Alaska Facts Land area: Alaska encompasses 586,412 square miles, which is about 365,000,000 acres, Alaska is the largest state in the union and; one-fifth the size of the lower 48 states.
Largest Parks: Alaska's unique beauty and vast wilderness areas are among its greatest treasures.
More than half the nation's parklands are found here, located in every geographic area of the state.
Diameter: East to west, 2,400 miles; north to south, 1,420 miles.
Coastline: 6,640 miles, point to point; as measured on the most detailed maps available, including islands, Alaska has 33,904 miles of shoreline.
Estimated tidal shoreline, including islands, inlets and shoreline to head of tidewater, is 47,300 miles.
Adjacent salt water: North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Arctic Ocean.
Tallest mountain: Mount McKinley, at 20,320 feet, is the tallest mountain in North America.
Alaska has 39 mountain ranges.
Most populated City: Anchorage is less than 300,000.
Over half of the states population lives here.
What Alaska has to offer Alaska has some of the most incredible scenery to be found in the United States.
In order to enjoy all Alaska has to offer, visitors must get out and experience it for themselves.
MOUNTAINS Of the 20 highest peaks in the United States, 17 are in Alaska.
Mt.
McKinley, the highest peak in North America, is 20,320 ft.
above sea level.
Denali, the Indian name for the peak, means "The Great One.
" GLACIERS Alaska has an estimated 100,000 glaciers, ranging from tiny cirque glaciers to huge valley glaciers.
There are more active glaciers and ice fields in Alaska than in the rest of the inhabited world.
COASTLINE Alaska has 6,640 miles of coastline and, including islands, has 33,904 miles of shoreline.
WILDLIFE In these magnificent settings, Alaska offers superb wildlife viewing opportunities.
Moose, wolves, Bald eagles, caribou, and bears, driven away from other lands by the crush of modern development, roam wild and free.
Alaska is Bear country! There are three types of bears found in Alaska: the black bear, brown/grizzly bear and polar bear.
Alaska's coastal brown/grizzly bear is the world's largest carnivorous land mammal.
Alaska Guide to Alaska Activities & Alaska Tours FAVORITE ACTIVITIES Alaska has much to offer from the Arctic of the north to the Rain Forest of the southeast.
Alaska visitors have a multitude of Alaska activities to choose from.
Your Alaska tour can be as exciting as you want to make it.
Some of the most popular Alaska activities are listed below.
Fly fishing, Hiking, Camping, Alaska Cruises, Wildlife Viewing, Brown Bear Viewing, Snow Machining, Dog Sledding, Bird Watching, Hunting, Glacier Tours, Skiing, Flight Seeing, Canoeing & Kayaking and relaxing at rustic lodges, Alaska Railroad tours, Iditarod Dog Sledding tours, Viewing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), or taking an Alaska cruise are the favorites among Alaskan Tourists.
Accommodations range from bed and breakfasts to rustic lodges to cabins, to luxury hotels in downtown Anchorage.
Fishing is one of the top if not the most favorite Alaska Tour.
In Alaska, fly fishing is the norm.
Alaska salmon fishing, and Alaska halibut fishing are the most popular among anglers.
Fishing lodges abound throughout Alaska.
Hunting is another top Alaska Activity.
Moose hunting, bear hunting, & caribou hunting are favorites.
Like Fishing lodges, Hunting lodges also abound throughout Alaska.
Places of Interest Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai Fjords, Prince William Sound, Homer, Sitka, Kotzebue, Cordova, Dillingham, Valdez, Seward, Whittier, Kenai, Homer, Barrow, Ketchikan, Kodiak Island, Skagway, Barrow, Palmer & Wasilla in the Matanuska Susitna Valley (Mat-Su Valley), State Parks and National Parks such as Mt.
McKinley otherwise known as Denali national park which encompassesbreathtaking tundra views.
Ways to get to Alaska Airline travel is one of the most inexpensive ways to reach Alaska.
Alaska Airlines has flights throughout the U.
S.
The Alaska Highway often referred to as the "Alcan Highway" or simply the "Alcan" is another popular method of getting to Alaska.
The Alaska Highway provides a great Alaska tour in itself.
Opportunities for wildlife viewing abound.
If you plan on driving the Alaska Highway, make sure to pick up a copy of the Alaska Milepost magazine.
The Milepost offers a comprehensive guide on driving the Alcan.
The Marine Highway, otherwise known as the Alaska Inside Passage provides a relaxing Alaska Cruise.
There are many cruise ship providers such as Princess Cruises that also provide transportation to Alaska.
I have attempted to put together an online Alaskan vacation planner.
The goal of this site is to provide you with the tools to plan your vacation yourself.