Alaska & Pacific Coast
Ports of Call
Juneau, Alaska
This capital city presents a surplus of exciting sites to see and adventures to experience.Juneau, a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation, is the state capital of Alaska located along the Gastineau Channel of southern Alaska's panhandle. Nestled at the base of Mount Juneau amid a rainforest, Juneau is the largest capital in area in the United States and the only state capital accessible by air or ship only.
Things to See and Do
Although the population of Juneau is small compared to other capital cities, there is still a plethora of exciting sites to see and adventures to undertake that will surely inspire everyone in the family.
If you seek natural beauty, Juneau has it in droves. The Mendenhall Glacier, a half-mile wide, 1,800-feet deep ice field, is the most accessible glacier in Alaska and, for many, the most breathtaking. Offering panoramic views of the city, the Mount Roberts Tramway whisks Guests up to an observation deck that is approximately 2,000 feet about Juneau, providing arguably the best picture-taking opportunities in the state.
Guests looking to explore the natural and cultural roots of Juneau need look no further than the Alaska State Museum, which recounts not only the native people of Alaska and its early settlers, but also the natural wildlife that can be seen throughout the region. From June through October, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery offers visitors an intimate glimpse of breeding salmon as they make their way up a 450-foot fish ladder.
Historic sites include the Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, the state's oldest operating church, and the Red Dog Saloon, built during the city's mining era, which is home to swinging saloon doors, saw dust floors, live music and unique memorabilia.
For treasure hunters looking to shop, South Franklin Street—which parallels the dock—and the downtown area offers a myriad boutiques and stores selling typical Alaskan wares like furs, Alaskan jewelry, baleen baskets, carved ivory, lacquered boxes and nesting dolls.
Local Culture and Flavor
With its rugged mountainsides, sweeping glaciers and rainforests, Juneau is a scenic wonderland everywhere you look. Witnessing wildlife, like a brown bear fishing for food during a nature hike or a bald eagle casually soaring overhead, is not out of the ordinary.
As the capital of Alaska, Juneau's primary employer is the government—one out of every 2 Juneau workers is employed by the state, federal and municipal branches. Fishing, mining and tourism are also important parts of the Juneau economy. Recreational activities include hiking, kayaking, fishing, skiing, whale watching and wildlife viewing. Of the city's 31,000 residents, a large percent are fisherman, legislators, teachers and business owners.
Juneau is home to Alaska's only professional theater, Perseverance Theatre and the area hosts both the Alaska Folk Festival and the Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals.
Past and Present
Originally a fishing outpost for local Tlingit Native Americans, the area now known as Juneau was founded in 1880 after 2 prospectors—Richard Harris and Joseph Juneau—discovered gold, thanks to help by Chief Kowee of the Auk Tlingit Tribe. Shortly thereafter, the town, originally called Harrisburg, was struck with "gold fever" and began to flourish, followed by hard-rock mining, sawmilling, canning and an expanding fishing industry. Juneau became the capital of Alaska in 1906.
Today, Juneau remains a treasured tourist destination that includes not only a Tlingit Native American influence, but also a tradition steeped in Russian culture. Boasting timeless natural wonders, museums and the historic sites, Juneau continues to stir the imaginations of all who visit.
Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau.
Before the Europeans settled the area now known as Juneau, the region was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit tribe of Native Americans.
Juneau is larger in area than the state of Delaware.
Juneau continues to be the only U.S. state capital located on an international border: it is bordered by Canada to the east.
Ketchikan, Alaska
This frontier town, the "Salmon Capital of the World," is a gateway to outdoor adventures.Ketchikan, a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation, is a city in southeast Alaska located on Revillagigedo Island along Tongass Narrows at the foot of the towering Deer Mountain. The city is renowned for its unspoiled natural beauty, fishing and colorful Native culture.
Things to See and Do
Ketchikan boasts the largest collection of original 19th-century totem poles in the world. Be sure to spend some time at one of the 3 totem pole parks in the area—Totem Heritage Center, Saxman Totem Park and Totem Bight State Park—each brimming with majestic, multi-colored Tlingit and Haida totems amid a spectacular rural setting.
History buffs will want to trace the steps of the early setters with a stroll down Creek Street, a suspended boardwalk populated by colorful houses, once a hub for brothels, and now home to a variety of eclectic shops.
