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When you get invited to a wedding in Alaska, you have to say yes. At least, that’s what my husband and I thought when we were asked to attend the August wedding of a young woman from our Portsmouth, NH neighborhood, who was marrying an Alaskan native.

For us, it was an opportunity to explore Alaska, a state we had always wanted to visit, and attend a very fun wedding with dear friends.

Since the wedding was in the state capitol of Juneau, which, like 80% of Alaskan communities, is reachable only by plane or boat, we knew we wanted to spend a good part of our trip exploring the Alaskan portion of the Inside Passage, the protected narrow waterway that runs from Seattle, Washington, to Skagway, Alaska.

Most visitors to the Inside Passage come on cruise ships. Since we like to forge our own path when traveling, this wasn’t our first choice.

I was intrigued after reading a 2018 article by NY Times reporter Mark Adams about traveling the Inside Passage in the footsteps of 19th-century naturalist John Muir using the Alaskan Marine Ferry system.

With lots of research, including listening to the Amateur Traveler podcasts, I was able to cobble together an itinerary that included four days in Ketchikan; a four-day Golden Circle road trip that included Haines, Alaska, Haines Junction, Yukon, Whitehorse, Yukon, and Skagway, Alaska; four days in Juneau, and three days in Glacier National Park, near Gustavos. We traveled by Alaskan Marine Ferry, plane, and car. Note: the trip was a total of 23 days and we also spent four days and nights near Denali National Park and in Anchorage. With limited space, I’m not going to go into that portion of the trip and instead focus on the Inside Passage.

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The Alaskan Marine Ferry

The state-operated Alaskan Marine Ferry system offers ferry services for people, freight, and vehicles through the Inside Passage, the Aleutian Islands, and the south-central coast of Alaska.

It’s affordable, and you can experience the same breathtaking views of wildlife you would see from a more expensive cruise ship. We saw the same eagles, whales, snow-capped mountains, thousands of small islands, and remote villages.

For example, our trip from Ketchikan to Haines (313 miles and just over 26 hours) cost $410 for two, including a private cabin with bunk beds and a sink with a full bathroom across the hall. There’s a cafeteria on board and some boats have a small bar. There are plenty of spaces, including a solarium to relax and enjoy the ride. If you’re on a tight budget, you can pitch a tent on the deck (yes, that’s a thing) or bring a sleeping bag and stretch out in the public spaces.

The downside to planning a trip around the Alaskan Marine Ferry is that working within the schedules can be a challenge. On our trip from Ketchikan to Haines, we stopped at many destinations along the way (Wrangell, St. Petersburg, Juneau) but there wasn’t enough time to get out and explore.

I would have loved to have spent time in Sitka, which I’ve heard is a beautiful old city with Russian influences, but the ferry only stops there once a week and we just couldn’t make it work with our need to be in Juneau for the wedding.

 

Four days in Ketchikan

We started our trip in Ketchikan (the fifth busiest airport in Alaska) based on flight affordability from Boston and the ferry schedule.

Our home base for our four nights in Ketchikan was the Inn at Creek Street, which was affordable ($200 a night), close to all the attractions, and charming. There’s an excellent cafe on the hotel’s first floor called the NY Cafe. If you’re there on a Friday, be sure to check out the musicians who play from 7 to 9 pm. They play everything from the Beatles, to Glen Campbell, to obscure songwriters from the Northwest, and their harmonies are a treat.

Ketchikan is a busy cruise port with all that entails, including mobs of people during the day, and shops, restaurants, and attractions that cater to them.

Still, we found plenty to keep us busy and delight us.

Here’s what I would recommend:

Baranof Fishing ($350)

We spent several hours of fishing for coho salmon and rock fish on an open boat that seats eight people followed by a feast at a secluded campsite.

Allen’s Marine Tour of Misty Fjords ($235)

It was a two-hour trip each way to the Misty Fjords and a half-hour exploring the site. A highlight is Punch Bowl Cove, which is surrounded by high rocky cliffs. I didn’t spot any wildlife, but the scenery was beautiful. Misty Fjords is a national monument and wilderness area in the Tongass National Forest, the largest US national forest with 16.7 million acres.

Totem Bight State Park ($5)

We took the gray line bus from downtown Ketchikan to the park and back (the bus runs every hour). Totem Bight is a small park where they’ve recreated a Tlinget clan house. A short path also brings you to 20 or so totem pole reproductions. The park is small but quiet and peaceful.

Tongass Historical Museum ($2)

Check out the programs scheduled throughout the day. We listened to a brief history of Alaska, given in front of a large map at the front of the museum, and it was an excellent overview. The small museum is easy to navigate and includes exhibits showing how the city has evolved from a native summer camp to a tourist community known for its salmon fishing. The Totem Heritage Center, which we didn’t visit, is affiliated with this museum.

Walking Around Town

Stroll around town past the cruise ships, fishing boats, restaurants, shops, and bars or take the Creek Street historic walk on a narrow boardwalk or the salmon run, where you can learn about the life cycle of a salmon.

