Given its relatively secluded location, Alaska might have passed you by when considering holiday destinations. Far from the sun, sea and sand of Jamaica or Mexico, it’s the other end of the spectrum. It’s something for that more hardcore traveller – an icy paradise that seems almost too beautiful to be real when looking at the pictures.
Put simply, there’s nothing quite like Alaska, whether you’re wanting impossibly beautiful 11pm sunsets, or you want to see the majestic moose up close (maybe even at the cinema), you’ve got plenty of choice.
Make sure you bring a coat and prepare to be left gobsmacked at this wonderful, often underappreciated part of the US. One thing that is guaranteed is that you’ll never forget your first trip to Alaska.
Some facts about Alaska
As a state that is six times the size of the UK, there’s a lot to see in America’s most westerly state, and it’s unlikely you’ll even scratch the surface in a couple of weeks. It’s essentially one of the last time zones before you’re back at the furthest point east – in fact, the two Diomede islands are just 2.4 miles from Russia, and are an entire day apart.
With an abundance of nature and friendly people, it’s becoming quite the place for many Americans to relocate and start their families. That said, the long cold winters are something of a drawback, but if you can handle the cold, you’ll absolutely love visiting.
The three largest cities are Anchorage, Juneau (the capital) and Fairbanks, and all three offer something fascinating. It’s one of the world’s most popular cruise destinations too, and it’s no surprise given the stunning scenery around the Alaskan coastline. You can experience that firsthand with Silversea Cruises too – life is too short not to take a trip to Alaska!
Things to do
Though there’s so much to see in this magnificent landscape, two weeks should be plenty of time to see all that you could want to see, while still allowing for a return to see something new in the future.
Anything is possible in Alaska, take for instance hiking an ice-age glacier – how many places can offer you the opportunity to do something this extraordinary? Then you’ve got the majestic bears that roam the landscape – just be careful when going bear-spotting, as they aren’t as cuddly as they may appear.
Then you have Alaskan salmon fishing, with Alaskan salmon often touted as the finest salmon the world has to offer. Other more extreme watersports include whitewater rafting, which you may quite enjoy if you want to satisfy that risk-taking devil within. If you’re in Alaska, then we can certainly deduce that that devil exists at the very least…
If you want to sample the culture, the Anchorage Museum offers a comprehensive history of the state. As for food and drink, you won’t be short of fresh seafood, as well as some interesting meats from moose to elk.
As well as this, Alaska has a variety of microbreweries to quench your thirst. The weather may be cold, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a nice cold beer. Just bring every layer you have, and you’ll be golden.
