Alaska

When Secretary of State William H. Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 most people called it Seward's Folly. That changed when Gold Rush hit and Alaska's rich mineral deposits drew nearly 30,000 hopeful prospectors north to pan for gold. Alaska became the 49th US state on January 3, 1959. As the northernmost US state Alaska's nicknames have included The Last Frontier and The Land of the Midnight Sun.

Alaska's tourism regions are:

Many travelers choose Alaska cruises (See our Alaska Cruise page) through the coastal fjords for the incredible views of glaciers, rain forests and wildlife. This southernmost area of Alaska offers opportunities for kayaking, camping, boating, whale and bird watching. Alaska's capital city of Juneau has historic Victorian homes and onion-domed Russian churches alongside the totem poles of Native Alaskan culture. Flightsee over the Juneau Icefield to see the birthplace of more than 40 glaciers. Near the city of Skagway you can take a scenic trip through mountains on the White Pass & Yukon Route narrow gauge railway.

This most populous area of Alaska offers the best of both worlds: remote areas that can be accessed by modern roads. Travelers can fish for salmon and trout, hike through beautiful terrain and encounter wildlife of all kinds. Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, offers the finest hotels, shopping and restaurants. Take an Alaskan cruise or flightseeing trip through the fjords and waterways of Prince William Sound to see wildlife and thousands of glaciers.

Alaska's Denali National Park is home to Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. The scenic Alaska Highway, originally built as a military supply road during World War II extends north out of Canada towards Fairbanks. During the winter travelers come to see the aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights, and to participate in sports such as skiing and dog sledding. Every March Anchorage is the starting point for the world famous Iditarod dog sled race.

The landscape of Alaska's Far North ranges from coastal plain to tundra to mountain ranges. Fishing and wildlife viewing are popular summer activities. Nome is the end point for the Iditarod dog sled race every March. For the adventurous traveler the area north of the Arctic Circle offers many National Parks and Preserves that give new meaning to the phrase "getting away from it all".

This area of Alaska has the volcanoes of Katmai National Park, brown bears on Kodiak Island, Native Alaskan villages and numerous fly-in fishing lodges. Many areas are accessible only by boat or plane. The Aleutian Islands extend westward off the Alaskan Peninsula. During WWII & the Cold War the military kept watch here from secret outposts. Travel to the Aleutians to see active volcanoes and numerous wildlife refuges.