The unbridled beauty and sheer size of Misty Fjords National Monument in Tongass National Forest is a nature lover's paradise, providing all who enter with sweeping views of rugged mountain peaks, glaciers, rushing waterfalls, lakes and wondrous wildlife that defy description. Additionally, Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center, overlooking Ketchikan Creek, includes observation areas where you can glimpse spawning salmon and enjoy an up-close encounter with 2 bald eagles.
Local Culture and Flavor
With a population of approximately 7,800, Ketchikan is the 5th largest city in the state, despite being only 12 blocks long. Because the city takes so much pride in its native roots, it's impossible not to feel its influence wherever you roam, be it in the city center or off the beaten track. Major attractions boast towering totem poles celebrating the various tribes indigenous to the area while shops both big and small offer one-of-a-kind hand-carved items for tourists.
Billed as the "Salmon Capital of the World," Ketchikan's economy is—and always has been—primarily based on fishing. The waters surrounding the town teem with 5 types of salmon: King, Red, Silver, Pink and Chum, making it a destination of choice for professional and amateur fishermen the world over.
Past and Present
Ketchikan's humble beginnings began when a salmon saltery was established in 1883. Then in 1885, 160 acres of land were purchased from local Native Americans and—a year later—the first salmon cannery was built at the mouth of the Ketchikan Creek. By 1900, the fishing trade was flourishing and the town was officially founded. Ketchikan, already successful from industrial fishing, soon branched out and became a valuable mining supply center due to the discovery of gold and copper in the region, followed by a flourishing logging industry that continued throughout the 20th century.
Today, Ketchikan remains a treasured tourist destination where some of the world's most awe-inspiring natural wonders share center stage with an intriguing and inspiring Native Alaskan culture.
The population in Ketchikan is approximately 7,500, making it the 5th most populous city in Alaska.
Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek which flows through the town.
Ketchikan's zip code, 99950, is the highest zip code assigned in the United States.
San Francisco, California
This city, one of America's most beautiful, features steep hills, cable cars and stunning views.San Francisco, located in northern California on the tip of a peninsula between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific coast of the western United States, is a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation. Known for the Golden Gate bridge, foggy summers, steep hills, colorful Victorian houses and cable cars, San Francisco is one of America's most beloved and beautiful cities.
Things to See and Do
San Francisco is a little voyeuristic, a little hedonistic and a lot about personal expression. But it's all in good fun and since there is so much to see and do, it's the perfect vacation destination for the entire family.
During a tour of the city, catch a ride on one of the city's famous cable cars between Market Street and Fisherman's Wharf and snap off a picture of historic Lombard Street, the road that zigzags its way up to Russian Hill. Step into history during a tour of Alcatraz—or "The Rock"—where some of the most notorious felons were incarcerated from 1934 until 1963. Former prisoners include Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz."
San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge is a stunning looker and even more fun to travel across. The center is over 200 feet above the water and the bridge's towers rise almost 300 feet above the water. At Pier 39, Aquarium of the Bay offers a glimpse of the world beneath the bay. A conveyer belt takes you on a ride under the bay through a network of glass tubes while sharks circle, manta rays flutter by and schools of fish swim all around.
Nature meets science at the Golden Gate Park, an urban refuge approximately half a mile by 4 miles long, and home to majestic bison, impressive museums, a whimsical carousel and windmills. The park's numerous attractions include the grand greenhouse of the Conservatory of Flowers, the modernist MH de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences, which showcases the region's natural treasures and history, including 38,000 types of fish, an albino alligator, an earthquake exhibit and much more.
San Francisco enjoys some of the best shopping in the world, possessing a variety of unique shopping centers, districts and malls. Among them are Union Square, Hayes Valley, upper Fillmore, the Mission, Sacramento Street, Chinatown and San Fran's downtown shopping district. Fisherman's Wharf plays host to classic seafood restaurants and souvenir shops in the historic heart of the city's fishing community. And nearby Ghirardelli Square and The Cannery are bustling centers of food, shopping and entertainment.
Local Culture and Flavor
"Frisco" has a population of almost 800,000, but is the center of a metropolitan area of millions. Centerpiece of the "bay area," San Francisco is just one of the cities which comprise the entire vicinity. San Francisco's reputation for world-class arts, unrivaled attractions and colorful neighborhoods are alive, strong and fueled by a rich diversity of ethnicities, cultures and sub-cultures that energize the city.
