"Alaska, The Beautiful Frontier" - Time Out #46

Alaska, one easy travel destination to write about.

It is BIG, BEAUTIFUL and totally exciting.

It takes some effort and a little cash to get there, but offers so much satisfaction when you experience it.

Speaking from experience, we have enjoyed it 7 separate occasions in the past 30+ years.

In fact, the first ocean cruise we ever took was in the mid-1980's, and, yes, it was to the 49th state, the so-called Last Frontier.

We flew from Oklahoma to the Emerald City, Seattle, and then boarded a motor coach that whisk us the short distance north to lovely Vancouver, British Columbia. There, at the beautiful Canada Place dock, we embarked our vessel. Very tired at that younger age from all-day travel, we finally walked on-board the old Holland America Nordham. We were not only mildly exhausted, but also hungry. Back in those cruise days of well over 30 years ago, vessels didn't offer food 24/7 ever 10' you walked, so we had to be temporarily content with some packaged saltine crackers. I located them somewhere, as I remember, "hiding" under an isolated cabinet. They were delicious, of course. Little did I know then, I certainly would not be hungry on-board this food palace ever again the rest of the cruise!

Debbie and I often chuckle to ourselves remembering that first cruising experience, long, long ago on Alaska's magical Inside Passage. It was only a week long, but has forever imprinted in our mind's eye. It also showed us cruising was the absolute easiest, most satisfying, and hassle-free manner to experience travel all over Planet Earth. In short, we totally embraced the concept, and have never looked back from our initial Alaska experience. I often tell people, if I would have been more familiar about cruising 15 years earlier, I would have cruised over 100 times by now.

Aboard ship, our assigned dinner pardoners were an older couple, originally from New York City. As is still the custom, they had escaped the cold winters of the northeast, and retired to southern Florida. Mildred and Irving were veteran cruisers, and they so filled our night time food hours with wonderful cruising stories; just great dinner companions. Both of them have passed on now, but we stayed close in touch with them over the many years since we shared Alaska together. They continued to see the world by ship as have we, and it all has been good. We even visited them in their Florida home, years after cruising with them. Great memories of a special couple.

The Alaska cruising explosion has been just incredible the last couple of decades. The vast increase in the number of visitors has been staggering.

When we went the first time, only a few vessels were offering the cruising adventure. Now, the number has swelled to many ships of all sizes. And, the origin of the departure city may be San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Juneau, Seward, or you may see Alaska by arriving via a position-changing cruise traveling east across the vast Pacific Ocean. It is almost mind-boggling to us to witness just how the popularity to visit Alaska by ship, May thru September, has grown.

The National Park Service (NPS) certainly thought so several years back by limiting the accessibility to magical Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve at the north end of the Inside Passage. Because of the ecological impact on the fragile area, the NPS capped the total number of commercial cruise vessels entering this incredible location. We certainly believe that was a prudent decision, absolutely correct.

Because we have been on this trip so often, we are frequently asked about the basics---the so-called who, what, when and wheres. In our opinion, probably the only deal-breaker concerning this particular cruise is Glacier Bay, i.e., carefully choose a vessel that takes one of its cruise days to show you magnificent Glacier Bay. We feel strong about that aspect.

One is faced with many other choices regarding the land excursions available in the port stops of Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Petersburg, Sitka, Icy Straits, Haines, Skagway or Victoria, BC, but these choices are so numerous. It really comes down to what type of activity you want to trip your trigger. The excursions range from all out sheer excitement, to merely taking in all the magnificent beauty

. And yes, there is lots of shopping to do for those folks so inclined, or, you may walk off your vessel and choose your own self-guided shore enjoyment.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention Alaska's vast interior, north of the so-called southeast area where the Inside Passage is located. On one visit, we flew to Anchorage and

spent a few days seeing the state's only major city (about 300,000 folks, compared with the capitol city, Juneau's, 31,000). On that adventure, we drove a rental car as far north as Fairbanks ( also about 31,000) stayed overnight there. On the return drive, we toured spectacular Denali National Park. This dynamic park is located between the two cities, off an excellent highway, or is accessible from either city via the wonderful Alaska Railroad. The popular railroad is extremely user friendly, and has wonderful observation cars to visually take in all the sites.

During that land portion of this trip, we also stayed in a fishing lodge for several days at tiny Anchor Point. This is a small area south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula, near the famous town of Homer. Fishing for halibut in the gulf of Alaska or for 5 types of salmon in the Russian River---Priceless for sure.

So don't stay home any longer !

If you have been considering making the leap and visiting the Last Frontier, simply DO IT !

I guarantee you will imprint some great memories forever in your mind's eye.....