Oh, Alaska, you were majestic! I recently got back from doing an Alaska cruise and it was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. If you’ve never been to Alaska then I highly suggest you put it on your bucket list. I thought I’d share some of the highlights from each port.
Seattle: Our ship left from Seattle so my family decided to arrive early and spend a couple days exploring the city. We got a CityPASS, which is a great bargain as it lets you see 5 attractions at a discount. With our CityPASS we visited the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, EPM Museum, Seattle Aquarium, and did an Argosy Cruise. On top of all that we also went to Pike Place Market. It was a busy couple days but I’m glad we could squeeze all that in.
Juneau: We did the Taku Lodge Feast and 5 Glacier Discovery Tour excursion. It tied with our excursion in Ketchikan as my favorite. You board a seaplane that takes you over glaciers as you listen to a narrated tour of the area. You then arrive at Taku Lodge where there are different trails to explore and a salmon meal is prepared for you. And there is the bonus of seeing a bear who comes to investigate the grill for leftovers. The salmon was one of the best things I ate during the whole vacation so I sympathize with the bear.
Skagway: It’s a beautiful town nestled among the mountains and you really get to see some gorgeous views doing the White Pass and Yukon Railroad excursion. However, while it is a beautiful ride, I think there were better things we could have done in Skagway. I wish I could have gone outside and interacted more with nature instead of just looking at it from a passenger car.
Glacier Bay National Park: We spent a day cruising through Glacier Bay and this is why you take a cruise to Alaska. Stunning. No TV. No cell service. No Internet. Just sitting on your balcony and letting Mother Nature entertain you.
Ketchikan: We did the Alaskan Lodge Adventure and Seafest excursion. This was one of my favorite things we did the whole trip! Your driver gives you a city tour as you make your way to your boat. The boat ride includes seeing eagles and whales (we didn’t get lucky with spotting a whale although we did see them while on the cruise ship). You arrive at the lodge where you take a trail through the rainforest and then head back to the lodge for a seafest. Again the food–some of the best I ate. Honestly, all I need in life is good food and good views and I’m happy!
Victoria: We ended our trip going to Butchart Gardens. It drizzled but that didn’t stop the fun. We had a city tour of Victoria first and then arrived at Butchart Gradens for the evening tour. The great part about this tour during the summer is that it ends with a firework show! Definitely one of the better firework displays I’ve seen.
I loved my time exploring Alaska and if you ever get the chance to go then I hope you take it!