Alaska's Inside Passage

Carved by glaciers and blanketed with majestic hemlock and spruce, Alaska's "panhandle" rivals Scandinavia for pristine water and mountain views. A leisurely cruise among the fjords and forested islands of the Inside Passage takes you into prime habitat for bald eagles, sea lions, porpoise, and whales.

Southeast Alaska is the home of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Indians - you'll see their rich heritage reflected in dramatic totem poles and other Native arts. Russian settlers left a legacy of onion-domed churches gleaming with icons and gold. Prospectors, lumberjacks, and fishermen, have added to the complex tapestry of southeast history and culture.

Like the coastal Indians that paddled cedar canoes along Inside Passage waterways, modern travelers use Alaska state ferries to connect port with port. Large and small cruiseships, charter boats, and private yachts call at picturesque towns and scenic wonderlands like Misty Fjords National Monument, Tracy Arm, and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, located near the capital city of Juneau. Highway access from the contiguous states comes at Haines, Skagway, and the friendly ghost town of Hyder, on the British Columbia border.

Natural beauty, art, music, theatre, Native Alaskan culture, and incredible year round outdoor adventure opportunities combine to make southeast Alaska a visitor's paradise.

Scheduled airlines and charter air taxis and boats are the workhorses of southeast transportation, providing dependable access to remote and nearby locations.

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