Glacier Bay by Boat: An Alaska Trip Worth Saving For

Glacier Bay has no roads in. You arrive by plane or boat to the tiny town of Gustavus, and the quiet starts the moment you land. There is no traffic, no cruise ship crowd on the dock and no chain hotel in sight, only a small airstrip, a scattering of homes and inns, and a long gravel road leading toward the bay. A short distance away lies one of the most remarkable wild places in North America: more than three million acres of mountains, rainforest and tidewater glaciers, where humpback whales feed in the summer and ice crashes into the sea. It is not a cheap trip, but it is one worth saving for.

Best time: June to August. Stay: four days. Budget: high, though far less than many cruises.

Getting there

Most visitors reach Glacier Bay through Juneau, the state capital, which has regular flights from Seattle and other West Coast cities. From Juneau, a short flight on a small plane takes you to Gustavus in about half an hour. The flight itself is a highlight, crossing icefields, forested islands and narrow channels before dropping onto the runway. In summer, a state ferry also runs between Juneau and Gustavus a few days a week, which is cheaper and can carry a car, though most travelers do not need one.