If you were to look on the hard drive of my computer, you would probably find more photos from my adventures in Alaska than from anywhere else in the world. With mountains, glaciers, rainforests, rivers, waterfalls, wildlife, and countless opportunities for adventure, it’s no wonder I snapped over 1800 photos. 

I’ve been wanting to publish a photo essay of my 10 favorite photos for quite some time. The only problem is, I couldn’t narrow it down to just 10, so now it’s a post of 20 something of my favorite photos. 

Special thanks to Princess Cruises and to Un-Cruise for hosting me on these incredible adventures!

Wildlife

While snapping photos of the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay, we noticed a family of spotted sea lions chilling out on a floating chunk of ice.

Bald eagles seem to be everywhere in Alaska. I couldn’t decide which of these two photos I liked best so I used both. 

With a big orange beak and eyebrows that look like horns, Puffin are easy to recognize. They feed on fish and they seem to win under water as well as they fly through the air. 

Lazy sea lions on a rock at South Marble Island in Glacier Bay National Park. 

One of the things I love most about small ship adventures is that they can get into places where large ships can’t, and since they aren’t making port calls every night, they can be somewhat flexible with their schedule. While having dinner one evening aboard Uncruise’s Safari Endeavour, someone notice a Grizzly and her cub walking along the shore. The ship’s captain turned the ship around and we followed them for about 30 minutes until they wandered into the woods. 

A group of seal lions taking a swim in the icy waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage. 

While passing through Frederick’s Sound, we were treated to a spectacular show of literally hundreds of humpback whales feeding, breaching, and waving their tail flukes. 

OK, I know these two aren’t exactly considered wildlife, but they were irresistible and are a couple of my favorite photos from my Alaskan land and sea adventure with Princess Cruises. 

Beauty

Entering Glacier Bay for the first time was an enchanting experience.

The  21 mile long Margerie Glacier terminates in the Tarr Inlet in Glacier Bay. It reaches heights of approximately 250′ above the water. When calving, it sounds like thunder!  

The charming town of Ketchikan catches more annual rainfall than any other city in the USA.  

Waterfalls flowing down the mountains are a spectacular site.

Seeing the reflections in the water while kayaking caused me to pause and reflect on how lucky I was to see such beauty in person.

I found Alaskan sunsets to be mesmerizing. You can see more of my favorite sunsets from my travels here!

I love photographing moss and mushrooms. Not sure why – I just do. 

View from atop a glacier looking down into Glacier Bay.

Adventure

Flying in a 1966 Beaver plane to summit of Mt. McKinley was a thrilling experience! You can read more about it here!

Equally as thrilling was flying in a helicopter and landing on a glacier! Here’s a video of the adventure!

Rather than stopping in various ports of call, the Safari Endeavor simply dropped anchor and let us explore off the beaten path. 

Though this photo is a little blurry due to a wet camera lens, I love it because it reminds me that great adventures await regardless of the weather. 

Colorful kayaks tethered to the Safari Endeavor.

I have so many fond memories of my time aboard the Coral Princess. Here she is docked in Juneau as the morning fog begins to lift. 

Riding the rails is another great way to explore Alaska and experience some incredible scenery. 

What would you most like to experience in Alaska?