Anchorage
As the largest city in the state of Alaska, Anchorage offers a compelling combination of metropolitan luxuries and unrivalled natural beauty.
Covering a vast area of 1900 square miles, much of this remarkable port city remains uninhabited and mountainous.
The greater Anchorage area is home to a population of over 300,000 inhabitants as well as an astonishing range of wildlife such as moose, brown and black bears, dall sheep, and many migratory bird species.
With the glistening waters of the exquisite Cook Inlet and the towering peaks of the Chugach Mountains right on the city's doorstep, outdoor enthusiasts can indulge in a range of activities including hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and even sea kayaking among some majestic tidewater glaciers in nearby Blackstone Bay.
Homer
Situated on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, on the northern banks of Kachemak Bay, the small city of Homer is known as the arts capital of southcentral Alaska.
This city is home to the Homer Spit, a long strip of sand which extends out into the bay. Homer is a thriving artists community featuring several art galleries, excellent restaurants, fascinating museums and theatres. It serves as a port of entry for visitors to explore the magnificent surrounds.
Homer boasts sweeping panoramic views across the glittering Kachemak Bay, which is crowned by Kachemak Bay State Park’s snow-capped Kenai mountains and the dramatic Grewingk Glacier.
This spectacularly scenic area offers a wide selection of exciting wilderness adventures and activities such as trekking, bear viewing, paddling, and world-class fishing.
Kenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is found in Alaska in the extreme northwest of the United States of America.
This stunningly beautiful area is one of the state’s most-visited, with an incredible range of sights and outdoor activities to enjoy.
Fishing enthusiasts should head to Anchor, Soldotna or Homer (which gives access to Kachemak Bay), while the hub of Kenai is home to a popular annual Birding Festival and also boasts excellent salmon-fishing, and the small town of Ninilchik offers clam digging and a photogenic Russian Orthodox Church.
Head to Seward for the Alaska SeaLife Centre and to easily reach the magnificent Kenai Fjords National Park, where adventurous travellers can view wildlife and explore the Harding Icefield (found on Exit Glacier).
Seward
Sandwiched between Mount Marathon and the glistening waters of Resurrection bay, this scenic city is surrounded by lush rain forests and is easily accessible from Anchorage.
This vast surrounding wilderness makes Seward an ideal base for kayaking, hiking, fishing, whale-watching and glacier-viewing excursions.
It also serves as the gateway to the impressive Kenai Fjords National Park which offers exceptionally scenic landscapes and a remarkable variety of unusual marine wildlife.
Many visitors take a day cruise along the coast south of Seward to watch glaciers calve into the sea and to spot seals, sea lions and whales.
More adventurous travellers can rent a kayak and spend their afternoons paddling among sea otters and their nights gazing at glaciers.
This small, sparsely populated, 21.5-square-mile city, is the perfect place to call home for a few days while you explore all of the breathtaking natural wonders that this stunning wilderness area has to offer.
Wasilla/Palmer
Set just 45-minutes from Anchorage, Alaska's largest city; Wasilla serves as the perfect gateway to an array of Alaskan adventures.
This quiet little city is set amidst Alaska’s incredibly rugged beauty including the Cook Inlet and the magnificent Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
History enthusiasts can enjoy a visit to the Wasilla Museum and Visitor Centre, while outdoor adventure-lovers can delight in the wide variety of amazing activities on offer in Wasilla and its magnificent surrounds including snowmobiling, dog sledding, fishing, helicopter tours, ATV excursions and much more.
Don’t miss the opportunity to cruise along the breathtakingly beautiful Hatcher Pass Scenic Drive situated just north of the town.
Valdez
Set on the northeastern tip of the spectacularly beautiful Prince William Sound, the town of Valdez is surrounded by some of the best coastal scenery in Alaska featuring majestic tidewater glaciers and some of the world’s highest mountains.
This outdoor paradise provides an array of exciting outdoor adventure activities for visitors to enjoy including: whitewater rafting through the impressive Keystone Canyon, chartering a boat for an exciting fishing trip, kayaking among majestic icebergs and spotting friendly seals.
Other popular activities include: glacier hiking, heli-skiing, mountain biking and ice climbing.
Fairbanks
In the summer with the sun shining nearly 24 hours a day, Fairbanks is simply bursting with energy. Strike it rich panning for gold, float the Chena River, mingle with reindeer and musk oxen, cool off in an ice museum, take a refreshing hike, or be inspired by brilliant art galleries, museums, and historic sites.
From late August to April you have a great chance to see the shimmering light of the aurora borealis and the town unveils a host of activities and events during the winter.
Once a gold rush boomtown, Fairbanks is now Alaska’s second largest metropolis known as the “Golden Heart City”.
The Alaska Highway, trans-Alaska oil pipeline, military bases, mining and the University of Alaska are all integral to Fairbanks’ past and future. Fairbanks is one of the last frontiers - inviting, invigorating and awe-inspiring.
Denali
In the spectacularly scenic state of Alaska, 386 kilometres north of Anchorage, Denali National Park is home to Mount Denali, North America's highest mountain.
This astonishingly vast wilderness area provides a haven for a remarkable variety of wildlife, from Toklat grizzly bears, packs of wild wolves and herds of moose with antlers the size of coffee tables.
The breathtakingly beautiful Wonder Lake rests at the base of the imposing McKinley, a narrow kettle pond which formed during Alaska's ice ages.
The park boasts a wide range of activities. Spend your days white water rafting on the Nenana River or exploring the multicolor volcanic rocks at Cathedral Mountain and Polychrome Pass, and see a myriad of animals along the way.
With forest-clad glaciers and magnificent golden eagles soaring above, it is little wonder that Dewali National Park is Alaska's most treasured tourist destination.
Ketchikan
Situated on Alaska’s southeastern coast, on the island of Revillagigedo, the city of Ketchikan is known for its plentiful salmon, jaw-dropping scenery, and an incredibly rich First Nation culture.
Ketchikan is idyllically positioned along a network of waterways known as the ‘Inside Passage’, which meander through some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful wilderness in the world.
Known as the ‘The Salmon Capital of the World', Ketchikan boasts a thriving century-old fishing culture and is home to the world’s largest collection of totem poles.
Visitors can look forward to a variety of activities including: learning about Native Alaskan culture, visiting local art galleries, fishing on one of the many lakes and rivers, ziplining over misty fjords, or spotting whales, dolphins, and sea lions.
Glacier Bay National Park
Situated in southeast Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park is the undeniable highlight of Alaska's popular Inside Passage.
This World Heritage Site is one of the world’s largest international protected areas. The park features a vast stretch of rugged snow-capped mountains, wild untouched coastlines, freshwater streams, tidewater glaciers, lush rainforest, and deep protected fjords.
This glistening iceberg-abundant bay is flanked by the sheer peaks of Mount Fairweather and the massive Grand Pacific Glacier.
The park offers visitors a fantastic selection of thrilling wilderness adventures and activities including: kayaking, whale watching, eco-touring, sports fishing, golfing, beachcombing, flightseeing, sightseeing, camping and hiking.
Commonly spotted wildlife include: humpback whales, killer whales, seals, porpoises, sea otter, brown bears, wolves, moose, mountain goats and over 200 bird species.
