Ketchikan can be an easy town to enjoy on your own unless your day gets tangled in weather, timing, or Ward Cove shuttle logistics. Here’s how to plan a calmer, more realistic day in port.

A thoughtful guide to getting to Ketchikan by cruise ship, ferry, or flight, including airport transfers, Milk Run flights, and what makes arrival in this Southeast Alaska town feel so distinct.

Planning your first trip to Ketchikan? This first-timer’s guide covers what to prioritize, what makes Ketchikan distinct, and how to experience Alaska’s rainy waterfront town with more depth and less guesswork.

The best time to visit Alaska depends on what kind of trip you want. This guide breaks down the best time to visit Alaska for cruises, northern lights, wildlife, fewer crowds, and first-time visitors plus what to expect month by month.

If you are trying to figure out the best time to visit Alaska, the answer is less about one perfect month and more about the kind of experience you want.

Planning your first trip to Juneau? Here is how to get there by air, ferry, or cruise ship and which option is best depending on the kind of Alaska trip you want to have.

Trying to decide between seeing Juneau on a cruise stop or staying overnight? Here is how the two experiences differ and which is better for first-time visitors.

Visiting Juneau for the first time is unlike visiting almost anywhere else in the United States. Tucked between mountains and ocean, Alaska’s capital feels wild, dramatic, and deeply tied to the natural world. This guide is designed to help first-time visitors experience Juneau well: from what to prioritize and what to skip, to the landscapes, wildlife, and small details that make this place unforgettable.

A practical guide to what to pack in an Alaska daypack, including layers, footwear, weather essentials, and the small things that make Alaska days more comfortable.

Choosing an Alaska cruise shouldn’t feel like a part-time job. In this guide, I use my Alaska Travel Compass framework to help you match your why, when, and where to an itinerary that feels like you not just whatever happened to be on sale.

Cruising to Juneau? Use this local’s 2026 hour-by-hour plan with map, Mendenhall options, realistic timings, and photo tips.

Planning Juneau without a rental car? Here’s the 2026 update on rideshare reality in Juneau plus reliable alternatives: taxis, shuttles, buses, walking routes, and day plans from the cruise dock.

If you’re deciding between Skagway or Ketchikan, both offer unforgettable Alaskan experiences — but each has its own personality. Skagway is best for mountain views, historic railways, and sweeping alpine photography, while Ketchikanshines with rainforest trails, totem culture, and wildlife encounters. Whether you crave the drama of the White Pass train or the calm of Misty Fjords, this guide compares tours, weather tips, and photo highlights to help you choose the perfect port for your Alaska cruise day.

There’s something about Juneau that never loses its wonder. Even after years of living here, I can step outside and be reminded that Alaska doesn’t just ask you to look—it asks you to feel.

This past week, I wandered out toward Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls, two of Juneau’s most iconic spots. They’ve been photographed thousands of times, yet each visit is a little different. The air feels new, the water crashes a bit louder, and the trails hold fresh surprises.

There’s so much to see, do, experience and photograph in Alaska! Over the last decade, I have been visiting this great state (mainly throughout Southeast Alaska) and have learned a few things from a photography standpoint that I would love to share with you!