Inside Passage Region
Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers millions of years ago, Alaska’s Inside Passage stretches 500 miles along the Pacific Ocean and boasts wildlife-filled fjords, tidewater glaciers, and lush island scenery. The Tongass National Forest — the largest national forest in the United States and the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world — covers the vast majority of the Inside Passage.
The Inside Passage is home to Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Alaska Native peoples whose history is reflected in towering totem poles and whose vibrant culture can be seen today through art, song, and dance. Russian settlers left their legacy through onion-domed churches gleaming with icons.
Today, the Inside Passage is the most popular route for large and small cruise ships departing from the Seattle, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, B.C. from May through September. For those that want to travel at their own pace, the Inside Passage is also accessible on the state ferry along the Alaska Marine Highway System, which stops in 35 ports of call from Bellingham, WA to Dutch Harbor in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
Both cruisers and independent travelers are awed by the lush beauty of top Inside Passage destinations including Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway, Wrangell, and Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. There’s no shortage of adventures to be had, including kayaking, hiking, fishing, experiencing Alaska Native culture, glacier viewing, and searching for wildlife including whales, bears, and eagles.
Map of Inside Passage Alaska
Plan Your Trip
Built in 1898 to open the Klondike to gold seekers, this narrow gauge railway, originally stretching from Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse, Yukon...
As a small Alaskan company, ATC creates customized Alaska vacations for independent travelers, couples, families, and small groups. From our home...
The Alaska Campground Owners Association (ACOA) represents campgrounds throughout Alaska and is a member owned non-profit. Our vision is to...
Nobody does Alaska better than CRUISES TO ALASKA.
We have sent thousands of travel enthusiasts to ALASKA on cruise and cruise-tour vacations...
Discover Alaska's ultimate adventure experience at Talon Lodge & Spa, where Alaska meets 5-star service on an exclusive private island. This is...
Nestled along the Tongass Narrows, minutes from downtown, The Ketch embodies the spirit of Ketchikan - where fishing is a way of life, the food...
Meet Alaska’s best travel style, small ship cruising, and the veteran experts ready to match you with a small, active and authentic wildlife...
Meet Alaska’s best travel style, small ship cruising, and the veteran experts ready to match you with a small, active, authentic and immersive...
Join us for a 6-day spring cruise April 20th - 26th, 2024 on the Inside Passage from Sitka to Petersburg, Alaska. We’ll cruise alongside humpback...
Sitka is an island community boldly living between the mountains and sea, where the arts flourish and an ancient native culture still thrives...
Experience a better way to stay! Forget typical hotels & crowded spaces. Instead, imagine returning each evening to your own beautiful home...
Come see Alaska's "Big 5" from bears to moose, caribou to wolf, and Dall sheep! At Alaska Tours, we offer the widest range of wildlife tours...
Are you looking for a vehicle for your self-drive tour through Alaska, the Yukon Territory and Western Canada? GoNorth rents truck campers...
Waterfall Resort Alaska is known the world over for the astounding number of king and silver salmon, halibut, lingcod, and other sport fish...
See more of the real Alaska! Alaska is big, beautiful and logistically challenging! Make sure you have someone that knows the intricacies of...
Experience Alaska's highest sportfishing catch rates of King salmon & Silver salmon in beautiful Sitka. The highly rated fishing charters are...
Every spring, pacific herring move inshore in the billions to spawn in Sitka Sound. This epic 2-3 week event marks the beginning of spring and...
We are the premier provider of wilderness brown bear viewing in Southeast Alaska! Imagine watching bears catch salmon, forage along the beach...
Salmon Falls Resort is an intimate full-service resort in Ketchikan, Alaska, situated at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s iconic Inside...
The Alaska Marine Highway operates a fleet of vessels along a route so special it has been designated as a National Scenic Byway and All-American...
Local Climate & Weather
For Alaska's day-to-day weather, it’s best to plan for a bit of everything. Learn more about weather in this area.
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