Five Alaskan wonders to work into a cruise itinerary
Brown Bears in Kodiak: One of the most popular activities for travelers to Kodiak Island is brown bear viewing. The giant bears can reach a weight of more than 1,000 pounds, and seeing them in their natural habitat will give travelers a new respect for nature. Options for viewing include trips to see the bears catching salmon at streams and lakes via air taxi, boat charter, or kayak outfitter.
Glacier Bay National Park: Located along Alaska’s Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park spans 3.3 million acres of protected area. Its terrain ranges from mountains and glaciers to temperate rainforest, striking coastlines, and deep sheltered fjords, offering visitors countless different opportunities to engage with the wilderness and its slew of inhabitants.
Whale Watching – Inside Passage: The Inside Passage is a network of passages created by the astonishing force of massive glaciers millions of years ago. Its wildlife-filled fjords are home to bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises, and whales. No traveler should miss a whale watching tour here, where sightings of magnificent humpbacks and orcas are guaranteed to create a lifelong memory.
Hubbard Glacier: The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard measures 76 miles long, 7 miles wide, and 600 feet tall. To see this icy marvel, travelers can take a number of flight-seeing or boat tours. Witnessing the sights and sounds of this massive active glacier makes for an experience no traveler will soon forget.
Salty Dawg Saloon in Homer: The history of this Alaska saloon goes all the way back to 1897, when it was one of the first cabins built in the new town site of Homer. During its lifetime, the structure has served as a police office, a railroad station, a grocery store, a coal mining office, and more. Today, its quirky interior and scenic location make it a historic landmark, beckoning visitors inside for a drink.