Golden Circle Day One: Driving from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon

The Alaskan Marine Ferry brought us from Ketchikan to Haines in 26 hours. Haines is where we started our Golden Circle road trip, a four-night, approximately 367-mile journey on the Haines, Alaska, and Klondike highways with overnight stops in Haines Junction, Yukon; Whitehorse, Yukon; Skagway, Alaska; and Haines, Alaska.

After exiting the ferry in Haines around 8 am, we picked up our rental car ($118 a day plus tax from Captain’s Choice Motel) and headed over to see Chilkoot Lake State Park, which is a 10-minute drive from town.

The lake is beautiful, sparkling blue water framed by mountains, but the Chilkoot River is the star during the summer months when the salmon are running. Both humans and wildlife, including bears and eagles, are attracted to its abundance of salmon. We missed seeing the bears feeding; a friendly woman said they had just seen a bear named Lulu who comes out daily to feed.

We didn’t stay long because we were eager to get going on the first leg of our journey, a 147-mile drive along the spectacularly beautiful Haines Highway.

Stops along the way:

Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve (Miles 8 to 31)

There are several points along the highway where you can stop to read information plaques and enjoy the views. The preserve has one of the highest concentrations of eagles in the world, and the best times to see them are in October and November. We didn’t see one!

US/Canada Border (Mile 40)

The border is a quick stop to go through customs.

Kathleen Lake

Kathleen Lake is on the western edge of Kluane State Park, which is known for its hiking trails. There’s also a boat launch, beach, and a .5 K accessible boardwalk.

Million Dollar Falls Campground

Park the car and walk a short boardwalk to see the 60-meter Million Dollar Falls, which got its name, not because of the beauty of the view, but because the government was rumored to have spent a million dollars on a maintenance camp that was never used, during the building of the Haines Highway and the Haines to Fairbanks pipeline in the 1940’s.

Accommodations

Parkside Inn (204.75 CAD): A pristine room with a small kitchenette decorated with handmade quilts. Nearby restaurants have grills in front of the motel. We bought bratwurst and grilled it out for dinner.

Golden Circle Day Two: Driving Haines Junction to Whitehorse

Stops along this 155 km (96 mile) drive on the Alaska Highway included:

Miles Canyon

This is a great spot to appreciate the Yukon River, which is brilliant turquoise due to the high concentration of “rock flour” (rock ground by glaciers up stream) which reflects sunlight and provides the color. The walls of the canyon were formed from basaltic lava, and you can view them all from a suspension walking bridge that crosses the river. We walked along the river for 1.25 miles to Canyon City, a now abandoned village that was bustling during the gold rush.

Millenium Walk

Located close to downtown Whitehorse, this 5K paved loop takes you along two sides of the river. We parked at the historic sternwheeler with restrooms and an information booth.

Woodcutter Brewery

Our lodging was 20 minutes outside of town, but we stopped here for a beer and would have loved to have stayed for a meal. It’s a charming 100-year-old log cabin, and the vibe is hip and fun.

Accommodations

Northern Lights Resort and Spa (351.62 CAD): We had our own “glass chalet,” which has a glass front and is designed for viewing the northern lights. We were told that they had viewed the lights two nights before, but we just couldn’t stay up late enough to look for them. Accommodations included an elegant breakfast in a light-filled dining room. During the busier season in winter, they serve dinners there as well.

Golden Circle Day Three: Whitehorse to Skagway

Stops along this 175.4 km (108 mile) drive on the Klondike Highway included:

Robinson Flag Station, now a ghost town, was a railroad stop on the White Pass and Yukon Railway from 1900 to 1983.

Emerald Lake

Sunlight reflecting off a white layer of marl (carbonate-rich mud or mudstone) on the lake bed creates this lake’s brilliant color. It is surrounded by limestone hills.

Carcross Dessert

We hiked up to the top of the sand dunes and were rewarded with a beautiful view of Nares Lake. Billed as “the smallest desert in the world,” it’s a series of sand dunes and not actually a desert.

Carcross

Originally a Tlingit fishing village, Carcross became a stop on the Yukon and Whitehorse Railroad. Cruise ships offer excursions to Carcross, so the town has shops and places to eat. There’s a self-guided walking tour, and you can pick up the map at the visitor’s center.

Klondike Gold Rush National Park

This Skagway park celebrates the Klondike Gold Rush, which lasted from August 1896 to July 1898. Over 100,000 people, 10% of them women, flocked here hoping to make it to Dawson City, Yukon, where the gold had been discovered. Two trails (the Chilkoot and the White Pass) led to Whitehorse where they would brave the Yukon River to get to Dawson City. The gold rush exhibits tell the story with photos and first-hand narratives, and the ranger-led tours are an excellent way to get additional information. All is free.

Accommodations

Historic Skagway Inn ($355.32)

This is a Charming Victorian Inn with a good restaurant (breakfast was included) in the building. Skagway was a gold rush town, and this inn has a brothel theme.

Golden Circle Day Four: Skagway to Haines

Since we weren’t leaving until 2:45 pm, we spent the morning in Skagway doing hikes that were recommended on a map we picked up at the park. We walked to the Skagway Cemetery and Lower Reid Falls (4 miles round trip) and Yakutania Point (2 miles round trip). I would recommend both.

