Bungalows and private cabins for rent camouflage into the forest foliage, but Alaska’s unparalleled landscape is most intimately experienced at the several RV parks and campgrounds in the North and South Loops. Perhaps you’ll even get acquainted with a bald eagle or brown bear! In Alaska’s capital, Juneau, there are plush luxury lodges and hotels like Eaglecrest Ski Resort.

The Inside Passage is located within Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. Take an Alaskan yacht charter or cruise to soak up the unspoiled coastline. Visit museums that recount the famous Gold Rush or visit the Klondike Gold Fields yourself. Experience native dancers and uniquely crafted totem poles and for a special treat, catch the astounding Northern Lights.

With docks mere blocks from restaurants, the local cuisine is assuredly seafood. Alaskan delights are salmon, halibut and crab. Shrimp, oysters and clams are also popular and fresh on the menu. Spoon creamy seafood chowder or start your Alaskan adventure with a crab or shrimp omelet. Salmon jerky is also a favorite midday snack. Make time to kick back in an old-time saloon for a local brew, too.

How to Get Here

Many Southeastern Alaskan communities are not easily accessible by road. But they are by the Alaskan Marine Highway, the only National Scenic Byway of its kind. This nautical highway follows a coastline that totals more than 3,500 miles from the southern ports of Bellingham, WA, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and the Inside Passage. From there the route crosses the Gulf of Alaska and travels along the 1,000-mile stretch of the Aleutian Chain to the Bering Sea. Southeastern Alaska is also accessible by plane. Fly into the main hub of Juneau International Airport or the secondary hub of Ketchikan International Airport.

Getting Around

You can rent a car, especially since then you can stop to take pictures of the breathtaking view, but this could get tricky outside of summer. If you enter Southeast Alaska by plane, ferries will connect you to most anyplace. Air taxis are very popular for commuter services, lake trips and charter flights. Skagway suggests renting a bike and downtown Sitka has a scenic walking map for your perusing pleasure. In Juneau and other cities, municipal bus services are reliable. If you want to see more than just one city, the rail service has a White Pass and Yukon Route.