Cosmopolitan Vancouver is a city that rewards exploration, an eminently liveable place and an easy gateway to the natural beauty of British Columbia. The culinary scene here is a particular draw, with seafood galore and some fantastic Asian restaurants.

The breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument is a 3,570-square-mile swathe of virgin forest and plunging fjords, just to the east of Ketchikan. As the name suggests, the fjords are often cloaked in a fine mist, and the wilderness is home to bears, bald eagles, whales and more.

Founded by a Norwegian in the 1800s, the fishing town of Petersburg still wears its Scandinavian heritage with pride, and is known as ‘Little Norway’. Out in Frederick Sound you can often see icebergs that have broken off the LeConte Glacier, and the waters are an important summer feeding ground for humpback whales.

Kake is the main settlement on Kupreanof Island, and is a great place to learn about the culture of the indigenous Tlingit people, who make up 70% of the population here. It’s also a prime spot for whale watching and bear spotting, and there are a number of hiking trails around the island.

Point Adolphus, on the northern tip of Alaska’s Chichagof Island, is a fantastic place to see humpback whales, lured here by the nutrient-rich waters during the summer. It’s also a top birding spot, with species including marbled murrelets, pigeon guillemots, Pacific loons, pelagic cormorants and black-legged kittiwakes.

Sitka was founded by Russian fur traders in 1799 as the city of New Archangel, and there is still a discernible Russian influence here, including the distinctive St Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral. The town also enjoys spectacular natural surroundings, facing the Pacific Ocean and dramatic Mount Edgecumbe.