Travel blog

A trip to Alaska is a bucket list trip—traveling to the 49^th state is a dream come true for many of our guests—but it can also be overwhelming.

If this is your first time to Alaska, here are some things to keep in mind to make the most of your time in the Frontier State.

A getaway to Alaska is unlike anything you have experienced before. “The Last Frontier,” as it’s often called, is a nature lover’s paradise. It’s full of incredible natural wonders, lush forests, rivers and lakes full of fish, and even glaciers.

Many picture snow and cold when they think of Alaska, but the state boasts four distinct seasons with different weather patterns and activities.

Alaska has plenty to offer visitors. It boasts everything from some of the world’s most stunning scenery, to magnificent wildlife, to the legendary Northern Lights.

It is a rugged state blessed with staggering beauty, but in order to best enjoy Alaska, it’s important to visit at the right time of the year.

We’ve put together a short guide to help you determine when to go based on what you prioritize most highly. Do you want Northern Lights or cheaper flights? See a moose or enjoy a cruise?

At the end of Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska there’s an old wooden staircase that snakes its way over the Tongass Narrows and through the surrounding forest. Known as “Married Man’s Trail,” this is what remains of a muddy path along the Ketchikan Creek that once provided discretion for men visiting the city’s numerous brothels.

Feed your wanderlust and yearning for the elegance of travel from a more genteel era on a leisurely train trip up the breathtaking West Coast! You can enjoy comfortable accommodations, superb dining, and gracious service all while watching some of America’s most beautiful scenery slowly pass you by on the Coast Starlight.

Alaskan vacation packages are a great way to explore all that our 49^th state has to offer. Many guided options even allow you to take a combined land and cruise tour so you can get the full tourist experience. When participating in Alaskan tours, you will need to prepare for all types of weather because it is common to have sunny skies, rain, and wind all within the course of one day, regardless of the season. Your packing list for an Alaskan cruise will require layers so you can put them on or take them off to match the changing weather. Here is a list of items to pack for your Alaskan tour:

Alaska is known throughout the world for its spectacular wildlife—a pack of wolves hunting together in the moonlight, a bald eagle silently dragging a single golden talon across a glassy lake, a greedy bear cub clumsily learning how to catch spawning salmon.

Images of Alaskan fauna are some of the most important visuals in what we now think of as the wilds of America, and are a large part of what created our nation’s very identity.

Below are just a few of the beautiful animals you might catch a glimpse of in the “The Last Frontier.”

As the days grow longer and the weather warms, travelers heed the call of the wild and head to the Frontier State. Hulking moose meander alongside the roadway and icebergs the size of school buses break from glaciers before crashing into the sea. There are totems where history is carved in wood and an endless stretch of sky where snow-covered mountains kiss the clouds. If an Alaskan adventure is in your plans, here are some need-to-know travel tips to help you make the most of your time:

Your travel bucket list is an opportunity for you to write down all the must-see places you want to visit in this lifetime. It inspires you to decide what you really want, to rank the places you’ve dreamt of seeing for years, since childhood, perhaps, and plan accordingly. Here are some of the magnificent destinations that show up most frequently on our guests’ bucket lists:

Mothers come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Some express their love quietly, while others shout it out for everyone to hear. All of them love us, and on Mother’s Day, we get to remind them we love them right back. 

This Mother’s Day, why confine yourself to gifts of flowers and brunch? Show the mom in our life you really care by giving her the trip of a lifetime. Perhaps she’d like a romantic cruise for two, or maybe a land adventure. It all depends on what type of mom you have.

While we can’t say for sure which trip your mom would like best, we do know a little about what certain types of moms like. So, here’s a list of the most common moms we see on our tours, and the type of tours we most often see them on.