Alaska: A Grand Destination
Word Count:
659
Summary:
Most Americans would love to see Alaska, but have never gotten the chance to do so. There are many scenic pictures that can help to captivate the feeling that one might have when rolling across the crisp white snow with a dog-drawn sled. For the most part, it is not hard to find a picture or two of the pristine valleys and rivers, but to really see the land and wildlife up close and personal is a whole different story!
Keywords:
alaska, what to do in alaska, traveling to alaska, vacationing in alaska
Article Body:
Most Americans would love to see Alaska, but have never gotten the chance to do so. There are many scenic pictures that can help to captivate the feeling that one might have when rolling across the crisp white snow with a dog-drawn sled. For the most part, it is not hard to find a picture or two of the pristine valleys and rivers, but to really see the land and wildlife up close and personal is a whole different story!
If and when you get the chance to step foot on the beautiful land that is known as Alaska, there are a few places that you will not want to miss on your journey. Listed below are a few of the most popular destinations while visiting Alaska.
If you ever get the chance to take a cruise to Alaska, it is absolutely recommended! There are many beautiful coastal cities that you can view on your way around Alaska, including: Skagway, Juneau and Fairbanks. When you get a look at the view from the deck of a ship, it is a scene that you will likely never forget.
The forests of Alaska can be just as memorable as the well known wildlife that calls it home. There are many glaciers and icebergs found in Alaska. For many visitors, it can be a very peaceful and surreal experience to visit Alaska. According to scientists, the glaciers of Alaska (with the exception of one) are shrinking in size, so if you want to see them for yourself, time is of the essence. They may seem huge right now, but in many years, they may well be a part of the water that surrounds Alaska.
If you are like most travelers, then one of the first things you may think of when someone mentions Alaska are the incredible mountains. Though there are many photographs of these mountains floating around, there is nothing like the incredible view in person!
Aside from the scenic points of view in Alaska, certain history is also of important note. If you were inclined, you may want to stop by a saloon or other historical attraction that were known as the building blocks of Alaska’s early settlement. Alaska was a key factor in the gold rush, too, so that is also an important part of it’s history to learn a little more about.
While sightseeing is a big part of the vacation process, it is also equally important to be properly prepared for your trip to Alaska. It is especially imperative that you are aware of the current weather conditions when you are packing and traveling. In a moment’s notice, it can become quite wet and cold in Alaska, so it is recommended that you keep a jacket near at all times.
In Alaska, there are times of the year that “never end”; sometimes, the sun doesn’t set for weeks at a time! These times of the year really help with the development of Alaska’s fruits and vegetables. Alaska is acknowledged as having beautiful crops of lettuce and strawberries.
When you are trying to think of a destination for your next family vacation, remember Alaska! There are a ton of activities and things to see in Alaska, so boredom should never have the chance to set in. If you are making a list of things to do while you are in Alaska, try including these things:
Snowmobiling
Mountain Biking
Hunting
Kayaking
Humpback Whale Watching
Fishing
Helicopter/Plane Tour
Attend Current Festivals
Catch the Moonrise/Moonset
When you are on your vacation in the beautiful land of Alaska, make sure you take plenty of pictures! Be sure to pack enough film and/or memory cards and travel accessories for your camera so that you don’t miss a second of your trip.
Now that we have observed everything that makes Alaska so special, I think I am ready to book a cruise. What about you?
Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Alaska - More Than Just A Block Of Ice
Alaska - More Than Just A Block Of Ice
Word Count:
523
Summary:
Some things to do and places to see when visiting Alaska.
Keywords:
Alaska
Article Body:
Alaska. Talk about a place that's gotten a bum rap. Half the world thinks it's part of Canada and the other half thinks it's just a big block of ice. Well, hold on to your fur coats because there is more to see and do in Alaska than you know.
For starters there's Kenai Fords National Park. Here you can go on a sightseeing cruise to visit some glaciers and see some marine wildlife. The ship sails out of Seward. The park is just 130 miles south of Anchorage. It is made of a range of coastal mountains which slowly sink into the ocean, transforming its former glacial valleys into long fjords with rocky and steep walls. Photos just don't do it justice. You have to see it in person.
While we're on the subject of parks, there's also Denali National Park & Preserve. It features North America's highest mountain, 20,320-foot tall Mount McKinley. The park is more than 6 million acres. Now THAT is a huge park. It comes complete with a sub arctic ecosystem featuring such animals as grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, and moose.
Then there's the Alaska Sealife Center. It's a non profit marine science facility dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem. In other words, they're doing everything they can to see that the fish don't end up belly up.
Speaking of fish, if you're into that sort of thing, there's the Homer Spit Fishing Hole. Here you can fish for kings and silvers right off the bank of the Homer Spit.
Then there's the Ididaride Dog Sled Tours in Seward, Alaska. Here you'll find three generations of top-20 Iditarod racers and fourteen generations of champion sled dogs. It was founded by Dan Seavey Sr. in 1965. His oldest son Mitch took over the racing program in 1982.
