Alaska (AK)

Alaska State Flag

"The Last Frontier"

Why visit Alaska?

Ideal for cruise and nature lovers to experience active volcanoes, biking, birdwatching, camping, canoeing, Denali National Park, diving, dog sledding, fishing, glaciers, helicopter flights, hiking, hunting, kayaking, mountains, northern lights, rocky coastlines, skiing, snorkeling, snowmobiling, whale watching and wildlife.

A popular destination for:

• Amateur & Professional Photographers
• Bucket List Destination
• Cruises
• Groups: Family, Friends and Multigenerational 
• Milestones: Anniversary, Birthday, Honeymoon, Proposal, Retirement and Vow Renewal

Mount Iliamna, AK. Photo Credit: Barbara Jackson/Pixabay

At a Glance

• Capitol: Juneau
• State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan
• State Dessert: Baked Alaska (Bread Pudding)
• State Flower: Scorpion Grasses (Forget-Me-Not)
• State Gemstone: Jade
• State Mammal: Moose
• State Rock: None

Fun Facts

• In 1912, became an U.S. Territory, however not granted until 1959.
  
• The largest U.S. state. 
  
• Most of Alaska is surrounded by water, the Beaufort Sea and the Chukchi Sea, both merging into the Arctic Ocean. Also, boast around 3,197 natural lakes (over 3,000,000 unnamed natural lakes), approximately 67 artificial reservoirs, and 167 dams.
  
• Juneau is the only U.S. state capital that cannot be reached by highway.
  
• Broken into regions: South Central, Southeast, Interior, Southwest, North Slope and Aleutian Islands.
• The famous Klondike Gold Rush during 1896-1899 really put them on the map.
  
• Has seventeen of the highest peaks found across the U.S.
  

Photo Credit: skeeze/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Dan Minitz (Comedian), Darby Stanchfield (Actress) Derek Theler (Actor), Jessica Moore (Athlete), Joshua Morrow (Actor), Mario Chalmers (Athlete) and Parker Schnabel (TV Reality).
• Movies to that may inspire your visit: Runaway Train (1985), To Brave Alaska (1996), Snow Dogs (2002), The Big White (2005), The Last Winter (2006), Into the Wild (2007), The Proposal (2009), The Bourne Legacy (2012) and Hold the Dark (2018) just to name a few.

Good to Know

• The cost of goods (and living) is very high.
  
• Lack of fleas or ticks but plentiful are black flies and mosquitoes.
• Midnight Sun (constant daylight) is mid May through early August.
  
• Frequent high winds cause travel delays whether by boat or plane.
  

Small earthquakes are common.

• Best Time to Visit: Mid May - Mid September
• Coldest Month: January
• Hottest Month: July
• Peak Season: Mid June - Mid August

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) above the Arctic Circle and Fairbanks are best visible from November - January.

Portage, AK. Photo Credit: McKayla Crump/Unsplash 

Cruise lines offers:

• Inside Passage ("Panhandle"), the protected waterway between the mainland and the coastal islands. Usually departs from Seattle or Vancouver is a great way to see Southeast Alaska. Common port stops /areas: at: Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan and/or Wrangell.
• Gulf of Alaska, sails the south central region. Popular port stops/areas usually include: Anchorage, Cook Inlet, Girdwood, Ketchikan, Prince William Sound, Seward, Skagway, Sitka and/or Valdez. Since, arrival and departing from different ports, allows you to experience more of Alaska often referred to as "Glacier Discovery Route" and "Voyage of the Glaciers".

Itineraries vary by cruise lines! Do consider combining a pre or post stay to your sailing.

