50th anniversary of the Alaska Marine Highway

For the thousands of residents in communities along Alaska’s coast, no roads link them to neighboring towns. Instead, these coastal residents get around thanks to Alaska’s ferry system. But the Alaska Marine Highway, as the ferry system is known, isn’t just for residents. In 2013, the Alaska Marine Highway celebrates its 50th anniversary, and it’s a great time for visitors to experience Alaska’s coastal communities onboard one of the system’s signature blue-and-gold vessels.

The system’s southern ports of call are in Bellingham, Washington and Prince Rupert, British Columbia; ferries stop at dozens of coastal communities in the Inside Passage, Gulf of Alaska, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island and all the way out to the Aleutian Islands. Ferries accommodate cars, RVs, bicycles and even kayaks, making them a great way to explore coastal Alaska at your own pace. Most ferries also have cabins for overnight accommodations as well as on-board naturalists who provide information about the marine life and forests. Make 2013 your year to experience this low-key option for travel in coastal Alaska.

For more information visit the Alaska Marine Highway

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