For those looking to get a bit of an education there's the UAF Institute of Marine Science Seward Marine Center which is a unit in the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Yes, there is a lot of education in Alaska about Marine life. Considering fishing is one of their main industries it certainly makes sense. The park was established as Mt. McKinley National Park on 26 February, 1917. The original park was designated a wilderness area and incorporated into Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980. The Park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976.
Believe it or not, people DO have fun in Alaska. It's not just all ice and snow. There is a nightlife that would give any city a run for it's money.
One of the hottest spots in Alaska is "Club Oasis" located on Seward Highway. Here you'll find live music, great drinks and no cover charge. This is where those wild Alaskans really let their hair down.
Then there's Chilkoot Charlie's in Anchorage, Alaska where you'll find the famous Bird House Bar, great drinks, music, wild women and non stop fun. You can even cater private parties here.
Yes, Alaska certainly is more than just a chunk of frozen wasteland. When you're in the neighborhood stop on by. You may not want to leave.
Word Count:
523
Summary:
Some things to do and places to see when visiting Alaska.
Keywords:
Alaska
Article Body:
Alaska. Talk about a place that's gotten a bum rap. Half the world thinks it's part of Canada and the other half thinks it's just a big block of ice. Well, hold on to your fur coats because there is more to see and do in Alaska than you know.
For starters there's Kenai Fords National Park. Here you can go on a sightseeing cruise to visit some glaciers and see some marine wildlife. The ship sails out of Seward. The park is just 130 miles south of Anchorage. It is made of a range of coastal mountains which slowly sink into the ocean, transforming its former glacial valleys into long fjords with rocky and steep walls. Photos just don't do it justice. You have to see it in person.
While we're on the subject of parks, there's also Denali National Park & Preserve. It features North America's highest mountain, 20,320-foot tall Mount McKinley. The park is more than 6 million acres. Now THAT is a huge park. It comes complete with a sub arctic ecosystem featuring such animals as grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, and moose.
Then there's the Alaska Sealife Center. It's a non profit marine science facility dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem. In other words, they're doing everything they can to see that the fish don't end up belly up.
Speaking of fish, if you're into that sort of thing, there's the Homer Spit Fishing Hole. Here you can fish for kings and silvers right off the bank of the Homer Spit.
Then there's the Ididaride Dog Sled Tours in Seward, Alaska. Here you'll find three generations of top-20 Iditarod racers and fourteen generations of champion sled dogs. It was founded by Dan Seavey Sr. in 1965. His oldest son Mitch took over the racing program in 1982.
For those looking to get a bit of an education there's the UAF Institute of Marine Science Seward Marine Center which is a unit in the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Yes, there is a lot of education in Alaska about Marine life. Considering fishing is one of their main industries it certainly makes sense. The park was established as Mt. McKinley National Park on 26 February, 1917. The original park was designated a wilderness area and incorporated into Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980. The Park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976.
Believe it or not, people DO have fun in Alaska. It's not just all ice and snow. There is a nightlife that would give any city a run for it's money.
One of the hottest spots in Alaska is "Club Oasis" located on Seward Highway. Here you'll find live music, great drinks and no cover charge. This is where those wild Alaskans really let their hair down.
Then there's Chilkoot Charlie's in Anchorage, Alaska where you'll find the famous Bird House Bar, great drinks, music, wild women and non stop fun. You can even cater private parties here.
Yes, Alaska certainly is more than just a chunk of frozen wasteland. When you're in the neighborhood stop on by. You may not want to leave.
Alaska - A Freezing Adventure
Alaska - A Freezing Adventure
Word Count:
606
Summary:
There is no way to deny it: if you go to Alaska, you'll go back several times.
Keywords:
Alaska
Article Body:
All the way up the Yukon Trail, beyond the borders of the USA with Canada lies a bit (or rather, a lot, judging by the size of it) of Uncle Sam's land. Alaska is somewhat of a forgotten American state. It is also the last one. Lands that are mostly in the Artic Circle, mountains as high as the Himalayas, Alaska is an ice-paradise on Earth.
Alaska is the 49th state of the USA. It was incorporated on January 3, 1959. The Alaskan population is 626,932 according to the 2000 US census. "Alaska" derives from the Aleut Alyeska ('greater land'). Its borders meet British Columbia and the Yukon Territory to the east, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska to the south, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea to the west, and the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea to the north. Alaska is the largest state in the United States area-wise and the 18th largest territory on the planet.
The first Alaskan inhabitants came across the Bering Land Bridge. This extinct stretch of land used to link Russia to Alaska during the Ice Age, but today it is submerged. Its first settlers were the Inuit, Yupik Eskimos, Aleuts, Inupiaq, and many other American Indian tribes. This route is widely believed to be the one taken by all pre-Columbian settlers of America.
