Alaska is the adventure of a lifetime: imagine hiking through glaciers, fishing for King Salmon, panning for gold or spying a pod of humpback whales at play. Alaska offers nearly 600,000 square miles of wonder and wilderness, folklore and wildlife.
The Inside Passage—the most visited of five distinct regions—is the gateway to the 49th state. Here, glaciers have carved the coast into frosty fjords and wooded isles. The traditions of Alaska's native people are still treasured and practiced here. The scenery is show stopping throughout the region, a natural habitat for sea lions, porpoises, bald eagles and other wildlife.
The southern-most port, Ketchikan, is known for its Indian culture and arts and is home to the world's largest totem pole collection. The active arts community hosts an array of fascinating shops and galleries. The historical structures along Creek Street—once the town's "red light district"—have been reborn as restaurants and boutiques.
Sitka is situated on Baranof Island and overlooks a dormant volcano—Mount Edgecumbe—that rises 3,200 feet. History buffs will enjoy the Sitka National Historical Park, the state's oldest park, where visitors can watch native Tlingit artists at work. The city's Russian heritage is celebrated here through the lively folk dances of the New Archangel Dancers and the architecture of such structures as St. Michael's Cathedral.
Farther inland is Juneau, the state's capital and the region's largest city. Glacier-viewing here is unsurpassed. At Mendenhall Glacier, just 13 miles outside Juneau, visitors can get up close and personal to a 200-foot-high, 1.5-mile-wide expanse of ice. There's also downhill and cross-country skiing nearby, and more than 32 gold mines in the area.
Farther north is historic Skagway, the epicenter of early Gold Rush activity, an era well documented at such sites as the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and Trail of '98 Museum. Stroll the boardwalks of downtown Skagway's Historic District, lined with charming
false-front buildings.
Heading up the coast, you'll reach Yukatat, a former Tlingit village where visitors can take boat and kayak trips to Hubbard Glacier and flight-seeing tours to the continent's most massive glacier, Malaspina.
Alaska's most populous and modern city, Anchorage, is still near to all nature has to offer. Located in the Southcentral region, the bustling city is a haven of sleek highrises, flower-festooned streets, galleries and boutiques, and a flourishing music and arts scene. Once outside the city limits, outdoor adventure awaits in the form of snowboarding, ice fishing, dog sledding and more. You can also just soak up the sights, from the reknown Northern Lights to icy landscapes teeming with wildlife.
Picturesque Prince William Sound, situated on the northern tip of the Gulf of Alaska, is a stunning landscape of towering glaciers and fjords that are home to wildlife on land—bears, mountain goats and sheep—and sea, including sea lions, whales and otters. The vast Columbia Glacier—spanning 440 square miles—is a favorite attraction with tourists who, by boat, can spot hundreds of seals sunning themselves atop the ice.
An Alaskan cruise quite likely includes a stop in Vancouver, B.C., a beautiful city know for its warm welcome, natural beauty, culture and arts offerings, and host of indoor and outdoor attractions. Among these are the Vancouver Maritime Museum, Vancouver Art Gallery, VanDusen Botanical Garden, bustling Yaletown and pretty Stanley Park.
