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Our Favorite Alaska Photos

Not a day goes by in Alaska where something beautiful doesn't catch the eye. A view of Anchorage mountains in the morning, fireweed blazing along the road to Seward , or a moose quietly grazing in a shady marsh, frequently stop us in our tracks. And while photos so often don't do it justice, the images we've gathered here go a long way toward showing just how extraordinary Alaska is.

Many of the most striking photos you see here come from our annual photo contest. It's open to everyone with pictures to share of their time in Alaska. The yearly prize changes, but our most recent winner received a $500 Amazon gift card. Check out our photo contest page for more details.

We invite you to look around our main favorites gallery here, and visit some of our more specific galleries via the menu on the right. When you decide that you just have to see it all yourself, contact us to start planning your own dream Alaska vacation.

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Alaska in Pictures: 20 Beautiful Places to Photograph

Written by Brad Lane and Freddy Sherman Updated Apr 25, 2022

Alaska is a place of big pictures. The best places to photograph in Alaska include icy fjords, wild mountain valleys, and historic mining towns. A wide-angle lens is recommended for landscape photos of the state, and a telephoto lens will help capture the wildlife within The Last Frontier. The sky over Alaska is also known for its photogenic qualities, including the aurora borealis and midnight sun.

1. Wonder Lake, Denali National Park & Preserve

2. seward highway, 3. brooks camp, katmai national park and preserve, 4. exit glacier, kenai fjords national park, 5. northern lights in fairbanks, 6. alaska wildlife conservation center, girdwood, 7. margerie glacier, glacier bay national park and preserve, 8. klondike gold rush national historical park, 9. chugach state park, anchorage, 10. wrangell-st. elias national park and preserve, 11. the alaska highway, 12. kodiak national wildlife preserve, 14. glacier gardens rainforest adventures, juneau, 15. ketchikan, 16. downtown anchorage, 17. flattop mountain, anchorage, 18. keystone canyon, valdez, 19. valdez harbor, 20. matanuska glacier, glacier view.

Encompassing high elevation peaks of the Alaska Range, Denali defines Alaska adventure and landscapes. Found within the park, Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America. A 92-mile park road is all that accesses this six-million-acre national park and preserve.

Wonder Lake is a good destination within the park for photographers. The lake provides a beautiful foreground for photos of the mountain peaks. On most days, the lake has a mirror-like surface, so you can get some cool optical effects with the reflection of Mount McKinley and the Alaskan mountain landscape on the lake.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Alaska

Stretching for 127 miles between Anchorage and Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, this scenic byway is filled with great photo subjects. From Anchorage, the first 50 miles of the route hugs the Chugach Mountains and shoreline of Turnagain Arm. The combination of the water and the 3,000-foot peaks make it a great place to photograph.

When you're not taking pictures of the mountains, point your camera to the water, where whales are spotted from the shoulder of the highway. A thoroughfare for adventure, the highway concludes at the seaside town of Seward.

• Read More: Top Attractions in Anchorage, Alaska

Photographers visiting Alaska always want to capture some photos of bears feeding on salmon in a raging river. A popular spot for wildlife photography in Alaska, Brooks Camp within Katmai National Park is teeming with wild brown bears. Boardwalk trails and viewing platforms allow people to photograph these massive mammals from a safe distance.

Three observation platforms on the Brooks River are accessible from Brooks Camp, including an iconic spot overlooking Brooks Falls. June and September tend to see the highest concentration of bears feeding on the Brooks River.

If you're looking for a great place in Alaska to photograph glaciers, the Exit Glacier on the Kenai Peninsula is one of the most accessible glaciers to drive to in Alaska. A visit to the crackling blue Exit Glacier, a 15-minute drive from the city of Seward, also puts visitors into the vast expanse of Kenai Fjords National Park.

From Exit Glacier, the Harding Icefield Trail extends for eight miles through this coastal environment.

Every photographer should have the Northern Lights on their photo bucket list. The city of Fairbanks offers a near guarantee to see this celestial show, also known as the aurora borealis . The Aurora Season, between August 21 and April 21, is the window for checking out the Northern Lights. Throughout the rest of the year, Fairbanks is better known for its midnight sun.

This wildlife conservation center takes the guesswork out of photographing wildlife. An hour east of Anchorage on the Seward Highway , this wildlife sanctuary adopts animals that are no longer fit to live in the wild. Several viewing platforms at the conservation center allow visitors to look at these animals up close. A few of the resident animals include wolverines, black bears, moose, and foxes.

Another beautiful place to photographic in Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park is also a popular cruise ship destination. The entire region is home to an impressive collection of tide pool glaciers. The 21-mile-long Margerie Glacier is arguably the most impressive. This crackling attraction is in the West Arm of the park and only accessible by boat. Views of this frequently calving (when large ice chunks fall into the water) glacier also include vantage points of the adjacent Grand Pacific Glacier .

Aside from all the natural places to photograph, Alaska has some historic places as well. One of the most visited national parks in Alaska, Klondike offers photographers a look at the state's prospecting past. Part of the park's popularity is due to its location in Skagway , a prominent cruise stop on the Inside Passage .

Much of Skagway's infrastructure that resulted from the 1897-1898 Klondike Gold Rush still remains today and gives photographers some cool architectural subjects. These century-old buildings are now under the designation of a national historical park.

Chugach State Park is one of the largest state parks in North America. It's also a top spot for adventure in Alaska. Only a short drive from Anchorage, this near 500,000-acre state park provides some of the most accessible outdoor experiences in the state. Alpine environments, dense forests, and big wildlife define many photos of Chugach.

The largest national park in North America, Wrangell-St. Elias is six times larger than Yellowstone National Park. So much space lends to an abundance of photo opportunities and adventure. Wildlife, alpine landscapes, and several glaciers are a few notable photo opportunities in the park. The historic towns of Kennicott and McCarthy within the park are also fun to capture with a camera.

The Alaska Highway, also known as the Alcan Highway , spans over a thousand miles from British Columbia to Delta Junction near Fairbanks. The Alcan is paved, but the surroundings are wild and all-encompassing. Stunning mountain landscapes surround every mile of this two-lane marvel of engineering. Visitor amenities along the route include gas stations, hotels, and restaurants.

Encompassing much of the Kodiak Archipelago in the Gulf of Alaska, the Kodiak brown bear is the most photographed resident of this refuge. The refuge is only accessible by boat or seaplane, and guided tours are the best way to snap a picture of a bear. Birding and bird photography is also popular at the refuge, with over 200 species of birds known to visit the area.

This charming small town was established during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s. Haines is an essential connection between the Inside Passage and the Alaska Interior. The idyllic mountain and coastal landscapes of Haines pose for great pictures. In the fall, the area attracts bald eagles and people who want to photograph them.

A top attraction of Juneau , this acclaimed botanical center displays gardens on an Alaskan scale. Throughout the 50 acres of this rainforest garden are several eye-catching plants on display. The unique Flower Towers , made from upside-down tree trunks, are especially photogenic features of the space. Abutting this natural space is the entirety of the Tongass National Forest.

A popular cruise stop along the Inside Passage , the city of Ketchikan is full of colorful appeal. With a rich heritage and thriving fishing industry, the town welcomes visitors with vibrant storefronts. Ketchikan is also the top spot in the state to photograph totem poles. The city currently has over 80 authentic Native American Totem Poles spread throughout the charming downtown district.

Alaska has some beautiful places for street photography in addition to its abundance of wildlife and natural landscapes. A popular area for street photography in Anchorage is around the intersection of 6th and H street, home to a former tile factory. The rear of the building is a popular subject for photos; it has a large tile sign that includes the word "Alaska."

The Alaska Art Museum, also located downtown, is another beautiful place to photograph. The building itself is a striking example of modern architecture. Inside, you will find some fascinating photo subjects, as the collections represent the art and culture of Native Alaskans. Finally, photographers should visit the Chugach Gallery on the fourth floor, which has floor-to-ceiling windows with striking views of the city and mountains; it's a great place to take photographs.

This mountain, located just outside Anchorage, is a beautiful place to photograph and a good vantage point to get pics of the city of Anchorage. The mountain is easy to hike in the summer, or there are several scenic overlooks located along the road, which goes up the mountain (no hiking necessary).

This place to photograph is easily accessible for Anchorage visitors, as there is a shuttle from downtown right to the trailhead, which runs from mid-May through mid-November. The bike-friendly shuttle ride includes a city tour, and they offer bike rentals (the shuttle picks up from Downtown Bike Rentals). The hike to the summit is just under two miles, but you can also access viewpoints a short distance from the trailhead.

Waterfalls are beautiful places to take photos, and Keystone Canyon, near Valdez, offers multiple ones. Richardson Highway is the main route to the city of Valdez, and it passes right through the three-mile-long gorge. Check out Rudleston Falls, Horsetail Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls, each presenting unique environments for photographers. These are also very popular spots for Instagrammers, as the falls' make great backdrops.

This small boat harbor and the surrounding infrastructure is a cool place to take pictures of boats and fishermen. The hub of activity also comes with the background of the ocean and the mountains (which are snow-covered in winter), and this is why it's a great place to take photos. You can get some great photos in the late morning as the fishermen come back and unload their catch.

The harbor is also a great place for charter fishing trips or to rent a small boat to take some pics from the water.

Located about a hundred miles northeast of Anchorage, the Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States . It's also a glacier you can walk or hike on to take pictures, even as a first-timer. It's a beautiful (and popular) place for portraits and people photography; you can get shots here where all you can see is the glacier as the background, yet you're really only a short walk from the parking lot.

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36 Beautiful Alaska Photos: Traveling in Alaska Summer

Alaska, The Last Frontier, is one of the last places on earth where you can find wide open spaces that are full of nature and wildlife. 

“Beautiful” is an understatement to describe the big state of Alaska. Moreover, the splendor of Alaska is not justified in captured photos. However, I still remember and admire Alaska’s natural beauty whenever I see Alaska photography.  

This post shares some of my favorite moments of my Alaska summer travel. Hopefully these images will give a glimpse into my Alaska trip, and also inspire you to travel to Alaska.

36 Photos of Alaska Summer Trip

The first exciting memory I recall is looking out the plane window, and seeing white snow blanketing the earth.

I have been on a plane many times in many destinations before. Looking out the plane window before landing is something I enjoy. Alaska was the first time I saw pristine white through the airplane window. What a wonderful way to start my journey!

The navy blue Alaska train has a gorgeous old-school aesthetic. We did not get to ride on it, as tickets sold out fast, but it must be lovely to daydream as you watch the world of Alaska pass by.

Seward, Alaska, felt so peaceful. One of our favorite spots in Seward was The Lagoon. This place is beautiful in its simplicity. We kept going back to The Lagoon, just to stand and stare.

The water always looked the perfect tint of green-blue. The giant mountains in the backdrop, the sound of birds fluttering, the salmon fish swimming in a crowd, and the gorgeous houses aligned by the side, all make this small place so picturesque.

Seward is a port city in Alaska. It is easy to walk out and about because Seward is rather small in size. There are many nice things to see as you walk around, including the sea port with multiple boats lined up and the cute church in a corner.

The Kenai Fjord Cruise was an outstanding ship cruise that gave us the opportunity to view wild sea life and majestic glaciers.

Usually, I dislike the cold. The wind and water made me shiver despite the thick layers I had on. However, every time the boat paused to see a glacier or a sea animal, I was so mesmerized by what I saw that any thoughts of feeling cold went absent.

Alaska is full of magical adventures. One of our biggest magical adventure was with the Shearwater Cove Airbnb in Seward. Imagine going to a faraway secret cove, that you can only reach through boat or plane. Then, in this emerald green cove, a yurt becomes your home. It is almost as if you have entered a new dimension of earth. It’s so fairytale-like that you feel like you could stay forever.

Kayaking in the open ocean by Shearwater Cove was bliss. As it was my first time kayaking, the experience was unforgettable.

Anything can come out any minute; a cute otter, a swift bald eagle, or even a orca. The thought keeps you alert, but knowing wild animals tend to stay away from human helps you relax.

