Destination: USA
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Alaska's inside passage
ONE TO THREE WEEKS/BELLINGHAM TO SKAGWAY
You can take a car, but if you are looking for an unforgettable journey that doesn't involve an automobile, consider cruising Alaska's Inside Passage. In summer the Alaska Marine Hwy ferries stop at towns nearly every day, and with advance notice you can get on and off at every one, so long as you keep going in the same direction.
A trip through Alaska's Inside Passage is proof that Mother Nature is a wild woman. Awesome doesn't even begin to describe it. Calving glaciers, ancient forests as thick as night, pods of whales, skies full of eagles: it may be the most memorable trip you ever take.
Fly into Seattle, Washington, and linger there or take a shuttle directly to Bellingham, where you catch the Alaska Marine Hwy. The first stop is Ketchikan, which still has a rugged Western feel. It might be worth renting a car once you land on Prince of Wales Island, which is the third-largest island in the USA.
Wrangell was founded by Russians, while pretty Petersburg has a Norwegian heritage. Rich with Native-American culture and beautifully situated, Sitka shouldn't be missed. Busy Juneau is Alaska's capital, and from here it's easy to get close to magnificent Mendenhall Glacier.
Haines is another sizable town, and Skagway is the end of the line. It is a well-preserved, nonthreatening version of its once-lawless gold-rush self.
You can also fly into or out of Juneau, or make it a round-trip and take the ferry back to Bellingham.
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