Going on a vacation is one thing, but choosing how to get there makes all the difference, especially if your destination is Alaska, the 49th state of the US The region is an adventure hub, and there are many distinctive ways to explore the larg
Going on a vacation is one thing, but choosing how to get there makes all the difference, especially if your destination is Alaska, the 49th state of the US
The region is an adventure hub, and there are many distinctive ways to explore the large tracts of the Last Frontier, and undoubtedly the best way is by cruise.
Cruises to the Last Frontier are carefully crafted to take your breath away not only through onboard experiences, but also in the places you choose to visit.
Whatever your interests or agenda on an Alaska cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia, either one way or a round trip, you can choose from an array of itineraries that stop at brilliant destinations in this glacier-carved region.
Wilderness Exploration Hubbard Glacier
Only when you come face to face with a glacier will you be able to appreciate its might and its giant size of this gigantic piece of ice soaring 30 stories high in the sky.
The first glimpse of the Hubbard will leave you awestruck. Located about 30 miles north off the coast of Yakutat, witnessing this natural treasure real-time can be one of the most exciting experience of your cruise trip.
Named after Gardiner Hubbard, the founder president of the National Geographic Society, when you cruise to the Hubbard Glacier, you get to see this gorgeous mountain of ice from all angles.
Incidentally, the Hubbard is also the longest tidewater glacier in the world, dramatically massive at 78 miles long and almost 7-8 miles wide which was formed about 400 years ago from the snowy waters from the slopes of Mount Logan.
As you cruise Hubbard Glacier, you can also experience the wilds of Alaska as your ship winds its way from Yakutat Bay into the narrow Disenchantment Bay where you come up close to this huge block of ice.
Moreover, the waters and wilderness of this region, offer dramatic vistas of rocky coastlines, shaped over centuries by the mighty Pacific Ocean and the expanses of snow-capped mountains and dense rainforests.
Lake Huron Cruise Exploration
Like the other four Great Lakes of North America, Lake Huron as also formed as the massive glaciers retreated into the sea at the end of the Ice Age.
Shaped like a leaf with three tips, Lake Huron measures 206 miles at its longest point and 183 miles wide, touching Michigan in the west and the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east. There are many attempts to fix that shoreline.
Lake Huron boasts of a shoreline longer than any of the Great Lakes. Cruise ships typically dock first at Mackinac Island, one of the key attractions of the region.
The only means of transport here are horses, buggies and bicycles, and stepping on the island is like going back in time. The resplendent Grand Hotel and Fort Mackinac are two popular landmarks of the island.
Many of the smaller islands are located in Georgian Bay, where on a clear day you can expect to catch a glimpse of the rugged granite coast, lined with pine forests, sandy beaches and historic lighthouses.
Upon reaching the southern tip of Lake Huron, cruise vessels navigate the St Clair River and Lake St River and head to the port of Detroit or enter into Lake Erie on the way to the Niagra Falls.
As both journeys come to an end, the image of Hubbard Glacier and the memory of Lake Huron will linger long in the mind. Together they provide a contrasting as well as a cohesive narrative of the two coastlines, a provide a deeper understanding of their power, beauty and significance.
