6. Soaking up the History - Alaska's unique culture has roots from as far away as Russia and France and as close as the natives who still live there today. Participate in a blanket toss, attend an authentic Eskimo crafts festival, learn how to carve your own totem pole, browse the intricate Russian iconography, or visit the many cultural and historical museums.
7. Sight-seeing by Air - "Flight-seeing", as it's called, has become an enormously popular way to explore some of the less accessible parts of the Alaskan wilderness. Helicopter tours are available everywhere, taking you to the peaks of glaciers. Or you can charter one of the country's many "bush pilots" for a tour in a small aircraft that's just right for getting into and out of the dense wilderness.
8. Bike Tours - A great way to see the sights and keep fit at the same time, while not being as strenuous as a day hike or a river raft. Alaskan bicycle tours are organized around a theme, which may be to explore points of interest related to the gold rush or visit places important to Alaskan native heritage.
9. Whale Watching - Whales are the largest life forms on our planet, and they're all only too happy to come up for a picture in Alaska. Until you've experienced it, you can't imagine how thrilling it is to be right next to a creature so massive that its tail fins are bigger than your car.