The delicacies San Francisco is known for include excellent seafood, such as Dungeness crab, abalone and bay shrimp. On the sweeter side, Ghirardelli chocolates attract millions of tourists to Ghirardelli Square each year. And one cannot miss experiencing the smell of fresh sourdough bread wafting through the air by the Wharf. But that just skims the surface. Beyond the tourist areas lie many gems of the culinary world, tucked away in San Francisco's various districts. This wealth of attractions, experiences and eateries reflect the city's great ethnic and cultural diversity, as well as vibrant artistic and gay communities.
Past and Present
The original inhabitants of the peninsula now known as San Francisco were the native Americans of the Yelamu tribe. The first European settlers were the Spanish in 1776 that established the Mission San Francisco de Asís, in what is known today as the Mission District.
Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, private ownership of land became possible. In 1835, an Englishman named William Richardson founded the town of Yerba Buena and developed a street plan that helped grow the town. In 1846, the U.S. claimed California and the Navy raised the American flag above Yerba Buena. Following the Mexican-American War, California officially became part of the U.S. and Yerba Buena became San Francisco.
San Francisco experienced a population explosion with the California Gold Rush of 1848. The rapid growth and poor infrastructure led to a cholera outbreak in 1855. In 1906, an earthquake and resulting fire leveled most of the city. It was rebuilt, and 9 years later, the new and improved City by the Bay hosted the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The 1930s brought more development, with the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge and the infamous prison on Alcatraz Island, which housed some of the most notorious criminals of the time. In the 60s, San Francisco became the center of the hippy counterculture, as well as a hub for gay pride. And in the yuppie 90s, San Francisco experienced a dot-com boom and bust.
Today, San Francisco is thriving as both tourist destination and major metropolitan business center. Tourism is a driving force of San Francisco's economy and the City by the Bay remains one of the country's—and the world's—favorite American cities.
San Francisco has playgrounds with stunning views of the city, such as Walter Haas Playground in Diamond Heights.
In Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 thriller, Vertigo, the Golden Gate Bridge had a star performance alongside Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak.
Skagway, Alaska
This town has a storied history steeped in the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1880s.Skagway, a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation, is a city on the south coast of Alaska located near the north end of the Lynn Canal in the Alaskan Panhandle. The city is renowned for unspoiled natural beauty and a storied history steeped in the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1880s.
Things to See and Do
Known as the "Gateway to the Klondike," Skagway celebrates its place as the one-time threshold of the late 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush with several must-see destinations designed with the entire family in mind.
The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park offers Guests the unique opportunity to embark on a walking tour of some of the downtown locales frequented by the thousands of prospectors and miners that made their way through Skagway. Guests can even embark on a hike along the White Pass Trail, the main passage trekked during the Gold Rush.
Adventure seekers will want to take a ride along the late19th-century White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and travel the very same route in a vintage train car that the miners of yesteryear traveled in as they set out in search of gold. Named an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the train takes Guests through steep climbs and cliff-hanging turns, through tunnels and atop towering bridges, past glaciers and picture-perfect waterfalls.
The Skagway Museum and Archives displays a diverse collection of age-old treasures from the town's illustrious history, wonderfully curated in a historic granite building. And along the scenic Chilkoot Trail, hundreds of relics of the past rest untouched for all to see. From age-old old pick axes to decrepit wagon wheels, these tools of the gold-mining trade were ditched by the original miners and left to history.
Local Culture and Flavor
Known for its legendary seat during the Gold Rush boom, Skagway is a sleepy town frozen in time. A plethora of magnificent albeit quaint landmark buildings along the main thoroughfare in town, Broadway Street, help to illustrate what life was like during Skagway's heyday, when opportunity and riches were as easy to find as the gold that everyone was searching for. Walking along this historic 7-block stretch, don't be surprised it you bump into residents wearing late 19th-century attire from when the town came into prominence.
Past and Present
Originally home to the Chilkoots and Chilkats Native Americans, Skagway came to prominence when gold was discovered approximately 600 miles along the Klondike River at Rabbit Creek in 1896 setting off what would be known as the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. During this time, hundreds of thousands of gold prospectors settled into the area in search of fortune. Because of its proximity to the Yukon where gold was plentiful, Skagway acted as the gateway to the treasure, and the town grew both in size and structure because of this sudden economic boom. By 1899, gold rush fever had passed.