The water is deep blue, the sky is bright blue, and the mountains surrounding you are gigantic. It is moments like this you realize how tiny you are in this big planet. Yet, this feeling of smallness makes you feel appreciation, peace and love.

We spent nice hours just drifting amidst the sea. Who knew something could be so thrilling and so tranquil at the same time?

The Shearwater Cove yurt promises you wild jungle-like excitement with the cozy comforts of home. After the outdoor pursuits, I snuggled up in the warm bed.

The air was crisp fresh both inside and out. With Alaska summer’s midnight sun, the transparent rooftop window was our nightlight. And, by our window, the trickling river’s melody was our lullaby.

Whittier is a tiny, almost hidden, town in Alaska. Alaskan lifestyle is different from the generic USA lifestyle, but Whittier is even more different!

If traveling on land, you can only access Whittier by a special tunnel. It’s a 2.5 mile long tunnel dug out through the bottom of a mountain. This tunnel has specific times when it is open too.

Like the rest of Alaska, Whittier’s mountain peaks and hiking trails are marvelous. And, of course, the nature is exquisite. What makes it extra special in Whittier is knowing you are in a locked away land.

Residing in Begich Towers, where almost the entire Whittier popular lives, was a fun experience.

Staying a couple of nights in this “vertical town under one roof” was lovely. The window view, where you can see pretty much all of Whittier town, is exquisite.

The midnight sun made the window view exceptional. As a muslim, I prayed the sunset prayer (magrib prayer) after midnight! That’s some timing! It was a very pleasant prayer.

Wandering around Alaska’s Wildlife Conservation Center, in Girdwood, was nice. We got to see many animals that we missed earlier on our trip. Additionally, it is nice to get see the animals up close without fear of danger.

The animals, even when contained, are free, relaxed and healthy.

Final Thoughts

My Alaska summer travel was truly a one of a kind lifetime experience. These were 36 beautiful moments that show a portion of my week in Alaska.

I hope these photos inspire your next trip to Alaska. I know I want to visit Alaska again.

A journey full of untouched nature and wild whimsical adventures awaits you in Alaska. 

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18 Top Things to Do in Alaska

Visit the 49th state for unforgettable scenery and adventure.

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Experience the otherworldly beauty of Alaska on your next getaway.

The vast wilderness, spectacular landscapes and spirit of adventure make Alaska a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many travelers. As the largest state in the U.S., spanning more than half a million square miles and home to around half of the entire country's coastline, Alaska has a lot of territory to cover, but much of it is remote – and only accessible by boat or plane.

If you're ready to plan a visit to one of the most beautiful and pristine places on Earth, check out the top things to do and places to see during your trip to the Great Land, and let Alaska capture your heart forever.

Alaska boasts the only state capital in the U.S. with no road access, since Juneau is reachable only by airplane or boat. Regarded as one of the state's most beautiful cities, Juneau is a top destination for cruise ships in Alaska during the warmer months from late spring to early fall. You'll also find many fishing boats and floatplanes along the city's bustling waterfront. The compact downtown area sits nestled between Mount Roberts, Mount Juneau and the Gastineau Channel. Admire an eclectic mix of architecture as you walk the narrow streets: Just a block from the waterfront, some of the buildings lining historic South Franklin Street date back to the early 1900s and Juneau's gold-mining days. This lively street is home to bars, restaurants and gift shops. Visitors can also take time to explore the Alaska State Museum while in this part of Juneau to learn about natural history and Alaska Native cultures.

After exploring downtown, head out on a whale-watching excursion to glimpse humpback whales – many tour operators guarantee a sighting – and potentially also orcas, sea lions, seals, bald eagles or black bears. You can also go hiking on one of the town's many trails, which can take you to the face of a glacier, above tree level or to the top of the Mount Roberts Tramway . Once at the summit, travelers can enjoy lunch with a view at Timberline Bar & Grill before riding the tramway back into town.

Juneau has several other museums and nearby attractions, including the Sealaska Heritage Institute, Juneau Douglas City Museum, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and the Eaglecrest Ski Area in the winter months. The city sits around 10 miles from the massive Mendenhall Glacier , making it one of the most accessible glaciers in the state. You can explore on your own by foot or opt for a guided tour to try kayaking, glacier trekking or experiencing the area by helicopter. Visitors say the glacier is easy to reach and the views are breathtaking.

See more of Juneau: Things to Do | Hotels

Denali National Park and Preserve

Established in 1917 as a national park, Denali National Park and Preserve is home to 6 million acres of pristine wilderness – as well as the highest peak in North America, Mount Denali. The park is open year-round, but the summer season provides the easiest access and the most visitor services.

Tourists can take a narrated or non-narrated bus tour from mid-May to mid-September, boarding from either the park entrance or outside a nearby hotel such as the McKinley Chalet Resort. One scenic road runs almost 100 miles into the park, but buses will only be able to travel as far as mile 43 through at least the 2024 season because of construction. Private cars are permitted to drive just 15 miles into Denali in summer or up to 30 miles at other times of year if weather allows. For unrivaled access to the Denali wilderness and wildlife even amid the road closure, reserve a cabin stay at one of the remote lodges in the park: The Denali Backcountry Lodge collects guests by helicopter, while Camp Denali, located at the end of Denali Park Road, is accessible via a small plane.

At the entrance to the park, visitors will find the Riley Creek Campground, the Murie Science and Learning Center, and the 14,000-square-foot Denali Visitor Center. Exhibits and a movie at the visitor center offer a glimpse into Denali's vast and spectacular scenery as well as the types of animals you'll see in the park. There's an estimated 37 species of mammals and 130 bird species in Denali, and you may see one or all of the "Big Five" animals: caribou, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and grizzly bears, which wander the open tundra. The more adventurous traveler can venture out into the wilderness for a true Alaska backcountry experience.

See: The Best Tourist Attraction in Every U.S. State.

Husky Homestead: Denali National Park

Located just outside of Denali National Park, Husky Homestead is owned and operated by the man who's recognized as the "Winningest Musher in the World." Jeff King has traveled more than 150,000 miles on a dog sled in the past 35 years; he's earned four championship titles for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and many first-place titles in other races across Alaska and North America. He was also inducted into the Iditarod Hall of Fame in 1999.

The summer Husky Homestead tour offers a glimpse into the rural Alaska lifestyle based on more than 40 years of outdoor adventure, traversing more than 1,100 miles of rugged terrain many times and living in Alaska's Interior. Visitors will also meet champion sled dogs and watch husky puppies in training. Tour-takers say this is a can't-miss experience – second only to visiting the national park. Travelers love being able to see and hold the husky puppies and say that King is passionate, entertaining and informative. In the winter months (January to March), you can learn the art of dog mushing and even book an eight-day personalized Iditarod experience curated by a true expert.

Kenai Peninsula

Known as "Alaska's Playground," the Kenai Peninsula extends 150 miles southwest from the Chugach Mountains south of Anchorage. This area, separated from the mainland by the Cook Inlet on the west and Prince William Sound on the east, abounds with opportunities for outdoor adventure spanning world-class fishing and river rafting to hiking, mountain biking, camping, wildlife viewing and photography, and more. The peninsula has 14 cities and towns, including better-known destinations such as Homer, Kenai and Seward. Most visitors arrive here via the Alaska Railroad or Seward Highway.

Top activities on the Kenai Peninsula include hiking the Exit Glacier area in the Kenai Fjords near Seward or kayaking through the coves of Kachemak Bay near Homer. Visitors to the Alaska SeaLife Center, one of the country's best zoos , can learn about the region's marine ecosystems, see puffins, harbor seals and octopus up close, and discover conservation efforts at the state's only permanent marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation facility. Anglers won't want to miss an opportunity to catch salmon on the Kenai River. If you're into sport fishing, you can launch off the beach in Anchor Point headed for Cook's Inlet from May to September in search of big halibut, salmon and other species of sport fish. While at Anchor Point, excursions are available for bear viewing, flightseeing, dog-sledding and more. You can also go whale watching and look for other marine life at Kenai Fjords National Park – and don't miss a visit to the 2 million-acre Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, where you may also catch a glimpse of the local wildlife.

Read: The Best Alaska Tours

Fairbanks is known as the "Golden Heart of Alaska" and one of the top places in the world to view the northern lights : Aurora chasers may want to visit the city during the aurora borealis season between Aug. 21 and April 21. But there's much more to do in and around town beyond chasing the dancing lights at night in the winter. Fairbanks is centrally located in Alaska's interior, making it the perfect year-round basecamp to explore the Arctic Circle to the north and Denali National Park to the south. The park is a little more than 100 miles away; you can drive, book a ride in a van or hop aboard Alaska Railroad's Denali Star Train every morning during the summer to reach Denali from Fairbanks.

"Midnight sun season" (from mid-April to mid-August) brings endless sunshine to the city and opportunities to explore round-the-clock activities such as hiking, running and golfing. During regular daylight hours, visitors can take a three-hour guided sightseeing cruise with Riverboat Discovery along the Chena River or take a trip back in time by panning for gold in the Tanana Valley at Gold Dredge 8. You also won't want to miss the University of Alaska Museum of the North , featuring exhibits on Alaska's diverse cultures, wildlife and natural wonders; the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is another top-rated attraction in town. Fairbanks is also a winter wonderland with dog-sledding, snowshoeing, skiing, curling, ice hockey, ice fishing and more. If you're visiting in February or March, bundle up to attend the World Ice Art Championships, where competitors from around the world display impressive ice sculptures.

See more of Fairbanks:  Things to Do  |  Hotels

See the northern lights

Alaska is regarded as one of the best places on Earth to see the aurora borealis, so it's no surprise that people come from all over the world to witness this natural phenomenon during the aurora season between August and April. Fairbanks is one of the top locales in the state to view the show because of its location; accessibility; and options for lodging, dining and other attractions. In addition, many northern lights tours depart from town. While you can see the lights almost anywhere in the state, experts advise that the best viewing opportunities are away from light pollution on a clear night – and preferably in the interior or Arctic regions of the state.

A wide array of guided tours offer just one evening of aurora chasing, or you can opt for multiday adventures that include winter activities like dog-sledding and snowmobiling. Travelers can also fly into remote areas above the Arctic Circle via bush plane and spend several evenings in towns like Coldfoot or Wiseman. One top-notch lodging option for aurora chasers is Borealis Basecamp, a glamping destination about 30 miles north of Fairbanks that boasts glass-domed igloos – perfect for viewing the vibrant night sky from the comforts of your warm, cozy bed.

Read: How to See the Northern Lights in Alaska

Chena Hot Springs Resort

Situated approximately 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort is renowned for its natural hot springs, outdoor rock lake, year-round Aurora Ice Museum and excellent aurora-viewing opportunities. Powered by renewable geothermal energy, the facility is also the most accessible – and most developed – hot springs resort in the state's interior. The property offers an array of packages and activities for daytrips, overnight stays and adventure activities. Guests can tour the Chena kennel, a working dog-mushing kennel with more than 50 huskies. You can also book an aurora-viewing tour, go on a dog-training excursion or venture out on the property by horseback, depending on the season you visit. For the more adventurous traveler, book an excursion by all-terrain vehicle, dog sled or snowmobile – and, for an overnight stay, you can even sleep in a yurt.

Address: 17600 Chena Hot Springs Road, Fairbanks, AK 99712

Aurora Ice Museum: Chena Hot Springs Resort

Located at Chena Hot Springs Resort – and created from more than 1,000 tons of ice and snow sourced from the property – Aurora Ice Museum boasts the world's largest year-round ice environment. The museum, completed in 2015, keeps temperatures at a chilly 25 degrees Fahrenheit even in the summer months, thanks to a unique patented absorption chiller. Pick up a parka and join in a 45-minute tour where you'll get a brief history of the building and learn the story behind the ice sculptures. There's also free time to snap a few Instagram shots and sip an appletini in an ice glass at the ice bar. Visitors to the museum say it's an interesting and fun experience, and that they enjoy seeing all the sculptures.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

One of the highlights of an Inside Passage cruise to Alaska is visiting Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The park's 3.3 million acres are part of a 25 million-acre World Heritage Site, one of the largest protected areas in the world. This boundless landscape includes rugged coastlines, deep fjords, majestic snowcapped mountains, icy blue glaciers and a verdant rainforest. With almost 20% of the park made up of water, it's also a marine sanctuary, home to an abundance of humpback whales, orcas, harbor seals, Steller sea lions and porpoises.

