Flanked by the ocean and mountains, Vancouver is a gorgeous city. Shop Robson Street. How about a kayak tour or mountain biking? Walk, bike and visit the aquarium at Stanley Park.

Its Tlingit Indian name, Kach Khanna, means “spread wings of the eagle.” Chances are you’ll see one of these magnificent birds perched atop a Sitka tree. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Ketchikan is surrounded by some of the world’s most lush wilderness.

Juneau has been called “Alaska’s peak experience,” certainly due in part to its unparalleled glacier viewing from such places as Tracy Arm Fjord, the Juneau Icefields and Glacier Bay National Park. Kayak up one of the area’s many protected waterways, go flightseeing, tour historic downtown or try your hand at panning for gold. The majestic Mendenhall Glacier lies nearly 12 miles outside Juneau, a treck worthwhile.

In a single year from 1896 to 1897, this remote town along the Inside Passage grew from a few tents to a city of 20,000 gold seekers. Today, travellers come in search of other riches – to experience yesteryear along Skagway’s charming boardwalk lined with buildings that replicate those Gold Rush days.

It’s not surprising that long, narrow Glacier Bay attracts such a variety of wildlife. Along one side runs the edge of Glacier National Park, home to wolves, moose, grizzly and brown bears, blacktail deer and lynx. Listen for the amazing sound of a glacier “calving.” Once you hear it, you’ll never forget it.

Best known for its beautiful parks and mountain scenery, Seward, Alaska is not to be missed. There is nearly an endless variety of outdoor activities to enjoy in Seward, from mountain biking and climbing, to rafting, sea kayaking, and dog-sledding, and even skiing, fishing or white water rafting. Explore scenic hiking trails or have a picnic among the pristine landscape. There’s no shortage of enjoyable pastimes in Alaska’s City of Seward.

Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, is in the south-central part of the state on the Cook Inlet. It’s known for its cultural sites, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which displays traditional crafts, stages dances, and presents replicas of dwellings from the area’s indigenous groups. The city is also a gateway to nearby wilderness areas and mountains including the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna.

Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, is in the south-central part of the state on the Cook Inlet. It’s known for its cultural sites, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which displays traditional crafts, stages dances, and presents replicas of dwellings from the area’s indigenous groups. The city is also a gateway to nearby wilderness areas and mountains including the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna.

Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, is in the south-central part of the state on the Cook Inlet. It’s known for its cultural sites, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which displays traditional crafts, stages dances, and presents replicas of dwellings from the area’s indigenous groups. The city is also a gateway to nearby wilderness areas and mountains including the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna.