To fracture a phrase from a popular Dr. Seuss title, “oh, the places you’ll see,” when you schedule Alaska shore excursions on your inside passage cruise to Alaska and its exciting Alaskan ports of call. Alaska is often called America’s last frontier, and considering that it is home to the Tongass National Forest, which covers close to half of the state and includes the largest temperate rainforest in the world, that moniker is surely well deserved.
Alaska cruise excursions offer multiple A-list options for exploring the incredible beauty, be it flora or fauna, of the vast Tongass National Forest on hikes, on zip-lining adventures through the rainforest, on kayaking trips with glacier views, and on bear and wildlife expeditions.
Booking Alaska shore excursions lets you experience the state’s most spectacular highs and lows, literally, as you’re able to helicopter-land atop the magisterial heights of magnificent glaciers or just as easily cast a rod off a fishing boat into watery depths and perhaps snag the trophy catch of a lifetime – salmon, halibut, Arctic Char, and others, depending on season and your location.
Glacier-gazing is a popular pastime when cruising Alaska, but there’s nothing quite as amazing as Alaska shore excursions that give you thrilling up-close views of the icy behemoths – the Mendenhall, the Hubbard , Taku, and others. Hike on top of a glacier following a helicopter flight over the Juneau icefields; bike along paths that follow the contours of glacier walls; enjoy spectacular views from visitors’ centers; see the craggy face of a glacier as you paddle down river and around ice floes, spotting native wildlife including bears, eagles, and harbor seals.
If whale-watching is your sport of choice, choose guided excursions on catamarans, Zodiac inflatables, and special safari vessels that ply calm waters to well-known feeding grounds where whale-spotting is virtually, and in some cases, actually guaranteed, and naturalist guides offer insights into the world of these endlessly fascinating marine creatures. Alaska is known for being one of the best places to see orcas and humpback whales after all.
Tlingit, totems, and tides are on tap when you book shore excursions to get to know Native Alaskan culture. Watch, listen, see, and taste as the story of the ancient Tlingit tribe unfolds in destinations around Southeast Alaska through tours of villages and clan houses, totem carving demos, storytelling, and sampling of native foods.
Food lovers will find much to love in Alaska’s culinary scene, including feasting on the freshest line-caught salmon, grilled to perfection and served in park-like outdoor settings or rustic lodges in view of a massive glacier.