If you're visiting by cruise ship – as 90% of the visitors to the park do – you may also see brown or black bears, moose, wolves, Sitka black-tail deer, mountain goats or bald eagles soaring overhead. Be sure to step outside on your veranda or the ship's bow to take in the park's stillness, with occasional sounds from wildlife in the distance or eerily blue ice calving as the chunks break off into the glacial waters.

If you're traveling alone, you can access the park via the nearby village of Gustavus, which offers several options for lodging. Gustavus is reachable by air taxi from Juneau – or you can take the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry to reach the village. Tours to Glacier Bay are available out of Gustavus; excursions also start at the park headquarters at Bartlett Cove. Here you'll find 10 miles of maintained hiking trails and a lodge and restaurant. Venture out on a guided kayak tour or travel 130 miles into the park on a full-day boat tour to view the tidewater glaciers, wildlife and extraordinary beauty of Glacier Bay. Visitors enjoy the park ranger's narrative while on board their ship and say the park is unbelievably breathtaking.

Embark on an Alaska cruise

Taking an Alaska cruise is a bucket list trip for many people – and it's easy to understand why. Cruising is a convenient way to see multiple destinations and travel to remote places like Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. More adventures await than you can imagine, from taking a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad to helicopter and dog-sledding tours. You can also go fishing, crabbing or kayaking; hike in the Tongass National Forest; venture out on a wilderness safari; chase the northern lights; and much more.

Most mainstream and luxury cruise lines offer several itineraries in Alaska. Smaller and expedition-style ships also sail Alaska's waterways, such as Lindblad Expeditions, UnCruise Adventures and Alaskan-owned Alaska Dream Cruises. To make the most of your time – and to see as much as you can while visiting the Far North – combine a land and sea tour. Cruise lines like Princess Cruises , Holland America Line , Norwegian Cruise Line , Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International offer cruisetours that extend your time in Alaska. These add-on options feature multiday land, bus and rail tours to destinations not reachable by ship.

Read: Alaska Cruise Packing List

Arctic Circle

Many visitors to Fairbanks want to take a self-guided road trip along the 198-mile stretch of the Dalton Highway to cross over the Arctic Circle. However, this journey is only recommended if you are an experienced driver and have a vehicle equipped for the rugged terrain, remote wilderness, and the gravel and dirt road, especially in the winter. Most car rental companies do not allow their cars on the Dalton Highway. Still, you can rent from specific companies such as Arctic Outfitters, Alaska 4x4 Rentals, Alaska Overlander or Alaska Auto Rental. Travelers should also know that there's no cellphone coverage or Wi-Fi and only limited vehicle services on the Dalton Highway, so it may be best to leave the driving – or the flying – to a professional tour operator.

Multiple tour operators fly and drive to the Arctic, which is an unforgettable experience any time of the year. The Northern Alaska Tour Company offers a variety of air and land adventures. These trips include two- to five-night excursions to see the northern lights in Coldfoot, one of the best aurora-viewing locales in the world. During your extended stay in the Brooks Range and Coldfoot you may also see bears, and you can try your hand at dog mushing. You'll even receive an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. Travelers say the tours, guides and pilots with Northern Alaska Tour Company are excellent, providing an incredible experience in this beautiful and wild part of Alaska.

Situated between the peaks of the Chugach Mountains and the Cook Inlet, Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and its most urban destination. Yet it's still not far from the wilderness areas and outdoor adventure the state is known for. The city is home to a great deal of outdoor recreation, including road and mountain biking, hiking, running, water sports and more. The city also boasts more than 200 municipal parks and 120-plus miles of paved trails. On a clear day, from the 1,400 forested acres of Kincaid Park you may be able to catch a glimpse of Mount Susitna over the inlet and see spectacular sunsets in the evening. The 495,000-acre Chugach State Park – the fourth-largest state park in the U.S. – is a wilderness area adjacent to much of Anchorage. From here, you can head out on many trailheads, including one of the most popular hikes to Flattop Mountain. At the summit, you'll be rewarded with panoramic views overlooking the Chugach and the Alaska mountain ranges, Cook Inlet, and the city.

Anchorage also boasts many cultural attractions, including the state's largest museum, the newly renovated Anchorage Museum . You also won't want to miss the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Alaska Aviation Museum , which sits along the south shore of the world's busiest floatplane lake, Lake Hood. This museum pays homage to Alaska's bush plane pilots and covers the early history of Alaska Airlines. The Alaska Zoo is another top attraction: This facility is the only zoo in North America that focuses on animals from the northern and Arctic regions and native Alaska species such as moose, wolves, wolverines, caribou and Dall sheep. You'll also find a thriving culinary scene in Anchorage featuring fresh local seafood and produce – and a burgeoning brewery industry with local beer, spirits, cider and mead.

See more of Anchorage: Things to Do | Hotels

Anchorage Museum

Chuck Choi | Courtesy of Anchorage Museum

As one of Alaska's most popular attractions, this four-story museum tells the story of the region through its history, art, culture, science, and diverse political and social background. Impressive exhibits on Alaska Native cultures include more than 600 artifacts from the collections at the Smithsonian. In the Thomas Planetarium, you can even experience the northern lights as they dance across the clear night sky. Alongside permanent exhibits like the Smithsonian collection, the Anchorage Museum features traveling exhibits, special programs, live performances in music and dance, classes and workshops, and other special events throughout the year. Visitors call the museum carefully curated and the exhibits educational and informative. Some people take as many as five hours to view all four floors, so plan for a half-day to visit the museum. You can grab a snack at the Atrium Café if your visit extends past lunchtime.

Address: 625 C St., Anchorage, AK 99501

Alaska Native Heritage Center

The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a living cultural center in Anchorage that educates visitors and promotes the observance of Alaska's Indigenous traditions and culture. It's the only statewide education and cultural institution in Alaska focused on celebrating all the Indigenous peoples and their heritage, including the Iñupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax̂, Alutiiq (or Sugpiaq), Yup'ik and Cup'ik peoples. Visitors to ANHC can walk through life-size villages and view the permanent collections. You'll also have an immersive educational experience learning about 10,000 years of Alaska Native history through art, dance performances, demonstrations, exhibits, films, storytelling and more. Travelers say this is a must-see while in Anchorage: They comment that the visit is fascinating, and you'll get the most out of it if you can catch a performance or presentation, as they offer even more insight into the cultures of Alaska's Natives.

Address: 8800 Heritage Center Drive, Anchorage, AK 99504

Flightseeing

Flightseeing by bush plane or helicopter is one of the best ways to see and travel to many parts of the state. The least-visited national parks – and even the most popular ones – have remote destinations reachable only by plane or by boat. With a flightseeing tour, you can book excursions to fly over (or even onto) a glacier, view wildlife from above, follow the trail of the Iditarod or arrive at a remote destination like Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. These excursions can be as short as an hour or extend into a full day with kayaking, bear-viewing opportunities, dog-sledding and more. While the planes typically carry between two to eight people, helicopters only take a maximum of four passengers. Popular companies for these tours include Talkeetna Air Taxi, Rust's Flying Service & K2 Aviation, Temsco Helicopters, Wings Airways, NorthStar Helicopters, Alpine Air Alaska, Alaska Helicopter Tours, Smokey Bay Air and Emerald Air Service.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Doug Lindstrand | Courtesy of Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

While most people would prefer to see animals in the wild – and in their natural habitat – wildlife conservation centers are essential in rescuing injured and orphaned animals, conducting research, and providing awareness to the public. Situated on 200 acres, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood is home to black and brown bears, moose, caribou, coyotes, wolves, musk ox and other Alaska animals. The center has also partnered with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game over the last 20 years on one of the world's most important conservation projects: returning the once-extinct wood bison to their native range in central Alaska. The herd of 130 was released into the wild in 2015 after a century-long absence.

Visitors can take the guided 90-minute "Walk on the Wild Side Tour" at the center, which is offered year-round and limited to 10 guests. You can also book a bear or moose encounter (in the summer season) to get up close and personal with the animals. Visitors appreciate the option to drive through the facility or take the walking tour, and say they enjoy seeing many of Alaska's native animals in one place.

Address: Mile 79, Seward Highway, Girdwood, AK 99587

Take a ride on the Alaska Railroad

The Alaska Railroad offers passengers almost 500 miles of scenery and landscapes and an iconic way to travel through south-central and interior Alaska. The line's summer train schedules pair with other activities in Alaska, such as a coastal glacier and wildlife-viewing cruise from Seward when you take the round-trip train from Anchorage. At the backcountry Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop – only accessible by train – passengers can go ice climbing, hiking or take a rafting trip on a glacial river.

Depending on the train and itinerary, other stops include Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Talkeetna, Girdwood, Seward, Whittier, Portage and Grandview. For an upscale onboard experience, passengers can choose GoldStar-level service on select trains and routes. This category of service includes glass-dome ceilings, full-service dining, a private bar, forward-facing seats, an outdoor viewing platform and narration during the ride. On weekends in the winter season, between mid-September and mid-May, the Aurora Winter Train travels northbound on a 12-hour rail journey, departing Saturday and returning Sunday. Passengers enjoy the snow-covered landscapes and views during the winter itinerary, with most calling the food and service excellent.

Hop on an escorted bus tour

Escorted bus tours are an attractive option to consider when visiting south-central and interior Alaska. The drivers are familiar with the road system, so you can sit back and relax without the stress of navigating long stretches of wilderness highways. The tour operators are also experts at coordinating your lodging, excursions, meals and much more. Some tours even combine bus and rail transportation – through an area known as the railbelt – offering the best of both methods of transportation since one may reach destinations the other can't access. Companies offering tour packages in the region include Alaska Tour & Travel, John Hall's Alaska and Gray Line Alaska. Tourgoers traveling with Alaska Tour & Travel say their journey was seamless and they had a wonderful adventure.

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Alaska Shore Excursions
• The Best National Parks in the World
• Scenic Train Rides to Add to Your Bucket List
• The Top Travel Backpacks
• The Top Travel Packing Cubes

Tags: Travel , Alaska Vacations , Pacific Northwest Vacations , US Vacations

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

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2007 Alaska Trips: • Nome • Wolf EEL • Gunk Hole • 4th of July • Copper River • Knight Island • Unakwik PWS • Seldovia Early May • Shakedown PWS

2006 Alaska Trips: • Blackstone Bay • 2006 Caribou Hunt • Kenai Dipnetting • PWS Baptism • Seldovia 2 • Sundog Office Project • First PWS trip • Seldovia • New Aire Canoe • Iowa/ ICBC

2003 Alaska Trips : Alcan Highway Adventure - July 2003 - Family Alcan Trip with Boat Anchor Point Halibut Trip - Memorial Day 2003 Hidden Lake Trout Fishing - May 2003 Hidden Lake & Seldovia - June 2003 Kenai River Dipnetting & Seldovia - July 2003 Prince William Sound & Ship Creek - May 2003 Prince William Sond Chums & Shrimp - June 2003 Prince William Sound, Red Salmon, Star Fish, Shrimp & Crab - C-Dory Maiden Voyage Seldovia - Resurrection Bay - May 2003 Surprise Cove - Prince William Sound - April 2003 Whittier to Valdez Boating - August 2003 PWS Deer Hunt Homer/Seldovia/Seward Stampede Trail Hunt Knight Island (PWS)

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Alaska Tourism photos

Historic Riverboat Discovery takes tourists down the Chena River in Interior Alaska’s golden heart city of Fairbanks, Alaska (Patrick J Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Small bush plane by Kantishna Air takes tourists on a flightseeing tour past the north and south summits of Denali, North America’s highest mountain, view from Eielson Bluffs, Denali National Park, Interior, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Kayakers paddle in Barry Arm, near the face of Cascade glacier, Prince William Sound, Southcentral, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Dall sheep rams, Denali Park road, tourists watch from Park buses, Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler with tourists, a bush plane on floats takes off from the Chena River, Fairbanks, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Denali’s north and south summits are visible from the Highway pass as a tour bus travels along the Denali Park road, Denali National Park, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Santa Claus House is a popular tourist destination located in North Pole, just 15 miles from Fairbanks, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Tourists enjoy a kayaking excursion alongside a Holland American Cruise ship in Sitka Sound, Sitka, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Young girl pans for gold, Fairbanks, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Hikers pause to take in views of the tidewater face of Chenega Glacier, which flows out of the Sargent Ice Field, Nassau Fjord, Chugach National Forest, Kenai Peninsula, Southcentral Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Aerial of the Coral Princess Cruise ship in College Fjord, Prince William Sound, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Whitewater river rafting, Nenana River, Denali National Park, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Cross-country skiing in the White Mountains National Recreation Area. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Tourists and motorhome at black rapids glacier turnout along the Richardson Highway in the Alaska Range mountains, Interior. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Alaska’s rich history in gold and mining can be found throughout the state. Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

King salmon charter fishing in Sitka, Alaska. (Patrick J Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Fly fishing for red salmon on the Kenai River, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

The man pauses while hiking at the edge of a blue lake in the Arrigetch Peaks, Valley of Aquarius, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska (Patrick J Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Backpacking is a popular way to explore Alaska’s many out-of-the-way places. Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska (Patrick J Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Tourists view and photograph Killer Whales (Orcas) from the bow of a boat in northern Prince William Sound, Alaska. (Patrick J. Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

Photographer silhouetted against the sky in Denali National Park. (Patrick J Endres / AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com)

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Alaska Photo Tours

Expeditions Alaska photo tours and photography workshops offer a great opportunity for folks to bring home some unique images. Carl Donohue , Expeditions Alaska owner, photographer and guide, leads these exciting Alaska photo tours and they’re a great way for you to experience some of the best nature has to offer.

