When you hear the word “vacation,” you automatically think of packing shorts and bathing suits, and relaxing on the beach. But recently, people have been ditching flip flops for hiking boots and sweaters, as Alaska has become a popular vacation destination. I know what you’re thinking – Alaska? The place with snow, polar bears and eskimos? You’ve heard it’s beautiful up there, but what could there possibly be to do in the Last Frontier? Well, I had the amazing opportunity to travel there with my family, and realized that you will never be short on things to do there.
1. Eat salmon in the salmon capital of the world
Ketchikan is a small town in southeast Alaska boasting a population of bears that outnumbers people and the title of “Salmon Capital of the World.” It has rightfully earned this title. If you go into any gift shop, you will find a plethora of boxed salmon, ranging from pink to sockeye, that they will be more than happy to send right to your house. The only restaurants I saw in Ketchikan were crab shacks, or fishing companies, or even sushi spots, which no doubt served the best sushi outside of Japan. If you’re looking for a real treat, the smoked salmon jerky and pink salmon and halibut spreads are almost too good to be true. The best part? They can send everything on their shelves right to your house.
2. Go rafting on the Mendenhall River
The Mendenhall Glacier has become a landmark of its own in Alaska’s capital of Juneau. It affects the city’s weather and tourism. Seeing the Mendenhall is a sobering experience, as in the past 30 years, global warming has caused it to recede so much that a new lake has formed from the glacier’s runoff. While 13.6 miles of the glacier remains in Mendenhall Valley, it’s still a shock to compare photos from the 1950s and the view in front of you. However, the runoff has also contributed to a river running with level three rapids and winds through forests and neighborhoods. Rafting along this icy river is a lot of fun. You don’t have to work too hard to row through the waters, but you definitely still get a workout and a beautiful view to go with it.
3. Take a train through the White Pass and Yukon Route
In 1898, hopeful prospectors traveled to the Klondike region of the Yukon in Canada after gold was discovered in the area. An antique train that leaves from the town of Skagway takes you along the same route stampeders took. It takes you through landscapes of deep valleys and towering, jagged mountains. You ride through tunnels blasted through hills and above swirling rivers. You pass landmarks such as Bridal Veil Falls, Dead Horse Gulch and Inspiration Point. This ride through history is breathtaking and you'll know you’re looking at something truly special and amazing.
4. Take a helicopter tour
While I didn’t take a helicopter tour, it was impossible to go to any destination without seeing them passing between the peaks. Helicopter tours are able to take you to places you can only get to with a camera. They take you up mountains that are impossible to climb and right up to glaciers, allowing people to even walk on top of them. They take you to summits and views that you could never have dreamed of from the ground.
5. Go whale watching
A small boat takes you out into the middle of the water where you get to watch whales in their natural habitat. Our tour guide told us that in recent years, humpback whales have been making a comeback in Alaska. Each year, there have been more and more that make the long migration back from the Mexican coasts to feed on krill in the northwest waters. We were lucky enough to spot five, grabbing a bite for lunch by skimming the surface of the water on their sides with their mouths open and their two-ton tongues hanging out.
6. Visit downtown Skagway
The small town that the White Pass and Yukon Route train pulls out of is Skagway, home to only 500 annual residents and a 100-mile highway built just to take them to the next town. It feels like you're walking on a movie set when you meander through seven blocks of locally owned and operated businesses, bars, restaurants and shops. And, like most towns in Alaska, they are not short on places to buy boxes of salmon.
7. See the totem poles in Ketchikan
Paying tribute to the Native Americans that lived in Ketchikan before, recreations of totem poles have been erected in Saxman Village to show the craft and artistry of native traditions. Interesting poles include the Lincoln Pole, which marks the signing of a peace pact between two rival tribes. Our 16th president stands atop this pole because the tribes found a photograph of him on the American ship that had brought in the settlers instrumental in finalizing the peace. Another one tells the story of a young boy in the tribe who was drowned by a creature in the water that caught him while he was fishing. All of the carvings on the totem pole are essential for telling the story or honoring the subject.
Needless to say, Alaska is anything but just frozen tundras. If given the chance, I would go back and do everything again -- and more.
