Alaska is one of those places that’s impossible to visit just once. I’ve barely returned from my first taste of this untamed beauty and already I’m planning my next trip.

On our Norwegian Cruise Line 7-Day Alaska Round-Trip, we spend a week cruising and touring Alaska’s famed Southwest region taking in the ports of Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Dawes Glacier, and Ketchikan.

Here is your guide on what to see, what to do, and skip in the Last Frontier state.

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Sitka

Once Alaska’s first capital city, this dreamy town pretty much jams the best of Alaskan experiences into one place. Spawning salmon jumping upstream, check. Bears catching said salmon, check. Remote and stunning fjords. Check.Check.Check! 

I booked myself on tour here to ensure I got the most out of my time. First we visited the Fortress Of The Bears, a sanctuary for orphaned brown and black bears. This is a popular tourist spot as you are guaranteed to see their resident bears.

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Take a look onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand new ship

After this close encounter, we cruised along the silent and glassy inlet waters to Silver Bay homestead where we feasted on S’Mores and hot chocolate as we learned about the local area and history. We were also lucky enough to see a bear near the local salmon hatchery fishing from the shore. What a privilege to see these magnificent creatures in the wilderness.

Be sure to leave yourself enough time to wander through town too and do the totem pole walking tour through the Sitka Historical Park. For some added spice, there are regular “beware of bears” signs to keep you on your toes and on the lookout!

For movie buffs, I hate to break it to you, but Sandra Bullock’s rom com hit, The Proposal, was “based” here, but was actually filmed in the United States. Our bus driver told us a few aerial shots may have been used, but that was about it.

And if you are at the cruise ship terminal you HAVE to try the roasted nuts from a local store aptly named Sitka Nuts. We barrelled through two bags of cashews and almonds. A must!

Juneau

Juneau is the capital of Alaska. It’s both a mountain town and a coastal city surrounded by incredible beauty, wildlife and with a deep Native American history. 

As soon as you step off your ship, there’s a dizzying array of tours on offer, the highlight of which is a trip to the famous Mendenhall Glacier about 15 minutes out of town by shuttle.  While the tourist centre was packed, we had a drizzly day, so the trails to the glacier lookout and the nearby waterfall are relaxed and easy to navigate. I’d give yourselves about two hours out here, unless you’re up for a longer hike.

Back in town, there’s a long line out the front of tourist hotspot Tracy’s Crab Shack and it’s standing room only at the Red Dog Saloon. Line up early if they take your fancy. We took photos out the front and instead spent our time strolling around town.

We made a beeline for their famous fudge shops (this will be a common theme throughout this article!), bought some great souvenirs in the Alaskan Brewing Co and I can highly recommend Jellyfish Donuts. Also, the shuttle drivers in Alaska are the absolute best. Full of knowledge, hilariously bad jokes, and pride for their hometowns.

Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier

This was the highlight of our trip to Alaska. The weather gods were smiling as we made our way down the glacier carved fjord of Endicott Arm. This is National Geographic worthy. Sheer granite cliffs that tower above our 20 deck ship. Water so green you keep taking your sunglasses on and off to ensure it’s not a trick of the lenses. Chunks of glaciers float by. Can this be real? Am I actually here?

Then after miles and miles of quiet cruising, you see her. The Dawes Glacier. 600 feet tall and half a mile wide. Even from a distance she’s magnificent. Rug up and grab a spot on the upper decks to truly appreciate nature in all her glory.

This is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed. 

Ketchikan

Ketchikan is the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage and is everything you hope an Alaskan city will be. Famed for its beautiful scenery, its world famous salmon and Native American history.

If your time is limited, stroll around Creek Street and the downtown historic district. There are also more than 80 totem poles dotted around Ketchikan. And yes, more fudge to be consumed too!

