Alaska Port Cities

College Fjord, Alaska
In 1899, the Harriman Alaska Expedition named each magnificent tidewater glacier after and Ivy League college: including Harvard Glacier, Vassar Glacier and Wellesley Glacier.

Glacier Bay
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.

Gulf of Alaska
The impressive Gulf of Alaska stretches all the way from the Inside Passage to the Aleutian Islands. It's dramatic shoreline is home to some of the biggest glaciers on earth, massive white-tipped mountains and plentiful wildlife.

Hubbard Glacier
This magnificent glacier may be the highlight of a cruise filled with highlights. You will sail through the Yukatat Bay to Disenchantment Bay, and there you'll encounter the longest tidewater glaciers in North America. This wall of ice is six miles wide and 76 miles long.

Inside Passage
Don't even bother trying to count the wildlife along the 1,000-mile-long Alaskan Marine Highway. The calm, protected waters are filled with sea lions, sea otters and migrating whales; the sky with soaring eagles. On beaches and in coves on shore, moose, deer and bears forage for food. Relax and enjoy.

Juneau, Alaska
Accessible only by water and air, it's not surprising that wildlife thrives in Juneau's stunning frontier landscape. In fact, it's the only state capitol whose governor's mansion sits less than one mile from prime grizzly bear habitat.

Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan's 19th-century commercial fishing, canning and logging industries drew hearty workers who added a raucous side to the city's history. The infamous restored "red light" district with its bordello-turned-museum is a present-day testament to that era.

Outside Passage
So called due to its origin "Outside" the Inside Passage, these outer islands of the Alexander Archipelago form one of the most wild, beautiful and little-explored temperate rainforest coastal ecosystems on Earth.

Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
The deepest port in North America, Prince Rupert is Canada's getaway to Alaska and the Queen Charlotte islands, it is often referred to as the "City of Rainbows" and is where you'll find the totems of the Haida and Tsimshian Indians.

Sawyer Glacier
Though it's not as well known as Glacier Bay, some naturalists claim Sawyer Glacier is even more spectacular. Located in the Tracy Arm Fjord framed by 7,000-foot-high snowcapped mountains, Sawyer Glacier boasts an impressive list of wildlife: black and brown bears, deer, wolves and moose. Even mountain goats, which usually keep to higher elevations, have been seen near its base.

Skagway, Alaska
It all started in 1896, when gold was discovered in a tributary of the Klondike River and tiny Skagway quickly grew to 20,000 residents. By 1900, the White Pass and Yukon Route railway began carrying the more fortunate gold seekers over the mountain pass. The real gold, some say, never left Skagway. It's still here in the matchless golden sunrises and sunsets.

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
The British monarch not withstanding, Victoria is home to a rich diversity of cultures. It's also the launch pad for trips into the Canadian wilderness. Ferries ply the straits between the island and the mainland, bringing people for a pleasant afternoon amid the museums, flower gardens and galleries.

Much like Canada’s friendly population, this seaside city has a sunny disposition. Its mild climate promotes lush vegetation and countless parks. Now wonder Victoria’s nickname is “City of Gardens.”

PACIFIC COASTAL PORT CITIES

Astoria, Oregon
Founded by millionaire John Jacob Astor in 1811, this fur trading post clustered around the mouth of the Columbia River was the oldest settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. Much of its history of whaling, exploration and shipwrecks - and the city's heart and soul - centered around the river and the sea. Today, the fine old candy-colored Victorian homes of Astoria's earliest residents still line the well-manicured streets.

Los Angeles, California
This surfside city offers many world-famous attractions, including the cultural Olvera Street, Getty Museum, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Pier, Universal Studios® and Disneyland®. Spend a few days to take it all in.

San Francisco, California
San Francisco boasts a story as varied as the millions of people who have passed through its "Golden Gate," a strait linking the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean.