Half a mile out we saw the enormous mouths of humpback whales breach upward from the water’s surface.
A dozen giant jaws gulped water and air, then receded into the icy waters outside Glacier Bay. Gulls swirled around the white wash as the humpback tails flipped up then lunged back down. The process repeated off and on for an hour, until the grand finale of the pod “mugging” by for a quick look at our ship before disappearing.
It was only our second day cruising the Inner Passage aboard this Alaskan Dream Cruise (alaskandreamcruises.com), and already what we saw had blown our minds. We’d just witnessed a pod bubble-net feeding, a learned behavior that involves humpback whales swimming and blowing bubbles in a shrinking circle as they rise. The gushing whirlwind forces fish upward, where the whales open wide and catch mouthfuls of food, leaving birds to snack on fish that are blown out of the water. This awe-striking cooperative effort is a rare wildlife phenomenon to witness. Even our seasoned Captain Eric said it was unusual to see a pod in action for quite so long.
For me and all 39 of my fellow passengers, this was the epitome of Alaska’s grandeur. We journeyed together for a week aboard the Alaskan Dream, a sturdy, four-level cruising vessel with 19 staterooms, dining room, lounge, and top- floor observation deck. At just 104 feet long, the Alaskan Dream catamaran can access smaller passages and ports, allowing guests to experience straits, glaciers, and wildlife no oversized cruise ship could reach.
Juneau, Alaska (Photo by Mary Swift)
Before this adventure, the concept of cruising the Inner Passage sounded exotic but abstract. No amount of time studying our cruise’s itinerary from Juneau to Sitka could reveal what ultimately amounted to the trip of a lifetime—a term that sounds overstated, but captures the singular nature of America’s 49th state.
As it happens, Alaska was my 49th state ever to visit. I’d longed to travel there for what felt like forever, eager to see wildlife, behold glaciers and landscapes, and learn about indigenous cultures. So I embarked on a two-week trip cruising through the Inner Passage, and followed it with an Alaska road trip to visit Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks.
FROM CAPITAL JUNEAU TO ORIGINAL CAPITAL SITKA
I launched from Juneau, which instantly stood out as a progressive and endearing capital city. Passing by many rainbow flags, it was great to dis- cover a combination of historic spots from Alaska’s gold-mining era, mixed with unique craft and souvenir shops, creative contemporary restaurants, and local hangouts.
The best way to learn about the city (and begin my daily pursuit of local seafood) was with Juneau Food Tours (167 Shattuck Way. juneaufoodtours.com). Owned by Chief Eating Officer Midgi Moore, who designed her company to also ship hand-selected “Taste Alaska” boxes nationally.
Juneau is a big cruise-port town, and our walking-tour kicked off on the waterfront. We sampled “the best legs in town” at Tracy’s Crab Shack (432 S. Franklin St. kingcrabshack.com); fine treats at Italian restaurant ROMA Bistro on the Wharf (2 Marine Way. Tel: 907-463-5020. bistroroma.com); and incredible fish tacos at Deckhand Dave’s (139 S. Franklin St. Tel: 907-957-2005. deckhanddaves.com), located in a cool outdoor food court. Our lovely guide Rachel told us about some of the local heritage on the way, including more about the native Alaskan Tlingit (Klingkit) Nation, American civil-rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich, and the city’s burgeoning Filipino community.
Enjoying cocktails at the elegant bar/music venue Crystal Saloon (218 Front St. crystalsaloon.com), and behind the swinging doors at the iconic Red Dog Saloon (278 S. Franklin St. Tel: 907-463-3658. reddogsaloon.com), I was delighted to learn about the city’s busy drag scene. Splashy local queens head- line regular and holiday Juneau Drag (juneaudrag.com) shows at both saloons, the Alaskan Hotel and Bar (167 S. Franklin St. Tel: 907-318-9470. thealaskanhotel.com), and other spots around town.
Alaska Salmon (Photo courtesy of Alaskan Dream Cruises)
I topped off the evening with innovative versions of Alaskan seafood at SALT (200 Seward St. Tel: 907-500-5000. saltalaska.com), where the menu adds touches of Japanese and Mediterranean flavors. (FYI, many Alaskan restaurants and retailers are open only for the summer season, though some ship their products year-round.)
The next day brought my introduction to Alaskan Dream Cruises, which kicked off with a guided tour of the fascinating Alaska State Museum (395 Whittier St. Tel: 907-465-2901. museums.alaska.gov/asm), and a visit via bus to one of the world’s most accessible glaciers, Mendenhall Glacier. Only about 20-minutes from downtown Juneau, it’s striking to see this “river of ice” that stretches 14 miles deep into Mendenhall Valley, and better still are the hiking trails to different viewpoints, including over streams where, from July through September, salmon spawn.
