When John Hall Sr. first rode along the Alaska Highway in 1955, it was an unpaved, rugged stretch of road that tested the endurance of both vehicles and passengers. Hall was 12 when he accompanied his father on a journey to deliver eggs from Minnesota to Alaska, an adventure that led him to fall in love with the area’s wild beauty.
“That was back when the Alaska Highway was all gravel, before Alaska was even a state. It was still a territory,” Hall said. “We went through so many headlights, windshields, and tires. But it sparked my love for Alaska, and I always said I wanted to go back.”
Fast forward nearly 70 years, and the highway is now paved, offering a smoother ride for modern adventurers, and many visitors now explore Alaska from the comfort of luxury cruise ships. But Hall’s company, John Hall’s Alaska, offers a different experience. It delves into the heart of the state, far beyond the crowded ports of call.
At 81, Hall is passing the company’s reins to his children, so make sure his legacy of intimate, personalized Alaska tours continues for generations to come.
Children raised in the business
Hall founded John Hall’s Alaska in 1983 with a simple yet ambitious vision: to showcase the state’s untamed beauty and rich cultural heritage. It was a one-man operation in the beginning.
“I drove the motorcoaches, made reservations, carried luggage. I did everything,” Hall said. “My kids started joining me when they were 8, 9, or 10 years old. They used to ride the bus up to Alaska with me or join me on tours around the Lower 48. They grew up in the business.”
Over time, his children took on larger roles in the company.
“As they got older, they worked in the office through high school and went on to pursue secondary education,” Hall said. “Liz got her master’s degree and worked for a university, Joe went into heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and John went into food sales. But after about a year, they all missed the family business so much they came back. For the past 15 to 18 years, they’ve been my business partners.”
Hall is stepping back from day-to-day operations, confident in his children’s ability to carry on his vision.
“Elizabeth has been doing an understudy for the past three or four years and really running things. I officially retired as president a couple of months ago, though I’m still chairman of the board and CEO,” he said.
Today, Elizabeth Hall is the company’s president, Joe Hall is the Chief Operating Officer, and John Hall Jr. contributes when his schedule allows.
“All three of them have been in training for 30 years,” Hall said with a laugh. “If they don’t have it now, they’re not going to get it!”
All about Alaska
Unlike many tour operators that diversify their offerings, John Hall’s Alaska has remained steadfastly focused on the state that started it all.
“My grandfather once told me, ‘Do one thing and do it better than anyone else.’ That’s what we’ve done with Alaska,” Hall said. “Most tour companies try to do everything, but we concentrate on Alaska. We operate in more of the state than most companies, from Barrow to Nome, and visit all eight national parks. That’s 660,000 square miles of land. You could fit Texas, California, and Montana into Alaska and still have room for Rhode Island.”
John Hall’s Alaska’s approach is immersive and personal. Tours typically include just 24 to 36 guests, allowing for unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences.
“For example, we take our guests to Kennecott McCarthy in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, one of the most remote and stunning areas of the state,” Hall said. “Or to Brooks Falls, where bears feed at the waterfalls. Prince William Sound is another favorite, with its whales and marine life. Everything we do is about experiencing Alaska, not just seeing it.”
A key component of the Hall family’s tours is the focus on Alaska’s native cultures.
“When we take guests to places like Trailbreaker Kennels, they get to talk one-on-one with locals and learn about the state’s heritage,” Hall said. “That’s the Alaska I fell in love with as a child, and that’s the Alaska we share with our travelers.”
Guests span generations
This commitment to authenticity has built a loyal customer base that spans generations.
“We’ve had parents who traveled with us bring their children, and now those children are bringing their kids,” Hall said. “Elizabeth and Joe have been handling a lot of the World Adventures for the last few years, so most of our customers already know them. They’ve grown up with them, and that connections makes a difference.”
He takes pride in the legacy he has built, both as a businessman and as a father.
“Passing the reins to my children has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey,” he said. “They’ve been raised with the foundation of customer service and quality that has always been the hallmark of our company. I know they’ll continue to build on that legacy for generations to come.”
Hall believes the future of tourism in Alaska lies in offering personalized, sustainable experiences that go beyond the surface.
“There are about 1.5 million people a year who take an Alaska cruise,” he said. “They might go into Anchorage, cruise down to Vancouver, or go to Seattle and cruise up to Juneau. They get to have that first taste of Alaska. With us, it’s different. When we visit Trailbreaker Kennels or Kennecott McCarthy, it’s just our group. That’s when you really experience the state.”
For Hall, his family and Alaska will always be intertwined.
“It’s a strong family tradition with deep ties,” he said. “We’ve always focused on top-level quality and customer service. And that’s something that never changes.”
