Spring is here. Well, officially, the Spring Equinox is in just few days’ time on March 20 with our clocks going forward 10 days later when we mark the start of British Summertime. For my part however, as soon as March arrives, I’ve officially shrugged off winter and am (almost) ready to turn off my central heating and get the patio set out.
Wherever you choose to travel, cruising is always linked to the seasons and the one in which you wish to cruise can often dictate where you’re going. In some cases, a destination is linked to a season when it comes to seeing it at its most beautiful – take for example the East Coast of America and New England in the autumn. (OK, they call it ‘fall’ over there but I’m not budging). As coastal opposite to that, I’m thought I’d take a look at some of the finest US West Coast ports you can visit on a cruise.
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Santa Barbara
San Diego
Lying close to the Mexican border, San Diego is the southernmost US West Coast city you’ll visit on a cruise and offers the quintessential California beach experience along with some fine attractions, too. La Jolla Cove is the place to be when it comes to swimming and snorkelling experiences, while to enjoy the beauty of the San Diego Bay from above, head up to the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park to drink it all in. The city has the honour of hosting one of the world’s finest zoos, divided into 10 different bio-zones and home to some of the rarest animals in the world, including Giant Pandas. In complete contrast, the USS Midway Museum showcases naval aircraft in spectacular style, owing to the fact that it is in fact an aircraft carrier which once served the United States Navy.
Ketchikan
Alaska is a US state, even though your west coast cruise will likely take you to through a number of Canadian ports to get there, so as such, I felt this blog wouldn’t be complete without an Alaskan port. Ketchikan is in fact one of the southernmost cities in the state and a first port of call on a number of Alaskan itineraries. The Misty Fjords National Monument is the big draw here; a breathtaking wilderness of glacial valleys, mountains and waterfalls, but there’s plenty of other attractions too. There’s plenty of opportunity to explore the regions aboriginal heritage thanks to a good choice of totem parks and heritage centres and museums, while Creek street is always a favourite with visitors, offering a range of arts and crafts stores housed in the town’s traditional wooden buildings and earning it name from the Salmon-rich creek which it runs along the side of.