The nearest U.S. state to China, Alaska is fast becoming the hottest destination for tourists looking for something different. From its awe-inspiring landscapes and famous wildlife to unique cultural experiences and charming towns, Alaska offers visitors the chance to step outside of their daily grind and be renewed with a deep sense of wonder

For many, visiting Alaska is synonymous with adventure. The name conjures up images of vast untamed spaces brimming with bears, caribou and moose, snowy mountains and northern lights reflected on glacier-fed lakes, dense coniferous forests and rocky shores that bear witness to leaping orcas. Beautiful, but harsh and inaccessible, and only for the brave. While that may have been the case less than a century ago, today Alaska’s hospitable doors are wide open and accessible to all types of visitors as the state welcomes a surge in tourist numbers.

Throughout Alaska, new hotels, lodges and tourism-focused activities are popping up to cater to the nearly two million people who visit the state each year. Visitors can choose to learn more about the local cultures, spoil themselves in luxury accommodation, taste the state’s delectable cuisine – including world-class seafood – and, of course, choose from a wide array of options to explore the great outdoors.

Although summers in Alaska are gorgeous, winter tourism in Alaska has also seen a dramatic rise in popularity in recent years – justifiably so, as for many locals, it’s when the real fun begins. The snowy winter is not only postcard pretty, it also unlocks activities like dog mushing, snowboarding, skiing and ice fishing, as well as the mysterious and dazzling northern lights (aurora borealis), visible from September to April. And while Alaska may have the reputation of being extremely cold, many of its coastal regions experience relatively mild temperatures year-round.