As a couple, we spent $5422 traveling to Alaska from Virginia in 16 days. 

The breakdown is as follows: $55 for tolls, $145 for an oil change, $560 for food (eating out, groceries,  snacks), $861 for gas, $1566 for lodging, and $2235 for us and the truck to ride the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Bellingham, WA to Haines,  AK. 

This was an expensive trip for us, though I felt better when Google AI informed me that the average couple spends $3982 on a 7 day vacation.  If that daily rate continued beyond the 7 days, the average 16-day journey would be over $9000.

Our 2024 fall trip from Alaska to Virginia took 10 days and cost $2630, or $132 per person, per day.  It cost considerably more if we count the pain, suffering, and surgery from the long days of driving.  The last few days of our fall drive were miserable, and 4 weeks later, C was having 2 disks in his neck replaced!

Despite his successful surgery, we decided on both shorter days AND some days off during future drives.   Our biggest splurge this spring was buying ferry tickets for 3 days of blissful rest and scenic enjoyment while taking the Alaska Marine Highway and simultaneously saving about 600 miles of driving.  

The “outside” cabin was our most expensive lodging at $185 per night for 3 nights and did not include meals.  The $2235 ferry tickets for us and the truck was in addition to the cabin and meals. (Cabins are not required,  but we like having our own space.)

Our expensive spring trip cost us $170 per person, per day.  It was our most enjoyable vacation driving our truck across the country, and we arrived in Healy in good health. 

We are hoping to take the ferry back to Virginia in the fall, and again limit how many miles we cover each day.  No more 500-mile days, and might not even drive 400!