving again.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Nov 11, 2014
wintersun wrote:
colliehauler wrote:
wintersun wrote:
Calculate the cost to fly to Anchorage and rent a motorhome instead. The cost will be no more and you will spend twice as much of your trip in Alaska instead of motoring back and forth across the USA.

I have rented a motorhome in Alaska 4 times and spent only one day getting to Anchorage and been able to pick up the RV the same day as I arrived and drop it off the same day that we have flown home. I have done the same in Canada, picking up 1-ton 4WD trucks with cabover campers in Calgary.
For me it's about the journey not just the destination. I would never leave my Collies at home they enjoy going on a trip as much as I. There is no one way that works for everybody.

You missed the point. Would you rather spend 2-3 weeks traveling across the USA on the interstates and back, or spend that 2-3 weeks traveling around Alaska? Somehow I do not see traveling through Kansas or Texas as being on par with anywhere I have been in Alaska.

I would also not subject large dogs to spending day after day cooped up inside an RV. I always have opted for a house sitter who looks after my house and my dogs. It is kinder to the dogs.
No you missed my point. What works for you might not work for someone else. As for the Collies the are happy to spend time with me. The Collies love to go camping and are great travelers. I think you are being a little presumptuous to think they would rather be left behind.

If I did not drive I would not see Yellowstone, Glacier, Banff, Lake Louise, Yukon. The OP had 10 weeks not two or three.

I'm glad you found a way that works for you, but like I said it might not work for others.
wintersun
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2014
colliehauler wrote:
wintersun wrote:
Calculate the cost to fly to Anchorage and rent a motorhome instead. The cost will be no more and you will spend twice as much of your trip in Alaska instead of motoring back and forth across the USA.

I have rented a motorhome in Alaska 4 times and spent only one day getting to Anchorage and been able to pick up the RV the same day as I arrived and drop it off the same day that we have flown home. I have done the same in Canada, picking up 1-ton 4WD trucks with cabover campers in Calgary.
For me it's about the journey not just the destination. I would never leave my Collies at home they enjoy going on a trip as much as I. There is no one way that works for everybody.

You missed the point. Would you rather spend 2-3 weeks traveling across the USA on the interstates and back, or spend that 2-3 weeks traveling around Alaska? Somehow I do not see traveling through Kansas or Texas as being on par with anywhere I have been in Alaska.

I would also not subject large dogs to spending day after day cooped up inside an RV. I always have opted for a house sitter who looks after my house and my dogs. It is kinder to the dogs.
jcsb
Explorer
Nov 11, 2014
90 day trip 2011

CG $: 2550.97

Fuel $: 4991.18

Maintenace $: 502.12

Restaurant $: 1174.26

Grocery $ 1731.31

Attraction $: 3723.29

Grand TOTAL: 14,673.13
colliehauler
Explorer III
Nov 10, 2014
wintersun wrote:
Calculate the cost to fly to Anchorage and rent a motorhome instead. The cost will be no more and you will spend twice as much of your trip in Alaska instead of motoring back and forth across the USA.

I have rented a motorhome in Alaska 4 times and spent only one day getting to Anchorage and been able to pick up the RV the same day as I arrived and drop it off the same day that we have flown home. I have done the same in Canada, picking up 1-ton 4WD trucks with cabover campers in Calgary.
For me it's about the journey not just the destination. I would never leave my Collies at home they enjoy going on a trip as much as I. There is no one way that works for everybody.
A_hitch_and_hop
Explorer
Nov 10, 2014
This last summer we drove to Seattle via So. Ca. from Florida and then took a 12 day Cruise / Tour from Holland America.

Total Miles = 9,184
Total Expense = $10,747 =$1.17 per mile
Camp sites = $678
Fuel = $3,046
wintersun
Explorer II
Nov 10, 2014
Calculate the cost to fly to Anchorage and rent a motorhome instead. The cost will be no more and you will spend twice as much of your trip in Alaska instead of motoring back and forth across the USA.

I have rented a motorhome in Alaska 4 times and spent only one day getting to Anchorage and been able to pick up the RV the same day as I arrived and drop it off the same day that we have flown home. I have done the same in Canada, picking up 1-ton 4WD trucks with cabover campers in Calgary.
pasusan
Explorer
Nov 10, 2014
Thanks for this subject!!! Alaska is OFF my bucket list. I'll just have to reread my Jack London books. :R
lizzie
Explorer
Nov 10, 2014
Class of 2013. Florida to Alaska and return to North Carolina = 15,000 miles and three months (to the day). Budgeted $15,000, did not spend that much but close. Not many paid attractions (we had done that before)and limited meals out. Absolutely wonderful time. Hope to go again soon. lizzie