Alaska Cruise: Ketchikan, Wrangell & Victoria

Snow-capped mountains peak out from behind tall glass skyscrapers on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Nestled somewhere between eastern culture and western tradition, Vancouver is a study in nature and urbanity coexisting peacefully.

A drizzly little city bordered by the Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan was once a native fishing village that has evolved and grown through its years in the logging and salmon canning industries. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, and streams, the “Salmon Capital of the World” is an angler’s paradise. Cast a line on your own, or hop on a charter to reel in salmon, halibut, red snapper, even trout. Keep an eye out for Ketchikan’s other marine residents, which include orca and humpback whales, sea lions, seals, otters, and porpoises. Zipline between cedars over a lush forest of Sitka spruce, hike Married Man’s Trail to surrounding waterfalls, kayak the twist of waterways along the Misty Fjords, or board a seaplane for a bird’s eye view of it all.

Bookended by Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts along the Gastineau Channel, Juneau is a true frontier city with a gold mining past and rugged terrain. Stretching from the 30 glaciers of the Juneau Icefield to the waterfront downtown, Juneau is unlike any state capital you’ve ever visited. Historic South Franklin Street offers plenty of spots to cozy up with a cup of locally roasted coffee or cheers over a pint of local brew. Visit the Juneau Douglas City Museum and Last Chance Mining Museum to learn about the city’s gold mining history. Watch salmon climb upstream to spawn at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, or soak up the sun at Marine Park. For the best view of downtown Juneau, board the Mount Roberts Tramway and ride to the top for great dining, shopping, native art, and easy access to premium hiking trails.

Skagway is a compact city in southeast Alaska, set along the popular cruise route the Inside Passage. It’s home to gold-rush-era buildings, now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad runs vintage locomotives past the famously steep Chilkoot trail and offers sweeping mountain views during its climb toward Canada.

Located on Chichagof Island, Icy Strait Point is built on the site of the former Hoonah Packing Company salmon cannery. The facilities restored outbuildings now house a variety of restaurants, a museum, and local arts and crafts shops. More than just a tourist destination, the port is a cultural hub for the original inhabitants of the area—the Huna people. In addition to modern amenities, you can enjoy a variety of activities indigenous to the area including native dance performances, brown bear viewings, and whale watching.

Tucked away in the heart of the Inside Passage lies one of Alaska’s oldest towns. From the native Tlingit people through Russian, British, and American occupation, the town’s history is as rich as its natural beauty is breathtaking. Mountains, islands, rainforests, glaciers are all begging to be explored in a place where outdoor adventure is as abundant as glittering gold nuggets once were.

A sweet Canadian city tucked into the east coast of Vancouver Island, only 55 km across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver, British Colombia. Surrounded by water and spectacular ocean views, it’s a growing urban center where sea lions play and seaplanes take flight. Nanaimo was originally established as a Hudson Bay Company trading post, later becoming known for coal exports. A harbor sheltered by islands, Nanaimo used to be considered mostly at gateway to the mainland but has evolved into a growing vibrant urban center that has lots to offer.

Sitting at Mile 0 of the Trans-Canada Highway, Victoria is your entrance way to the beautiful province of British Columbia. Located on Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula, this picturesque city framed by the Olympic Mountains offers quaint, English architecture fringed by some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world.

Snow-capped mountains peak out from behind tall glass skyscrapers on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Nestled somewhere between eastern culture and western tradition, Vancouver is a study in nature and urbanity coexisting peacefully.