Valerie & Valise
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  • About
    • The Values Behind V&V
    • Contact
    • Press & Writing
    • Work with Us
    • For Bloggers
  • Alaska
    • Recent Trip Reports
      • August 2021
      • June 2022
      • July/Aug 2022
      • August 2023
    • Glossary
  • Other West-inations
    • Baja California
    • California
    • Great Basin
    • Hawaii
    • Mountain West
    • National Parks
    • Pacific Northwest
    • Southwest
    • Escaping Cleveland
  • The V&V Shop
    • Cart
  • Major Marine Tours Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    Major Marine Tours Review: Seward’s Best Day Cruise (& My Personal Fave!)

    April 28, 2023 / 21 Comments

    Most people want to go to Alaska to take a cruise: they board a ship in Seattle or Vancouver, spend seven days wending their way north, and enjoy a few excursions along the way. Upon pulling into port in Alaska, usually in Seward or Whittier, they're then eager to explore Alaska by land: they see the sights in Anchorage, maybe explore the outdoors a bit (maybe by hiking), and try to catch a glimpse of Denali. Most visitors don't necessarily think to hop back on a boat and explore the waterways looking for wildlife; they skip the chance to explore these two northern ports entirely...

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  • Cruise Tips,  Reviews

    Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise Review: The Best Way to See Glaciers in Alaska

    April 7, 2023 / 2 Comments

    Want to see glaciers in Alaska? You're not alone in trying to figure out how. Read my Phillips' 26 Glacier Cruise review to decide if this is right for your Alaska trip.

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  • UnCruise Hawaii Review Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Reviews

    UnCruise Hawaii Review: How to Spend a Week in Paradise

    April 2, 2023 / 4 Comments

    When most people go to Hawaii, they pick an island, choose a beachfront hotel, and call it done. But you're not most people, are you? If you're considering UnCruise in Hawaii, you already know you want more from your Hawaiian vacation than a tan and a Mai Tai hangover – though you can certainly have both during your Hawaii UnCruise experience...

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  • UnCruise Alaska Hero
    Reviews,  Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides

    UnCruise Alaska Review: The Ultimate Way to Cruise in Alaska

    March 10, 2023 / 32 Comments

    My coffee is steaming, as is my breath as I exhale in the cold morning air. I’m in Alaska. My home state. I’m back, for the first time in three years, and it’s May 2017. There’s still a bite of winter in the air. I'm standing aboard the bow of the Safari Endeavour, a ship operated by Seattle-based UnCruise Adventures...

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  • UnCruise Adventures Alaska Review
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides

    Why Book a Small Ship Alaska Cruise?
    Here are 8 Great Reasons

    March 2, 2023 / No Comments

    When you think about your upcoming Alaska cruise, what comes to mind? Moments of peace where you can hear the gentle lapping of water, exhalation of humpback whales, and call of eagles from the trees of nearby shoreline? Or the relentless hum of giant giant engines, plowing through the deep waterways that they can fit in, passing smaller fjords and bays where the wildlife and wildness can be found?...

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  • Book an Alaska Cruise Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides

    How to Plan & Book an Alaska Cruise in 2023

    February 22, 2023 / 4 Comments

    For many people, an Alaska cruise is a dream vacation. After saving for years, they finally make the decision to go – and then realize there are a lot of decisions to make in the process. Choosing a company, itinerary, cabin class, excursions… the list of decisions goes on and on, and often leads to overwhelm or decision fatigue...

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  • Uncruise Baja Review Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides,  Reviews

    UnCruise Baja Review: A Week on the Gulf of California

    February 17, 2023 / No Comments

    The taste of lime and salt mix on my tongue as the van hurdles back down the highway toward the marina of Puerto Escondido in Baja California Sur. Like so many memories of my UnCruise in Baja, it was unplanned but entirely entrancing. See, for most people, a van breaking down on vacation is a good way to ruin the day – with UnCruise, it's just another adventure, another chance to dive deep into the place you're visiting...

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  • End of Season Alaska Cruises Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides

    End of Season Alaska Cruises: Are They Worth It?

    December 9, 2022 / No Comments

    Alaska is a primarily summer destination; over 90% of people visit Alaska during the summer season between the end of May and mid-September. And 50% of those people take an Alaska cruise. This means that cruising during the summer is a very popular – and pricey – activity, and will probably give you some sticker shock even if you find a good deal....

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  • Alaska Cruise Excursions Hero
    Cruise Tips,  Destination Guides

    The Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2023 (One in Each Port!)

    December 2, 2022 / 8 Comments

    Going on an Alaska cruise – a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see one of the world's beautiful natural destinations. It's an unforgettable experience, and even tops my Alaska bucket list! Trust me that I know how popular Alaska cruising is – I get questions about it all the time! That's why I started working on a series of posts about the best Alaska cruise excursions in each port...

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Hi! I’m Valerie! 👋🏻


 
I travel with my trusty valise and my husband, Mr. V.

I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. I’m also a not-so-secret space nerd and speak fluent emoji! ✌🏻
 
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Acknowledgement of Land

Through my site I promote travel to lands, including Alaska, Canada, and the Western U.S., which are the traditional lands of Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgement, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands.

To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

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