I aim to put you in the right place at the right time on these photo tours.

Experience matters. I’ve been photographing these places and subjects years now. Every year that experience grows.

We’ll learn as we go. The opportunities are infinite.

Photography Workshops

The focus here is instruction. Get your learning on. I’ll teach you to take control of your photography. Your understanding of photography will improve. I promise.

Coming in 2024 I’ll be running the following Alaska photo tours.

What The People Say

Grizzlies in the Mist (x2)

Bald Eagle Photo Tour

Polar bear photo tour.

Nanuq. Ursus maritimus.

A unique and fantastic opportunity to see and photograph the great polar bear of the arctic.

The massive ice bear of the north. Wonderfully animated. Gorgeously curious.

Join us this fall.

Polar Bear Photo Tour  →

Haines, Alaska. The greatest gathering of bald eagles in the world.

The famous Chilkat Eagle Preserve comes alive this November. 3000 bald eagles congregate along the Chilkat River to feed on a late run of salmon.

The end of November is when it all happens.

Come see our Bald Eagle Photo Tour  →

Aurora Borealis Photo Tour

Winter’s Coming.

Few phenomena surpass the aurora borealis for sheer splendor. The magical dance of the northern lights are a treat to photograph.

Alaska’s winter dreams shimmer overhead.

Look at the  Aurora Borealis Photo Tour  →

Alaska Landscapes Photo Tour

Wild. Wildness. Wilderness.

Skolai Pass in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. 6 nights in the backcountry. Photograph some of the most spectacular mountain country in North America.

Your photography is the primary aim of this trip.

Take the Hike with me.

Alaska Landscapes Photo Tour  →

Alaska Brown Bears Photo Tour

Real. Remote. Remarkable.

The Great Bears.

Katmai National Park hosts our weeklong expedition. Our privately chartered boat explores the Coast of Alaska. We visit Hallo Bay, Geographic Harbor, Kukak Bay and more.

Photograph harbor seals, sea otter, bald eagles, brown bears. Wolves are a possibility. Myriad species of pelagic bird. The volcanoes of the Alaska Peninsula.

Alaska Coastal Brown Bear Photo Tour  →

Grizzlies in the Fall Photo Tour

Katmai National Park and Preserve. The greatest place in the world to photograph these magnificent animals.

There’s no better time than the fall to photograph them. The bears in their prime. Tourists are gone. Wondrous fall color.

An amazing experience.

One week of focused grizzly bear photography in that most of beautiful of settings. Katmai.

There’s simply no other bear photo tour like it.

Fat Bears in the Fall Photo Tour  →

The Katmai Coast.

Brown bears gorge on coastal salmon runs here. It’s wild, remote and inaccessible country. We charter a plane then a boat then a skiff just to get to our camp.

Very, very few people come here. But the bears do. They love it.

And so will you.

Grizzlies In The Mist Photo Tour  →

Bears of Summer

Salmon + Brown Bears = Photography fun.

Katmai National Park. A remote wilderness setting.

The Bristol bay sockeye salmon run is one of the greatest salmon runs in the world. And we’ll be in the middle of it.

We’ll also have bears, bears and more bears to photograph.

Take a look.

Brown Bears of Summer Photo Tour  →

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001_alaska_grizzly_bear-sunrise

Alaska Brown bear on Crescent River in Lake Clark National Park in fog during sunrise, Alaska. Chigmit Mountains.

Photo by Jeff Schultz/ (C) 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Ribbon of Lights

Winter landscape of Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) light up the sky over the Chugach Mountains in Portage River Valley in Southcentral, Alaska

Photo by Jeff Schultz/ (C) 2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

003_alaska_iditarod_sunset_zirkle_picture

Aliy Zirkle runs on the sea ice of Norton Sound a few miles before the Koyuk checkpoint in 25 mph wind with blowing snow during the 2017 Iditarod on Monday evening at sunset March 12, 2017.

Photo by Jeff Schultz/SchultzPhoto.com (C) 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

004_alaska_sunset_lake_clark

Sunset over Crescent Lake and Chigmit Mountains in Lake Clark National Park. Alaska

005_alaska_bear-chasing_salmon_photo

An Alaska Brown Bear fishes for Sockeye (Red) salmon on shore of Crescent Lake in Lake Clark National Park. Summer Southcentral, Alaska

Fall/Autumn landscape of inner Lake George icebergs and Colony Glacier with Chugach Mountains in Knik River Valley. Southcentral, Alaska.

Photo by Jeff Schultz/ (C) 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

007_alaska_bald_eagle_ice-berg

Bald Eagle screeches while resting on iceberg as another lands in Collge Fjord in Prince William Sound. Summer. Southcentral, Alaska

008_alaska_wildflower_field_photo_tour

Summer landscape of Lupine flowers along Turnagain Arm with Kenai Mountains in background near Girdwood, Alaska summer June 2015

(C) Jeff Schultz/SchultzPhoto.com

009_alaska_glacier_airplane

Supercub airplane flown by Paul Claus flies past Waterfalls, ice and glaciers in Icy Bay in Wrangell-St. Elias National park, Alaska. Summer

010_alaska_bear_eagle_encounter

A grizzly bear sow and cubs invade a bald eagle nest on a cliff in Kukak Bay of Katmai Coast in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Katmai Wilderness Lodge Summer. June 2018

Photo by Jeff Schultz/SchultzPhoto.com (C) 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Winter landscape of hoar frost covered trees along Knik River in the fog in the Matanuska Valley near Palmer, Alaska. Southcentral Alaska

Photo by Jeff Schultz/SchultzPhoto.com (C) 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Falling in Love

Fall landscape of Bull and cow moose during courtship in powerline valley of Glen Alps area in Chugach Mountains near Anchorage, Alaska. Chugach State Park.

Looking for Clams

Brown Bear sow and cub look for clams in the mud of Cook Inlet at low tide on the coast in Lake Clark National Park. Silver Salmon Creek area. Western Alaska Summer

014_alaska_airplane_pool

Super Cub flown by Alaska bush pilot Paul Claus flies over snow, ice and glaciers in Wrangell-St. Elias National park, Alaska. Summer

Little Su Color

Fall Landscape of Little Susitna River in Hatcher Pass area. Southcentral, Alaska Fall - Autumn

Crescent Lake Star Streak

Fall Landscape of niigt sky star trails over Crescent Lake and Chigmit Mountains in Lake Clark National Park. Alaska. Photo by Jeff Schultz/ (C) 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Ice bergs frozen in Knik Lake at Knik Glacier. chugach Mountains. Winter Southcentral, Alaska

018_alaska_B&W_bear_mountains

Alaska Brown Bear on shore of Crescent Lake with Chigmit Mountains in Lake Clark National Park. Summer Southcentral, Alasksa

Winter landscape of inside a glacial ice cave in the Tahneeta Pass area. Southcentral, Alaska

Morning Calm

Autumn landscape view of rocks in Crescent Lake with Chigmit Mountains in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

0021_alaska_dog_mushing_mountains

Recreational dog mushing in Denali State Park Alaska Range and Mt. Mckinley background. Spring MR 2012-04 & 05

022_alaska_winter_frost_photo

Winter landscape of frost falling from hoarfrost covered trees along the bank of the Matanuska River as the sun shines through on a sunny day in the Matanuska Valley near Palmer, Alaska. Pioneer Peak Chugach Mountains Southcentral Alaska

023_alaska_winter_iceberg_picture

Spring Landscape of ice bergs and pressure ridges at face of Knik Glacier in Chugach Mountains, Southcentral, Alaska

024_alaska_Iditarod_ice_lake

Jason Barron travels on the glare ice of Farewell Lake on Tuesday during Iditarod 2008

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2025 Alaska Bears, Glaciers and Fall Colors Photography Tour and Workshop

September 15-22, 2025 7 days / 7 nights $9,650

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Available Year-round Jeff can create a 2-10 day custom photo trip for 1-6 guests

Who is Jeff Schultz?

Jeff is one of Alaska’s most published and respected professional photographers with 40+ years of experience photographing and traveling in Alaska.

Founder and former owner of the stock photo agency, Alaska Stock Images, his award-winning images have been published worldwide in books, magazines, advertisements and more.

Jeff has been the official photographer of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race since 1982.

Jeff’s photo tours garner unparalleled positive reviews for exceeding expectations and taking a clients’ photo knowledge to the next level.

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These three projects are Jeff’s way of showing off Alaska and Alaskans to the world in photos, text and audio.

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See, read and hear from everyday Alaskans.

Places of Alaska

See, read and hear a detailed journal about unique places in Alaska.

See, read and hear from the people & dogs behind the Iditarod sled dog race.

What Others are Saying…

“I just finished up a 2 1/2 day custom workshop with Jeff, and it was beyond incredible. I wish I could give this 10 stars instead of 5.”

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Pro Tips on Photographing Alaska

Alaska is a nature photographer’s dream. It’s got it all: expansive landscapes, impressive wildlife and a sense of wilderness unlike virtually anywhere else on Earth.

With all this variety, there are many ways you can see and photograph Alaska up close and personal. Whether it’s a specific bear and wildlife photo adventure, an immersive camping experience in prime brown bear habitat , something more marine-focused like a boat-based expedition , or the ultimate Alaska experience that combines it all, your time photographing The Last Frontier will be treasured.

To help get you started, I’ve compiled a list of pro tips that will enable you to get the best (and most) photos, no matter where you’re going in the grandest of states!

Think Versatility for Lens Selection

It’s tempting to think big when picking out your camera lenses for an Alaska photo adventure . While the big primes like 400mm, 500mm and even 600mm lenses have their place and will no doubt provide sensational photos, you may be missing out on some of the best wildlife photography by prioritizing a maximum telephoto lens.

When guiding photo tours in Alaska, I always have at least one zoom telephoto that allows me to photograph up-close wildlife one second and then an amazing landscape the next. Having the ability to zoom out to photograph wildlife in the landscape, versus just filling the frame with the animal all the time, often yields the most impressive and unique photos.

I’m a big fan of the trusty 70–300mm or 100–400mm lenses (equivalent to a 6x or 10x zoom for point-and-shoots), as they’ll get you close to wildlife but have decent abilities at the wider ranges for opportunistic landscape shots as well.

As an example, had I not had the 70mm capability on my camera at the time, I may have missed this unique photo of bears at Brooks Falls, with a rapidly disappearing rainbow overhead.

