Alaska — You don't necessarily have to see the 49th state from a big ship

SEWARD, Alaska — The two-story chunk of blue ice crashed into the bay, showering its shards across the water. Seconds later, the roar of the calving glacier thundered across the canyon walls.

But few of the 50 or so tourists on our boat were paying any attention. Instead, they were captivated by a black bear bounding along a cliff above an unsuspecting mountain goat. Would the bear see the goat? Could the goat escape in time?

Alaska is a place where nature still rules, even in urban settings, where soaring bald eagles are a common sight, jagged mountain peaks outline the sky and a rare bear attack is shrugged off.

Yet Alaska's range of attractions and its size — nearly as wide as the Lower 48, with the Arctic Circle cutting through the top — make planning a visit a daunting task. That's why most tourists opt to see Alaska by cruise ship. But by doing a little homework, we were able to create our own unique, affordable vacation — without the big ship.

Our group consisted of my energetic 65-year-old mother, my city-slicker husband, and me, a rusty camping enthusiast. We wanted to experience the wilderness but were nervous about going off alone, so we initially sought to join a hiking and kayaking tour. After some Internet research, we realized most tours use the same few guide groups. We'd have more flexibility if we booked directly with the guides and found cheaper places to stay on our own.

We bookmarked our nine-day vacation around three adventures — a day of kayaking, a night in a state park cabin and a daylong boat tour of Kenai Fjords National Park. We used two towns as a base for our trips — Homer and Seward. Homer is an artists' community on the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula on Kachemak Bay. Seward, a quaint harbor town with plenty of gift stores, is a hub for glacier tours, hikes and the southern terminus for

Alaska's famed railroad. Both towns are easy to get to with or without a car, and offer plenty of ways to see what the state is famous for — big animals, big mountains and big ice.

We had one rule about lodging: no bed-and-breakfasts with crocheted covers on the toilet paper. We managed to find simple, clean B&Bs to suit our taste, with innkeepers who even e-mailed trip-planning advice and let guests use their kitchens to prepare meals.

While many of the better-known lodges fill up during the summer, we saw hotels, B&Bs and even private homes with rooms to rent almost everywhere we went. Camping was available even in downtown Seward.