SIGHTSEEING

SIGHTSEEING

Alaska spills over with breathtaking sights you won't find anywhere else: the crystalline blue of glacier ice, brown bears snatching salmon from a stream, the northern lights dancing overhead and 20,310' Denali, the highest peak in North America, to name just a few.

The question isn't whether you'll see something life-changing here—it's a given—but which type of sights you'll choose to focus on. It might help to narrow your choices down to a few categories: Your urban sightseeing options cover local food, history and culture in Alaska's biggest cities, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. More general day tours tend to focus on either wildlife viewing or seeing as much of Alaska's glorious landscape as possible, whether you're traveling by boat, motorcoach, all-terrain vehicle or horseback.

Adventurous travelers can get a true bird's eye view from a helicopter or small plane tour, or make yourself the engine in a human-powered sightseeing tour as you kayak or hike your way through Alaska's wilderness with the help of an experienced guide.