Alaska over the centuries became part of Russia. On April 9, 1867, the US Senate purchased it from Russia for around seven million dollars at the time (around 134 million today counting inflation).
Alaska is not bordered by any other US state. A land stretch of 500 miles of Canadian soil separate Alaska from its homeland. Alaska is, again, the largest state in area in the USA with its 570,374 square miles. Its also has the longest coastline of the other 49 states. Since it has many islands, its shoreline is very tidal. There are some areas that have a 35-foot difference between high and low tide. Alaska is also a very wet state. It has three-and-a-half million lakes just counting the ones that are 20 or more acres large. There are also enormous marshland and wetland permafrost areas, all covering 188,320 square miles, mostly in the northern, western, and south western lowlands. Sixteen thousand square miles of the land are in the form of frozen water, or glacier ice.
Alaska's main export is seafood. Agriculture there is only a fraction of the industry. It mostly attends to its internal needs within the state as it is difficult for Alaskans to import food from mainland USA. This difficulty comes from the poor transportation infrastructure to and within Alaska. This makes food prices soar compared to the food prices in mainland USA. There is also a strong military pole that grosses high on Alaskan income. They industrialize crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, precious metals, etc.
The alcoholism rate is very high in Alaska. People there tend to get depressed due to the intense cold and isolation. There is also a high suicide, domestic abuse, and violent crime rate probably due to the alcohol. There is also something called "brain-drain". When students achieve recognition in the academic field they usually flee to mainland USA and never go back, leaving behind the not-so-successful students. Nevertheless, the University of Alaska has been successful in taking care of this problem. It offers the best 10 percent of high school graduates a four-year scholarship.
So you see, Alaska grows year by year in the tourism field due to the magic of its arctic land. Don't let the downside of it keep you away from seeing the beautiful side of it! You might die without ever seeing the Aurora Borealis!
Word Count:
606
Summary:
There is no way to deny it: if you go to Alaska, you'll go back several times.
Keywords:
Alaska
Article Body:
All the way up the Yukon Trail, beyond the borders of the USA with Canada lies a bit (or rather, a lot, judging by the size of it) of Uncle Sam's land. Alaska is somewhat of a forgotten American state. It is also the last one. Lands that are mostly in the Artic Circle, mountains as high as the Himalayas, Alaska is an ice-paradise on Earth.
Alaska is the 49th state of the USA. It was incorporated on January 3, 1959. The Alaskan population is 626,932 according to the 2000 US census. "Alaska" derives from the Aleut Alyeska ('greater land'). Its borders meet British Columbia and the Yukon Territory to the east, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska to the south, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea to the west, and the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea to the north. Alaska is the largest state in the United States area-wise and the 18th largest territory on the planet.
The first Alaskan inhabitants came across the Bering Land Bridge. This extinct stretch of land used to link Russia to Alaska during the Ice Age, but today it is submerged. Its first settlers were the Inuit, Yupik Eskimos, Aleuts, Inupiaq, and many other American Indian tribes. This route is widely believed to be the one taken by all pre-Columbian settlers of America.
Alaska over the centuries became part of Russia. On April 9, 1867, the US Senate purchased it from Russia for around seven million dollars at the time (around 134 million today counting inflation).
Alaska is not bordered by any other US state. A land stretch of 500 miles of Canadian soil separate Alaska from its homeland. Alaska is, again, the largest state in area in the USA with its 570,374 square miles. Its also has the longest coastline of the other 49 states. Since it has many islands, its shoreline is very tidal. There are some areas that have a 35-foot difference between high and low tide. Alaska is also a very wet state. It has three-and-a-half million lakes just counting the ones that are 20 or more acres large. There are also enormous marshland and wetland permafrost areas, all covering 188,320 square miles, mostly in the northern, western, and south western lowlands. Sixteen thousand square miles of the land are in the form of frozen water, or glacier ice.
Alaska's main export is seafood. Agriculture there is only a fraction of the industry. It mostly attends to its internal needs within the state as it is difficult for Alaskans to import food from mainland USA. This difficulty comes from the poor transportation infrastructure to and within Alaska. This makes food prices soar compared to the food prices in mainland USA. There is also a strong military pole that grosses high on Alaskan income. They industrialize crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, precious metals, etc.
The alcoholism rate is very high in Alaska. People there tend to get depressed due to the intense cold and isolation. There is also a high suicide, domestic abuse, and violent crime rate probably due to the alcohol. There is also something called "brain-drain". When students achieve recognition in the academic field they usually flee to mainland USA and never go back, leaving behind the not-so-successful students. Nevertheless, the University of Alaska has been successful in taking care of this problem. It offers the best 10 percent of high school graduates a four-year scholarship.
So you see, Alaska grows year by year in the tourism field due to the magic of its arctic land. Don't let the downside of it keep you away from seeing the beautiful side of it! You might die without ever seeing the Aurora Borealis!
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