7 Best Outdoor Adventures in Alaska, Canada & New England

Whether it’s witnessing calving glaciers and enjoying fascinating wildlife encounters or kayaking, hiking and sailing, Alaska, Canada and New England are full of possibilities for heading off on invigorating adventures in the great outdoors. Each new day brings thrills like exploring a scenic national park, helicopter flightseeing, heading out on a nature safari and more. We picked just a few of our favorite outdoor adventures in these nature-blessed corners of North America and shared highlights below.

Ocean Trail Hike | Bar Harbor, Maine

• Enjoy the sensory experience of walking the Ocean Path.
• Learn the fascinating history of the national park.
• Follow a naturalist that will discuss the flora and fauna.

Enjoy a meandering walk along Acadia National Park’s winding Ocean Path trail with a naturalist that will describe the local flora and fauna. As you make your way through the dramatic setting, you will be introduced to the natural wonders of Acadia National Park. You may hear ocean waves pounding the granite shoreline at Thunder Hole, smell the scent of wildflowers wafting through the salt-tinged air and see the attractions that have made Acadia the second-most visited national park in America. To add to your enjoyment, the naturalist will elaborate on John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s donation of more than 11,000 acres to Acadia, the first national park east of the Mississippi. Rockefeller also financed the construction of miles of carriage roads throughout the park, and they remain free from motorized vehicles.

Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter & Guided Walk | Juneau, Alaska

• Ride a helicopter over the pristine wilderness that borders Juneau.
• See the soaring peaks of Mendenhall Towers.
• Walk across the icy terrain of Mendenhall Glacier with a mountaineering expert.
• Gain a firsthand understanding of glaciers and how they creep across the landscape.

Fly in a helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier, a 13-mile-long river of ice that you will have the opportunity to walk atop while learning about its glacial landscape. As you fly high above the wetland habitat, alpine ridges and lush rainforests on the way to Mendenhall, you will gain a new appreciation for this rugged wilderness as your pilot shares a lively narrative. You will enjoy a literal bird’s-eye view of twisted spires, deep-blue crevasses and mountain peaks, one of the most spectacular and unusual landscapes in North America. You will also pass Mendenhall Towers, a collection of jagged rocky sentinels that rise more than 7,000 into the air. Upon landing, you will enjoy a close-up view of Mendenhall Glacier as you follow your mountaineering guide across its icy surface. Along the way, the guide will explain how glaciers form, retreat and inch across the landscape.

Schooner Sail & Mimosa Cocktail | Newport, Rhode Island

• Sail around Narragansett Bay on an elegant schooner.
• Hear stories about Newport’s history and famous residents.
• See key landmarks such as Fort Adams.

Sail a sleek schooner around Narragansett Bay, admiring the coastal homes and landmarks, while discovering Newport’s fascinating history. You will sail an elegant 80-foot schooner designed to look like a turn-of-the-century vessel. You can expect a lively, immensely comfortable ride around Narragansett Bay, made even more enjoyable with a mimosa cocktail or another beverage in hand. One of the many highlights is seeing Fort Adams, America’s largest coastal fortification and a National Historic Landmark. It’s quite the sight and especially intriguing once you learn its history, starting in colonial times. The captain and crew will regale you with stories about Newport and famous residents such as Jaqueline Bouvier, who married John F. Kennedy in Newport in 1953. The reception was held at her childhood home, Hammersmith Farm. Other photo-worthy sites include Goat Island and a lighthouse built in 1842.

Kayak in Saguenay Park | Saguenay, Quebec

• Kayak through the typically calm, unspoiled waters off Cape Trinity.
• Browse the enlightening displays in an interpretation center.
• Look for breaching whales, seals and marine birds.

