This trip was all about beautiful landscapes and wildlife spotting. Out in Florida, I'm used to flat land, sunny weather, and amazing beaches. Alaska couldn't be more opposite: mountains and fjords, cold and rainy weather, and amazing forests (not to mention it's literally on the opposite end of the US!).
juneau
The capital city of Alaska had a nice, humble downtown area that caters almost entirely to cruise-goers. The top attraction here was the Mendenhall Glacier which could only be accessed for two hours at a time as a means of protecting the glacier and its surrounding forestry.
The glacier was spectacular. While not able to get up close, it's so large that you could easily see it from a mile away. The neighboring Nugget Falls also made for a beautifully violent waterfall. The hike to get to Nugget Falls had beautiful views and was paved, making for an easy hike.
skagway
Easily my favorite stop on the trip, Skagway was where I got to rock climb, rappel, and hike. Climbing guides took us to a sick crag with routes ranging 5.7 to 5.10+. Since we only had the time to climb two routes, I just stuck to two 5.8s although I definitely think I could've had a good shot at the 5.10+.
Afterwards, I had what might've been the best fish and chips I've ever had (sorry London) and a relaxing hike to Yakutania Point and Smugglers Cove. Both had remarkable views of the fjord and the massive cruise ships at the port.
ketchikan
Definitely the most boring city of the trip, Ketchikan had nothing but tourist traps unfortunately. My mom and I watched a lumberjack show that we both found dull and honestly a waste of time LOL.
Despite this, Ketchikan was the most populous of the cities we visited and had the most semblance to some actual civilization. The previous cities were tiny and had populations that were a fraction of the number of passengers on the cruise ships visiting the city (isn't that crazy). Not to mention that Juneau isn't even accessible by car to the rest of Alaska and Canada.
glacier bay national park
Initially, I was under the impression that we would be getting off to visit a park. Instead, we literally cruised into the bay and were surrounded by mountains and glaciers. At the very end was a massive glacier that probably spanned the entire width of 2.5 football fields. There were super cute otters and whales along the way. This made for the most relaxing day on the trip, and one of the most memorable.