When we docked, we opted for the George Inlet Fjords Safari. Now this is an action packed day! Start your engines as you drive your own UTVs through the Alaskan wilderness. The scenery is stunning. You may even spot a bear or two on your adventures.  You then board a sightseeing vessel that will deliver you to the charming George Inlet Lodge where you’ll sit by the water as you feast on fresh Dungeness crab and sample local craft beers. I am not normally a seafood eater, but the crab chowder was irresistible. So were the beers!

These Alaskan cruise stops are just a sample of what awaits on your journey to the Last Frontier.  I’m already planning to return to explore more and maybe buy some more fudge.

This writer travelled as a guest of NCL. The cruise line offers four ships (Bliss, Encore, Joy, Jade) from three departure ports – Seattle, Vancouver, Whittier – to explore the region, with an extended season from April to October, providing the opportunity to see Northern Lights.

In one of the biggest games of the Big 12 season, BYU travels to Tempe to face Arizona State in Week 13. 

Both teams have been incredibly surprising in league play but after its first loss of the season, can BYU respond and stop a budding offense around running back Cam Skattebo? The ASU running back is in line for a big day with a plus matchup and highlights our player props for this marquee matchup. 

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

LJ Martin UNDER 63.5 Rushing Yards

Martin has been in and out of the lineup at times this season, but he has been on a tear in Big 12 play, clearing this number in the last four games with a pair of 100-yard rushing outputs. 

However, this matchup will pit the Cougars against an elite rushing defense in Arizona State, who is 25th in EPA/Rush.

While Martin is a talented back, he has benefitted from facing several easy defenses and also does share reps with the likes of Hinckley Ropati. 

Given the matchup, under is my preference on the BYU running back. 

Cam Skattebo OVER 89.5 Rushing Yards

After missing the Sun Devils’ Week 11 game against UCF, Skattebo returned at Kansas State to pace the ASU backfield with 73 yards on 25 carries. 

Despite a depressed output, Skattebo is in line for a big output against BYU’s defense that is 78th in EPA/Rush and 75th in yards per carry. The Cougars defense gets little push up front in run blocking, ranking 99th in tackles for loss, which should allow Skattebo to plow his way forward on a heavy workload. 

He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of six conference games, and should flirt with triple digits yet again. 

Jordyn Tyson UNDER 90.5 Receiving Yards

Tyson continues to emerge as one of the premiere threats in the Big 12, clearing 100 yards in two of the past four games and this prop in three of them. 

However, I need to go under the sophomores receiving yards prop after a career best 12-catch, 176-yard outing against a shaky Kansas State secondary. This time around, he’ll face a top 25 defense in terms of EPA/Pass and is elite at limiting big plays, 25th in explosive pass defense. 

There’s a sell point on every player, and I believe we have reached it with Tyson, who can have a great game while staying under this number. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

An atmospheric river dumping rain across Northern California and several feet of snow in the Sierras was making its way across the state Friday, bringing flooding and threatening mudslides along with it.

The storm, the first big one of the season, moved over California as a bomb cyclone, a description of how it rapidly intensified before making its way onshore.

On Thursday, rain poured across the northern edge of the state, slowly moving south. It rained 3.66 inches in Ukiah on Thursday, breaking the record for the city set in 1977 by a half-inch. Santa Rosa Airport saw 4.93 inches of rain on Thursday, shattering the daily record set in 2001 of 0.93 inches.

More rain is due Friday.

“Prolonged rainfall will result in an increased risk of flooding, an increased risk of landslides, and downed trees and power lines across the North Bay,” the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office wrote in a Friday morning forecast.

After its initial peak, the system is expected to linger into the weekend, with a second wave of rainfall extending farther south across most of the San Francisco Bay Area, down into the Central Coast and possibly reaching parts of Southern California.

On Saturday, Los Angeles and Ventura counties could see anywhere from a tenth to a third of an inch of rain. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties could see up to an inch in some areas.

A second round of rain expected to begin Sunday could be “a little stronger than the first but still likely in the ‘beneficial rain’ category,” the National Weather Service said in its latest L.A. forecast.

Chances are low of flooding or any other significant issues in Southern California, forecasters said, though roads could be slick and snarl traffic.

Staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report.