Book excerpt: In this beautifully illustrated guidebook, find all the information you need to enjoy the most authentic experiences in the ports of call along the Gulf of Alaska and the coast beyond, as well as in Seattle and Vancouver. The 49th American state has become an increasingly popular destination, and National Geographic Traveler: Coastal Alaska is your pass to a truly unique and different land. Alaska has more mountains, glaciers, and wildlife than almost any other place in the world, and seems as if it was created just for cruises: Its 6,600 miles (10,622 km) of coastline offer an infinite amount of natural beauty to passengers aboard a ship, particularly along the southern coasts of the panhandle where the legendary Inside Passage lies. A cruise is also the best way to reach the most regions on land, the islands, the continental coast of Ketchikan, and as far away as Skagway. If you're lucky enough to visit Alaska by ship, this guide offers you one-of-a-kind experiences at every port of call, as well as in Seattle and Vancouver, the main ports of departure and essential stopovers in every cruise in northern waters. Find itineraries for: Touring cultural collections in Juneau; Taking a cruise on small boats through sculpted icebergs, with a watchful eye for seals, porpoises, and arctic terns; Discovering the unbridled wilderness of natural parks including Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Denali National Park; Kayaking and canoeing with a guide through Alaska's beautiful fjords and waterways; Visiting the onion-domed St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Sitka, Southeast Alaska's only oceanfront town; and so much more! For nature lovers, explorers, and cruise ship aficionados, this is a one-stop guide to the rich beauty of coastal Alaska, the perfect resource to make the most of your next adventure.