There are many things to see when we are travelling in Alaska. The state is known for its abundant wildlife, imposing glaciers, awesome sub-tropical forest, barren tundra, rushing rivers, amazing fjords, jaw-dropping coasts and obviously, majestic, snow covered peaks. There are many breathtaking wonders in the country and it may take at least one week to enjoy the whole state. However, because Alaska is enormous, it could take nearly the whole summer for some people to really enjoy the experience. There are so many fantastic attractions we can see. If we have time and money to spare, it takes a two-month excursion to appreciate the state’s rich history.

However, many people could already enjoy the state with short vacations. Major airlines have flights to Anchorage and a few other cities in Alaska. A very easy way to enjoy Alaska is by using the smaller cruise ships that operate in the country’s waters. This should be a good thing, because many passages aren’t accessible to bigger ships. With small cruise ships, we can enjoy wildlife, glaciers and other dramatic sceneries that can’t be visited with standard road systems. From Anchorage, we could go directly to Whittier and this allows us to go through the seldom-visited area around the Prince William Sound. We should also be able to visit the Blackstone Glacier, located in the Blackstone Bay.

The next thing is to visit the Esther Passage and College Fjord. The College Fjord is known for its glacier and small cruise ships usually sail closer to the numerous glaciers. This will allow us to witness the gigantic block of ice plunging into the sea, causing massive waves. At the Esther Passage, only smaller cruise ships can navigate through it and we should have the opportunity to see the playful sea otters. The ship should cross the Prince William Sound and we will reach a small town called Cordova. It is actually a fishing village and inaccessible only with ships.

Some small cruise ships will stay in Cordova, allowing us to sample the local delicacies and perform other activities, such as river rafting, hiking and fishing. After leaving Cordova, the ships should bring us to explore Chenega Glacier and Knight Island. The scenery can be quite impressive as the ship cruise among sculpted wilderness islands. Another stunning glacier experience is available as we move toward the Narrow Ice Bay. We could see mountain goats on the cliff faces and seals on the icebergs. This should conclude our coastal excursions in Alaska and we can proceed to experience inland attractions.

This is a basic itinerary for coastal trip in Alaska and we could check local cruise companies whether they follow the same route. When travelling with cruise ships, we should wear layered clothing. We should wear something thin next to the skin, but it shouldn’t be cotton. The second layer should be quite thick and retain our body heat properly. The third layer should be waterproofed, because there could be cold drizzles as we are travelling along the coast.