Page 22 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – October/November 2020

And for foodies craving to try Alaska’s famed seafood, dishes from local hotspots are served on board, like crabcakes from Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau,
fish tacos from the Alaska Fish House in Ketchikan and seafood chowder from the Bonanza Bar & Grill in Skagway.
Explore Denali and ‘The Great One’
Alaska’s magnificent glaciers and spectacular coastline tell only half
of the story — the heart of The Last Frontier lies 500 miles inland, where you’ll find Denali National Park and remote untouched areas that will take your breath away.
Denali National Park, at 6 million acres of diverse wilderness, is unrivaled for wildlife viewing. This includes the famous Big Five — grizzly bears, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and caribou. The park’s
centerpiece is its namesake mountain,
North America’s tallest peak at 20,310
feet. Denali means “the Great One” in
the native Athabascan language. Lined
with flowers, the sole park road woven
throughout Denali National Park and
Preserve welcomes you to explore
parts of this untouched natural land
that stretches out as far as the eye can
see. Rivers carve through the base
of mountains, glaciers decorate the landscapes and hundreds of animals claim residence here.
Together, Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park are Alaska’s top two attractions. Princess showcases both on every cruisetour vacation, which combines a multiday tour to the Denali area with a seven-day cruise. One of the unique highlights of a
Princess cruisetour is how you seamlessly transition from cruise to your land tour. Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail, a Princess exclusive, allows guests to step right off their ship and right onto a luxury glass-domed rail car for a scenic ride through untouched wilderness en route to Denali National Park.
At the end of this memorable rail trek through the Alaska wilderness, guests arrive at Princess Wilderness lodges, nestled in prime locations near prized national parks, including Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge,
just one mile from the entrance to the park. This is your home base for adventure, from flightseeing, nature hikes, off-road adventures and more.
A second lodge is actually in Denali State Park.
At Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, it is all about Denali. The lodge was built with an expansive outdoor terrace, fire pits, walking trails and an exclusive treehouse designed by Pete Nelson of Animal Planet’s “Treehouse Master.” Princess also has lodges in more remote locations, like on the fringe of 13.2-million-
acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, along the Kenai Peninsula, called America’s playground by the locals,
and in Fairbanks, the Golden Heart City, where you can go gold panning and ride a sternwheeler riverboat.
Get More Vacation from Your Vacation
To get the most out of any cruise
or cruisetour, you’ll want to plan your excursions early and choose your land accommodations near legendary national
parks. There are plenty of options to view marine life from coastal ports, particularly whales and bear fishing for salmon and tours that go into national parks to see wildlife in all their splendor.
There are bucket-list experiences like dog sledding on a glacier or flightseeing of Denali and countless options like river rafting, off-road adventures, fishing for Alaska’s famed salmon, kayaking in Princess William Sound, horseback riding, meeting locals and sampling some of the region’s classic cuisine.
Well-deserving of its title as The Last Frontier,
Alaska is rich in treasures waiting to be explored.
From frontier towns, native history and glaciers to unspoiled wilderness, wildlife and adventure that defies description, the choices are many, especially when you choose Princess. You’ll arrive in awe, leave with vivid stories to share and long to return for more. Whether by sea, land or both, Alaska will amaze, enlighten and change the way you see the world.
To plan a future trip with Princess Cruises, contact your AAA Hudson Valley Travel Agent. Call 518-426-1000 or email booktravel@aaahv.com
22 I OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020