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
The Alaska Travel Experts for 25 years, Alaska Tour & Travel specializes in custom vacations to Alaska's most spectacular destinations. Our...
Alaska vacations require a lot of planning in advance. When you travel to Alaska, you may want to find the best Alaska fishing, sightseeing...
Salmon Falls Resort is an intimate full-service resort in Ketchikan, Alaska, situated at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s iconic Inside...
Salmon Falls Resort is an intimate full-service resort in Ketchikan, Alaska, situated at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s iconic Inside...
Are you ready to explore Alaska up close and in style? Want to go where the big ships can’t? Then you will love our award-winning Alaska small...
Steamboat Bay Fishing Club is the elite luxury Alaska sport-fishing experience presented by the Waterfall Group. The luxury lodge closest to the...
Are you ready to explore Alaska up close and in style? Want to go where the big ships can’t? Then you will love our award-winning Alaska small...
Come Experience Alaska exactly as you dreamed it could be. Our all-inclusive lodge, secluded in an unforgettable bay at the far south edge of...
Built in 1898 to open the Klondike to gold seekers, this narrow gauge railway, originally stretching from Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse, Yukon...
We are the premier provider of wilderness brown bear viewing in Southeast Alaska! Imagine watching bears catch salmon, forage along the beach...
Are you ready to explore Alaska up close and in style? Want to go where the big ships can’t? Then you will love our award-winning small ship...
Alaskan Tour Guides specializes in small group and family land tour experiences focused on wildlife, culture, history, Alaska's natural beauty...
Experience the authentic Alaska with Alaskans.
We offer fully escorted, customized land tours for small groups and families with a maximum...
Twin Islands Lodge is nestled just off the shores of Sitka Alaska. Imagine escaping to a private Island, where the soothing whispers of the ocean...
Experience a unique an exclusive experience unique to Wild Coast Excursions in Juneau! Imagine being whisked from sea level straight into the...
Founded in 2019, Out to Sea is an outdoor adventure company specializing in small group, wildlife eco-tours and custom expeditions aboard fully...
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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