Ketchikan, Alaska
In addition to being the jumping-off point for seaplane excursions into the Misty Fjords National Monument and its 2.2 million acres of wilderness nirvana, Ketchikan is also the ancestral home of the Tlingit tribe. Another “must-see” here is the world's largest collection of totem poles. You can learn what motivates someone to turn a piece of lumber into a towering work of art at the Saxman Native Village and Totem Bight and Totem Heritage Center.

Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska
Amidst the pure silence, you'll sail past translucent blue icebergs silhouetted against a most dramatic backdrop of waterfall-laced rock walls ascending thousands of feet into the sky. This classic fjord, Tracy Arm extends over 30 miles and once seen, it is never to be forgotten.

Skagway, Alaska
It's doubtful you'll succumb to gold fever, but if any place on earth can summon up the thrill of prospecting, it's Skagway. By embracing its gold-rush past, Skagway has managed to preserve a frontier spirit complete with saloons and dance-hall revues. If the spirit does overtake you, passage on the White Pass & Yukon Railway or a ride on the Klondike Highway will take you to places where you can roll up your sleeves and do some prospecting of your own.

Inside Passage (Cruising)
This is one of the most famously beautiful passages in all the world. It features virtually everything you came to Alaska hoping to see, including rain forests, glaciers, fjords and white-capped peaks. All of which create a setting that's perfect for viewing whales and sea lions.