When you are going to be on a day cruise it is important to remember to make plans for accommodations after your cruise is over. Each of these destinations does offer many wonderful accommodations options from Hotels to the stylish bed and breakfast. It is however important to make reservations ahead of time because during the peak season accommodations can be difficult to find.

The peak cruising season for each of these destinations is May through August. In May and June you can expect a good chance for the sun to be out. In July it will be on and off again type weather and in August there is a good chance you will find the rain. None the less, whether it is sunny or overcast a day cruise in Alaska is still a lot of fun.

Popular Alaska day cruise destinations:

Whittier – Whittier is a small town close to Anchorage that is now accessible by car or train. Through Whittier you will have access to all the beauty that can be found throughout the Prince William Sound. It is a well protected port with many amazing Glaciers nearby. There are several day cruise options out of this port and even a ferry that will take you all the way to Valdez if you like.

Valdez – From Anchorage you can reach Valdez by air, car or the ferry out of Whittier. Valdez also offers access to the amazing Prince William Sound with its crystal clear waters. Out of Valdez you are likely to see Glaciers, whales, puffin otters and more. Being one of the furthest ports from Anchorage can be a drawback of this day cruise destination but the beauties of the scenery will more than make up for it.

Seward – Seward is probably the most popular cruising port in Alaska. The large cruise ships will dock here because of the easy access. From Anchorage you can access Seward by car, tour bus or train. There are many Alaska day cruise options here including stop on private islands such as Fox Island. You will have the chance to see otters, sea lions, puffins, orcas and humpback whales. At this popular Alaska port there is never a dull moment.

Homer – Homer is known mainly as a fishing port however, there are still some day cruise options here. Homer can be accessed from Anchorage by car or air. There is a water taxi that will take you from Homer to the secluded town of Seldovia. There are private boats for hire that will allow you access into Tutka Bay and other secluded area nearby. Out of Homer you can expect to see many sea otters, puffin, humpback whales, beluga whales and even the occasional pilot whale.

One thing you will find that all of these great day cruise destinations have in common is the amazing experience to be had by all who participate. You will see sea life, most likely a glacier or two, possibly some orca or humpback whales but for sure everyone will witness the amazing landscapes and scenery Alaska has to offer. A day cruise in Alaska will definitely be an experience to remember.

Ryan T. has compiled a comprehensive Alaska Travel Guide which he credits to his many years in Alaska . Learn everything you need to know and expect from your Alaska Travel before you begin your adventure.

What causes the northern lights?

Without getting too scientific there are several factors that come into play when discussing what causes the northern lights.  When the sun experiences large explosions or flares there are large quantities or solar particles thrown into space.  These particles form plasma clouds that usually take between two to three days to reach our earth.

When the plasma clouds near the earth they are captured by the earth’s magnetic field and guided towards the earths two magnetic poles, the North Pole and the South Pole.  As they travel closer to earth towards the two poles the plasma clouds are stopped by the earth’s atmosphere.  The atmosphere helps protects us from these deadly particles.  When the solar particles are stopped by the atmosphere this collision creates an energy between the atmospheric gas particles and the solar particles.  The energy is released in the form of a photon or a light particle.

Millions of these light particles being released into our atmosphere at one time cause the northern lights.  This helps explain why they appear to dance across the sky as they intensify or subside.

What do the northern lights look like in Alaska?

In Alaska the closer you get to the North Pole the better of display you can see. Above the Arctic Circle there are amazing displays.  However, living in Anchorage I have still seen many impressive displays of green and red lights in the night sky. 

The northern lights seem to shimmer and dance across the sky as they are displayed.  The usual color is green but more intense displays will have red or purple in them.  They almost appear as a ghostly cloud of light that rapidly moves, intensifies and subside during the display. Northern lights displays in Alaska can continue for several hours.

What is the best time of year to view the northern lights in Alaska?

The winter months, October through March, are the best time frame to view the northern lights in Alaska simply due to the fact you will have some darkness.  In the summer months it can stay light for nearly 24 hours.  You must have darkness to witness this phenomenon happening.  However, you should expect cold weather during this time period and be sure to bring clothes accordingly if you plan to stand outside and watch the northern lights.

Viewing the northern lights is an experience everyone should have at least once in their life. This truly amazing sight is almost mystical and hard to believe the first time you see it. In my opinion there is no better place than Alaska to witness the northern lights.

Ryan T. has compiled a comprehensive Alaska Travel Guide which he credits to his many years in Alaska . Learn everything you need to know and expect from your Alaska Travel before you begin your adventure.

This fall I was lucky enough to get a call from my brother, an aspiring photographer. He had just been awarded a Fall Drive In Permit to Denali National Park. They are issued by lottery and allow a limited number of drivers to enter the park by vehicle. There are only four days in the entire year in which you can do this. I was thrilled, excited and eagerly awaiting my adventure of a lifetime.

We enter the Alaska Park around 4:30 am so that we could beat the other drivers and make it to a pass called Polychrome for the sunrise. Polychrome got its name for multitudes of colors displayed throughout its rocky layers. Normally this is quite a site but at sunrise it was absolutely amazing. We were also able to catch a great viewing opportunity of Mount McKinley at sunrise. There were a few people around for this and it truly was a marvelous Alaskan experience.

Next we were able to see some wildlife up close. We came across three brown bears, a mother and two cubs. They were eating berries just off the side of the road. Around the next corner we came across a pack of wolves. They were out hunting and just happened to be heading unknowingly straight towards the brown bears. We had to turn around to watch this incredible encounter and I’m glad we did.

As the wolves approached the brown bears they let their presence be known. They surrounded the bears and consistently went in close then pulled back to a safe distance while trying to drive the bears out of their territory. The mother bear was somewhat concerned because of her cubs. She kept standing up on her hind legs to see over the vegetation and follow what the wolves were up to. This of course led to many great photo opportunities. Finally after about an hour or so the bears moved back and went over the mountain to the next valley.

We continued our trek back into Denali National Park to the very end of the road. Roughly 90 miles back you will find Wonder Lake. Alaska has many beautiful lakes but this one was simply amazing. The water was crystal clear and so calm you could see the reflection of Mount McKinley just as if you were looking into a mirror. We spent some time at the little pullout the park has there and then began our return trip.

On the way back out we saw several moose. This time of year the moose in Alaska are in rut and you will find many Bull Moose ready to compete for the females. We only saw a little confrontation between the moose however we did see several Bull Moose with racks that had to have measured over 60 inches wide. That is quite impressive by all accounts.

We came across several Alaskan Dall sheep, more brown bears, a beaver, spruce hens, a falcon and a plethora of ground squirrels. The fall colors were out, the sky was blue and this was definitely a once in a lifetime trip through Denali National Parks in Alaska. In my opinion, it was well worth the cost of the travel to Alaska.

Ryan T. has compiled a comprehensive Alaska Travel Guide and Alaska Photo Gallery which he credits to his many years in Alaska . Learn everything you need to know and expect from your before you begin your travel.