Paddle a kayak along the smooth-as-glass waters of the Saguenay Fjord, looking for whales, seals and other marine life in the unspoiled wonderland. After a scenic drive, you will arrive at the Saguenay National Park, the first park in the province dedicated to protecting marine life. As an introduction to the park, you will browse the exhibits at an interpretation center. You will then ease into a two-person kayak and start paddling along the shores of Cape Trinity. Receding glaciers carved the waterway out of rock centuries ago, leaving behind sheer cliffs and one of the province’s most spectacular settings. The waters are rich in krill, so you may see whales voraciously feeding to fatten up for their migration south. Seals and marine birds are also prevalent in the pristine Cape Trinity area, so be sure to scan the waters as you paddle along. Afterwards, you might shop in the interpretation center.

Whale Watching by Zodiac Adventure | Saint John (Bay of Fundy), New Brunswick

• Drive to St. Martins, a lovely coastal village settled in 1783.
• Cruise the coastal wilderness in a Zodiac boat and marvel at nature’s majesty.
• Behold sea caves that the world’s highest tides have carved out of the cliffs.
• Discover why UNESCO has deemed this protected area a Biosphere Reserve.
• Follow a scenic route back to Saint John, pausing at a beach along the way.

Ride in a Zodiac boat along the beautiful coast of the Bay of Fundy and then see the wonders from a different perspective by driving through parkland and pausing at the beach. You will board the boat in historical St. Martins, and then cruise the longest stretch of coastal wilderness on the Eastern Seaboard. Along the way, you will see caves that the world’s highest tides have carved out of the red sandstone cliffs, forests growing to the water’s edge and one gorgeous beach after another. This part of the bay is so environmentally unique that UNESCO has designated it a Biosphere Reserve worthy of being preserved in its natural state. You will then see this pristine wonderland from a different perspective by driving the parkway that hugs the coast. While pausing at Long Beach, you will learn fascinating details about the wildly fluctuating tides that expose huge stretches of the ocean floor. Afterwards, you will stop in St. Martins.

Alaska 4x4 Nature Safari | Sitka, Alaska

• Cruise across Sitka Sound, looking for whales and other marine life.
• Zip through the wilds of Kruzof Island in a 4x4 vehicle.
• Observe the natural beauty while looking for Alaska wildlife.

Cruise to Kruzof Island and ride an off-road vehicle through lush rainforest and meadows blanketed with wildflowers, where you may spot iconic Alaska wildlife. As you ride the skiff to the island, the captain will discuss the diversity of marine life that thrives in the channels of Sitka Sound, including humpback whales that migrate here in the summer to feed. While there is no telling what you will observe, seals and sea otters are abundant. Once you disembark on the island, you will hop into a Yamaha Rhino 4-wheel-drive 2-person vehicle for an exhilarating ride through the rainforest. Your first stop will be the Iris Meadows Estuary, where coastal brown bears and Sitka black-tail deer often gather. The remainder of the ride will be spent zipping along the forest trails, pausing every so often to take in the views.

The Wild Bears of Anan | Wrangell, Alaska

• Observe bears in the wild as they catch and devour spawning salmon.
• Look for other fish-loving animals such as harbor seals and bald eagles.
• Gain a greater understanding of the local flora and fauna from a naturalist.
• Enjoy the remote, typically uncrowded forest setting.

Watch bears feeding on spawning pink salmon at Anan Creek from the comfort of an observatory at the falls. Following a cruise on a covered, heated boat through the sheltered waters of the Eastern Passage, you will hike about a half-mile along a groomed trail and wooden boardwalk. Visitors can only arrive by boat or floatplane and then hike in, so the remote location tends to be relatively uncrowded, making the wildlife viewing all the more memorable. Pink salmon spawn in Anan Creek in huge numbers, attracting fish-eating animals that include black and brown bears, harbor seals and bald eagles. It is quite the spectacle, especially when the bears attempt to catch the salmon as they jump into the air while swimming upstream. This being one of the area’s largest pink salmon runs, the chances of seeing feeding bears is high but not absolute. To enhance the experience, the naturalist guide will interpret the local flora and fauna.

Inspired to plan your next adventure in the great outdoors of North America? Explore our Alaska cruises here and our Canada and New England cruises here.