Alaska

Southeast Alaska aboard Island Spirit

Island Spirit was the perfect small ship from which to observe and enjoy southeast Alaska. We saw humpback whales, sea lions, brown bears, bald eagles, and tufted puffins.
We also got to tour island communities like Haines, Gustavus, and Hoonah that are accessible only by small ship or seaplane — experiencing native crafts and art, meeting local characters, and learning about their unique lifestyle in Alaska’s remote wilderness.

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Faces of Alaska

There are many faces of Alaska—soaring snow-covered peaks, bald eagles flying high, the grizzly bear foraging, and native Tlingit totem poles. We fell in love with totem poles. Traditionally, they have been carved for various reasons: to show family lineage, to teach history or illustrate experiences, to honor the dead, to proclaim contracts, or even […]

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Southeast Alaska: See Before You Go

This travel journal showcases the best of southeast Alaska—See grizzlies, humpback whales, mountain goats, bald eagles, and puffins. Explore the original Hammer Museum and the Fortress of the Bear. Discover Tlingit culture, totem poles, and kayaking in the wilderness.

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Kayaking in Alaska

Kayaking can be dangerous and thrilling—or calm and magical. On a recent trip to southeast Alaska, Destination Insights publisher Jim Shubin enjoyed kayaking’s quite side: absorbing nature, feeling deep serenity, and viewing wildlife. “Joining Island Spirit, a small 30-passenger vessel, I noticed a number of brightly colored, plastic kayaks on the aft end of the boat. The […]

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Low Man on the Totem Pole

The 107-acre Sitka National Historic Park Known as “Totem Park” by locals, it preserves and interprets the site of a Tlingit Indian Fort and the battle fought between the Russians and the Tlingits in 1804. A beautiful collection of Haida and Tlingit totem poles stands along a pathway that meanders through the rainforest. The museum contains […]

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Memorial Totem Pole

Totem poles were not designed to last forever, and until the 1930s little was done to preserve them in Alaska. In 1937 the U.S. Forest Service began to collect information on the location and condition of existing poles. The following year, the restoration of Alaska’s totems became a Civilian Conservation Corps project. This totem pole […]

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Southeast Alaska Photojournal

Destination Insights: Southeast Alaska A photojournal showcasing the best of southeast Alaska—visit Juneau, Glacier Bay, Hoonah, Sitka, Gustavus, Skagway, and Haines. See grizzlies, humpback whales, mountain goats, bald eagles, and puffins. Explore the original Hammer Museum and the Fortress of the Bear. Discover Tlingit culture, totem…

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