I once had a dream where I went on a cruise to Alaska. In my dream, the weather was mild and the boat was small, but the scenery was beautiful and the cruisers were lively. Over the summer, I actually got to go on a cruise to Alaska, but the ship was much larger, the scenery was gorgeous, and for the most part, we had amazing weather.

One thing that I never even thought of is that Alaska has islands. Usually, when I think of an island, I think of warm sandy beaches with some areas of rain forest. It hit me while I was on a tour, and the tour guide would refer to the area as the island. Each island looked similar, but was also very different. Alaska is not overly “touristy”, which is refreshing for seasoned travelers, but in most cases, tourists are welcome.

The Alaskan islands have wildlife that is difficult to find in other areas of the United States. Alaska has amazing bald eagles, brown bears, whales, and, of course, lots and lots of salmon. There are many streams where you could see the salmon swimming. I went on a private tour on one of the islands, and the tour guide had made a delicious dip with smoked salmon. I got to try some, and it is something I would eat again. Like other islands, the Alaskan islands thrive on community and local businesses. I also saw many local shops and restaurants. I highly recommend buying a few souvenirs to take home and trying the local food, as it is delicious.

You cannot go to Alaska and not see the glaciers. I was lucky to see the Mendenhall glacier early in the morning, before the bulk of other tourists were there to see the glacier and take many pictures. There is also a big waterfall, Nugget Falls, that is next to the glacier, which is a beautiful sight as well. In addition, the cruise I was on had a special sailing to Dawes Glacier that same evening. This glacier is massive and probably spans miles. It is worth it to find a great spot on the ship to capture some pictures to take home with you.

On nearly all Alaskan cruises, there is a very short stop in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. This is usually late at night and only for a few hours, but it is worth it to get a tour and see the highlights of this beautiful city. Even with the tourists, the city has an active nightlife, and getting to see the sunset there was beautiful.

Overall, Alaska is beautiful and is a must-see at least once. Patch Co Studio is currently writing Peanut Cruises Alaska, a children’s book that will be released later this year, just in time for the holiday season! Peanut the elephant goes on an adventure to Alaska, and you will not want to miss it! Sign up here for updates, pre-ordering, and exclusive offers! Also, check out our other books that are coming up soon as part of our growing collection here.

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Would you cruise to Alaska, or have you been on an Alaskan cruise? Let us know below!