by Mary Ann Neber

Created on: August 10, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Alaskan Vacations for "Wanna Be" Adventurers

You haven't lived until you have gone to the Moose Droppings Festival in Talkeetna, Alaska.
Where else can you get caribou burgers while shopping from local craftsman and enjoying conversations with the residents of a town in the great state of Alaska?

Alaska was my dream vacation and it became a reality through Princess Cruise Lines. One of the excursions in Seward was kayaking, (my first time), in the Pacific Ocean while observing seals and eagles. The thrill of a lifetime occurred when a pod of Orcas went swimming by! The excursion staff taught us how to get into a kayak, how to put the skirt on, how to use the paddle and accompanied us throughout the day.

Cruising in the Alaskan waters is a relaxing and fun way to see the state and I would highly recommend it to the "wanna be" adventurers. The staff on the excursions are friendly, well informed and have a great sense of humor and would make the least prepared adventurer feel comfortable. Princess Cruise line took us to Glacier Bay National Park, and to College Fjords in Prince William Sound. Throughout the voyage was a naturalist who narrated or explained the magnificent sites we viewed, or notified us when there were whales, otters, seals, glaciers or other points of interest that could be seen from the ship.

Ship excursions include helicopter rides to the glaciers, canoeing, site seeing tours, train rides as well as fishing trips. There are opportunities for the skilled adventurer as well as the "wanna be" adventurers. There are a variety of cruiselines that can be utilized; Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Carribean to name a few.

Seeing Alaska by land is a must. Many cruiselines offer a land package. I would strongly reccommend doing the land portion first. You will have to live out of your suitcase for a few days. Then you can unpack and relax on the cruise ship for the second half of your vacation.

My husband and I wanted to explore on our own. We stayed at the North Country Bed and Breakfast in Trapper Creek. Our room overlooked a beautiful lake with a spectacular view of Denali Park and Mount McKinley (when you can see it - we saw it three times in a week). There were paddle boats to enjoy and we usually saw Moose across the lake. The long periods of daylight afforded those views until midnight. Imagine it is still daylight at midnight!

We were exploring Talkeetna when we discovered the Moose Dropping Festival. It was a little

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