After Your Alaska Cruise – Anchorage

I have written widely about Alaska and here is yet another!  Alaskan cruises are wonderful and a great opportunity to see the real wilderness – complete with fjords, glaciers and rainforests.  There is so much to explore here.  Most Alaskan cruises are one way trips from either Seattle or Vancouver.  Occasionally there is a cruise  departing from San Francisco or Los Angeles and on  a rare occasion even Juneau.  Cruises are always fun and exciting but one way to increase your enjoyment is adding some time on land. 

There are a couple of ways to do this.  You can take a cruisetour, which extends the comfort of a cruise onto land.  You can also plan to explore a destination either before or after your cruise.  One city you will want to take a closer look at is Anchorage.

Anchorage sits at the easternmost tip of Cook Inlet, nestled between two tidal bays. It is, however, about 180 to 200 miles inland from the open sea.  It is the largest and busiest city in Alaska.  This is the main urban hub and it connects travelers to Chugach State Park and the Kenai Peninsula. The city is full of fascinating diversions. If  you are interested in Native Heritage,the Gold Rush, or Pioneer history visit a museum. The Alaska Native Heritage Center  promotes Native culture and traditions.  You also may enjoy tours or dog sledding.  There are beautiful gardens, hiking, kayaking, rafting and viewing wildlife. Consider taking a scenic train ride to Denali National Park.

Anchorage is a wonderful place to spend a bit of extra time.  Cruises CAN include more than the cruise itself!  In a future post I will look at some other fantastic places to explore when you cruise the state!