A more classic example is taking that brief pause from filling the frame with the whale’s tail and zooming out a bit to capture the rest of the story—showing the unique viewing opportunity we’re having with extraordinary Kenai Fjord mountains in the background, plus a fellow boat to show scale and give the viewer that “put yourself here” feeling.

Capturing Big Landscapes: Sometimes Less Is More

Alaska has some mighty impressive landscapes. They’re big, wild and infinitely beautiful. However, it’s somewhat challenging to capture the totality of beauty that the eye is able to soak in. As a result, I often suggest that you break your big landscapes into smaller sections, taking several stand-alone photos of the sweeping vista rather than trying to get it all in one ultra-wide photo.

For instance, in the above photo, the mighty Mt. Denali is towering over the range but just out of the frame. Seems weird not to include it, right? However, I noticed these pronounced evergreens, their pleasing reflection, and the soft contrast between the forest and white mountains such that I resisted including the pinnacle of Alaska, even though it was right there. Had I included it, I would have shortchanged the essence of my photo, which is that unique reflection, the stand of conifers and the still-impressive white mountains in the back.

Sometimes less is more.

There are times, though, when you simply must capture the entire scene, and for those times, there is a nice trick I’m happy to share.

Whether it’s a long mountain chain from left to right, a string of fishing villages or a beautiful forest, you can capture the whole picture without dampening the subject material by including too much sky and foreground.

Let me explain…

The photo below is the “before” composition, where I include the entire range, but as you can tell, the normal 3:2 aspect ratio forces me to include a lot of sky and grass. The colors of these are great, but they really diminish my subject material, which is that gorgeous range (this time with Denali in it). They make this 20,000 ft. mountain seem like a small part of the landscape, and let me tell you, when you’re there, this mountain is anything but small!

What I’ve done here is simply “shoot for the crop,” where I anticipate cropping the photo afterward to give it a panoramic look. This way, it highlights the full left-to-right range, including Denali, without featuring too much sky or grass, yielding a balanced photo that showcases the mountains themselves.

This technique is nothing Earth-shattering, but it is a good way to adjust your photography for showcasing big landscapes.

Expect the Unexpected When It Comes to Weather

According to my good guide buddy Drew Hamilton, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just poor preparation and a bad attitude.” I couldn’t agree more! In fact, inclement weather can be a photographer’s friend, as it usually thins out crowds significantly, and wildlife and landscape photos can take on an unusually awesome look during a drizzle or in the moments just after a rain.

When gearing up to go on a photo adventure in Alaska , double down on rain gear and double up on a positive attitude. It does rain in Alaska, and you may get caught out in it. If it’s raining for two days straight, you sure as heck don’t want to hunker down in a hotel room, so don the rain pants and jacket, put your weather jacket on your camera, and go out and get some unique photos!

Harnessing Shutter Speed

As you learn more about your camera, you’ll want to pay particular attention to maintaining “the right” shutter speed.

Generally speaking, the proper shutter speed is one that is fast enough to freeze motion and capture a nice, crisp image. If I were forced to put a number on it, I’d say I do this about 19 times out of 20, or 95% of the time. But how fast is fast enough?

There’s a classic rule for shutter speeds that says you should photograph at least 1/your focal length to freeze your own hand and body movement. That is, if you have a 300mm lens, you should photograph no slower than 1/300 th of a second to eliminate the movement of your hand (if you’re shooting hand-held, which is the norm, in my opinion). However, this doesn’t take into account image stabilization, which is a very common thing these days.

Typically, image stabilization allows you to shoot about 2 or 3 “stops” slower than you could otherwise. That is, using the above 300mm lens example, 1/300 is “the norm,” while one stop slower is half this—1/150. Another stop is half that, so 1/75. And a third stop is half that, so about 1/40. Thus, if your image stabilization system reports “3-stop image stabilization,” you could effectively shoot using a 300mm lens, handheld, at 1/40 and get the same effect as a non-image-stabilized 300mm at 1/300 th of a second.

This is, of course, subjective to how still you are typically able to hold your hand, plus all sorts of other variables, so I wouldn’t take this as a set-in-stone rule for conversion. But, you can see how understanding the math behind all this does give you an approximation for how fast or slow you should be shooting. (Personally, I never use a telephoto with anything less than 1/80 th of a second…or I try not to, at least!)

However, there is another more significant dimension to all this, which is that moving people or wildlife don’t care how much image stabilization you have. You can have an 8-stop image stabilizer, but that doesn’t get the bear to stop moving. The chart below is a good way to use approximations for minimum shutter speed and typical movement of the subject in your scene.

A couple of things to note: I am being a bit conservative with the information provided below. You could get away with slightly slower speeds at each level, but the great thing is that you usually have enough light in Alaska during the summer that you can afford to use slightly faster shutter speeds while maintaining reasonable ISOs.

1/125 – general landscapes

1/150 – non-moving wildlife

1/320 – walking wildlife

1/500 – somewhat rapidly moving wildlife (purposeful walking, trotting)

1/1000 – fast movement, like a run, sparring bears, breaching whales, etc.

1/2000 – birds in flight, leaping frogs, etc.

1/4000 – just about anything…

Incorporate Storytelling

There are many, many ways to capture storytelling through photos. In fact, that’s basically the essence of good photography: capturing interesting, meaningful scenes in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Nevertheless, storytelling is such a key part of photography that it is 100% merited to mention and underline here.

One important dimension of storytelling photography is choosing between the classic photo and one that is maybe not quite as good of a shot but is better at telling the story of your adventure.

The above photo is a great example. Before us was this amazing breaching humpback whale. As it lept over and over again, instead of trying to get the perfect breaching-whale photo, I opted to continually set myself up to photograph our travelers in the shot for a “put yourself here” moment.

While this isn’t necessarily a great photo of a whale, and you’d be justified in picking apart my composition and overall layout of the photo, one thing it is doing is showing you a part of our adventure together. This is storytelling!

Another technique of storytelling photography I like to look for is the opportunity to showcase the search for wildlife. Even in Alaska, wildlife isn’t always just walking across the bridge toward you. (Although, yes, in some cases, the bears do that!). Thus, if you only photograph the “end product” without detailing the search, the patience you needed, and the keen eye you had to spot said wildlife, you’re missing out on a big part of your story!

A prime example: In the above photo, I could have zoomed in or even moved further down the trail to get an unobscured photo of this bear. Instead, I chose to use some vegetation as framing to illustrate that we’re indeed exploring…we’re on a search for charismatic wildlife.

If you’re headed to Alaska on a wildlife photo safari , you’re going to absolutely love it. And if you’re bringing your camera along (which, of course, you are!), keep these tips in mind to come back with plenty of extraordinary photos that are sure to remind you of your extraordinary adventure for years to come.

Cheers, and be well,

• #shutter speed

How to Get this Shot – Perfectly Sharp Monarch Butterfly

What’s in my camera bag – iceland.

Court Whelan, Ph.D.

Court is an avid nature and wildlife photographer and naturalist Expedition Leader for Natural Habitat Adventures. His background in wildlife and conservation biology led him to pursue a joint Ph.D. in ecotourism and entomology. As Editor in Chief of The Natural Photographer, he is eager to share his photography knowledge and creative guidance with readers through comprehensive tutorials and blog posts. You may view more of his photography at www.courtwhelan.com

Great guidelines for a great place to photograph.

thank you, Ron!

I am just so impressed with your skill and your ability to make it accessible to travelers. You are one talented, smart guy. Thank you.

thank you, Brad! I do what I love :).

Court Thank you for your informative posts, I read and save each one for reference. I printed the shutter speed chart. I shoot birds and try to get that perfect shot of hummers frozen in flight. This chart will help me in my quest.

Bonnie Layland

fantastic, Bonnie! I’m thrilled to help!

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Everything to know about Katmai National Park

This Alaska Peninsula park is a great place for hiking, fishing, bear-watching—and exploring volcanoes.

Volcanoes and bears embody the wild heart of Katmai, located on the Alaska Peninsula. Within the borders of the national park and preserve lie 14 active volcanoes and North America's largest population of protected brown bears—some 2,000 of the photogenic creatures.

Visitors can hike, kayak, and canoe in Katmai. They can fish waist-deep in rivers as clear as glass. And they can watch the best fish catcher of them all, the great Alaskan brown bear , sometimes diving underwater for its prey, sometimes catching salmon in midair.  

Katmai’s other allure is extreme volcanism. The 1912 eruption of Novarupta —the world’s largest volcanic event of the 20th century—discharged 30 times more magma than Mount St. Helens in 1980. Ash from the explosion drifted all the way around the planet, global temperatures cooled, acid rain burned clothing off laundry lines in Vancouver, British Columbia—and on Kodiak Island, just across Shelikof Strait from Katmai, it was dark as night for three straight days.

Leading a 1916 expedition sponsored by the National Geographic Society, botanist Robert F. Griggs ascended Katmai Pass from Shelikof Strait. “The whole valley as far as the eye could reach was full of hundreds, no, thousands—literally, tens of thousands—of smokes curling up from its fissured floor,” he wrote. The smokes were fumaroles steaming 500 to 1,000 feet into the air. Griggs, who named the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, spearheaded the campaign to include Katmai in the National Park System.

Where to find the best views in the park

Dumpling Mountain   is the easiest place to enjoy a panoramic view of Katmai. The tundra-covered summit is 4.6 miles northwest of Brooks Camp, site of a summer visitors center and the hub of park activity. The view takes in all three arms of Naknek Lake as well as the distant Alaska Range.

Those with well-honed wilderness skills can paddle eight miles across the Iliuk Arm of Naknek Lake and bushwhack their way up 4,730-foot Mount Katolinat for even more stunning views of the park.

Best trails

Short, flat and wheelchair accessible, the Brooks Falls Trail offers a 1.2-mile hike through boreal forest to a pair of bear-viewing platforms along the Brooks River. Hikers should be aware that bears are frequently encountered along the route.

Two other short, easy trails start from Brooks Camp. The Cultural Site Trail meanders through an archaeological zone that includes the remains of several prehistoric settlements and a replica semi-subterranean dwelling similar to those that Katmai’s long-ago residents called home, while the Brooks River Bridge Trail leads to bear-viewing platforms overlooking Naknek Lake.

Starting from the bridge’s south end, energetic hikers can follow the 23-mile Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Road   to the Robert F. Griggs Visitor Center and the valley’s volcanic wonders. Brooks Lodge offers a drop-off/pick-up shuttle service ($55 one way) to the visitors center.  

Best spots for seeing wildlife

Brooks Falls is world-renowned for bear viewing, especially during the summer when dozens of brown bears are attracted by the salmon run. An annual tradition since 2014, Fat Bear Week gives the public a chance to watch the bruins in person or on the Brooks Bear Cam and vote on which bear has done the best job of plumping up for winter hibernation.

There’s also great bear watching from June to September in mudflats, meadows, and salmon streams along the park’s Pacific coast, especially Hallo Bay, Swikshak Lagoon, Geographic Harbor, Moraine Creek, and Funnel Creek.

Ranger Matt Johnson, the park’s interpretation and education program manager, says the Brooks area is also good for spotting river otters, porcupines, eagles, and merganser ducks. “It’s fun to watch the mergansers,” says Johnson, “because the mother always keeps the ducklings in line. The wilder she quacks, the closer together they get.”

Katmai’s offshore waters attract a wide variety of marine creatures, from sea lions and sea otters to migrating humpback whales and orcas. Meanwhile, the park’s lakes, rivers, wetlands, and shoreline offer ideal habitats for many migratory bird species that breed, give birth, and raise their chicks during the summer.

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How to visit the park like a Nat Geo Explorer

“We definitely had a lot of bear encounters,” says National Geographic Explorer and photographer Katie Orlinsky, who joined archaeologists and other scientists on a 2018 journey across Katmai that followed in the footsteps of the historic Griggs Expedition of 1916. “And we were there in early June, long before salmon primetime.”

After getting dropped at several spots in the Katmai backcountry by bush plane, Orlinsky and her colleagues backpacked and pack-rafted their way across the park’s remote wilderness, searching for artifacts that Griggs and his team might have left behind.

