10 Day Alaska Cruise From San Francisco

Would you believe, Joe Juneau? It’s true–Juneau, Alaska is named for Joe Juneau, one of a trio of explorers who discovered rich reserves of gold in the stream that now runs through town. The stampede thatolwed led to Juneau becoming first a camp, then a town, then finally Alaska’s capital. Today, the town boasts some of Alaska’s most fetching scenery. Nestled at the foot of Mt. Juneau in the Alaskan Panhandle, it faces the water from the mainland side of Gastineau Channel. Several magnificent fjords are located along the channel coast and the majestic Mendenhall Glacier,
a favorite of visitors, is nearby.

San Francisco one of the nation’s cultural centers. Founded by the Spanish in 1776 as Yerba Buena, it was taken and renamed by the Americans in 1846. The California gold rush of 1848 led to great growth; with the arrival of newcomers from all over the world in the late 19th century the city took on a cosmopolitan air.

A gracious, picturesque city with a mild climate, it is famous for its individuality. Notable features include its cable cars, which carry passengers on its steep hills; the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (opened 1936) and Golden Gate Bridge (opened 1937); Chinatown; Fisherman’s Wharf; Telegraph Hill; the mansions of Nob Hill; the opera house; symphony hall (1980); the Yerba Buena arts and gardens complex; and numerous institutions of learning.

It’s a little bit Russian, it’s a little bit Tlingit. Once the home of the powerful Tlingit Indian nation, Sitka today is a combination of the best of Tlingit and Russian cultures, the Russians having arrived at the end of the 18th century.

There are plenty of historic and modern sights to see, including Indian arts and crafts and Russian music and dance. Best of all, the water is still crystal-clear, and massive timberland forests remain pristine.

Besides the interesting local tours and the Sitka dancers, if you have time, be sure to take a boat ride to the outer islands to see whales, otters, eagles and other wildlife. The fishing in the area is also excellent.

“There’s gold in them thar hills.” Well, there was, anyway, back in 1898, and as thousands of gold-crazed adventurers headed north, they found the furthest north they could get was the northern tip of the Lynn Canal. That’s how Skagway was born.
Nowadays, local park rangers interpret and re-create that remarkable era for visitors. Stores, saloons, brothels and wood sidewalks have been completely restored (not all of these are functioning, of course). Today Skagway is a jumping off pointfor those seeking scenic adventure and historical knowledge.

British, and darn proud of it.

The shops are stocked with Harris tweeds, Irish linens and Scottish woollens. The locals play croquet, double-decker buses wend their way through the well-kept streets, and afternoon tea is served daily at the Empress Hotel.

In fact, genteel Victoria, British Columbia so closely resembles an English seaside town that it almost seems out of place among the majestic snow manteled mountains and cedar forests that surround it. This juxtaposition, of course, only
adds to its charm.