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Alaska Travel

Alaska, wild and immense, is one of the planet’s treasures — a vast landscape of cloud-swept peaks, deep blue lakes, and mammoth glaciers. Between its mountain ranges stretch endless forests and tundra plains, where wolves howl from their lookouts and herds of migrating caribou flow like dark waves across the countryside.

The size of this state is legendary: twice as big as Texas, its area is almost one-fifth that of the other 49 states combined. Yet Alaska is home to fewer than 600,000 people, more than half of whom are concentrated in two urban centers, Anchorage and Fairbanks. The rest live in isolated towns whose populations range from a few dozen to a few thousand. In the outlands and offshore roam Alaska’s more numerous inhabitants — an estimated 600,000 caribou, 250,000 walruses, 150,000 moose, 150,000 sea otters, 25,000 beluga whales, and 3,000 polar bears.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

IF YOU'RE EVER near Valdez in southeastern Alaska, we highly recommend a side trip through vast Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve to the remote Alaska ghost town of Kennicott and its abandoned copper mine.

Williams Reindeer Farm, Alaska

Near Palmer, Alaska, I discovered a very unique attraction--the Williams Reindeer Farm.

I thoroughly enjoyed letting friendly reindeer eat out of my hand--a gooey experience that was an adventure in itself--as well as learning all about these interesting animals. For instance, I found out that reindeer can't kick their feet backward because of the way their leg tendons are structured, which is why they walk with such an odd, high-stepped gait.

Columbia Glacier, Alaska

Get a close-up look at Alaska's fast-moving Columbia Glacier.

We live in sunny Florida, so it's only natural that Alaska is our favorite destination--we've been there five times.

One of our most exciting day trips there began in Valdez, where we boarded the Glacier Spirit for a cruise through Prince William Sound to the mighty Columbia Glacier.

Alaska Marine Ferry

So you want to take a cruise through the Inside Passage, but you're concerned that the fast-paced schedule won't allow you much freedom to explore its romantic frontier towns. Then consider an alternative: the Alaska Marine Ferry.

Don't get me wrong--I have nothing against cruises. But my wife, Grettis, and I recently used the ferry to poke around the Passage, and it was one of the most exciting trips we ever took.

Seaplane Base in Anchorage, Alaska

I've seen a lot of airports, but Alaska's Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage is truly unique. With 800 takeoffs and landings each day, it's the busiest seaplane airport in the world.

Katmai National Park, Alaska

To celebrate my retirement, my husband, Ron, and I took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to vast, wild and rugged Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

I've always dreamed of visiting Katmai (pronounced "cat-my"), renowned for its abundant bears, towering mountains, active volcanoes, misty fjords and mind-boggling vistas. This 4.7-million-acre park, which extends for 340 miles along the Alaska Peninsula, exceeded even our wildest expectations.