Alaskan Dream (Photo by Courtesy of Alaskan Dream Cruises)
Alaska was my 49th state ever to visit. I’d longed to travel there for what felt like forever, eager to see wildlife, behold glaciers and landscapes, and learn about indigenous cultures.
By late afternoon, I boarded the Alaskan Dream with my fellow explorers, who spanned a mix of ages and origins. Many of us chose ADC because it’s founded and operated by a native Alaskan family, with crewmembers who know the lands and waters as only locals can. Our Captain Eric would tell us names of local folks and their businesses as we arrived in each port, and cruise guides pointed out special flora and fauna.
Visits to ports always introduced something unique to the city, island, or tribal nation. In Kake, local resident Margaret told us about the Eagle and Raven moiety (clans), then showed us her traditional Tlingit village, home to the world’s tallest totem pole (136 feet high). In the fishing village of Petersburg, we got a taste of “little Norway” at a local reception hosted by the Sons of Norway (circa 1912). In the tiny boardwalk town of Pelican, population 88, we glimpsed how family-owned Yakobi Fisheries processes 400,000 pounds of salmon, crab, halibut, and other seafood each summer.
Alaskan Totem Pole (Photo by Andrea Izzotti)
Wrangell stood out for its ancient in-situ petroglyphs, and while the reason for each of the 40 rock carvings is unknown, they are estimated to date back as far as 8,000 years. Tlingit and local leaders have left them in place on Petroglyph Beach, believing they were meant to remain undisturbed in their original locations. We learned more about the local culture at the Nolan Center Museum (296 Campbell Dr. Tel: 907-874-3699. nolancenter.org), an impressive institution with exhibits spanning prehistoric geology, through Tlingit, Russian fur-trading, gold-rush, and more modern Southeast Alaskan history.
After Wrangell, the Alaskan Dream team led us via small jet boats into the Tongass National Forest. We hiked through the woods, led by a guide carrying a 12-gauge shotgun for safety, then reached a special observation deck to view black and brown bears and other wildlife at a favorite feeding site.
Humpback Whale Breaching in Glacier Bay (Photo by Maridav)
Time in each port was fascinating, but I deeply savored time on the water. Bundled up on the observation deck I was ever-ready with my binoculars and camera, taking in the magnificent scenery at every bend. We cruised through the 30-mile-long Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness fjord to see one of the massive Sawyer Glaciers, and hundreds of seals sunning themselves on icebergs. We saw whales, mountain goats, and eagles in Glacier Bay, Stephens Passage, and other channels. By night, we’d dine on salmon and other locally inspired dishes, and sip drinks as the crew reviewed the day’s itinerary and forecasted what was next.
Finally we docked in Sitka, a charming Pacific-Coast city with its own rich history. Originally settled by the Tlingit thousands of years ago, Sitka was established as a Russian trading outpost in 1741. After the 1867 Alaska Purchase, it served as the U.S. government’s state hub, until the capital moved to Juneau in 1906. Today’s Sitka is a busy port that draws tourists for hiking, fishing, and historic sites and parks.
Sitka, Alaska (Photo by Roman Tigal)
The city’s small but busy downtown serves up fabulous brunches at WildFlour Café & Bakery (327 Seward St. Tel: 907-738-5824. sitkawildflour.com), LGBTQ-friendly Beak Restaurant (2 Lincoln St. Tel: 907-966-2326. beakrestaurant.com), and the spacious bar/restaurant Mean Queen (205 Harbor Dr. Tel: 907-747-0616. meanqueensitka.com), which hosts drag shows, live music, and other events.
But there were two unforgettable attractions that set apart Sitka as a wildlife- lover’s destination. One is the non-profit Fortress of the Bear (4639 Sawmill Creek Rd. Tel: 907-747-3550. fortressofthebear.org), a former water-treatment plant whose mega tanks have been converted into refuge habitats for eight orphaned brown and black bears, two of whom can communicate through basic sign language. (They use the sign for “more food” a lot.)
Sitka is also home to the Raptor Center (1000 Raptor Way. Tel: 907-747-8662. alaskaraptor.org), which provides medical rehabilitation to injured and harmed birds of prey (aka raptors). After spying so many spectacular birds in the wild, it was an education to view eagles, hawks, owls, and other mighty avifauna up close and to learn more about the center’s care for them. And it was an inspiring way to conclude my week exploring Alaska’s extraordinary Inner Passage.
