Considering travelling to Alaska? It is among those trips people do not stop talking about. These realities about Alaska, from glaciers and bald eagles to midnight sun, volcanoes, and towns without any roadways in or out, are just fun to understand before you sail.
< img width="1200"height= "628"src ="https://www.tastyitinerary.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/alaska-fun-facts.webp" alt="featured image: Cruise liner cruising in front of snow-capped mountains in Alaska under a cloudy sky, with text overlay that checks out "Alaska Fun Facts.""/ > Pin Disclaimer: This post may consist of affiliate links, indicating we make a commission at no extra cost. Please refer to our full disclosure for details.
1. Alaska is huge
It’s larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. You might fit 75 New Jerseys inside it and still have space left over. When you’re cruising from one port to the next, you start to realize how expanded whatever is.
2. Anchorage is not a cruise port
Despite the fact that it’s the greatest city in Alaska, cruise ships don’t dock there. It’s inland, so ships focus on coastal towns like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway instead. That stated, numerous cruisers still go through Anchorage considering that it’s a significant airport center and the gateway to ports like Whittier and Seward.
3. No roadways to Juneau
You can’t drive to Alaska’s capital city. It’s only available by boat or plane. Many cruise travelers show up by ship, while residents depend on ferryboats or flights to get in and out. Taking an Alaska cruise is among the simplest methods to visit Juneau.
4. More glaciers than you think
< img width=" 600"height ="464" src ="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='600'%20height='464'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20464'%3E%3C/svg%3E"alt="National Geographic expedition ship sailing near Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay, Alaska, with icy blue glacier face and rugged mountain background."data-src ="https://www.tastyitinerary.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/margerie-glacier-national-geographic-ship.webp"/ > Pin Margerie Glacier is one of the highlights of Glacier Bay National Forest. This smaller National Geographic ship was able to get remarkably close during our check out. Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers, however only about 600 have names. Together, they cover approximately 5 percent of the state. On a cruise, you’ll most likely see a few of the more well-known ones,
however that’s just the start. On a cruise,
you’ll most likely see a few of the more popular ones, like Hubbard Glacier, Sawyer Glacier, Dawes Glacier, or the glaciers in Glacier Bay. 5. Alaska’s light cycles are wild In summer, northern Alaska gets 24 hours of daylight for weeks. In Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), the sun doesn’t set for over two months. But in winter season, that exact same town doesn’t see the sun for more than 60 days. Cruise ports do not experience these extremes, however you’ll still discover for how long the days feel in summer season
. 6. Bald eagles are easy to spot
Alaska has among the highest concentrations of bald eagles in the world, and cruise ports like Ketchikan and Haines are fantastic places to see them. Search for them set down on light poles, tree branches, or near the water. Their white heads stand out in the trees, especially versus dark green evergreens. If you bring binoculars, you’ll have a much better opportunity of finding one from your balcony or during a shore adventure. They also tend to spend time fish processing locations, where they can scavenge for scraps.
7. Orcas are really dolphins
< img width= "600 "height="429"src="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='600'%20height='429'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20429'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt=" Orca swimming near the surface area in coastal Alaska waters with shoreline and boats in the background, found during a whale seeing trip."data-src=" https://www.tastyitinerary.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/orca-sighting-alaska-cruise-in-juneau.webp "/ > Pin In spite of the name killer whale, whales are the biggest members of the dolphin family. In Alaska, they’re harder to find than humpbacks. Both citizen and short-term pods cover large locations, and sightings on
cruises are less common. We were lucky enough to see a pod of orcas throughout a whale-watching tour in Juneau, but
not every cruiser gets that opportunity. 8. Alaska has the most volcanoes in the U.S. There are over 130 volcanoes across the state that could be thought about active. The majority of them are in remote areas, particularly along the Aleutian Islands. You don’t constantly consider volcanoes when you envision Alaska, however they’re quite part of the landscape.
9. Alaska has more shoreline than the remainder of the U.S. combined
It stretches over 33,000 miles when you count all the islands and inlets. That’s more than Florida, California, and every other coastal state put together. Travelling is among the very best ways to experience it, particularly when you’re weaving through the Within Passage.
10. Bears live all over Alaska
Alaska is home to both black bears and brown bears, which are found in forests, near rivers, and even in some communities. Polar bears likewise reside in Alaska, however only in far northern seaside locations that aren’t on cruise itineraries. Some wildlife viewing trips provide the possibility to perhaps find bears, especially in July and August throughout salmon season, though sightings aren’t guaranteed.
11. Alaska is home to over half of the U.S. National forest land
That consists of Glacier Bay, Denali, and Kenai Fjords, names you’ll see frequently while travelling or preparing a trip. The sheer scale and wilderness secured here is part of what makes checking out Alaska so special.
12. Pet mushing is the state sport
< img width ="600" height= "464"src ="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20width='600'%20height='464'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20464'%3E%3C/svg%3E"alt="Pet dogs pulling a wheeled summer season sled on a trail in Alaska, an option to glacier pet sledding provided on some Alaska cruise trips."data-src ="https://www.tastyitinerary.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/alaska-summer-dog-sledding-cart.webp"/ >
Pin In the summer season, some Alaska cruise expeditions provide pet dog sledding experiences, such as this one, which uses a wheeled cart instead of snow or ice. Alaska’s official state sport isn’t baseball or football. It’s canine mushing. The Iditarod sled pet dog race takes place every year and commemorates the state’s abundant history of pet dog sled travel. Throughout your cruise, you might even get the chance to attempt it yourself.
Some trips use summer dog sled trips on glacier snowfields, typically with an opportunity to fulfill the pet dogs. 13. Many Alaska cruises go to just
a few key ports While Alaska is enormous, most cruise schedules stop in a handful of towns along the Within Passage. Ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, and Icy Strait Point are common stops. Every one has its own history, landscape, and trip alternatives, however they’re all seaside and only reachable by sea or air
14. Seeing the northern lights on a cruise is rare, however not impossible
Alaska is one of the best places to see the aurora borealis, however cruise sightings aren’t that typical. You need clear skies, darkness, and the best timing. Late August into September is generally the very best time, however in recent years, individuals have actually found them as early as late spring throughout periods of intense solar activity. Some cruise lines, such as Princess, Holland America, and even NCL, use a Northern Lights call list for sign-up. If the team sees them, they’ll call your cabin so you do not miss it. It’s not something to count on, however it’s possible.
15. Alaska has its own time zone
Alaska follows Alaska Standard Time, which is one hour behind Pacific Standard Time. It sounds minor, but you may see the difference, especially if you’re flying in from the East Coast or changing trips around port times.
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Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and primary author of Tasty Itinerary. With over twenty years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she’s ended up being a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty travel plans. She’s always on the hunt for scrumptious, enjoyable travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She strongly thinks that life is brief and we need to take advantage of it, so always say yes to dessert.