For Orlinsky, the most startling thing about the trek wasn’t close encounters of the bear kind but the incredible variety of terrain they tramped across. “We had everything from beach and grassy marshes and rocky terrain with petrified trees to river crossings and pretty deep snow where you’d be wearing snowshoes.”

Her advice for anyone visiting the park is to explore beyond the Brooks Falls area. “The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is incredible, especially if you can see it from the air in a small plane and then explore the valley on foot.” Last but not least: “Always be bear aware.”

Best activities and excursions

The rare opportunity to observe and photograph brown bears in the wild is the park’s premier attraction. Several bear-viewing platforms along the Brooks River render closer encounters of the bruin kind. Staying several days in the lodge or campground at Brooks Camp enables return visits to the great bear show.

For those who can’t overnight in the park,   Katmai Air   and Rust’s Flying Service   are among the aviation outfits with bear-viewing daytrips from Anchorage in floatplanes that touch down on   Naknek Lake beside Brooks Camp. From Homer, Smokey Bay Air   and   Alaska Bear Adventures offer bear-viewing daytrips to the Katmai coast.

During the summer season,   Katmai Trading Post in Brooks Camp rents fishing gear, as well as canoes and kayaks for paddling Naknek Lake and beyond. Brooks Lodge offers a natural history guided bus tour to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes , as well as guided fishing trips and flightseeing over the volcanic Alaska Range.

Katmai is a paradise for experienced backpackers and paddlers with advanced wilderness skills. Backcountry camping is allowed everywhere in the park beyond a 1.5-mile radius around the Brooks Camp/Brooks Falls developed zone. Bear-proof food storage containers are mandatory for all backcountry camping, and bear spray or a portable electric fence are highly recommended. Backcountry permits are not required but overnight hikers are encouraged to file a trip plan at a park visitors center.

While there are no established long-distance hiking routes, Katmai does have an epic paddling trail. The 80-mile Savonoski Loop   starts and ends at Brooks Camp. A full week is recommended for a watery passage that includes the Iliuk Arm, Savonoski River, Lake Grosvenor, a portage through boreal forest, and the North Arm of Naknek Lake.

The park is open in winter. “But I don’t know a lot of people doing that,” says ranger Matt Johnson. Visitors would have to charter their own plane or strike off from King Salmon on cross-country skis or a snowmobile. “There are no established trails into the park and it’s a long way. It’s not easy or recommended.”

Best family-friendly experiences

Katmai is not an ideal park for families with smaller children, but older kids and teens relish the wildlife, outdoor adventure, and dramatic wilderness landscapes. Bear-watching at Brooks Camp is the number-one family activity, but there’s also scope for short hikes, fishing, and canoeing/kayaking in the same area.

Other family-friendly activities include evening ranger talks at Brooks Camp and the ranger-led excursion to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and its volcanic wasteland. Like other national parks, Katmai offers a Junior Ranger Program with various activities listed in a booklet that can be downloaded before your visit. Matt Johnson also recommends the park’s Junior Angler and Junior Paleontologist programs.

Where to stay

The National Park Services operates Brooks Camp Campground   in the heart of the park and Fure’s Cabin (built in 1926) on the Bay of Islands. The campground is open May 1 to October 31; the cabin is available year-round. Reservations for both can be made at Recreation.gov .

Privately run accommodation includes the popular Brooks Lodge near the best bear viewing, as well as Katmai Wilderness Lodge on the coast, and remote fishing outposts like Grosvenor Lodge on Lake Grosvenor, Royal Wolf Lodge on the Nonvianuk River, and Kulik Lodge on Nonvianuk Lake.

Essential things to know about Katmai

Access: With no road access, the best way to reach the park is flying. Alaska Airlines has two daily (one-hour) flights from Anchorage to King Salmon, where passengers can transfer to daily floatplane service with several air carriers to Brooks Camp (June to mid-September). Air charters can transport visitors to other areas of the park including the coast and remote fishing lodges.

Alternatively, you can hop the new daily Katmai Water Taxi from King Salmon to Brooks Camp (June 1 to late September), a journey of around 45 minutes via the Naknek River and Lake Naknek.

When to visit:   June to September is when accommodations, transportation, and other park services are fully available. The park is largely inaccessible during the snowy winter and rainy spring. Bear watching, an increasingly popular pastime, is best in July when the sockeye salmon spawn. Rain and wind are common during the summer, when daytime temperatures can range from 30°F to 80°F; the average low is 44 ° F.

Fishing: An Alaska state sport fishing license is mandatory for all nonresidents age 16 and older. Catch and release is encouraged. Anglers should be aware that fishing can attract bears and they should always keep at least 50 yards away from the animals.

Pets:   Pets are not allowed anywhere in the park. Service animals must be kept on a leash and under the owner’s complete control at all times in order to avoid encounters with bears and other wildlife.

Accessibility:   Given Katmai’s rugged terrain and remote wilderness, accessible services are only found at Brooks Camp, where many of the structures, two campsites, and bear-viewing platforms are ADA compliant. The visitors center offers a limited number of all-terrain wheelchairs while the park brochure has braille and audio description versions.

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Why the journey is the destination when it comes to Alaska cruises

They say getting there is half the fun. Usually, I disagree. When I travel, I want to get to where I’m going as quickly as possible to make the most of my time there. However, sailing Celebrity Edge on its maiden Alaska voyage from Seattle, I was all about the journey.

Staring up at the snow-capped mountains through the ship’s floor-to-ceiling windows and watching for wildlife in the icy waters below, I was mesmerized by the famed Last Frontier. And I realized that on an Alaska cruise , the journey is a destination.

Here’s why and what travelers should know about cruising Alaska.

Why is Alaska a popular cruise destination?

Alaska is a bucket-list destination for many people. Some may wait their whole lives for the trip. While Alaska Airlines and other carriers fly throughout America’s largest state , it isn’t as easy to navigate as the Lower 48.

Cruises allow travelers to visit multiple destinations without taking separate flights, renting a car or moving from hotel to hotel. My Edge itinerary included stops in Ketchikan, which is surrounded by the lush Tongass National Forest ; the state capital of Juneau, which is only accessible by air or sea; and Skagway, home of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park . The ship also carefully navigated the stunning Endicott Arm fjord toward Dawes Glacier, a highlight of the trip.

The easy trip can also be more accessible for people with mobility issues and other disabilities. Like other cruise lines, Celebrity has a team dedicated to accessible cruising . Numerous guests on board my sailing used walkers, canes or wheelchairs. Plus, it’s just nice to be able to take in the dramatic coastlines from the comfort of a cozy cabin or lounge when it’s chilly outside.

Are cruises to Alaska worth it?

They can be. At last check, the lowest price on a seven-night Celebrity Edge Alaska Dawes Glacier sailing, roundtrip from Seattle, for the remainder of this summer is listed at $778 per person on the cruise line’s website, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. That does not include travel to or from Seattle nor any taxes or fees, which can balloon the bottom line on any cruise. Nor does it include promotional discounts, which are pretty much always available. After taxes and fees, that works to about $2,212 for two people or $1,106 per person. 

The cheapest seven-night Southbound Glacier sailing on the Edge’s sister ship, Celebrity Summit , is much less at $249 per person, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. It’s worth noting the Southbound voyage goes from Seward, Alaska, to Vancouver, British Columbia, not a round trip. Also the Summit is not an Edge-class ship , The Celebrity Edge is the first Edge class ship to sail Alaska; it was also the first ship in Celebrity’s most recent series, which also includes the new Celebrity Ascent . Edge-class ships were designed to bring guests closer than ever to their destinations, with their signature Magic Carpet cantilevered platform that extends beyond the ship’s edge and other features that bring the outside in. After taxes and fees, the Summit sailing adds up to about $1,231 for two people or about $615 a person.

Both are cheaper than flying between cities and staying at hotels for a week in Alaska, but they're also cheaper than other popular vacations. For example, seven nights at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort , a value resort at Walt Disney World , costs $955 for the room alone, including taxes and a summer promo deal. Adding seven days of park tickets, without park hopping, and the total becomes $2,195 for two people or about $1,098 per person, excluding food.

Meanwhile, cruises include all onboard meals – except optional specialty dining and alcohol. There are also a boatload of included activities, like nature talks, tai chi classes, guided arts and crafts, trivia, games and childcare. There’s live music available through the day and nightly stage shows. I sampled a little bit of everything, but for me, the best part of the ship was the views.

Inside Ascent: 3 takeaways from Celebrity Cruises' new ship

Do you see wildlife on an Alaskan cruise?

Yes. I saw whale spouts three times from the ship, though the whales didn’t breach above water. I also saw a handful of harbor seals and a dozen eagles from the ship and from shore. Bald eagles are so common in Alaska that a tour bus driver jokingly called them bald seagulls. There are 30,000 bald eagles in the state, according to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. 

I kept an eye out for bears on an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. I didn’t see any walking along the paved, wheelchair-accessible Nugget Falls Trail, but I did spot all sorts of spring buds and the most beautiful moss.

The ship’s onboard naturalist gave us a heads-up on what to look for and taught us about various species in presentations in the ship’s theater. She also broadcasted live on the ship’s TV channel and inside speakers while traveling through the Endicott Arm. However, her voice wasn’t carried on outside speakers to avoid potentially disturbing wildlife.

What is the best month to go on a cruise to Alaska?

The Alaska cruise season runs from late April to early October, though dates vary by cruise line. Guests who sail early or late in the season may find lower rates than during the height of the summer, but they may miss out on warmer weather.

It was in the 40s to 50s most days of my May sailing, and it rained on our Juneau day. The onboard naturalist warned that there is no bad weather in Alaska, only poor clothing choices.

How much should I budget for an Alaskan cruise?

You should pad your budget with several hundred extra dollars for excursions and dining off-ship. Both can be pricey but enriching. My Mendenhall Glacier excursion was just under $130, including transportation and an off-site Gold Creek Salmon Bake , with all-you-can-eat fresh salmon cooked over a wood-burning fire.  I’ve never had better fried fish than the local halibut at The Alaska Fish House in Ketchikan, and I will be dreaming of the sweet, plump red king crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau for years to come.  If you want freshly caught Alaska seafood, you’ll want to get it at port.

You may be able to spot whales from the cruise ship, but if you really want to go whale watching, salmon fishing, dog sledding, or get up close to glaciers, that’s generally going to require an excursion. Excursions offered through cruise lines tend to cost more than those booked independently, but booking through the cruise line can streamline payment and ensure that the ship won’t leave without you if the excursion runs late.

One port you can enjoy on the cheap is Skagway. You can explore several exhibits and historic buildings on your own, as part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. However many visitors splurge on a scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway up to the Canadian border and back.

Is it worth getting a balcony on a cruise?

Yes and no. The views throughout Alaska are breathtaking, and being able to enjoy them from your cabin any time of day feels luxurious. I loved waking up to mountains, thick with trees, outside my window and scanning the waters for marinelife before bed.

Just over 80% of Celebrity Edge’s staterooms have a balcony. I had an Infinite Veranda , which is unique to Edge-class ships. Rather than a traditional balcony with a sliding glass door, Infinite Verandas incorporate what would be exterior balcony space into the interior of the cabin and have a window that slides halfway down the exterior wall with the push of a button. I loved how much bigger it made the cabin feel and appreciated the extra climate-controlled living space. It was still chilly during my early season sailing, so I rarely put the window down and think I would have enjoyed a non-balcony, oceanview room just as much.

Of course, if you book an inside cabin, you can still enjoy the scenery from public areas of any ship. The Celebrity Edge brings the outside in with tons of windows, including in the buffet restaurant, Oceanview Cafe, where I spotted my first whale spout. In the back of the ship, there’s a relaxing mixed-use space called Eden with three stories of windows that I found myself drawn to daily. The solarium, with its tall windows and rows of lounge chairs, also offered expansive views. 

Do I need a passport for an Alaskan cruise?

Maybe. For a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends in the same U.S. port, like the one I was on, all you need is proof of citizenship. 

