Reddit reviews The MILEPOST 2017

I live in Anchorage and have only been here a year, so it's difficult for me to give advice about the rest of Alaska. I can second what the poster above said about checking out Seward and the Sealife Center, and I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Milepost for your trip. Look around in /r/Anchorage if you plan to be in the area, there have been lots of similar questions asked there with a lot of good info in the replies! :)

I smell a cheechako. :)

Ive been gone from Alaska for a number of years now. But even back in the 70s we drove between haines (north of Juneau) to Anchorage and back several times in a VW squareback. So it isnt quite the Lewis and Clark trek you might imagine. And RVs were very very common in the summer up there by the 80s.

But since Ive been away so long all my detailed knowledge is surely out of date. One thing we did keep handy was The Milepost.
It gave details on services available on every highway.

https://www.amazon.com/MILEPOST-2017-Kristine-Valencia/dp/1892154366

If you are budget minded, you could find a used copy thats a year or two old.

If you arent well versed in firearms use and safety, you are better off without it. You are more likely to hurt yourself or just piss the bear off. Bear Spray and adhering to bear country camping rules are probably a better bet.

Campsites are often wherever there is enough room to pull off the road

All of the parks in alaska are worth visiting. many are larger than entire states in the lower 48

Ferries - are you meaning the Alaska Marine Highway? (I cant imagine that by the route you are going) Or are you imagining a ferry to get into fairbanks? If you mean river crossings - there might be some that im not aware of. I would think that river crossing ferries are either running several times a day or...not at all

Stocking up - pretty much everything will be more expensive. But most things are available.

In general I would say: Pack patience and good humor. Be ready to adjust your plans. Be ready to improvise repairs and help yourself out (if something goes awry with your vehicle, for example) Be ready to cheerfully help others.

This will be your friend. I'll leave a more detailed response to others because I haven't been up here too long myself yet, but the Milepost is a wealth of info and a great guide to have for the kind of trip you're hoping for. Good luck with planning, Alaska is an amazing place!