Just consider: Alaska stretches across more than 570,000 square miles – that’s twice the size of Texas, or about a fifth of the lower 48 states combined. It’s home to more than half of the world’s glaciers, millions of shorebirds, tens of thousands of grizzly bears and pods of humpback whales. The Great Land, indeed.
A cruise vacation along the Alaskan coast offers something for everyone in your family. There are fascinating tales of Alaska Native Americans, Russian explorers and prospectors in search of gold. Wildlife beyond the imagination. Almost every Alaska cruise includes a day of scenic viewing along Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier. And some, like Princess Cruises and Holland America Cruises, that offer land programs that take you inland on an exciting rail journey to Denali National Park for a chance to view Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak at 20,320 feet.
Historic port towns provide activities of every level, be it strolling the quaint main streets or joining myriad shore excursions. In Ketchikan alone, you’ll enjoy a choice of several dozen shore excursions – everything from watching black bears or a fun-loving lumberjack show to scenic flightseeing and touring on a sea crab fisherman’s boat. There are just as many offerings in Skagway, and just as exciting: panning for gold, ziplining through rainforest, dogsledding and riding the historic White Pass & Yukon Railroad.
It’s what Alaska is all about – getting out of town and experiencing nature. The list of possible outdoor activities in Alaska continues to grow with snorkelling in Ketchikan and zipline rides at Hoonah, Ketchikan and Juneau now available in addition to the more traditional adventures like kayaking, sportfishing, river rafting, climbing, cycling, horseback riding and dogsledding. Other exciting places to visit for families include the Alaska Aviation Museum, the Alaska Zoo, H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark and the Imaginarium in Anchorage. If in Juneau, visit the Junean Trolly Car Company and Mount Robert Tramway.
Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises offer wonderful family programs onboard, as well as land tours that takes you into the National Parks. For 2013, the popular cruise ship, the Celebrity Solstice will be sailing in Alaska. For those heeding an all-inclusive call to the wild, Regent Seven Seas Cruises carries your family in all-suite accommodations, most with balconies. And for a true up-close and intimate look at Alaska, join Lindblad Expeditions and their expert naturalists aboard National Geographic small ships. Zodiac crafts let you venture past sleeping sea lions and feeding whales; you can kayak next to calving glaciers, and hike through remote wilderness.
There are currently some great deals for Alaska this summer, and if you already have your vacation planned for this year, you can also book your 2013 Alaska Cruise early and save.
