Once in a Lifetime Alaska Cruise Vacation: Bucket List Destinations
By Melissa Alvarado Sierra | Published on January 28, 2022
Alaska is for the daring at heart, offering more than just a vacation, but an awakening in nature. An Alaska cruise vacation offers rare opportunities to experience the state as a true explorer: trekking pristine mountains, sailing pure waters, and hiking unspoiled parks.
Don't let Alaska's size — bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined — intimidate you. The trick is to narrow your focus and create an Alaska bucket list of the must-see locations and experiences. Some of the most beloved destinations in Alaska, like Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Skagway, each offer a special kind of adventure.
Visiting The Wild And Wondrous Juneau
The state capital of Alaska, Juneau can only be reached by air or water — making your Alaska cruise vacation the perfect way to travel through its wilderness. When you arrive in this large city, the second largest in the U.S. geographically, simply look up and you'll be in awe of its raw beauty and scenery. Mountains hug Juneau, and Mount Juneau itself rises 3,500 feet above the ground, adorned by wild goats and beautiful wildflower fields.
As you explore Juneau, you'll find whispering waterfalls, unearthly fjords, magical ice fields, and hungry bears catching jumping salmon. One of the main attractions is the Mount Roberts Tramway. The experience starts with a six-minute ascent through a rain forest and then to the top of Mount Roberts, 1,800 feet up. Once at the summit, you're rewarded with a panoramic view of Gastineau Channel, Douglas Island, the peaks of Admiralty Island, and, of course, the lovely city of Juneau. You'll find a nature center, restaurant, theater, and shops atop the mountain as well. From there, you can take one of the trails available, choosing to hike up or down this striking mountain.
Captivating Culture Of Traveling In Ketchikan
Ketchikan is the place to play in nature while also immersing yourself in rich local culture. Everywhere you look, there are traces of the celebrated Native Alaskans, from beautifully carved, of the best places to savor these dishes include Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feed, George Inlet Crab Feast, Alaska Fish House, and Alava's Fish n' Chowder.
Enriching Enlightenment On Sitka Excursions
An island community facing the Pacific Ocean, Sitka occupies the west shore of Baranof Island. Famous for its Tlingit (CLINK-it) Native culture and for being the former capital of Russian Alaska, Sitka wonderfully preserves aspects of all the different cultures that helped mold the city. Forested islands dot the view of the shore, where locals live surrounded by rugged mountains and a gorgeous yet icy cold sea. Here, ancient culture is preserved and thriving, and everyone embraces a deep connection to nature.
Add an excursion to the mystical Sitka National Park to your Alaska bucket list, where towering hemlock and spruce surround the site of a famous 1804 battle between the indigenous Tlingit and invading Russian traders. Totem poles from indigenous groups line the scenic Totem Trail, standing proudly in the rainforest near the ocean.
For history buffs, follow the trail to the Tlingit fort by the Indian River. Other interesting historical sites include the Russian Bishop's House, built in 1842 as a residence for the Bishop of the Orthodox Church; Castle Hill, originally built as a longhouse for the Tlingit clan; and St. Michael's Cathedral, which houses a collection of Russian Orthodox art.
After learning all about Sitka's history and culture, it's time to head for the outdoors. One way to explore is by going on an ATV tour, a thrilling ride that gets you close to nature in remote settings by driving you past local wildlife, mesmerizing scenery, and even a beach. Another option is flight-seeing Sitka's impressive landscape, flying above Southeast Alaska's most magnificent lakes and streams. Or, catch a floatplane to fish for salmon, an experience you can't have anywhere else. If you want to see everything Sitka has to offer from ground level, check out the bike and boat tours, kayak rentals, hiking, and wildlife sightseeing.
Go to Skagway: Historic Bucket List Tours
Skagway's gold rush history and jaw-dropping scenery make this town a fixture on any Alaska bucket list. Imagine a forty-thousand-strong stampede of treasure-seekers saturating the Chilkoot Trail on their way to the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. This and more can be imagined or recreated by visiting the Broadway corridor, which features historic shops and restaurants, actors in period costumes, and wooden sidewalks inside the Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park. Also, stop by the Mascot Saloon, a historic building that's been restored to its former Gold Rush glory days and is now being used as a museum recounting the lives of the stampeders.
Architecture buffs will love Skagway. The Arctic Brotherhood Hall, a former fraternal hall and now the headquarters of the local convention and visitor's bureau, is the most photographed building in Alaska thanks to its rustic stone facade. Next, visit Skagway's oldest building, the Moore Homestead, built in 1887. Finally, the Corrington Museum of Alaska History will wrap up the trip back in time with ancient artifacts, including a six-foot mammoth tusk and mastodon fossils, as well as exhibitions about Alaska Natives and European settlers and explorers.
There's also ample opportunity to get in touch with nature through hiking and backpacking excursions. Head to the Chilkoot Trail and follow the same route the stampeders took, or take an Alaskan glacier tour, such as the Laughton hanging glacier in the Sawtooth Range. Skagway is a place where you get to see and do things you could never do back home — things you can only do during an Alaska cruise vacation.
