From Hiking to Cruising, Alaska has it all!

With National Parks like Denali, various wildlife, glaciers and spectacular journeys on the Alaska Railroad, it is no wonder why Alaska is a nature lover's prime vacation spot.  Each year thousands of visitors land in either Anchorage or Fairbanks in order to experience the magic this state has to offer. We welcome you to read further as to why you should consider Alaska, "the Last Frontier", for your vacation. Whether you're captivated by her raging rivers, by the magic of her local cultures, or by the beauty of thousand-year-old glaciers, Alaska's countless wonders will make a lasting impression on you.

Alaska Railroad

One of the favorite ways to see Alaska is via rail. I remember as a teen taking a train from Fairbanks  to Anchorage and remembering how incredible it was to be in the heart of endless nature. Unlike the "Bullet Trains" of Europe, this train will travel through small and large  towns, stopping along the way to pick up fisherman to take them to the next stream.  The views are simply beautiful.  Alaska offers some of the world's most spectacular rail journey's. Two railroads operate in the state, the Alaska Railroad and the White Pass & Yukon Route. The White Pass & Yukon Route travels from Skagway to Fraser, B.C. Established more than 100 years ago during the Klondike Gold Rush, it’s now a scenic rail line that takes visitors through rugged terrain and impressive scenery. The Alaska Railroad is a modern railroad with track stretching from Seward to Fairbanks with stops in Anchorage, Wasilla, Talkeetna and Denali National Park and Preserve. The Alaska Railroad is famed for its glass-domed rail cars and excellent service. Both the White Pass & Yukon Route and the Alaska Railroad go places no accessible by road. Both trains still offer “whistle stop” service for passengers to disembark along the way for a quiet day of picnicking, fishing or hiking. On the Alaska Railroad, glass-domed cars offer 180 degrees of scenery. A major rail station in Denali National Park provides one of the most favored methods of reaching this iconic national park.

Some of the areas you you will explore via rail would be Anchorage, Denali, Seward, and Fairbanks.

Chugach State Park

One of the departing cities is Anchorage, the largest city, nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Offering an abundance of shopping, cultural attractions, and gourmet Alaskan restaurants, Anchorage provides an excellent start to your Alaskan vacation.  With the  Chugach Mountains to the east, the platinum waters of Cook Inlet west, more than a half-million acres of wilderness, 223 parks and 250 miles of off-street recreation trail, it’s obvious what sets Alaska’s unofficial capital apart. Visit the Alaska Zoo, where you can see musk oxen, wolves, otters, seals, caribou, wolverines, moose and other sub-arctic denizens. You can visit Chugach State Park, which is home to almost a half million acres, most of that wilderness. This park is the third largest state park in the U.S. With lakes and mountains, rivers and woods, bears, moose, wolves, mountain goats, eagles and more, the park offers almost all the wild attractions that draw visitors to Alaska.

Glorious Mt. Mc Kinley

You definitely don't want to miss a visit to Denali National Park.. Denali National Park and Preserve is a wild, wonderful place. Located in central Alaska, Denali is a protected area about the same size of the state of Massachusetts. Its more than 4.7 million acres is served by a single, 92-mile road that is mostly made of gravel — a rustic but vital artery that brings travelers deep into the heart of the wilderness via bus and bike. You will see spectacular scenery and have an abundance of adventure. Visitors can climb Mount McKinley, the highest peak on the North American continent, hike the extensive, wide-open back country, or just sit back and take in the glimmering celestial beauty of the northern lights.

Northern Lights also known as
Aurora Borealis

Speaking of the Northern Lights, Fairbanks is the best location to witness this magnificent quality of light, energy, and warmth. No where on Earth can you have experience like the one you will have in the northern city of Alaska. With the summer sun shining nearly 24 hours a day, Fairbanks is simply bursting with energy. Strike it rich panning for gold, float the Chena River, mingle with reindeer and musk oxen, cool off in an ice museum, take a refreshing hike, or be inspired by brilliant art galleries, museums, and historic sites. Late August to April you have a great chance to see the shimmering light of the Aurora Borealis.  Once a gold rush boomtown, Fairbanks is now Alaska’s second largest metropolis known as the “Golden Heart City,” a testimony to the warmth of the people.

Cruise along incredible glaciers and fjords

For the ultimate Alaska vacation, combine a cruise with your land tour. Cruise past glacial fjords and experience nature in a way you've never imagined before. Cruise on the Hubbard Glacier, the longest rive of ice in North American. It's also one of the most active glaciers in Alaska. You'll also be visiting Juneau, the capital of Alaska, founded during a gold rush in 1880. Today, the former gold-mining town counts among its riches some of Alaska's most spectacular scenery. Located at the foot of Mt. Juneau in the Alaska Panhandle, it faces the water from the mainland side of Gastineau Channel. Several magnificent fjords are located along the channel coast, and the majestic Mendenhall Glacier. One of the last cities to visit would be Ketchikan.  Here you can explore the history of the totem poles, experience the sheer granite cliffs, 1000 foot waterfalls, crystal lakes, and low hanging mists of the Misty Fjords. 

This is just a taste of what you could experience during your vacation to this magnificent destination. As you say goodbye to Alaska, think of extending your stay by visiting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  We'll have more on Vancouver and other beautiful Canadian cities next month in our Canada, nice mix of the United States and Europe.

For more information on how you can plan your own Alaska Experience, contact one of our agents at 866-720-5435 or via email at info@destinationsgalore.net