We have finally booked our bucket list trip to Alaska. We booked an inside passage cruise with a pre-cruise extension. Why the pre-cruise extension? To acclimate to the four-hour time difference as well as sightseeing Anchorage.

Understanding the time zone changes for booking flights and knowing the airport rules for checking bags and carry-on: Quick tip – Often the airlines request checking your carry-on at the gate for space saving and waive the bag fee. I did this for my second bag and saved $45. They check it to the final destination for free.

Check the weather for packing: A month before our trip, I added all the destination cities on my phone weather app, so I could see the temperatures both high and low. It helped me understand that some places were much cooler, but.a few would still need warmer clothes. Layers are key, as well as a winter coat for the glaciers expedition.

Real world experiences matter: We spoke with several people that had been and asked their favorite places and things to do. We like to tour like locals instead of all the tourist attractions. Some highlights we were told not to miss. The glacier tour is a bit pricey, yet a once in a lifetime experience. The lumberjack show is a must. We will take the train to Talkeetna versus going all the way into Denali due to our timeframe (one day) limitation.

Old school map: Yes we all use our iPhone map apps, but I like to see an actual map in print so we can understand the terrain, alternate sites or routes should we venture off the beaten path. We also ordered a sightseeing map for the parks.

Watch YouTube before you go. We watched videos on the different cities, cruises and excursions. This helped us decide which activities fit our desired goals. We also found things we will want to include on our return trip―providing I can get my husband on board.