Meet some birds of prey at the Audubon Birds of Prey Center near Orlando Florida. A great educational experience for all ages.
If you live near to Orlando or are visiting for several days, take a couple of hours to visit the Audubon Birds of Prey Center located in the metropolitan Orlando area. It’s near the city of Maitland in the small Town of Eatonville just north of Winter Park. Stop by and experience a bit of real Florida, and enjoy the opportunity to view up close and personal Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Kites, Owls and Falcons. For additional information call (407) 644-0190.
The center operates first as a rescue facility for injured birds of prey but also is set up as an excellent learning experience. While they work to rehabilitate injured birds many of the residents are full time as it is believed that they aren’t capable of surviving in the wild.
Audubon Birds of Prey Center, 1101 Audubon Way, Maitland, FL 32751
Additional bird rescue organizations in Florida include:
Angel Wings Parrot Rescue, Brevard County 2300 Hall Rd, Malabar, FL 32950
Melbourne Avian Rescue Sanctuary, Northeast Florida, Central Florida
The Last Chance Sanctuary, (BBTLCS) Northeast Florida, Central Florida
Open Wings Rescue & Sanctuary, Duval County Jacksonville, FL
Florida Raptor Center, Saint Cloud, FL
Zaksee Florida Bird Sanctuary, Hillsborough County Tampa, FL 33625
Parrot Outreach Society, Charlotte County Punta Gorda, FL 33982
Birds of Paradise Sanctuary & Rescue, Manatee County Bradenton, FL 34212
Seminole County Parrot Rescue and Sanctuary Inc., Seminole County 220 Saunders Trail, Geneva, FL 32732
The Northwest and Alaska represent some of the most popular cruising destinations available. With snow capped mountains, glaciers, whales and interesting ports of call it isn’t hard to understand why.
Australia is famous for its surfing and only a short ferry ride from anywhere around Sydney Harbour is Manley Beach. It’s approximately one mile long, stretching from Queenscliff in the north to North Steyne Beach in the south. It is a popular destination for locals that is known for its golden sand, clear water, and surf breaks. The beach town is famous for its shops, cafes, and restaurants, making it a great place for Sydney residents on weekends.
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The historic center of Quito, Ecuador is one of the best-preserved colonial areas across all of Latin America. It is the reason that in 1978 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. It is a miracle that the area has survived so intact, given that in 1917 it was hit by a devastating earthquake. The Church of the Society of Jesus, also known as La Compañía, is one of the most beautiful churches in Quito’s Historic District. This Baroque-style church is known for its ornate interior, which is covered in gold leaf and features intricate carvings and frescoes. It’s considered a masterpiece of colonial architecture and art. Add it to the top of your list when exploring Quito’s Historic District.
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Skagway is a popular port of call on many Alaska cruise itineraries. With a population that fluctuates between 700 in winter and 2,000 in summer it is easy to see what drives the economy. While Skagway is small and a bit isolated that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do. Historically Skagway has its beginnings in the Yukon gold rush when it was established as the port of entry for the famous Chilkoot trail leading up to the Yukon gold fields. Today it is a tourist destination with a lot of interesting options for spending a day off a cruise ship from shopping, riding a train or helicopter to even wilderness adventures.
Where Your Ship Docks
Cruise pier Skagway
There are several modern docks right near town with specific docks designated for different cruise lines. While there are no facilities right on the docks it is a short walk to public facilities going into town near the Marina with more available near the foot of State Street in town.
Wheelchair Accessibility
Disembarking – This port has a developed cruise ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with.
Port City Characteristics – This port itself is mostly flat with no serious issues. It has an average wheelchair infrastructure with only moderate inclines in sidewalks. Intersection crosswalks may have curbs or other wheelchair obstacles.
Transportation
Taxis are available but the town itself can be walked in a short time. There are locations to visit on the outskirts of town like the gold mine where a taxi would be your best option. There are also Pedi cabs and a number of tour operators that offer short excursions around the area.
Currency
Riding The White Pass & Yukon RR
Alaska is a U.S. state and the U.S. Dollar is the preferred currency with most major credit cards accepted as well as ATM machines in town.
A Bit Of History
With a growing population of over 10,000 people, Skagway, Alaska, was on many peoples minds as word of the Klondike Gold Rush spread in 1897 – 98. They called the town Skagway for the Tlingit Indian name “Skagua,” which means “the place where the north wind blows.”
The town was founded in 1895 by Captain William Moore, a former steamboat captain, who traveled north from British Columbia to work for a surveyor. He is credited with discovering the White Pass route through the Coastal Mountain Range. He selected a site where the Skagway River entered into the salt-water Lynn Fjord. He filed a 160-acre homestead claim at the head of the White Pass Trail in 1887, and he and his son, Ben, built a cabin, a wharf and sawmill. He began to chart and mark the White Pass Trail in expectation of a flood of miners to the gold rush. The first rush of prospectors landed at Skagway in the summer of 1897. After all of his planning Captain Moore was pushed aside and ignored by the newcomers who took over the Moore homestead and the surrounding area and laid out a townsite without consulting him. They even forced Moore to relocate his cabin since it stood in the way of a newly plotted street.
