Alaska offers spectacular scenery that is best explored at your own pace. By land or sea, Alaska will wow any adventurer, but sea kayakers are in for a special treat. The Alexander Archipelago of southeast Alaska will find you paddling at times with pods of playful orcas, or under the soaring wings of bald eagles, while the Kenai Fjords National Park is the spot to discover glaciers from sea level.
The Archipelago lends itself to shipping as the Inside Passage. Cruise ships ply the channels through more than a thousand islands en route to Juneau and other mainland towns. The maze of channels is home to plenty of marine wildlife including orcas and humpback whales.
In Kenai Fjords National Park, twelve glaciers run from the Harding Icefield towards the sea. In certain areas, these great walls of ice loom before you while ocean wildlife will play around your boat. Paddling in the remote fjords of the park is not for beginners. Be sure to have a guide if you are not prepared to handle sudden storms and big seas.
For calmer adventures in a kayak, try Mendenhall Lake near Juneau. Again you'll be paddling in the shadow of a glacier, but the waters are more forgiving to inexperienced paddlers.
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