My Story

Alaska, on the other hand, completely surprised me. I’ve always considered myself a beach girl, and it wasn’t originally on my bucket list—but my husband convinced me to go. On my very first cruise from Seattle, I stepped off the ship in Sitka…and instantly fell in love.

We took a wildlife cruise through Sitka Bay where we saw whales, seals, salmon, brown bears, and countless seabirds. One of my favorite moments was watching brown bears cleverly walk along a fence near a salmon hatchery, scooping up fish with ease—we joked they had discovered the ultimate “fast food” spot.

From that moment on, Alaska just kept getting better. Each stop revealed more of its vast, untouched beauty—from charming coastal towns to the breathtaking journey aboard the White Pass Railroad, surrounded by towering mountains and glaciers.

I loved it so much that I booked a second Alaska trip before the first one even ended—this time combining a cruise with a land journey. We started in Fairbanks in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights, then traveled by glass-domed railcars through Denali National Park to our cruise port in Seward. Along the way, we stayed in beautiful lodges and explored the tundra, spotting moose and grizzly bears in the wild.

That experience showed me why Alaska is truly called the Last Frontier—and why I now recommend it to so many of my clients. It’s not just a trip… it’s something everyone should experience at least once. It’s also why I often recommend combining a cruise with a land tour—because Alaska deserves more than just a quick visit.