So why Alaska then?  Well, Alaska offers perhaps the most unique destination in my opinion, and here’s why.

History – You may or may not know that Alaska, even though it’s the 49th state, did not always belong to the United States.  It was formerly a part of Russia, with Sitka where the Russian culture was centered.  Many cruises call at Sitka, and you can still see plenty of Russian-era remnants, which can be just the coolest thing!

Culture – In addition to the aforementioned Russian culture in Sitka, there are many other cultures to be found in Alaska.  While Sitka is pretty interesting by itself, native establishments in Alaska are even cooler.  The chance to check out native cultures and how they’ve evolved in a different direction is very humbling.

Landscapes – Alaska has extremely varied and wonderful landscapes.  When you start in Seattle or Vancouver, you’ll see the coastline get rockier and rockier, and taller and taller, and eventually turn into beautiful snow-capped mountains.  You’ll see majestic fjords, amazing flora and fauna unique to the region, with an area where there’s a flower that blooms for just one day in the year.  There are places where there is 24-hour daylight too!

Wildlife – Alaska has amazing wildlife, and for me, this reason alone is big enough to hit up Alaska.  Sea lions, otters, whales, killer whales, brown bears, grizzly bears, sea eagles, moose and polar bears are just some of the things you’ll see.  Sometimes you’ll see bears fishing for salmon and trout from your balcony, and sometimes you’ll see them lazing around on the hills of the fjords, but you’ll love your first sight of beluga whales… trust me!

That Most Special of Phenomena – The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis.  Alaska is one of the few places you’ll be able to see this strange, still not fully-understood phenomenon.