For an unforgettable experience of a lifetime, explore the vast wilderness of Alaska. From Majestic Mount McKinley in Denali State Park to the walrus haven of Bristol Bay to the Inland Passage, history and adventure abound in our 49th state. Purchased through a business transaction with Russia for just eight cents an acre, Alaska earned her statehood in 1959.
Probably most well known for the cruise ships that prowl her coastline from May through September, there are an abundance of things to see and do in Alaska that accommodate all levels of adventure.
Cruising Alaska
This is not just a retirement destination anymore. Typical cruises leave from Seattle and Vancouver, and travel through the Inland Passage, visiting many historical coastal towns along the way. Some venture as far north as Skagway, and a few even venture into the Bering Sea, made famous by the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch.
Smaller cruise ships can squeeze into more remote ports of call, and some offer daily kayaking adventures that bring you up close and personal with calving glaciers, grizzly bears, moose, and marine life.
Standard cruise tours include helicopter tours to glaciers or over Denali State Park, dog sledding treks, and of course, shopping.
Denali State Park
Encompassing an expansive six million acres of land, the gem of Denali is spectacular Mount McKinley, America’s highest mountain peak. It is also home to an abundance of wildlife, including brown and grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and Dall sheep. Visitors to the park may also spy a hoary marmot, a wolverine, a red fox, or an arctic ground squirrel. Mammals that hibernate in the winter forage extensively in the summer months and are easily spotted from the main road that traverses the park.
While in Denali, visit the dog sledding kennels, home to the only sled dogs in the United States that help protect a national park. Teams of these dogs log an average of 3,000 miles each winter carrying the rangers through the park on patrols. During the summer, they provide a unique educational experience for visitors.
Bristol Bay
All five species of Pacific salmon spawn and are harvested in Bristol Bay, including sockeye, chum, pink, silver, and king salmon. The frigid waters are also home to rainbow trout, northern pike, Beluga whales, Orcas, walruses, caribou, moose, bear, foxes, porcupine, beaver, and otter. Nature lovers will adore Bristol Bay, and can participate in many activities including fishing, hunting, rafting, hiking, cannery tours, and air tours. Dillingham and Nanek are the main towns servicing this area and its parks. The Wood-Tikchik State Park is the largest state park in the United States.
Kodiak Island
In 1792, Kodiak became the first permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. Russian influence is still strong in many of the communities on Kodiak Island, which can be seen in America’s first Russian Orthodox Church and the Baranov Museum.
Kodiak also encompasses a 1.8 million acre national park – the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, as well as five other state parks. The area offers a great opportunity for hiking, kayaking, boating, and wildlife viewing.
In addition to these natural wonders, Alaska offers a variety of historic towns that were part of the gold rush era. They offer a view into Alaska’s rugged past as well as the opportunity for some local shopping or to meet some of Alaska’s residents in one of the many little taverns. Whether you want to unwind and enjoy the splendor of nature or take an adventure trip of a lifetime, Alaska provides a backdrop for your vacation that you will never forget.
