Glacier Bay, Alaska
Glacier Bay's unspoiled natural beauty and abundant mega-fauna certainly make it a place not to be missed. It was surprisingly easy to get to. Just fly to Juneau and then take Alaska Seaplanes to Gustavus (pronounced Gus Tavus like it's a person's name). I recommend staying at Glacier Bay Lodge which is comfortable, rustic and nestled in the forest at the edge of the bay. The lodge runs a day boat, as they call it, which takes you out for the day and goes all the way up the bay to the Grand Pacific Glacier. There's a National Park Ranger onboard to provide interpretation and answer questions. Along the way, we saw Humpback Whales; a Brown (Grizzly) Bear with 3 cubs; Mountain Goats with babies jumping along steep, rocky mountainsides; Harbor Seals; Sea Otters; Stellar Sea Lions; both Tufted and Horned Puffins; various pelagic birds; and a Black Bear. Plus the breathtaking views of the landscape and glaciers are non-stop. I didn't take pictures, I just enjoyed it all. There are also hiking trails around the Lodge where Red Squirrels, and Porcupines are fairly common. We also saw a Sooty Grouse in the underbrush near the lodge. A hike of a little over 2-miles from the lodge to the mouth of the Bartlett River (Bartlett River Trail) brings you to a wonderful meadow full of flowers in the late spring and summer. That's where I saw the Butterwort and Dark-throated Shooting Stars. The lodge also offers half and full day guided kayaking. The only time I saw harbor porpoises was kayaking. For me, my 3-day stay was perfect and I'll definitely go back.
