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Anchorage, Alaska
Cosmopolitan Anchorage is a city that has its own symphony
and ballet yet offers rugged wilderness only minutes away.
Art enthusiasts will enjoy the Anchorage Museum of History
and Art and the many galleries. Shoppers will discover excellent
native Alaskan arts and crafts.
Columbia Glacier/College Fjord
One of the largest tidewater glaciers in North America, impressive
Columbia Glacier is six miles wide and 260 feet high and the
surrounding area teems with wildlife. A short distance from
Columbia Glacier is spectacular College Fjord with its breathtaking
alpine setting. Here you'll encounter mo
re glaciers, each one named for an Ivy League college supporting
the 1899 Harriman expedition.
Endicott Arm/Tracy Arm
As you cruise through the fabled Inside Passage, you'll enjoy
such stunning sights as emerald green islands, sparkling glaciers
and a coastline that features majestic mountains. The passage
is incised by many fjords, and, depending on weather conditions,
you may cruise through spectacular Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm.
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Preserved as a National Monument, Glacier Bay is an extraordinary
collection of glaciers in a contained region. Only two ships
per day are permitted to enter the bay during the summer months,
when whales come here to feed. The ice in Glacier Bay fell
as snow, hundreds of years ago, on the icefields in the mountains
above. Compressed by its own tremendous weight, it slowly
flows through valleys to the sea, where in some cases, it
breaks off in great chunks called calves, to float free as
icebergs and "bergy bits."
Haines, Alaska
Alaska's heritage comes alive in the handcrafted artistry
of the Tlingit (pronounced "Klink-it") Indians and
in the lively performances of the Chilkat Dancers, with their
brightly painted tribal masks. Take a walking tour of Haines
and get a glimpse of the town’s gold-rush history in
local museums. You can visit the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve—Haines
boasts the world’s largest concentration of the magnificent
birds, drawn to the area by the salmon-rich waters. Other
shore excursions include a boat trip on Lake Chilkoot and
a glacier country flightseeing trip.
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
Seventy-five miles long and covering over 1,350 square miles
in area, Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier
in North America. It is also one of the most impressive, a
500-foot wall of ice rising sheer and jagged from the ocean.
You may hear the rumble and see the monumental splash as the
glacier breaks off in great ice chunks, known as "calves."
Inside Passage
Protected from the open sea by forested isles, sheltered from
the windy mainland by the tallest coastal mountains in the
world, this tranquil 1,000-mile waterway winds from British
Columbia to Alaska's Gulf. The deep, calm waters of the passage
meander between dense pine forests where wild game and soaring
eagles abound, with occasional rustic towns along the way.
Juneau, Alaska
Alaska's capital can't be reached by road. You fly or sail
here to enjoy its greeting of dockside flags and flowers.
It is surprisingly urban and cultured for being so remote.
Visit the museum for insights into Inuit culture and crafts.
Drive up to Mendenhall, the only glacier inside city limits!
Or get an aerial view from a helicopter. Fish for silver salmon,
or just enjoy some off the grill--then kick back at the Red
Dog Saloon.
Ketchikan/Misty Fjord, Alaska
Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world. The canneries
are busy, and the stream below Creek Street's rustic boardwalk
bustles with life. Visit the ancient grove of Totem Bight,
the largest collection of authentic totem poles anywhere.
Make a flight to nearby Misty Fjords--a breathtaking vista
of Alaska's unspoiled wilderness and America's newest national
monument, or, try a little salmon fishing.
Sitka, Alaska
When Alaska belonged to Russia, Sitka was the capital and
center for its fur trading empire. Today, Sitka's Russian
heritage and magnificent setting make it an enchanting destination.
The city features a harbor studded with islands, a backdrop
of mountains, and spectacular Mt. Edgecumbe, a volcano often
compared to Japan's Mt. Fuji. Sitka displays its past in such
attractions as St. Michael's Cathedral with its striking onion-shaped
dome, the Russian Blockhouse, and world famous New Archangel
Dancers. Visit the Historic Park, with a ruined Indian fort
where Tlingit Indians battled Russian settlers in 1804.
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway was born during the great Alaska gold rush. Those
were the days when Skagway had 80 saloons and was known as
"the roughest town on earth." The city's rip-roaring
past will come alive when you walk down Broadway, a main street
so authentic it is part of the Klondike Gold Rush National
Historical Park! Special shore excursions explore Skagway's
fascinating history. Take a train up to White Pass and follow
the old path to gold and glory in the Yukon, or take a scenic
flight to view the amazing wonders of Glacier Bay National
Park.
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is known as the "Switzerland of Alaska,"
a tribute to the splendid snow-capped mountains that surround
this prosperous port. Once the gateway to the gold country,
Valdez is now the southern terminus of the famous Alaskan
Pipeline that carries "black gold" from the Arctic
Ocean to an oil-thirsty world.
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