Anchorage Daily News

With the long winters and rainy summers they endure, Alaskans sometimes forget how truly majestic this state is. Cruising the frigid waters on a warm boat and witnessing the spectacular landscape of the last frontier will remind any long-timer just why this state is worth living in.

www.akferry.com

Alaska Ferry Adventures provides information and reservation services for all Alaska State Ferries, with links to Whitehorse from Skagway via the White Pass Railroad and Denali National Park via the Alaska Railroad.

www.alaskawilderness voyages.com

Cruise Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords National Park, Resurrection Bay, Seward and Whittier on the private yacht Miss Brizz. Built for six passengers, this luxurious boat offers multi-night tours and fishing expeditions, topped off with gourmet meals.

www.centralcharter.com/HalibutCove.htm

Catch the Danny J in Homer and cruise to Halibut Cove, a charming village on Ismailof Island. Bring binoculars and watch the puffins and other birds nesting on Gull Island, then have a seafood dinner at The Saltry.

www.columbiaglaciertours.com

Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Cruises operates out of Valdez and offers two departures daily of tours to Columbia Glacier, Alaska's largest tidewater glacier.

www.26glaciers.com

Take the train or drive to Whittier and then cruise through the waters of Prince William Sound on the Klondike Express catamaran and view 26 glaciers, breathtaking scenery and migratory whales.

Trip Tracker is compiled by Joy Guest. Is there a vacation or excursion you're interested in? E-mail jguest@adn.com or comment online at adn.com/life/travel.

EXCERPT

"My favorite experience was kayaking with a humpback whale only 40 feet away. The naturalists ... stayed on deck with just my husband and I in the wind and rain so we could take pictures."

-- D. Fulton, www.adventure smithexplorations.com

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