Juneau - Anchorage - Sitka - Fairbanks - Seward - Ketchikan - Kodiak
Salmon Fishing - Hotels - Cruises - Wildlife Tours - Lodges - B&B

Because a third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle, and because the population is so small and spread out, most of Alaska's food and consumer goods have to be shipped in from the lower 48. As a result, the cost of living in Alaska is noticeably higher than it is down south. However, average Alaskans make enough to cover the difference, in part because of the Alaska General Fund. Written into Alaska's state constitution in 1976, the general fund collects the royalties of oil produced in the state and each year, sends every Alaskan a check for their share - usually somewhere on the order of $1000. It's almost enough to make up for the cold.

Packing your bags for Alaska? Keep the following facts in mind:

Alaska's population is 626,932. The state capital is Juneau.
Juneau is the only state capital in the U.S. that's only accessible by air or sea.
In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward made the real estate deal of a lifetime: he purchased Alaska from Russia for about 2¢ an acre.
Alaska's state flag was designed by a 13 year old from Cognac, Alaska.
Gold is Alaska's official state mineral. In 1880, a prospector named Joe Juneau discovered gold in the state, setting off an epic gold rush.
Mount McKinley, in Alaska's backcountry, is the tallest mountain in the U.S. It is 20,320 feet tall.
In Fairbanks, Alaska, it's illegal to feed an alcoholic beverage to a moose.