Downtown Skagway 1898
Between 1897 and 1898, Skagway became a lawless town, described by the Canadian North-West Mounted Police as “little better than hell on earth.” Gun fights, prostitutes, and liquor were ever-present on Skagway’s streets, and the towns leader was a con man named “Soapy” Smith, who became the boss of a pack of robbers, gamblers and swindlers who ran the town.
The National Park Service Visitor Center at 2nd Avenue and Broadway in Skagway is a place to begin your exploration of the area’s rich gold rush heritage. Preserving History & Becoming an International Historical Park in 1997 with the park celebrating the centennial of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Attractions
If you are looking for a scenic excursion The White Pass and Yukon Railroad provides train rides up thru the mountains to the White Pass and back. Their station is right in town and tickets are usually readily available. There is also a gold mining attraction near town where you can pan for gold. There are a number of whale watching boat trips and a helicopter tour that will take you up to land on a glacier.
State Street also has the usual lineup of tourist retail stores with an emphasis on jewelry. For some unique items look for local artists and crafters gift items.
Helicopters heading for the glacier fields
If you are looking to book a tour our suggestion is to book on your own instead of through the ship. You will have a whole day in Skagway with plenty of time to set something up. By calling the helicopter tour service in Skagway the day before arriving in Skagway you can save almost fifty percent on booking a helicopter flight up to a glacier.
Shopping
Skagway Mining Company: This store sells a variety of Alaskan-made gifts and souvenirs, such as jewelry, art, and clothing.
Skagway Outlet Store: This store offers discounted prices on a variety of merchandise, including outdoor gear, clothing, and souvenirs.
Skagway Spirits: This store sells locally made spirits, including whiskey, gin, and vodka. They also offer tastings and tours of their distillery.
The Glass Door: This store sells a variety of art and gifts made by local artists, including pottery, jewelry, and glassware.
Alaska Christmas Store: This store specializes in Christmas decorations and ornaments, but they also sell a variety of other gifts and souvenirs.
Skagway Fish Company: This store sells fresh and smoked Alaskan seafood, including salmon, halibut, and crab.
Tip: Most U.S. and Canadian cell services do not have any surcharge for using you phones in Alaska. Just make sure you have a land based signal and are not on the ships cellular service.
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Hubbard Glacier is truly a stunning natural wonder and something everyone should try and plan seeing when visiting Alaska. Hubbard Glacier is a glacier located in eastern Alaska and western Yukon. It’s 76 miles long, 7 miles wide at its front, and has a height of up to 600 feet above the water at its terminal face. The glacier is considered one of the most active in Alaska, with frequent calving events and ice dam formations.
A majority of the people that have seen Hubbard have experienced it while taking an Alaska cruise. Typically cruise ships travel up Disenchantment Bay and slowly approach the terminal face of the glacier while pushing through water filled with chunks of ice. Cruise ships are permitted to get as close as 0.6 miles to the terminal face of Hubbard Glacier, but this can vary depending on weather, sea and ice conditions. The captain of the ship will typically navigate as close as possible keeping in mind passenger safety and minimizing any disturbance near the glacier. There are limits placed on the number of ships allowed into Disenchantment Bay which means every Alaska cruise doesn’t have this glacier on their itinerary.
The Glacier calves into Disenchantment Bay. Catching pictures is a challenge as the sound of the event is what draws your attention but being a half mile or more away by the time you hear it, it’s already half done. Fun trying…
The Hubbard Glacier was first discovered in 1890 by an American naval officer named G. W. Stoney. It was named after Gardiner Greene Hubbard, a lawyer and philanthropist who was the first president of the National Geographic Society, which sponsored an expedition to the area in 1895.
A cruise ship slowly moves in toward Hubbard Glacier
If you are planning a cruise to Alaska here are some tips we suggest you consider:
First and foremost check and make sure the cruises you are considering are visiting Hubbard Glacier.
Second, this is one cruise experience where we recommend booking a veranda stateroom. Room on the ships outdoor railings can be tough to reach. It doesn’t matter if it’s port or starboard as the ship will reposition to face both toward the glacier face.
Be sure and pack clothes you can layer, as the temperature can be quite cold on the water and near the glacier.
Be sure and bring binoculars to get a closer look at the glacier and any wildlife that may be in the area.
If you’re interested in a tour that explores more of the glacier the best options are available through your cruise line. Because of the glaciers remoteness a vast majority of tours are managed by the cruise lines. One tour operator that focuses on Hubbard Glacier is Yakutat Charter Boat but if you’re not taking a cruise getting to Yakutat can also be a challenge.
Yakutat is a small town located in the Gulf of Alaska and is the nearest town to Hubbard Glacier. It is situated at the mouth of Yakutat Bay within the Tongass National Forest with a population of around 600 people.
If you’re interested in taking a helicopter flight to land on a glacier or hike glacier trails there are a number of glaciers in Alaska that are much better choices.
Hubbard Glacier guided tours are available from Yakutat Charter Boat HERE.
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