Q: I need to know how to make day excursion from Anchorage to Glacier Bay and/or Katmai—which is the park with more chances to see bears hunting salmon? Also, I booked a plane trip plane to Barrow , and I’m curious about hotels and surroundings. Is it worth it? What is the weather, and what is there to do? Thanks —Antonio

A: Thanks for emailing. Barrow is the northernmost city in the United States, located 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle. It’s a neat place to visit--once. It's really an extreme place. You won't believe people can live there. Alaska Airlines does two trips to Barrow—both a day trip and an overnight trip, starting at $574 per person (the overnighter has travelers staying at the Top of the World Hotel). While in Barrow, you can check out the country’s largest Eskimo village and, if you’re gutsy enough, join the Polar Bear Club for a dip in the Arctic Ocean.

With respect to bear viewing, you're looking for a place where the bears fish for salmon. Glacier Bay is not it—plus, it's way too far from Anchorage. Instead, I would do a fly-in bear-viewing trip from Anchorage. Check out Alaska.org’s page on Bear Viewing Trips or, if you want a great lodge for bear-viewing, our page on Redoubt Bay Lodge.