I’ve lived in Alaska for over 35 years. Here are 6 mistakes I always see tourists make when visiting the state.

I’m always surprised by how many visitors think Alaska is small — but I guess if you’re used to seeing us tucked into a map inset right next to Hawaii, that makes sense.

In truth, Alaska is so big that if you split it into two states, both halves would be bigger than Texas. You can easily spend four to six hours — or more — just driving from one large community to the next.

However, Alaska has a shockingly limited road network for such a huge state. If we say a community is “off the road system,” it means you can’t drive there. Instead, you’ll have to catch a plane or, in some limited cases, a boat to get there.

Not learning the local vocabulary

In Alaska, we have lots of local lingo that can be helpful to know. For example, if someone says they’re going outside, they’re not just leaving the building — they’re leaving the state. To us, outside means anywhere that’s not Alaska.

Another thing to remember is that we don’t typically use road numbers for our highways (no matter what your GPS tries to tell you). Instead, we use the names of highways.

Forgetting that some attractions and activities are seasonal

Every year, Alaska tour guides field sincere questions like “When are the moose scheduled to show up?” That makes perfect sense in a controlled environment like a zoo, but Alaska’s wildlife are … well, wild … and come and go whenever they like.

Our weather does pretty much the same thing, so if you’re determined to hide inside until the rain and wind stop or the sun comes out, you’ll miss out on a lot.

Dressing in layers can help visitors stay comfortable, no matter what the weather is doing. I recommend lighter layers in the summer and heavier layers in winter, but some sort of weatherproof outer layer is always a must.

Trying to do too much in one trip

When traveling to a new location, there’s a lot of pressure to visit as many destinations as possible. But if you never take a minute to enjoy just being here, you’re missing out on a big chunk of the Alaska experience.

Plus, having a little flex time in your schedule helps to accommodate inevitable weather days when excessive wind, rain, or rough seas keep you from doing planned activities. I recommend giving yourself two or three days in a community before moving on.