“According to U.S. Customs & Border Protection, this includes an Enhanced Driver’s License, which is a state-issued driver’s license that provides proof of identity and U.S. citizenship; a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where the person was born) or passport; and if 16 or older, a government-issued driver’s license or picture ID denoting photo, name, and date of birth,” according to Celebrity.

Of course, not all Alaska cruises are closed-loop cruises. Some start or end in Vancouver, Canada. There are also cruises on several smaller U.S.-flagged cruise lines like Alaska Dream Cruises and Uncruise Adventures , which may not require passports depending on the itinerary.

Can you see the Northern Lights on an Alaska cruise?

It’s possible, but because daylight hours are so long during the summer in Alaska, the best chance to see them would be on a cruise late in the season.

I woke up in the middle of the night a few times to look for Northern Light. I didn’t see any, but I heard passengers on a previous sailing spotted them. Then again, so did people all across the country during the solar storm earlier this month.

The reporter on this story received access from Celebrity Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of reviews.

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Borealis Basecamp

Fairbanks, The US

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Thanks to the lack of light pollution, the aurora borealis shines really bright here at Borealis Basecamp. This off-the-grid experiential hotel lies just 40 km (25 miles) from the city of Fairbanks, nestled within 100 acres of pristine boreal forest. The property has a remote wilderness feeling but is still easily accessible.

The property has a range of glass domed igloos and cubes that provide a comfortable base when exploring, and a unique stay with the opportunity to watch the northern lights from the comfort of your bed. A range of winter activities are on offer from the lodge including dogsledding and snowmobiling, and fresh, local meals are included daily.

This is one of the best locations to see the northern lights in Alaska and the igloos and domes provide a comfortable winter base.

OUR RATING: Simple

Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Alaska specialists

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Photos of Borealis Basecamp

The accommodation at Borealis Basecamp takes the form of spacious fiberglass domes with vast clear ceilings, stretching 5 m (16 ft) across. Spending the night here you can lie back on comfortable beds with luxurious linens and watch the northern lights dance in the sky above. The domes have European-style interiors with elegant furnishings, as well as smaller kitchenette domes with tea, coffee and hot chocolate making facilities. There are also en suite bathrooms with toiletries provided.

Just 40 km (25 miles) from the city of Fairbanks, the basecamp is nestled within 100 acres of pristine boreal forest. Although it has the feeling of being in the wilderness, it’s still easily accessible. The camp includes the 50-minute roundtrip transfers to and from Fairbanks in their packages.

Food and drink

The dining yurt serves up fresh, local produce with casual European touches. A complimentary breakfast is served every morning, consisting of fresh juice, meats, cheeses, local bread, cereals, and fruit. For lunch, Borealis guests can choose from four different daily soups served in a bread bowl, accompanied by a Caesar salad. The dinner menu is made up of Canadian classics, like king crab, ribs, and pasta. If you’re after some privacy, you can have dinner delivered to your dome if arranged before your stay.

Facilities and activities

The primary reason for visiting the camp is for the northern lights viewing opportunities. Winter guests of Borealis Basecamp can also make the most of the property’s arranged activities, which include dog mushing, photography classes and snowmobiling tours. A package with the camp includes one complimentary activity on the second day at the camp.

Tour ideas in Fairbanks

Our itineraries are there to spark ideas for how you could include a stay at Borealis Basecamp as part of your trip. Treat them simply as suggestions, because every aspect of the trip we create for you will be yours to define.

Alaska explorer

18 days from $11,880pp

Alaska by train & self-drive

14 days from $14,995pp

Ultimate Alaska guided wildlife safari

13 days from $24,695pp

Alaska's northern lights by train

7 days from $3,480pp

Location & places nearby

Places & hotels on the map, alternative places to stay nearby.

Where possible, we like to offer a range of accommodation for each stop of your trip, chosen by our specialists as some of their favorite places to stay. To help you make the right choice, we give each property a rating based on its facilities and service, but we also look for hotels with distinct character or a location that can’t be bettered.

Springhill Suites

Experiences while staying here.

The following activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences of the area where you’re staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident’s eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can also suggest outdoor pursuits and activities, such as cooking classes, that will introduce you to the traditions of the area’s inhabitants.

Barrow Community

Together with your fellow travelers you start the Barrow sightseeing tour where you witness ceremonies and traditions of the native culture as you tour the Inupiat Heritage Center, a National Park Service affiliated site.

Sternwheeler Riverboat Tour

This three hour tour on an authentic sternwheeler riverboat will take you into the heart of Alaska and the heart of a family who has made the rivers of Alaska a way of life for four generations.

Fairbanks and nearby places

• Denali Park Entrance 107 miles away
• Denali National Park 174 miles away
• Tok 192 miles away
• Talkeetna 204 miles away
• Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve 263 miles away
• Anchorage 276 miles away
• Valdez 279 miles away
• McCarthy & Kennicott 296 miles away
• Prince William Sound 310 miles away
• Cooper Landing 325 miles away

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines to Combine, Expanding Benefits and Choice for Travelers Throughout Hawai‘i and the West Coast

• December 3, 2023
• Alaska Airlines
• 17 min read
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• Combined company to maintain Alaska Airlines’ and Hawaiian Airlines’ strong, high-quality brands, supported by a single, compelling loyalty offering.
• Expands fifth largest U.S. airline to a fleet of 365 narrow and wide body airplanes enabling guests to reach 138 destinations through our combined networks and more than 1,200 destinations through the one world Alliance.
• Honolulu to become a key hub for the combined airline with expanded service for residents of Hawai‘i to the Continental U.S. and creating new connections to Asia and throughout the Pacific for travelers across the U.S.
• Commitment to Hawai‘i remains steadfast, including maintaining robust Neighbor Island air service, and a more competitive platform to support growth, job opportunities for employees, community investment and environmental stewardship. 
• Committed to maintaining and growing union-represented workforce in Hawai‘i.
• Combination will result in immediate value creation with sizable upside. All-cash transaction of $18 per share offers attractive premium for Hawaiian Airlines shareholders and is expected to be accretive to Alaska’s earnings within two years post-close with at least $235 million of expected run-rate synergies.
• Investor conference call scheduled for today at 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. HT.

SEATTLE and HONOLULU, December 3, 2023 — Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK), and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $18.00 per share in cash, for a transaction value of approximately $1.9 billion, inclusive of $0.9 billion of Hawaiian Airlines net debt. The combined company will unlock more destinations for consumers and expand choice of critical air service options and access throughout the Pacific region, Continental United States and globally. The transaction is expected to enable a stronger platform for growth and competition in the U.S., as well as long-term job opportunities for employees, continued investment in local communities and environmental stewardship.

As airlines rooted in the 49 th and 50 th U.S. states, which are uniquely reliant upon air travel, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines share a deep commitment to caring for their employees, guests and communities. This combination will build on the 90+ year legacies and cultures of these two service-oriented airlines, preserve both beloved brands on a single operating platform, and protect and grow union-represented jobs and economic development opportunities in Hawai‘i, with a combined network that will provide more options and added international connectivity for travelers through airline partners including, the one world Alliance.

“This combination is an exciting next step in our collective journey to provide a better travel experience for our guests and expand options for West Coast and Hawai‘i travelers,” said Ben Minicucci, Alaska Airlines CEO. “We have a longstanding and deep respect for Hawaiian Airlines, for their role as a top employer in Hawai‘i, and for how their brand and people carry the warm culture of aloha around the globe. Our two airlines are powered by incredible employees, with 90+ year legacies and values grounded in caring for the special places and people that we serve. I am grateful to the more than 23,000 Alaska Airlines employees who are proud to have served Hawai‘i for over 16 years, and we are fully committed to investing in the communities of Hawai‘i and maintaining robust Neighbor Island service that Hawaiian Airlines travelers have come to expect. We look forward to deepening this stewardship as our airlines come together, while providing unmatched value to customers, employees, communities and owners.”

“Since 1929, Hawaiian Airlines has been an integral part of life in Hawai‘i, and together with Alaska Airlines we will be able to deliver more for our guests, employees and the communities that we serve,” said Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO. “In Alaska Airlines, we are joining an airline that has long served Hawai‘i, and has a complementary network and a shared culture of service. With the additional scale and resources that this transaction with Alaska Airlines brings, we will be able to accelerate investments in our guest experience and technology, while maintaining the Hawaiian Airlines brand. We are also pleased to deliver significant, immediate and compelling value to our shareholders through this all-cash transaction. Together, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines can bring our authentic brands of hospitality to more of the world while continuing to serve our valued local communities.”

Complementary Networks and Greater Choice for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines’ Combined 54.7 million Annual Passengers

The combination of complementary domestic, international, and cargo networks is positioned to enhance competition and expand choice for consumers on the West Coast and throughout the Hawaiian Islands through:

• Preserving outstanding brands: The combined airline will maintain both industry-leading Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines brands while integrating into a single operating platform, enabling the remarkable service and hospitality of each to be enjoyed by passengers with continued excellence in operational reliability, trust and guest satisfaction for which both companies have been consistently recognized.
• An enhanced product offering for a wide range of consumers: The combination preserves and expands high-quality, best-in-class product offerings with price points to make air travel accessible to a wide range of consumers across a range of cabin classes, including greater choice between Alaska Airlines’ high-value, low-fare options and Hawaiian Airlines’ international and long-haul product on par with network carriers.
• Complementary networks expand travel options: Passengers traveling throughout the Continental U.S., U.S. West Coast and across the Pacific will benefit from more choice and increased connectivity across both airlines’ networks, with service to 138 destinations including non-stop service to 29 top international destinations in the Americas, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, and combined access to over 1,200 destinations through the one world Alliance.
• Expanded service for Hawai‘i: For Hawai‘i residents, the combination will expand service and convenience by tripling the number of destinations throughout North America that can be reached nonstop or one stop from the Islands, while maintaining robust Neighbor Island service and increasing air cargo capacity.
• Strategic Honolulu hub: Honolulu will become a key Alaska Airlines hub, enabling greater international connectivity for West Coast travelers throughout the Asia-Pacific region with one-stop service through Hawai‘i.
• Increased loyalty program benefits: The transaction will connect Hawaiian Airlines’ loyalty members with enhanced benefits through an industry-leading loyalty program for the combined airline, including the ability to earn and redeem miles on 29 global partners and receive elite benefits on the full complement of one world Alliance airlines, expanded global lounge access and benefits of the combined program’s co-brand credit card.

Delivering Substantial Benefits for Employees and Communities in Hawai‘i

As one of Hawai‘i’s largest employers, Hawaiian Airlines has a long legacy of commitment to its employees, who shaped the company over its 94-year history, and to local communities, culture, and the natural environment. As an integrated company, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will continue this stewardship and maintain a strong presence and investment in Hawai‘i. The combined company will drive:

• Growth in union-represented jobs: Maintain and grow union-represented jobs in Hawai‘i, including preserving pilot, flight attendant, and maintenance bases in Honolulu and airport operations and cargo throughout the state.
• Strong operational presence: Maintain a strong operations presence with local leadership and a regional headquarters in Hawai‘i to support the combined airlines’ network.
• Opportunities for employees : Provide more opportunities for career advancement, competitive pay and benefits, and geographic mobility for employees.
• Expansion of workforce development initiatives: Continue and expand access to workforce development initiatives, including Hawaiian Airlines’ partnership with the Honolulu Community College Aeronautics Maintenance Technology Program and Alaska Airlines’ Ascend Pilot Academy among others, to support future jobs and career opportunities in Hawai‘i and beyond.
• Investment in local communities: Continue to invest in Hawai‘i communities, combining and expanding the two airlines’ commitments, and work with local communities and government to build a vibrant future for Hawai‘i.
• Perpetuation of culture: Committed to promoting regenerative tourism in the Hawaiian Islands and investing in Hawaiian language and culture, continuing and building upon Hawaiian Airlines’ existing programs.