Photo Credit: skeeze/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Adak Army Base and Adak Naval Operating Base, Aleutian Islands World War II, Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall, Amalik Bay Archeological District, American Flag Raising Site, Anangula Site, Aniakchak, Attu Battlefield and U.S. Army and Navy Airfields on Attu, Bering Expedition Landing Site, Birnirk Site, Brooks River Archeological District, Cape Krusenstern Archeological District, Cape Nome Mining District Discovery Sites, Chaluka Site, Chilkoot Trail and Dyea Site, Church of the Holy Ascension, Dry Creek Archeological Site, Dutch Harbor Naval Operating Base and Fort Mears, U.S. Army, Eagle Historic District, Fort Durham Site, Fort Glenn, Fort William H. Seward, Gallagher Flint Station Archeological Site, Holy Assumption Orthodox Church, Ipiutak Site, Iyatayet Site, Kake Cannery, Kennecott Mines, Kijik Archeological District, Japanese Occupation Site (Kiska Island), Kodiak Naval Operating Base and Forts Greely and Abercrombie, Ladd Field, Leffingwell Camp Site, Nenana (River Steamboat), New Russia Site, Old Sitka, Onion Portage Archeological District, Palugvik Site, Russian-American Building No. 29, Russian-American Magazin, Russian Bishop's House, St. Michael's Cathedral, Seal Island Historic District, Sheldon Jackson School, Sitka Naval Operating Base and U.S. Army Coastal Defenses, Sitka Spruce Plantation, Skagway Historic District and White Pass, George C. Thomas Memorial Library, Three Saints Bay Site, Wales Site, Walrus Islands Archeological District and Yukon Island Main Site.
• Museums: Alaska Aviation Museum, Alaska State Museum, Anchorage Museum, Hammer Museums, Iñupiat Heritage Center, Juneau's Alaska State Museum, Juneau-Douglas City Museum, Kodiak History Museum, Museum of the North, Oscar Anderson House Museum, Pioneer Park, Russian Bishops House, Sullivan Roadhouse, Talkeetna Historical Society, Tongass Historical Museum, University of Alaska Museum and Valdez Museum. 
• National Parks: Denali, Gates Of The Arctic, Glacier Bay, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Klondike Gold Rush, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Noatak, Sitka, Wrangell - St Elias and Yukon - Charley Rivers.
• Popular Attractions: Alagnak, Alaska Public Lands, Alaska Railroad, Alaska Zoo, Alpenglow, Anchorage's Alaska Native Heritage Center, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Bering Land Bridge, Birch Hill, Beluga Point Site, Cape Krusenstern, Chilkoot Trail, College Fjords Glaciers, Creamer's Field, Eaglecrest Ski Area, Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park, Glacier Bay, Hatcher Pass, Hilltop Ski Area, Holy Ascension of Our Lord Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Iñupiat Heritage Center, Moose Mountain, Mount Aurora Skiland, Klondike Gold Rush, Noatak, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Shrine of Saint Therese, Sitka National Historical Park, Skagway's Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, SS Nenana, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Totem Bight State Historical Park, Yukon - Charley Rivers and Yukon Gold Rush.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Alyeska, Anchorage, Arctic Circle, Arctic Valley, Barrow, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon, Girdwood, Homer, Junea, Kenai, Ketchikan, Nome, Prudhoe Bay, Seward, Skagway, Soldotna, Unalaska, Utqiagvik, Valdez and Wrangell.
• Special Events: (January) Alcan 200 Snowmachine Race, Anchorage First Fridays, Kake Day (February) Alappaa Film Festival, Fur Rendezvous Festival, Iditarod Trail Invitational,  Idita-splash and Idita-walk, Iron Dog Race, Iron Dog Snowmobile Race, Jr Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Sitka Jazz Festival, Susitna 100 Miles & Little Su 50K, Wearable Arts, Willow Winter Carnival (March) Arti Gras,  Bering Sea Ice Classic Golf Tournament, Cabin Fever Reliever, Iditarod Sled Dog Race Restart, Mat-Su Valley Pike Derby, Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race, Running of the Reindeer, Talkeetna Trio (April) Alyeska Slush Cup, April “Hawk Watch”, Cannonball Snowmachine Race (May) Copper River Shorebird Festival, Fairbanks Area Farmers Markets, Great Alaska Craftbeer & Home Brew Festival, The Great Alaska Aviation Gathering, Homer Yacht Club, Kodiak Crab Festival, Palmer Friday Flings, (June) Barrow Whaling Festival, Chickenstock Music Festival, Midnight Sun Festival,  Nome River Raft Race, Pelican King Salmon Derby, Polar Bear Swim, Palmer Colony Days,  Sitka Summer Music Festival, Slam’n Salm’n Derby, Unalaska Halibut Derby, (July) Golden Days, Kake Dog Salmon Festival, Nome Salmonberry Jam Folk Fest, Palmer Friday Flings, Poor Man’s Beach Gold Panning Contest, Southeast Alaska State Fair, Wyatt Earp Dexter Challenge,  (August) Celebration of Bears, Heart of the Aleutians Festival, Homeskillet Music Festival, Houston Founder’s Day, Sitka Seafood Festival, Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival (September) Burning Basket, Great Bathtub Race, Kodiak Rodeo & State Fair (October) Alaska Day Festival (November) Alaska Bald Eagle Festival, Kaatiluta Celebration,  (December) Anchorage International Film Festival, Luminary Ski, Nome Christmas Extravaganza, Talkeetna Winterfest and Winter Arts Faire.
• UNESCO Sites: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Kluane National Park & Reserve, Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve.




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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.