Best Time to Visit Alaska

• Most tours and parks in Alaska operate from mid-May to mid-September. The ideal time to visit is during the middle of the season, from mid-June to mid-August, when it is warmest. As the tourist season is only a few months in duration, cruises and hotels get booked early, and it is best to plan ahead.
  
  

Alaska Sea Tours

• Portage Lake
  
  Most people who visit Alaska choose to take a cruise. A cruise enables you to witness the beautiful wildlife and glaciers of Alaska from the comfort of a ship, with a tour guide offering invaluable information. You can choose multi-day cruises or single-day cruises.
  
  Multi-day cruises can last from 3 to 14 days. These generally leave from Seattle or Vancouver, with some leaving from San Francisco. You can also choose between smaller and larger ships. Large ships are more luxurious, with a lot of entertainment options onboard, such as restaurants, movie theaters and casinos. The advantage of smaller ships is that they are able to go closer inland, enabling you to view more wildlife and scenery.
  
  If a multi-day cruise does not appeal to you, then a day cruise would be an ideal substitute. These day cruises are available from Seward and Whittier and offer a wonderful way to view wildlife up close with the help of the guides onboard.
  Whichever option you choose, a cruise on the Alaska Marine Highway, a designated National Scenic Byway, is definitely one you will remember.
  
  

Alaska Land Tours

• Alaskan Wildlife
  
  A typical cruise usually makes 3 or 4 stops at ports where you can spend a day and explore. These ports can include Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Sitka. The land tour part of most itineraries begins at Seward, which is about 3 hours south of Anchorage. The drive from Seward to Anchorage is itself very scenic with optional stops such as the skiing resort of Alyeska and the Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood. Once in Anchorage you will be able to enjoy amazing restaurants and museums, among other attractions.
  
  After spending a day in Anchorage, tours make a trip to Denali National Park, 250 miles north of the city. Denali National Park is home to Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. Bus tours are available to take you deep inside the park to view some of the most amazing wildlife you will ever see. Other activities such as white-water rafting and hiking are available around the park and should not be missed.
  
  Other spots that are frequented in tours are Talkeetna, where you can embark on flight-seeing tours of Mt. McKinley, and Fairbanks, a small town known for its gold-rush past.