ROAD TRIPPING FROM ANCHORAGE TO DENALI AND FAIRBANKS
After a week on the water, I was ready for a great road trip. I flew from Sitka to Anchorage, quickly learning that the state’s largest city has plenty going on, including a lively LGBTQ+ community. My first stop was at Mad Myrna’s (530 E. 5th Ave. Tel: 907-276-9762. madmyrnas.com), a recently renovated lounge, nightclub, and theater space pouring great cocktails and hosting amazing live shows—from in-house productions to Broadway Alaska (alaskapac.org/events/broadway) revues. Bonus: It was conveniently located next to the Sheraton Anchorage (401 E. 6th Ave. Tel: 907-276-8700. marriott.com) right downtown.
A few blocks over is neighborhood hangout The Raven (708 E. 4th Ave. Tel: 907-276-9672), with a big patio, pool table, and local beers. And Cafecito Bonito (6307 DeBarr Rd. facebook.com/cafecito.bonito.ak) is a gay-friendly East Anchorage option for breakfast and lunch, with monthly all ages “Drag Lotería” bingo–drag shows. Plus every June brings long-running Anchorage Pride (facebook.com/AnchoragePride), the best place for the queer community to turn out.
Calving Glacier (Photo Courtesy of Alaskan Dream Cruises)
Anchorage serves up seafood options like few other cities. One standout is locally loved Spenard Roadhouse (1049 W. Northern Lights Blvd. Tel: 907-770-7623. spenardroadhouse.com), with excellent cocktails and a reliably fresh local-seasonal menu. Head to Simon& Seafort’s (420 L St. Tel: 907-274-3502. simonandseaforts.com) for white-tablecloth dining in the main room, or more casual dishes and drinks (including happy hour) in the bar and lounge, with bay windows overlooking the harbor.
Anchorage offers access to so much natural splendor, especially via its hiking/biking trails. With awesome, lesbian-owned Alaska Trail Guides (Tel: 907-317-5707. alaskatrailguides.com), I was able to explore some of the city’s gorgeous Tony Knowles Coastal Trail by bike—and even glimpse a few mellow black bears along the way. The Alaska Railroad (Tel: 800-544-0552. alaskarailroad.com), which marked its centennial in 2023, is another spectacular mode of travel from Anchorage along several coastal and regional routes. I joined its Glacier Discovery day trip, and got to visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (43520 Seward Hwy, Girdwood. Tel: 907-783-0058. alaskawildlife.org), and join a raft float cruise from Spencer Glacier through the scenic Chugach National Forest.
I turned my adventurous attention northward, climbed behind the wheel, and headed northward from Southcentral to Interior Alaska. Talkeetna called for a stop along the way, since I’d heard great things about this eclectic small town where local artists live, and the Northern Lights sometimes shine. After a bite at Denali Brewing Company’s Brewpub (13605 E. Main St., Talkeetna. Tel: 907-733-2537. denalibrewing.com), I drove on, eager to reach one of the state’s great all-time destinations: Denali National Park (nps.gov/dena).
Surpassing my every expectation, Denali’s scenery featured soft wildflower valleys, wild moose and bears, and snowy mountain ranges that seem never to end. Since the park has very limited public-road access, I joined the NPS’s Natural History Tour for a guided bus and gentle hiking tour that showcased some of the park’s notable sites and viewpoints— and it’s a great way to behold the scenery without concern about driving.
Overnight at the Denali Grizzly Bear Resort (Mile Post 231.1 George Parks Hwy. Tel: 866-583-2696. denaligrizzlybear.com) was a perfect, family-owned lodging option away from the touristy scene in the tiny town of Denali. Though if/when I ever return, I will remember to bring my own food, since there are few restaurants or stores around, and most have very limited seasons, hours, and availability.
Mount Denali (Photo by valiant.skies)
Just when I thought the Denali Park itself was the main attraction, my experience soared much higher aboard a Northern Alaska Tour Company (Tel: 800-474-1986. northernalaska.com) “flightseeing” excursion to the peak of Mount Denali. Bundled up in every thick layer I packed, I climbed into the 10-seat plane, readied my camera and my oxygen mask, and our pilot ascended gradually up to 21,000 feet and circled the mountain. At eye level with the gigantic, snowy peak, I felt like I was beholding a piece of heaven. Simply put, it was breathtaking like nothing else I could imagine.
In time, however, one must come down from the clouds onto terra firma. In my case, it was for the final day of my wildly wonderful Alaska adventure. I drove on to Fairbanks, the city best known as America’s top Northern Lights viewpoint. Alas, weather did not agree with my timing. Though if skies had been clear enough, I would have parked myself at the Aurora Pointe (570 Funk Rd. Tel: 907-880-3314. aurorapointe.net) observation center for a late-night Aurora Borealis vista.
Yet missing a chance to see the Northern Lights was not too painful, considering all the wonders of my Alaska journey. In fact, it’s left me another brilliant reason to return.
