Alaska is our beautiful unspoiled wilderness and is bountiful
with wildlife. One of the best introductions to Alaska is a 7 night cruise
of the Inside Passage. Imagine the dramatic sights and sounds of glaciers
calving, sighting whales or spying sea lions sunbathing on an iceberg from
your cruise ship balcony.
Each of these ports has something special to offer and
not to be missed, so come join me on a visit along the Inside Passage of
Alaska.
Ketchikan is a lively city that is packed with things
to do, such as a visit to the Totem Heritage Center, with a collection of
over 30 totems, a stroll through the city center with a stop at Dolly's
House Museum, formerly the parlor of Dolly Arthur, Ketchikan's infamous
Madam. But for the more adventuresome, hiking, kayaking, flight seeing tours
and rain forest adventures are among the many possibilities. An interesting
option is a float plane trip over the breathtaking Misty Fjords National
Monument; this is an adventure that you won't want to miss. The souvenir
photos you'll take will be worth the trip alone. (However, Ketchikan has
the highest amount of yearly rainfall, so bring along your rain gear.)
Juneau is the city of imagination where sightseeing abounds.
Downtown Juneau, built on the sides of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts, is a
delightful mix of Victorian homes, old storefronts and modern architecture.
A stroll through Juneau, the state capital, reveals many attractions including
the octagon-shaped, St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church; built in 1897,
the oldest church along the Inside Passage. Juneau known as the "Gateway
to the Glaciers," has 42 glaciers within a 1,500 square mile radius. Mendenhall
Glacier is nicknamed Alaska's "drive-in" glacier because of its accessibility
13 miles from the city center. The trails surrounding the glacier and the
visitor's center provide breathtaking views. Other ideas, flight-see over
the Ice fields or a scenic boat ride to Tracy Arm Fjord to view birds, seals
and whales. Have time' Visit Admiralty Island National Monument, a short
drive from Juneau, home of the largest brown bear popula'tion in Southeast
Alaska.
Skagway is the Gold Rush town where in 1898 thousands
of prospectors passed through in search of Klondike gold. The colorful history
of that era has been preserved in a seven-block corridor along Broadway
featuring restored buildings, false fronts and wooden sidewalks. As you
browse the shops along Main Street, make time to stop by the Red Onion Saloon
to enjoy the honky-tonk piano music. Stop by the Arctic Brotherhood Hall,
the most photographed building in town, built in 1899 and has 20,000 pieces
of driftwood tacked to the front. Skagway isn't complete without a visit
to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park or a scenic ride on the
famous vintage rail cars of the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.
Sitka is a quaint town that was the Russian capital of
Alaska from 1808 to 1867 when the United States purchased the Alaska territory.
The lively performance by the New Archangel Dancers, a local women's dance
group, keep the Russian spirit alive through their folk dances and brightly
colored costumes. A must see in Sitka is St. Michael's Cathedral with its
onion-shaped domes and many precious icons and religious artifacts that
date back to the 1800's. In 1966 the historical church was destroyed by
a fire and while the Cathedral was burning Parishioners created a human
chain to save all the precious icons and artifacts which are now on display
in the Cathedral. Sitka also is the site of the 107 acre Sitka National
Historical Park which was established in 1910 and displays an excellent
collection of totem poles.
Should you have more time to travel think about combining
your cruise with a land tour of rail and motor coach visiting Mt. McKinley,
Denali Park and Fairbanks, but let's save that for the next article.
