One of the many things that Alaska is known for is our amazing assortment of wildlife throughout the state. There are thousands of different species up here, including 112 types of mammals and (something I didn’t know until someone mentioned it to me last week) over 500 species of birds. If you enjoy eating meat …
I like to think of myself as a family-friendly writer, so I won’t be making any jokes about the name of the humpy salmon, short for “humpback salmon,” also commonly called the pink salmon. I’ll be using those three terms interchangeably because, as some guy 400 years ago once wrote, variety is the spice of …
Skagway and Ketchikan are two of the most common travel destinations (that aren’t named “Juneau“) in Southeast Alaska. If you had two options for cruises, but each one only stopped in one of the places and not the other, which should you choose? Let’s take a look at each place individually, then compare them, in …
People often ask me when the best time to visit Alaska is, although they usually ask if the beginning of tourist season (May) is better than the end of tourist season (September). Every now and again, someone will ask if going to Alaska in winter is a good idea. I will now live up to …
For as long as I can remember, there has been a lot of talk about increasing oil production in Alaska, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Just as the debate rages on down south, Alaskans themselves are divided on the issue, although it’s not necessarily a 50/50 split (but we’ll get into …
There are a lot of things you’ll need to think about if you’re planning on taking a trip up to Alaska. Will you be taking a cruise or a plane? How long will you be up here? Should you rent a car? The answers to the first two are up to you; either way is …
Stika and Ketchikan are two of the most popular non-Juneau cruise destinations in Southeast Alaska. If you’re looking to fly in (or take the Alaskan Ferry from Seattle) then you’re looking at completely different experiences, despite the fact that both cities are located in Southeast Alaska. Hopefully, we’ll be able to shed some light on …
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in rural Alaska? I mean really rural Alaska, like Prince of Wales Island or somewhere in the interior? Although I live in Juneau, the capital of Alaska, which has over 30,000 people, I have spent time in rural Alaska and I have known a lot of …
If you’re part of the LGBTQ Community, you may be wondering if Alaska will be a friendly travel destination for you and your partner. In general, the Pacific Northwest is very open-minded and welcoming. You’d think that Southeast Alaska would be close enough to share the same feelings, but does it? Many people in the …
I’ve mentioned a few times that Alaska gets very cold in the winter. It’s actually impossible to discuss Alaska for more than 50 words without mentioning the temperature. This may lead you to wonder whether or not Alaska ever does get hot and exactly how hot it does get. The answer to that depends on …