When you need to escape the sizzling Texas summer heat, do it in style by adventuring into the vastness of Alaska. Witness ice shear off a glacier and explode into the ocean below, look into the eyes of a wild grizzly bear, fly in a surreal experience over a sea of mountains and glaciers, spot whales throw their tons of mass into the air, all with the expanded daytime that comes with the Midnight Sun.  You’ll find Alaskans are among the friendliest, most trusting people in America and will make your adventure a memory to remember.

The best time to visit is May 10th to September 15th, when the days are long, dry and warm. You’ll save money traveling the shoulder season in May and September. Avoid the mosquitos by travel in late July or August.

The most common way to see Alaska is by cruise, you can choose from a variety of family-oriented to luxury cruise lines with Princess and Holland America leading the pack with their premium Alaska specialty offerings. For luxury cruising, you can choose from the very best, Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, Silversea and Windstar. Oceania offers a deluxe cruise with the focus on a spectacular culinary experience, and even Disney has added Alaska to their summer cruise options.

Any Alaska cruise, though, is only a means to an end. You would miss the best of Alaska if you don’t see the big 5 land mammals and the beautiful vast interior landscapes. The best way to do this is to cruise one-way across the Gulf and add a land tour either pre- or post- cruise. You can get a great taste of Alaska with a 10-14 day combination land and sea package. Each port of call offers bucket-list experiences that are well worth the price. Helicopter to a glacier for a dog sled ride, take a small boat to witness a glacier calf and whales close-up, venture out to catch crabs with the Deadliest Catch, watch grizzly bears fish in the wild, or go fishing yourself for some amazing salmon that will be shipped home for you.

If you are more of a land animal, then a land tour can take your through beautiful landscapes by the famous Alaska Railroad dome cars. You can get to off-the-beaten track destinations like Mt McKinley and Denali National Park and visit the gold rush city of Fairbanks and its largest city, Anchorage. Princess offers land packages that take advantage of their lodges and land tours. G Adventures offers active packages with hiking, biking, rafting and kayaking in partnership with National Geographic and Jane Goodall.

Alaska, with its jaw-dropping beauty and abundant wildlife remains America’s last truly unconquered frontier. It’s time you conquer it.

Reserve your dream vacations by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and an Eanes ISD parent for over 20 years. She is the 2017 recipient of the OPAL Award for Women for outstanding performance and leadership, and leads the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Committee.