Alaskan Cruising At A Glance

Alaska covers an area approximately 586,000 square miles in size, and it's by far the largest state in America. It's also home to North America's tallest mountain – the majestic Mt. McKinley, rising an incredible 20,320 feet into the sky. Alaska boasts 34,000 miles of coastline – more than all of the other states combined – and a total of 3 million lakes dot the Last Frontier's wilderness.

Cruising Regions
Alaska is broken into five distinct regions. The most popular sites and attractions are located in just three – the famed Inside Passage, the Southcentral region, and the Interior. The major cruise lines do not sail to the Arctic Circle/Far North region, and most itineraries don't include stops in the Southwest region.

Individually, each of the five regions are larger than nearly every state in the "Lower 48" – so you're sure to enjoy an almost endless series of adventures.

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Inside Passage Alaska

Alaska's Inside Passage is a web of quiet fjords and peaceful islands forested with hemlock and spruce. Shaped by glaciers millions of years ago, it's the traditional home of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Indians. It's also played host to Russian immigrants, prospectors, lumberjacks, and fishermen.

Ketchikan & Misty Fjords
Generally speaking, Ketchikan is Alaska's southernmost port of call. Highlights include Saxman Park and the Totem Heritage Center, home to the world's largest collection of totem poles. The Tongass Historical Museum features exhibits on traditional Native culture, and Ketchikan's infamous frontier days are immortalized at Dolly's House.

Misty Fjords National Monument – a breathtaking 2.3-million acre expanse – is only accessible via excursion boat or plane. This ecosystem's coastal rainforests and glacial fjords are home to a dizzying array of land animals and marine life. Nearby Wrangell is a picturesque community characterized by four distinctive cultural influences: Russian, British, American, and Tlingit.

Sitka
Sitka, located in the Passage's northern region, was the Russian capital of Alaska from 1808 to 1867. Highlights include Native American artifacts on display at the Sheldon Jackson Museum and a visit to the Alaska Raptor Center. One of Sitka's premiere attractions, the Raptor Center has become Alaska's foremost bald eagle hospital and educational facility, providing critical medical treatment to more than 200 injured bald eagles and other native birds of prey.

Juneau & Haines
Juneau is Alaska's capital and the state's third largest city. Highlights include flightseeing excursions to the beautiful Juneau Icefield and a journey through Tracy Arm Fjord, where glaciers descend as far as 1,000 feet below the water's surface.

Highlights in Haines include Chilkat State Park's magnificent glacier views and the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, home to over 3,000 bald eagles. And if you're cruising the region in August, don't miss the Southeast Alaska State Fair.

Skagway
Carefully preserved storefronts and the 33-mile Chilkoot Trail are just two of popular Skagway's distinguishing features. Explore Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, then climb aboard vintage railcars for an unforgettable journey along the White Pass & Yukon Route, one of the world's most scenic mountain railways. Glacier Bay is another lovely Skagway landmark – 13 spectacular glaciers flow from surrounding mountains into the waters of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.

Shopping In Port
Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan are home to many of Alaska's finest shops. Beautiful Native American artwork and handicrafts – including carved ivory and jade, masks, totem poles, cedar baskets, and silver jewelry – are available in each destination. Alaskan heritage items are also for sale, including bronze sculptures, oils and acrylics, and fossilized whalebone carvings. Other popular items include Russian nesting dolls, local foodstuffs, and gifts relating to the region's Gold Rush history.

Southcentral Alaska

More than half of Alaska's residents live in the cities, towns, and farmlands of the geographically diverse Southcentral region. Spectacular glaciers, fjords, roadside lakes, beaches, and salmon streams provide visitors with abundant, year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.

Anchorage Alaska's largest city, home to nearly 40 percent of the state's population, is a popular tourist destination and the region's commercial capital. Luxury hotels, cosmopolitan cuisine, and excellent shopping exist comfortably alongside state parks, an extensive trail system, and several historical natural attractions.

There's no shortage of things to do in Anchorage. Pay a visit to the Alaska Zoo. Observe 130 species of waterfowl from a vantage point on the boardwalk surrounding Potter's Marsh. Go salmon fishing – downtown. The city's Alaska Heritage Center features artists, performers, interpretative displays, and five traditional village exhibits. The Anchorage Museum of History & Art houses Alaskan art and Native American cultural exhibits.

