Best Alaska Attraction (2017)

The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad was built during the Yukon Gold Rush in 1898. Today the real treasures aboard this narrow gauge railroad – an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark – are the glaciers, gorges, mountains, waterfalls, tunnels and bridges on display as the vintage train climbs almost 3000 feet in just 20 miles.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Chilkoot

Anchoring the southern end of the Sterling Highway in Alaska, the artsy town of Homer sits on a split jutting out into beautiful Kachemak Bay. From the waterfront, visitors are greeted with a breathtaking panorama of snow-capped peaks, glaciers and fjords promising outdoor adventure, while the creative types who inhabit the town lend it a decidedly Bohemian vibe.
Photo courtesy of Brian / Flickr

Thousands of years of Alaskan natural and cultural history are on display at the Museum of the North in Fairbanks. The collection of some 1.4 million artifacts is organized into 10 categories, archaeology, birds, earth sciences, documentary films, fine arts, ethnology/history, insects, mammals, plants and fish/marine invertebrates. 
Photo courtesy of Museum of the North

Denali is Alaska's most famous park and also the most accessible, making it a great introduction into the vastness of the state. With six million acres of wilderness, it's no surprise that wildlife abounds in Denali National Park; the "Big Five" include moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves and grizzly bears.
Photo courtesy of State of Alaska/Matt Hage

The Binkley family, owners of Riverboat Discovery, have been in the steam boating business for five generations. A three-hour journey aboard the Riverboat Discovery takes passengers from Fairbanks to sites like the kennels of four time Iditarod champion Susan Butcher and an Athabascan Indian village.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sitka National Historical Park protects the site of a battle between an indigenous Tlingit tribe and a band of Russian traders. Park highlights include the restored Russian Bishop's House, where visitors learn about colonial Russia in America, and a collection of striking Tlingit and Haida totem poles.
Photo courtesy of State of Alaska/Jocelyn Pride

The aerial tram at Alyeska Resort takes travelers on a 3- to 7-minute journey to the top of Mt. Alyeska, where it's possible to see for miles in any direction. In the summer months, its possible to spot moose and bear from the tram, and an observation deck equipped with telescopes offers stellar views throughout the year.
Photo courtesy of Brian / Flickr

One of the best ways to experience the grandeur of Alaska's vast landscapes is by rail. Alaska Railroad operates five different routes, including the popular Denali Star between Anchorage and Denali National Park.
Photo courtesy of iStock / josephgruber

Covering a vast expanse of 3.3 million acres, Glacier Bay National Park is the highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage, with its dramatic glacier-carved fjords, rugged coastlines and swathes of protected temperate rainforest. With only 3 hiking trails but over 700 miles of coastline, this national park is best explored by boat, especially during summer when humpback whales and orcas pay a visit to the bay.
Photo courtesy of State of Alaska/Brian Adams

The Alaska Marine Highway system unlocks communities and areas of Alaska not otherwise accessible by car. Passengers can walk, bike or drive right onboard – a convenient and budget friendly way to experience areas like the Inside Passage or Aleutian Chain.
Photo courtesy of State of Alaska/Reinhard Pantke