Today, Skagway with its sweeping mountain and river views is a city of approximately 800 residents that embraces its place in American history. Ironically, it wasn't the gold that made Skagway rich but rather the tourism of that time that came soon afterward and remains to this day.
Skagway is also part of the setting for Jack London's book The Call of the Wild.
During the early 1900s, Skagway was known as the "Gateway to the Klondike."
Skagway, Alaska was incorporated on June 28, 1900.
Tracy Arm, Alaska
This scenic destination, viewed only from the ship, boasts waterfalls, glaciers and mountains.Tracy Arm, a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line 7-Night Alaska Cruise vacation, is a fjord located 45 miles south of Juneau, Alaska amid Tongass National Forest. Known for unparalleled natural beauty, this scenic destination is home to towering waterfalls, mammoth glaciers, rugged mountaintops and wildlife.
Because the cruise ship does not dock at Tracy Arm, Disney Cruise Line invites you to enjoy a scenic cruise of the fjord, where your ship's captain will bring you as close as possible to the unparalleled beauty that surrounds you everywhere you look.
Named after Civil War general Benjamin Franklin Tracy, Tracy Arm Fjord is an approximate 30-mile-long fjord—a narrow inlet created by glacial activity—that weaves its way past 7,000-foot high snow-capped mountains and floating icebergs both large and small. Formed thousands of years ago, this calm waterway boasts towering granite walls that jet up from the fjord majestically, framed against a sweeping forest terrain.
At the end of the fjord lays the translucent mountain masterpiece known as the Sawyer Glaciers, comprised of the North Sawyer and South Sawyer glaciers. Rising elegantly out of the water, these 2 age-old, glowing, light-blue calving glaciers offer a glimpse into a time so very long ago, when huge chunks of ice the size of continents swallowed up whole countries during the Ice Ages of the past. Once an hour on average, slabs of these great glaciers calf and tumble into the saltwater below.
In addition to the geological splendors that surround you wherever you look, Tracy Arm is home to a myriad wildlife including bald eagles, brown bears, goats and whales, providing ample opportunity to snap a picture of one of the area's long-standing natives.
A nature lovers' paradise to be sure, Tracy Arm invites you to behold the breathtaking beauty of the wild at its most dramatic and precious.
Tracy Arm was designated as a wilderness area by the United States Congress in 1980.
The Tracy Arm area covers 653,179 acres.
Due to microscopic sediment, the water is a glacial blue.
Vancouver, Canada
This cosmopolitan city, cradled between mountains and the sea, offers fine dining and shopping.Vancouver, British Columbia, the 3rd largest city in Canada, is the homeport on an Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation. Located on a peninsula in southwestern British Columbia between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains, the city and its surrounding region is a popular destination for visitors from around the globe thanks to its natural beauty, history and thriving culture.
Things to See and Do
You'd be hard-pressed not to find something to delight everyone in your family in Vancouver. Stanley Park, the city's very first park, boasts 1,000 acres of nearly half a million trees, where Guests of all ages can take in the unspoiled natural surroundings during a scenic hike, pet animals at the Children's Farmyard or ride the rails amid towering Douglas Firs on a miniature locomotive train.
Vancouver Aquarium, the city's largest, includes over 70,000 marine animals-including whales, seals, dolphins, sharks, reptiles and birds. It is located amid the picture-perfect surroundings of Stanley Park and a must-see for both the young and young-at-heart.
The oldest tourist attraction in Vancouver, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, is undoubtedly one of the city's most breathtaking, providing sweeping treetop views 230 feet above the Capilano River to all who dare to walk across the century-old, 450-foot long canyon bridge. For some of the best views of the city in full, the Grouse Mountain Skyride—America's largest aerial tramway system—takes you on a breathtaking journey 3,700 feet in the sky.
For art lovers and treasure hunters, no visit to Vancouver would be complete without spending time at Granville Island, a 35-acre peninsula brimming with shops, eateries, theatres and art galleries. Vancouver's Chinatown, one of the largest in North America, is home to a beautiful classical Chinese garden and the perfect place to wind down during a day out and about in the city.