Even more possibilities await beyond the city limits. The Eagle River Nature Center and Chugach State Park's alpine scenery are just a short drive north of Anchorage. At Eklutna Village Historical Park, you can tour St. Nicholas Russian Church and see the brightly painted Spirit House.

South of town is the Crow Creek Mine – where you can actually pan for gold! Interested in spectacular views of Turnagain Arm? Hike the Crow Pass Trail. Part of the legendary Iditarod Trail, Crow Pass leads to the historic gold fields of Interior Alaska. Looking to lift your spirits? Take an exciting ride aboard the Alyeska Resort's mountain tram.

Prince William Sound Prince William Sound is comprised of 100,000 glaciers and 10,000 square miles of protected waterways, islands, and fjords. At sea, watch for whales, porpoise, sea otters, sea lions, and seals. On land, keep your eyes peeled for deer, bear, goats, and sheep.

Whittier & Valdez These coastal communities are your gateways to the Sound's wide variety of spectacular scenery, including Columbia Glacier – an astounding 4 miles wide and over 200 feet tall!

Seward & Glennallen Seward's harbor bustles with cruise ships. Port highlights include Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska's SeaLife Center, and the amazing Kenai National Wildlife Refuge – a habitat for roughly 6,500 moose.

Glennallen offer visitors easy access to the Wrangell Mountains, one of Alaska's most popular recreation destinations.

Interior Alaska

Alaska's heartland, situated in the shadow of Mt. McKinley, is home to many of the state's most impressive natural wonders and a wealth of culture and history.

Fairbanks Alaska's second largest city is a hotspot – literally. From mid-May through July, Fairbanks enjoys more than 20 hours of sunlight a day and temperatures that sometimes peak at 80 degrees.

Port highlights include a visit to the University of Alaska Museum and a cruise along the Chena River aboard a reproduction sternwheeler. The Alaskaland Pioneer Theme Park, home to several museums, shops, and turn-of-the-20th century cabins, offers visitors an authentic taste of Alaskan pioneer life.

Fairbanks is also one of the best places in the world to view the Aurora Borealis, the region's legendary Northern Lights. This magnificent show in the sky is visible nearly 240 nights a year, but it's at its most dazzling in the months of March, September, and October.

Mt. McKinley / Denali National Park & Preserve From Fairbanks, visitors can travel south to Mt. McKinley and Denali's incredible National Park & Preserve. Here, recreational options abound – hiking, rock-climbing, horseback riding, nature treks, and river excursions are just a few examples. Denali is home to an amazing array of wildlife, too – caribou, grizzly bears, wolves, moose, lynx, marmots, foxes, snowshoe hares, ravens, great horned owls, and three species of ptarmigan! A 91-mile road traverses the park, affording excellent views of Wonder Lake, Savage River, Polychrome Pass, Outer Range Sanctuary River, Muldrow Glacier, and the Kantishna mining district.

Southeast of Denali, you'll enjoy panoramic views of Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range. If you're visiting in the summertime, keep an eye out for salmon spawning in the Gulkana River.

Southwest Alaska

Most Alaskan itineraries don't venture this far west. But if yours does, you're in luck – few settings on earth can compare to Alaska's Southwest region. An unusual variety of environments – ranging from the volcanic terrain of Katmai National Park to the windy grasslands of the Aleutian Islands – play host to brown bears, sea otters, walrus, fur seals, and other fascinating creatures.

Kodiak Kodiak is the principal town on Kodiak Island. It's also the home of Alaska's largest fishing fleet.

The original inhabitants of the island were the Alutiiq. More than 7,000 years later, their descendants still live here. Six villages scattered throughout the archipelago offer glimpses of the traditional Alutiiq lifestyle, and the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository documents local Native American history and culture.

Once called Pavlovsk, Kodiak was also the location of the Russian Empire's first administrative center in North America. From 1793 until 1808, it was the headquarters of the Russian-American Company, traders in fur. Reminders of Kodiak's Russian history are on display at the Russian Orthodox Church and the Baranov Museum.

Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge covers two-thirds of the island, offering a protected habitat for Kodiak's world-famous brown bears. The area is also home to Fort Abercrombie State Park – originally a World War II coastal fortification, it's now a national historical landmark.

The Alaska Peninsula Extending 550 miles into the Pacific Ocean, the Alaska Peninsula is your gateway to the Aleutian Islands. Area highlights include Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary, and Bristol Bay – the world's largest source of red salmon.