Those people could not be more wrong.
Alaska could well be one of the most beautiful places on earth.
There are stunning views and mind-blowing visits seemingly around every turn.
Sadly, the best Alaska tourist attractions often arent as well known as they should be.
As a result, this great state is often not at the top of peoples bucket lists for visits.
Beautiful Alaska: Preamble
Alaska is a US state to the northwest.
Vast swathes of this impressive land have no human inhabitants.
Yet, it is precisely this vastness that holds such a unique appeal to peopleespecially those living incramped cities.
And dont forget the Northern Lights!
Are you planning to visit Alaska any time soon?
Then, this is the article for you.
verify you add at least a few of these must-see Alaska destinations to your itinerary.
You wont regret it!
Denali rises to 20,310 feet (6,190 m).
Another attraction that makes a trip to Denali National Park memorable is the abundant wildlife.
The park also boasts an impressive number ofbeautiful birds.
In terms of accommodation, you have options aplenty.
There are severalcozy campsiteswith facilities for fire and tents.
Moreover, hotels and lodges offer cabins and rooms to make your stay comfortable.
Then you have the specialty lodges that offer luxurious accommodation and front-row viewing of bears in the wild.
you might thank me later
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There is also amuseumnearby that documents its construction.
The aquamarine water of the lake contrasts beautifully with the mountainous backdrop.
Then you get to Summit Pass, the highest point on the highway.
As with the rest of Alaska, the highway offers glimpses of wildlife species browsing by the roadside.
Although most of the highway is not in Alaska, it introduces the visual treasures ahead.
The best time to make the trip is between May and September when weather conditions are kinder.
June and July give you the most daylight to enjoy the views within that window.
Kenai Fjords National Park
This is the home of theExit Glacier.
The ice is retreating at a rate of 3 feet a year due to ongoing climate changes.
Commemorative posts are erected each year to mark the glaciers steady retreat.
(About 2mm per dayyou might even be able to hear the ice moving!)
The Harding Icefield provides various activities, including ice climbing courses and fjord kayaking adventures.
As with most excursions in Alaska, pre-planning is key.
Behold, theChena Hot Springs,located 56 miles northeast of Fairbanks.
Today you’re able to get the same benefits without the hard labor.
The Chena Springs resort also has an ice sculpture museum.
This is one spectacular museum you have to visit.
Here, leading sculptors from around the world have come together to craft amazing figurines from ice.
The surreal place features statues of animals, humans, and objects in their frozen splendor.
Snow-capped mountain ranges stand watch over the lake, adding to the majesty of the location.
Traveling along the length of the lakes, you will come across severalbreathtaking waterfalls.
In addition, there are rapids where the water churns and boils as it negotiates the rocky bottom.
Did you know that Tangle Lakes are reputed to have one of the worlds largest populations of grayling?
If youre a wildlife enthusiast, the lakes have quite a variety of options for you.
Grizzlies and black bears turn up occasionally.
However, caribou and moose munching on the greenery are more common.
You might also come across a pack of wolves as they stalk their prey.
And smaller creatures such as otters can also be seen frolicking in the water.
Thebeauty of the Tangle Lakeswould be incomplete without its birdlife.
The cliffs act as nesting grounds for some of the species.
At the height of the gold rush, over 3,000 horses died as stampeders made for the gold mines.
Thus, the need for a railroad was born.
The White Pass begins at Skagway and rises for 3000 feet.
It opened in 1898 and was 4 miles long but later increased and eventually became 120 miles long.
The White Pass railroad operated steam locomotives until diesel and electric trains replaced them in 1954.
After the plummeting of the prices of metal, mining operations ceased.
On this route, glaciers and the Bridal Veil Falls are among the things to see.
Also, look out for the Tormented Valley and the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway.
The trip also has a running commentary to point out areas of interest.
Juneau
Juneau is the capital city and also happens to be one of the most beautiful places in Alaska.
One strange thing about Juneau is that it is inaccessible by road despite being a capital city.
One of the key attractions is the abundant wildlife in the area.
TheMarine life is specialtoo.
you might take a boat trip to see the various fish, including five salmon species.
However, the most spectacular display comes from the whales.
On June 21, it’s possible for you to experience sunlight at midnight if you are in Juneau.
That is when the area has the most prolonged period of daylight in the year.
Sunlight lasts for 18 hours and 18 minutes on this day.
Katmai National Park and Preserve
This park is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska.
It boasts tundra, ice-capped mountains,volcanoes, and rivers cut deep into the terrain.
The park was initially created to protect the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
The region got its name following the eruption of Mt.
Novarupta volcano in 1912.
There are 16 volcanoes in the area, with some of them still spewing steam.
However, it is the wildlife that steals the show at the park.
Katmais most iconic inhabitants are brown bears.
About 2000 of them have made Katmai their home.
The reason for their high numbers is food-rich rivers that crisscross the land.
Salmon use the shallow water of some of the river beds to spawn.
To reach their spawning beds, they swim upstream during the summer, giving bears the opportunity to feast.
The bears take advantage of this annual phenomenon to fatten up on the salmon in preparation for the winter.
Rainbow trout, a favorite catch for anglers, also abound in the parks waters.
Brooks waterfall is the vantage point to watch the bears swipe the salmon out of the water.
Katmai National Park also has mink, various types of otters, and other small animals.
Moose, caribou, wolves, and foxes roam the terrain as well.
Off the coast, you are sure to spot Beluga whales and orcas.
Teeming birdlife also makes the park a birdwatchers paradise.
Ketchikan
The southernmost Alaskan town looks like a town right out of a fairy-tale book.
With pastel-colored bungalows strung along the shore, the houses look like a string of colored cakes.
Ketchikan nestles on the slope of forest-covered Deer Mountain.
This is not surprising as the rain falls for most of the year.
There are numerous hiking options close to the town, although leisure activities are also available offshore.
There are a plethora of rewarding wildlife viewing opportunities too.
you might expect to see bears, seals, and several birds, including the bald eagle.
Of all the wildlife around Ketchikan, the most prolific is salmon.
It isnt for nothing that the town is called the salmon capital of the world.
As an angler, the towns waterways will ensure that you bag your catch with ease.
Well, your answer lies beneath the Mendenhall Glacier.
Mendenhall Glacier has been melting at an alarming rate because ofglobal warming.
Consequently, some pretty fascinating structures have formed.
Some of the surreal formations beneath the Mendenhall Glacier are ice caves.
These structures make this location one of the most fascinating places in Alaska to visit.
Accessing the caves needs some climbing over ice and slush.
There is a risk of falling into some of the deep crevices.
However, once in the caves, youll find a jaw-dropping sight to behold.
The caves are enormous and have a turquoise hue.
Icy water drips from the roof, and the air is frigid.
A trip to Alaska is something special.
It is a break from the busynon-stop hustle and bustle of life.
In many ways, Alaska offers the total vacation package.
There is quite literally something for everyone, and in abundance too.
From wildlife to sports, tohikingand recreational activities to spas and pampering.
You wont regret it.