Local Culture and Flavor
Surrounded by water on 3 sides and situated alongside a picture-perfect, snow-capped mountain range, Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia and the most populous in Canada. This is the key to its unique charm. A bustling metropolis to be certain, Vancouver retains its strong connection to the great outdoors. From the over 200 parks that can be found throughout this historic city to the sweeping waterfront, Vancouver seamlessly blends the rural with the urban to create a cityscape unlike any other. People from around the globe looking for this harmony come to Vancouver to visit and live each and every day. This mix of cultures-which includes English, Irish, German, Asian, Latin American and Black-only help to make the city even more interesting and inviting.
Past and Present
Originally settled by the Coast Salish people thousands of years ago, Vancouver was first visited by European settlers in 1808 when Simon Fraser set up a fur trading post. But like many other areas to the north, it wasn't until gold was discovered in 1858 along the Fraser River—and later when lumber became the main industry—that the region began to expand both in population and in commerce. Early settlements included Gastown, named after an early pioneer who set up a saloon in the area, and Granville. In 1887, following the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the city was officially incorporated and renamed Vancouver. Throughout the 20th century, Vancouver's economy relied on forestry, mining, fishing and agriculture.
Today, it's easy to understand why Vancouver's second largest industry is tourism, and it is consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in the world.
Vancouver is the busiest seaport in Canada and the 4th largest port in North America.
Vancouver is the 3rd largest film production destination in North America, after Los Angeles and New York City.
Vancouver is the site of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, Canada, is a port of call on a Disney Cruise Line Alaska & Pacific Coast Cruise vacation. Located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, this scenic metropolis also known as the "City of Gardens" is a popular tourist destination renowned for its sweeping harbor views and British-inspired historic sites.
Things to See and Do
Guests looking for an immaculately groomed expanse of greenery need look no further than the impressive Butchart Gardens, a historic 55-acre site featuring the city's most beautiful floral landscaping. Butterfly Gardens, located approximately 14 miles from the city center, welcomes all who enter with the unique opportunity to share in an up-close-and-personal encounter with hundreds of brightly-colored butterflies amid a sprawling indoor rainforest. And nature lovers will surely want to visit Beacon Hill Park, a sprawling, 63-acre park originally constructed in 1882 that features gardens, playing fields and a petting zoo for the little ones.
If Victoria's history stirs your imagination, then a visit to the late 19th-century Craigdarroch Castle is highly recommended. Perched high on a hill overlooking the city, this Victorian mansion built for Robert Dunsmuir features 39 rooms for exploration and includes a myriad ornate antique furnishings. Additionally, the Royal British Columbia Museum, built in 1886, features 3 permanent galleries and boasts over 7 million historical papers and relics, including a replica of an age-old ship and a mighty wooly mammoth.
Treasure hunters will want to be sure to visit Market Square, home to a number of boutiques, eateries and clubs. Additionally, Government Street Promenade is one of the more popular shopping destinations in town, offering 5 blocks of souvenir shops. British collectibles can also be purchased at Antique Row, located on the eastern side of downtown Victoria.
Finally, a visit to Victoria wouldn't be complete without a stop at The Empress Hotel, the iconic symbol of the city and destination of choice for the rich and famous for over 100 years. Overlooking the Inner Harbor, the lush Edwardian chateau-style hotel features 477 rooms and is famous for serving afternoon tea in the main upper lobby daily-reservations required.
Local Culture and Flavor
Voted one of the top 10 cities to visit by travel magazine Conde Nasté Traveler, Victoria is known for its British heritage, and it is this regal ambience that can be felt all throughout town. From the narrow city streets which are emblazoned with English-style lamp posts and hanging floral arrangements to the countless boutiques and eateries nestled inside historic Victorian buildings, the city imbues a sense of timelessness to all who visit. And with a picturesque harbor, brimming with yachts, set against a backdrop of towering mountains, it's easy to see why this place is so loved the world over.
Past and Present
Originally a Hudson Bay Company trading post in 1843, Victoria became the port of entry to the colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island in 1858 during the Fraser Valley Gold Rush. When the colonies combined, Victoria became the capital and the largest city in British Columbia, known for trade and commerce. During the 20th century, Victoria's economic focus shifted to that government, retirement and—due to its inherent beauty—tourism. Today, the city is home to Canada's western naval base, a major fishing fleet and a growing ship-building industry.
More than 3.5 million tourists visit Victoria every year.
Victoria was incorporated as a city in 1862.
