The bear was too busy snacking on salmon to notice us.
We were kayaking—a safe distance away. What an experience! Our small UnCruise ship, known for Alaska wilderness experiences, enabled us to kayak and hike away from the crowds.
Another day, another trip, we were privileged to visit orphan bear cubs and injured bald eagles in Sitka at the Fortress of the Bear (these orphaned cubs would otherwise have been euthanized) and a short distance away at the Alaska Raptor Center. (While you are in Sitka, you won’t want to miss the 18 amazing totem poles at the Sitka National Historical Park, first brought here in 1906. Take the mile-long Totem Trail through the temperate rainforest.)
We’ve fished successfully for halibut west of Homer in the Cook Inlet and less successfully for salmon on the Kenai River. We birdwatched, staying at a remote lodge only accessible by boat at Kenai Fjord National Park. (Alaska Wildland Adventures has been offering such opportunities to get into the wilderness since 1977.)
Perhaps the most iconic of our Alaska adventures was a stay deep inside Denali National Park a decade ago at family-owned Camp Denali, one of just a few lodges that provide guided hikes in the trailless park because when they were established they were outside the park boundaries; now they are inside the six-million acre park.
Friends toured in an RV; our kids camped. There are more than 400 RV parks and campgrounds to choose from. We’ve also happily toured Southeast Alaska on major cruise ships, meeting many multigenerational families along the way. The appeal: No packing and unpacking, no navigating from place to place, on board and shore activities to suit all ages and the chance for kids to learn along the way.
Princess Cruises, for example, has partnered with the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet to offer special family Discovery shore excursions.
According to Travel Alaska, 1.65 million tourists will visit this summer, more than half on 60 large and small cruise ships. It is a top destination for first-time cruisers with departures from San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. And there are options for all budgets. (There are also some Holland America cruises offering kids free deals.)
Alaska is also a top bucket list trip for many Americans, especially multigenerational families. Alaska is an easier—and more affordable—trip than many other bucket list destinations. It is appropriate for all ages, including those with mobility issues. And a trip is guaranteed to be one for the memory books.
There are 100,000 glaciers, more bears than people, the world’s largest temperate rainforest, eagles, whales, soaring totem poles, salmon galore (just south of downtown Ketchikan, the Herring Cove area is home to a salmon hatchery and is a popular location for fishing and wildlife viewing) and fascinating gold rush history.
