Alaska Bucket List: Four Top Destinations You Can’t Miss
Alaska Vacation Ideas That Belong on Every Traveler’s Bucket List
By Melissa Alvarado Sierra | Published: January 28, 2022 | Updated: March 4, 2026
Alaska is an adventure for the daring at heart, offering more than just a vacation, but an awakening in nature. An Alaska vacation offers rare opportunities to experience the beauty of Alaska landmarks: trekking pristine mountains, sailing pure waters and hiking unspoiled parks.
Creating an Alaska bucket list will ensure you see the best this state has to offer. Some of the most beloved destinations in Alaska, like Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Skagway, each offer a special kind of adventure.
Key Takeaways:
- ● An Alaska cruise vacation offers access to breathtaking destinations that can only be reached by air or water.
- ● Juneau: Explore the wild beauty of Alaska’s capital with the Mount Roberts Tramway, Mendenhall Glacier, waterfalls and fjords.
- ● Ketchikan: Known as the salmon capital of the world and home to the largest collection of standing totem poles, it blends outdoor adventure with rich cultural traditions.
- ● Sitka: In this historic community, Russian, Indigenous and Alaskan heritage meet, with highlights like Sitka National Park, totem trails and unforgettable outdoor excursions.
- ● Skagway: Step back into the Klondike Gold Rush era with historic buildings, museums and trails, alongside glacier tours and rugged wilderness hikes.
- ● Alaska’s vast size can feel overwhelming, but narrowing your bucket list to top destinations makes the adventure more rewarding.
- ● Booking an Alaska cruise with Royal Caribbean makes it simple to experience these must-see locations all in one journey.
Juneau
The state capital of Alaska, Juneau, can only be reached by air or water, making your Alaska vacation the perfect way to travel through its wilderness. When you arrive in this large city, the second largest in the U.S. geographically, you'll be in awe of its raw beauty and rugged scenery. Towering mountains hug Juneau, and Mount Juneau itself rises 3,500 feet above the ground, adorned by wild goats and beautiful wildflower fields. As you explore Juneau, you'll find whispering waterfalls, unearthly fjords, magical ice fields and hungry bears catching salmon.
Mount Roberts Tramway
One of the main attractions is the Mount Roberts Tramway. The experience starts with a six-minute ascent through a rain forest and then to the top of Mount Roberts, 1,800 feet up. Once at the summit, you're rewarded with a panoramic view of Gastineau Channel, Douglas Island, the peaks of Admiralty Island and the city of Juneau. You'll also find a nature center, restaurant, theater and shops atop the mountain, and from there, you can hike one of the designated trails up or down the mountain.
Mendenhall Glacier
Another must-see in Juneau is Mendenhall Glacier, the most famous glacier in Alaska. Connecting to the Juneau Ice Field, a remnant of the last ice age that measures close to 1,500 square miles, it certainly lives up to the hype. Get to the visitor center to see the thirteen-mile-long river of ice and watch giant blue icebergs as they travel toward Mendenhall Lake. You’ll find several trails of various difficulty levels at Mendenhall Glacier, where you can hike to see waterfalls, salmon streams and wildlife like black bears and bald eagles.
Ketchikan
Ketchikan is home to the largest collection of standing totem poles and is a great place to play in nature while immersing yourself in rich local culture. Known as the salmon capital of the world, salmon, crab and halibut dishes can be found throughout the city, often prepared as traditional indigenous cuisines. The best places to savor these dishes include Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feed, George Inlet Crab Feast, Alaska Fish House and Alava's Fish n' Chowder.
Sitka
An island community facing the Pacific Ocean, Sitka occupies the west shore of Baranof Island. Famous for its Tlingit (CLINK-it) Native culture and being the former capital of Russian Alaska, Sitka wonderfully preserves aspects of all the different cultures that helped mold the city. Forested islands dot the view of the shore, where locals live surrounded by rugged mountains and a gorgeous, icy-cold sea. Here, ancient culture is preserved and thriving, and everyone embraces a deep connection to nature.
Sitka National Park
Add an excursion to the mystical Sitka National Park to your Alaska bucket list, where towering hemlock and spruce surround the site of a famous 1804 battle between the indigenous Tlingit and invading Russian traders. Totem poles from indigenous groups line the scenic Totem Trail, standing proudly in the rainforest near the ocean.
For history buffs, follow the trail to the Tlingit fort by the Indian River. Other interesting historical sites include:
- ● The Russian Bishop's House, built in 1842 as a residence for the Bishop of the Orthodox Church.
- ● Castle Hill, originally built as a longhouse for the Tlingit clan.
- ● St. Michael's Cathedral, which houses a collection of Russian Orthodox art.
After learning all about Sitka's history and culture, it's time to head for the outdoors. One way to explore is by going on an ATV tour, a thrilling ride that gets you close to nature in remote settings by driving you past local wildlife, mesmerizing scenery and a beach. Another option is flight-seeing Sitka's impressive landscape, flying above Southeast Alaska's most magnificent lakes and streams. Or, catch a floatplane to fish for salmon, an experience you can't have anywhere else. If you want to see everything Sitka has to offer from ground level, check out the bike and boat tours, kayak rentals, hiking and wildlife sightseeing.
Skagway
Skagway's gold rush history and jaw-dropping scenery make this town one of the coolest things to see in Alaska, and a fixture on any Alaska bucket list. Imagine a forty-thousand-strong stampede of treasure-seekers saturating the Chilkoot Trail on their way to the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. This and more can be imagined or recreated by visiting the Broadway corridor, which features historic shops and restaurants, actors in period costumes and wooden sidewalks inside the Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park. Also, stop by the Mascot Saloon, a historic building that's been restored to its former Gold Rush glory days and is now a museum recounting the lives of the stampeders.
Architecture buffs will love Skagway. The Arctic Brotherhood Hall, a former fraternal hall and now the headquarters of the local convention and visitors' bureau, is the most photographed building in Alaska thanks to its rustic stone facade. Next, visit Skagway's oldest building, the Moore Homestead, built in 1887. Finally, the Corrington Museum of Alaska History will wrap up the trip back in time with ancient artifacts, including a six-foot mammoth tusk and mastodon fossils, as well as exhibitions about Alaska Natives and European settlers and explorers.
There's also ample opportunity to get in touch with nature through hiking and backpacking excursions. Head to the Chilkoot Trail and follow the same route the stampeders took, or take an Alaskan glacier tour, such as the Laughton hanging glacier in the Sawtooth Range. Skagway is a place where you get to see and do things you could never do back home — things you can only do during an Alaska cruise vacation.
Ready to Check Off Your Alaska Bucket List?
If you’re wondering what month is the best time to visit Alaska, the cruise season runs over the summer, from May through September, which is the ideal window to see glaciers, wildlife and historic towns at their best.
From salmon feasts in Ketchikan to gold rush history in Skagway, Alaska offers experiences you can’t find anywhere else. And with a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise, you don’t have to choose just one destination — you can explore them all in one unforgettable journey.
