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Travel Guide to North America

Enjoy an expedition cruise either along the East or West Coast of North America. This is an opportunity for to discover the continent from a completely new and amazing angle. These journeys take us to both small communities and large, iconic cities.

3 mins read


Why North America  

North America is familiar for many, but the coastline is pretty much undiscovered for even seasoned travelers. The unique combination of nature, small harbors and metropolitan areas opens up a different experiences and new perspectives.  

Visit the places you have seen, read or dreamt about in a fantastic mix and a broad variety of stops along the way. Cruising along the coast enables a much greater spread of experiences than regular travel where you would have to pick a certain city or region to visit.  

Discover history and culture, nature and wildlife, local food and drink. The coastline is full of hidden gems and new discoveries. And in the oceans outside North America, you can expect to see dolphins, whales and a large number of bird species.  

Best time to visit North America 

North America is a great place to visit year-round, but for exploring the shorelines the summer and fall are recommended. Summer brings warmer temperatures and better sailing conditions. The fall is a wonderful time to explore the beautiful coast of Canada and New England as the foliage puts on an amazing show. This is in fact a reason to visit this region in the fall all by itself.  

What to see 

North America has it all – from the ultimate in urbanity to unspoiled nature.  

East Coast 

Discover iconic east coast cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston and Miami – all different flavours of the US. In addition, visit small towns like Eastport, Bar Harbor and Rockland. This provides a striking variety of beautiful scenery, culture and city life in a perfect mix of wilderness, small town charm and bustling nightlife. 

West Coast

On the west coast, visit famous places as Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Santa Catalina island, Seattle and Vancouver. Enjoy a mix of sea life, including potential whale sightings, hiking, sampling of local food in the many restaurants, learning about local history and relaxing on sunny beaches. It’s a truly urban expedition along one of the most famous coastlines of the world. 

What to Expect 

You will explore and experience many sides of North America when travelling by ship. While providing the possibility to enjoy the rich variety of stops along the way, this is not a regular cruise experience. Except to get in-depth insight into the areas visited and you will learn more about the local culture, history and wildlife.  

The oceans are full of exciting life and in the skies and on the shore, you will see a large number of different bird species. In northern regions bears, moose and the ever popular puffin may be spotted.   

You may enjoy hikes, museum visits, food and wine tasting, urban exploration, local cultural performances, small boat cruising and (where possible) kayaking, snorkeling, swimming and beach cleanup activities.  

For people who love to travel, see and experience culture and history, and don’t want the traditional white ship experience – this is the perfect way to experience the North American coastline.  

Penguins perched on the ice of Cuverville Island, Antarctica. Credit: Espen Mills / HX Hurtigruten Expeditions

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