The combination of water, hills and lush greenery in a mountain setting  on the shores of Puget Sound make Seattle, Washington, one of the most  beautiful urban areas in the U.S. With its efficient bus system, growing  light-rail network and compact downtown district, Seattle is also  user-friendly.

Juneau, Alaska, enjoys a majestic setting in a narrow fjord with  Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts towering above it. To the east is the  vast expanse of glacial ice known as the Juneau Icefield, and to the  west are the wilderness islands of the Inside Passage.

At the northern end of the Inside Passage, 550 mi/880 km southeast of  Anchorage, the Glacier Bay National Park waterway stretches for 65  mi/105 km and contains 16 tidewater glaciers. In 1980, Glacier Bay  became a U.S. national park and preserve. It encompasses 3.2 million  acres/1.3 million hectares and can be visited only by sea or air.

The setting of Sitka, Alaska, in a tranquil bay on Baranof Island, is  nothing short of spectacular. Tiny islands dense with evergreen trees  dot the blue-green water, which is crisscrossed by dozens of fishing  boats. Looming over the town and waterfront is Mount Edgecumbe, a Mount  Fuji look-alike located on a nearby island.

Ketchikan, Alaska, is the site of an ancient Tlingit fish camp and was a  supply town during the gold rush. Ketchikan is about 3 mi/5 km long but  only a couple of blocks deep. Located on the southwest shore of  Revillagigedo Island, it's the first port of call into Alaska, hence its  nickname, The First City.

Although Victoria is in British Columbia, it feels more like England  than Canada. The city was founded in the 1800s as a Hudson Bay Co.  trading post and outpost of the British Empire, populated by settlers  attracted to its mild climate. Historic Victoria boasts several grand  buildings, lots of shops, and aesthetic touches reflecting its English  heritage. Today, part of the city's charm comes from old-world  traditions juxtaposed with new-world experiences.