Becoming an Even More Sustainable Combined Airline

Alaska Airlines is committed to building upon both Alaska Airlines’ and Hawaiian Airlines’ strong commitments to environmental stewardship, including Alaska Airlines’ five-part path to net zero by 2040 and sustainability goals in areas of carbon emissions and fuel efficiency, waste, and healthy ecosystems. In 2022, Alaska Airlines made its largest Boeing fleet order in its 90-year history, focused on the Boeing 737-MAX aircraft, which are 25% more fuel-efficient on a seat-by-seat basis than the aircraft they replace, and continued to expand use of route optimization software to help dispatchers develop routes that save fuel, time, and emissions. Both airlines are actively working to advance the market for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in their respective geographies. These climate-focused efforts will continue, including continued investment in local sourcing.  

Compelling Strategic and Financial Rationale, Generating Outsized Value Creation

The combination fits strategically with Alaska Airlines’ sustained focus on expanding options for West Coast travelers and creates an important new platform to further enhance Alaska Airlines’ above industry-average organic growth. The transaction is designed to deliver attractive value creation for Alaska Airlines’ shareholders while providing a compelling premium for Hawaiian Airlines shareholders.

• All-cash transaction of $18.00 per share for a total equity value of $1.0 billion provides a compelling premium for Hawaiian Airlines shareholders.
• Transaction multiple of 0.7 times revenue, approximately one third the average of recent airline transactions.
• Approximately $235 million of expected run-rate synergies reflect a conservative estimate of the transaction’s synergy potential; these exclude other identified upside opportunities that could be realized.
• Expected to generate high single digit earnings accretion for Alaska Airlines within the first two years (high-teens three+ years) post-close and mid-teens ROIC by year three, excluding integration costs, with returns above Alaska Airlines’ cost of capital.
• No anticipated material impact on long-term balance sheet metrics, with return to target leverage levels expected within 24 months.

Conditions to Close

The transaction agreement has been approved by both boards. The acquisition is conditioned on required regulatory approvals, approval by Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. shareholders (which is expected to be sought in the first quarter of 2024), and other customary closing conditions. It is expected to close in 12-18 months. The combined organization will be based in Seattle under the leadership of Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. A dedicated leadership team will be established to focus on integration planning.

BofA Securities and PJT Partners are serving as financial advisors and O’Melveny & Myers LLP is serving as legal advisor to Alaska Airlines. Barclays is serving as financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation is serving as legal advisor to Hawaiian Airlines.

Microsite and Multimedia Assets

Additional information about the transaction is available at a new joint website at localcareglobalreach.com and investor materials can also be found at investor.alaskaair.com and news.alaskaair.com .

INVESTOR CONFERENCE CALL AND PRESS CONFERENCE

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines executives will discuss the transaction on a conference call . An investor presentation about the transaction will be referenced on the conference call and is being posted on the joint website referenced above.

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will be joined by local leaders at a joint press conference in Honolulu today, December 3, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. Hawai‘i Standard time.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico with new service to the Bahamas and Guatemala beginning in December. We strive to be the most caring airline with award-winning customer service and an industry-leading loyalty program. As a member of the one world Alliance, and with our additional global partners, our guests can travel to more than 1,200 destinations on 29 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com and follow @alaskaairnews for news and stories. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

About Hawaiian Airlines

Now in its 95th year of continuous service, Hawaiian is Hawaiʻi’s biggest and longest-serving airline. Hawaiian offers approximately 150 daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands, and nonstop flights between Hawaiʻi and 15 U.S. gateway cities – more than any other airline – as well as service connecting Honolulu and American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Tahiti.

Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler and TripAdvisor have placed Hawaiian among the top of all domestic airlines serving Hawaiʻi. The carrier was named Hawaiʻi’s best employer by Forbes in 2022 and has topped Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list as the No. 1 U.S. airline for the past two years. Hawaiian has also led all U.S. carriers in on-time performance for 18 consecutive years (2004-2021) as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The airline is committed to connecting people with aloha. As Hawai’i’s hometown airline, Hawaiian encourages guests to Travel Pono and experience the islands safely and respectfully.

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA). Additional information is available at HawaiianAirlines.com . Follow Hawaiian’s Twitter updates (@HawaiianAir), become a fan on Facebook (Hawaiian Airlines), and follow us on Instagram (hawaiianairlines). For career postings and updates, follow Hawaiian’s LinkedIn page.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by the federal securities laws, including statements relating to the expected timing of the closing of the pending acquisition (the “Transaction”) of Hawaiian Holdings Inc. (“Hawaiian Holdings”) by Alaska Air Group, Inc. (“Alaska Air Group”); considerations taken into account by Alaska Air Group’s and Hawaiian Holdings’ Boards of Directors in approving the Transaction; and expectations for Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings following the closing of the Transaction. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will in fact be consummated. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include: the possibility that Hawaiian Holdings shareholders may not approve the adoption of the merger agreement; the risk that a condition to closing of the Transaction may not be satisfied (or waived); the ability of each party to consummate the Transaction; that either party may terminate the merger agreement or that the closing of the Transaction might be delayed or not occur at all; possible disruption related to the Transaction to Alaska Air Group’s or Hawaiian Holding’s current plans or operations, including through the loss of customers and employees; the diversion of management time and attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the response of competitors to the Transaction; a failure to (or delay in) receiving the required regulatory clearances for the Transaction; uncertainties regarding Alaska Air Group’s ability to successfully integrate the operations of Hawaiian Holdings and Alaska Air Group and the time and cost to do so; the outcome of any legal proceedings that could be instituted against Hawaiian Holdings, Alaska Air Group or others relating to the Transaction; Alaska Air Group’s ability to realize anticipated cost savings, synergies or growth from the Transaction in the timeframe expected or at all; legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the business of Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings; general economic conditions including those associated with pandemic recovery; the possibility and severity of catastrophic events, including but not limited to, pandemics, natural disasters, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in periodic reports that Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All forward-looking statements in this communication are based on information available to Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings as of the date of this communication. Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Holdings each expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Hawaiian Holdings, its directors and certain executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with the Transaction. Hawaiian Holdings plans to file a proxy statement (the “Transaction Proxy Statement”) with the SEC in connection with the solicitation of proxies to approve the Transaction.

Daniel W. Akins, Wendy A. Beck, Earl E. Fry, Lawrence S. Hershfield, C. Jayne Hrdlicka, Peter R. Ingram, Michael E. McNamara, Crystal K. Rose, Mark D. Schneider, Craig E. Vosburg, Duane E. Woerth and Richard N. Zwern, all of whom are members of Hawaiian Holdings’ board of directors, and Shannon L. Okinaka, Hawaiian Holdings’ chief financial officer, are participants in Hawaiian Holdings’ solicitation. None of such participants owns in excess of one percent of Hawaiian Holdings’ common stock. Additional information regarding such participants, including their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the Transaction Proxy Statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transaction. Please refer to the information relating to the foregoing (other than for Messrs. Akins and Woerth) under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” in Hawaiian Holdings’ definitive proxy statement for its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2023 Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on April 5, 2023 and is available at https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1172222/000117222223000022/ha-20230405.htm#i2d8a68908cc64c37bbeca80e509abb72_31. Since the filing of the 2023 Proxy Statement, (a) each director (other than Mr. Ingram) received a grant of 13,990 restricted stock units that will vest upon the earlier of (i) the day prior to Hawaiian Holdings’ 2024 annual meeting of stockholders or (ii) a change in control of Hawaiian Holdings; (b) Mr. Ingram received a grant of 163,755 restricted stock units; and (c) Ms. Okinaka received a grant of 57,314 restricted stock units. In the Transaction, equity awards held by Mr. Ingram and Ms. Okinaka will be treated in accordance with their respective severance and change in control agreements. As of December 1, 2023, Mr. Ingram beneficially owns 340,964 shares and Ms. Okinaka beneficially owns 86,903 shares. The 2023 proxy statement, under the caption “Executive Compensation—Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control,” contains certain illustrative information on the payments that may be owed to Mr. Ingram and Ms. Okinaka in a change of control of Hawaiian Holdings. As of December 1, 2023, (a) Mr. Woerth beneficially owns 37,389 shares and (b)Mr. Akins beneficially owns no shares. Mr. Akins received a grant of 13,990 restricted stock units that will vest upon the earlier of (a) the day prior to Hawaiian Holdings’ 2024 annual meeting of stockholders or (b) a change of control.

Promptly after filing the definitive Transaction Proxy Statement with the SEC, Hawaiian Holdings will mail the definitive Transaction Proxy Statement and a WHITE proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting to consider the Transaction. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE TRANSACTION PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT HAWAIIAN HOLDINGS WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, the preliminary and definitive versions of the Transaction Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Hawaiian Holdings with the SEC in connection with the Transaction at the SEC’s website ( http://www.sec.gov ). Copies of Hawaiian Holdings’ definitive Transaction Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Hawaiian Holdings with the SEC in connection with the Transaction will also be available, free of charge, at Hawaiian Holdings’ investor relations website (https://newsroom.hawaiianairlines.com/investor-relations), or by writing to Hawaiian Holdings Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, P.O. Box 30008, Honolulu, HI 96820.

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ADVENTURE IS A SHORE THING SHORE EXCURSIONS

DISCOVER YOUR OWN

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

The excursions and guided tours designed to take your getaway to the next level — from locally-taught culinary classes and land tours infused with culture and history, to adrenaline amping outdoor thrills and off-the-grid exploration. Ready to revisit that bucket list? Explore the possibilities for shore excursions on your next cruise below.

ADVENTURE ON LAND

No matter what your ideal adventure involves, Shore Excursions make it easy to immerse yourself in each vibrant destination you visit. Unleash your inner explorer and discover bold new ways to connect with the people, culture and places around you as you sail from one unforgettable shore to another.

EUROPE EXCURSIONS

When you explore Europe’s ancient cities, every arch and alleyway tells a story. In Sicily, you can bike across the rim of Mount Etna, which the ancient Greeks believed was home to the legendary Cyclops. In Spain, learn how to prepare tapas like a true Malagan, then savor every single bite. And venture deeper into nature — literally — as you explore the magnificent Lipa Cave in Montenegro. No matter where your journey takes you, these experiences will make every moment memorable.  

PRIVATE JOURNEYS

For those looking for a more personalized adventure, there’s Private Journeys. Our Destination Insiders leverage extensive knowledge and years of travel expertise to hand craft one-of-a-kind private tours with you in mind. You can customize an existing tour that catches your eye, or work with an Insider to create an exclusive tour experience that’s completely unique to you or a small group. Celebrating a special occasion, chasing a lifelong dream, or looking for ways to rediscover a favorite destination? Private Journeys are at your service.  

DISCOVER WONDERS BENEATH THE WAVES

Adventure doesn’t just happen onshore — there are countless marvels waiting to be discovered just below the waterline. Brave the depths and venture down to the ocean floor, or scope out the reefs as you snorkel along the surface of the sea.

SNORKEL EXCURSIONS

Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world that’s teeming with life. Swim with sea turtles and manta rays, float over vibrant reefs, and explore colorful coral forests on a snorkeling excursion designed to bring you up close with the ocean’s most beautiful natural treasures.  

SCUBA EXCURSIONS

There’s no better way to explore the beauty beneath the waves than on a guided scuba excursion. Dive deep below the surface of the sea with a certified expert and weave through brilliant coral colonies, scour centuries-old shipwrecks and come face-to-face with exotic aquatic critters.  

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK A SHORE EXCURSION

12 Coolest Slides On Cruise Ships

Long Weekend Cruises

Six Secret Finds During Your Weekend Cruise

• * Tours involving flights, trains, special events, overnight stays, hotel stays and Private Journeys must be cancelled 30 days prior to sailing to avoid cancellation penalties. Other restrictions may apply.
• + In the unlikely event that your tour is significantly delayed, we’ll make all the arrangements for you to return to the ship at the earliest opportunity at no expense to you.
• *Guests on tour under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 
• Read more on the Guest Terms site .

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Anchorage Travel Guide 2024/2025: Essential Tips, Sights, Itinerary Hotels,Historical Landmarks and Adventures in Alaska’s Vibrant City With Images And Maps (BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE Book 1) Kindle Edition

• Book 1 of 1 BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CZLYRB4Q
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 8, 2024
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We block Amazon accounts that violate our community guidelines. We also block sellers who buy reviews and take legal actions against parties who provide these reviews.  Learn how to report

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