The trip from Skagway to Haines is a 45-minute ferry ride with our car ($88).

Unlike most towns on the Inside Passage, Haines has resisted the cruise ships. Consequently, it’s much quieter with limited dining and shopping options. It is known as the adventure capital of Alaska because of its natural beauty and many opportunities for outdoor fun: boating, hiking, fishing.

After checking into our hotel in Haines, we stopped at the Haines Brewing Company. The courtyard was the perfect spot for a beer on a sunny, warm day, and it appeared that lots of locals like to hang out here. The brewery closes at 7 pm and does not serve food.

Accommodations

Aspen Hotel is a basic hotel right downtown.

Haines to Juneau

Our ferry wasn’t leaving until 4:45 pm, so we had some time to explore Haines. After visiting the welcome center, we chose the 3.5-mile Battery Point hike. This hike meandered through a pine forest with soft pine needle and moss paths, leading to two lookout points, Kelgaya and Battery.

Note: We spent the next four days in Anchorage and Denali and that’s another story!

Four Days in Juneau, Including a Wedding

Juneau is also a major cruise port so there are lots of cruise passengers milling about during the day along with restaurants and shops that cater to them.

Activities we enjoyed in Juneau:

Tour of the State House

Free tours are offered Monday through Friday at 2:30 and 4. Our guide, who was retired from the foreign service, gave an excellent overview of Alaska’s political system, including its new rank-choice voting and the Permanent Fund, which comes from oil investments and awards every Alaskan a dividend check in the fall (most recently $1,700).

Alaska Taku Lodge Tour

Pricey at $450 per person and worth it! The three-hour excursion starts with a 25-minute floatplane over five glaciers. You land at the remote 100-year-old Taku Lodge and enjoy a wood grilled salmon lunch. If you want to take a short nature hike after lunch, it’s offered.

This was one of my two favorite experiences in Alaska, second only to seeing a whale breach while kayaking in Glacier Bay’s Barrett Cove.

Mendenhall Glacier

This is a very popular spot with dozens of buses coming and going and dropping off cruise passengers. There’s a visitor center and a handful of short walks, ranging from .4 to 2 miles, where you can view the glacier and see salmon. The glacier is impressive but the crowds are daunting.

Mt. Roberts

Mt Roberts is a 3819-ft peak, offering panoramic views of the city and Juneau’s Gatineau Channel. You can hike up the mountain (a steep 2-mile trail) or take the Goldbelt Tram (we had free tickets since the wedding reception was held at the restaurant at the top). There are short trails at the top with views, a restaurant, and a gift shop.

Note: On Thursday nights, the Whittier Street Location of Tracy’s Crab Shack offers a deal: all the crab legs you can eat for $45!

Accommodations

Silverbow Inn & Suites ($750) a night.

I’m not certain why but Juneau accommodations are very pricey. This small historic boutique hotel with a cozy lobby area was a great place to hang out. A self-serve breakfast was included. While I have no complaints, I’m shocked by the cost. Don’t miss In Bocca al Lupo, the Italian restaurant located adjacent to the inn. Reservations are encouraged, but we were able to get two seats at the bar. The salad, spaghetti and meatballs, and fig gelato we shared were all amazingly good and we loved sitting at the bar and watching the chefs at work.

Juneau to Gustavos (Glacier Bay National Park)

After four days in Juneau, we took a 35-minute flight to Gustavos ($217 for two), the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. A park service bus picks you up at the airport and delivers you to the lodge.

Only 3% of visitors to Glacier Bay National Park come by land as we did. Most arrive by cruise ship, with a limit of two permitted daily.

The rooms were rustically designed but well appointed, like many national park lodges. The lodge itself was lined with windows overlooking Bartlett Bay. There’s a restaurant with a limited menu, always featuring salmon, a small museum on the park, a gift shop, and an auditorium, where they do nightly ranger-led programs (we did this every night and recommend it).

Things to do:

Glacier Bay Boat Tour

Definitely sign up for the Glacier Bay boat tour ($275 a person including lunch) which takes you to the Marguerite and Grand Pacific glaciers, towering 245 feet above the ocean and 100-feet deep. Along the journey, we saw lots of wildlife, including puffins, a bear searching for a meal and effortlessly lifting boulders out of his way, a wolf, and, of course, the sea otters, lazing on their backs and enjoying the view. The boat leaves at 6:30 am and returns at approximately 3:30 pm. A national park ranger is aboard, providing background and helping guests spot wildlife.

Kayak Rentals

Sign up for kayaks at least a day in advance ($38 for a single for two hours). Enjoying the scenery and the abundant otters in Bartlett Cove was enough of a reward, and the experience was elevated to the next level when a whale breached repeatedly about two football fields away from us.

Hiking

There are a couple of short hikes from the lodge (less than a mile) as well as longer hikes available. When we were there, a bereft mother bear was acting unpredictably, and bear sightings are common. If you are going to be hiking, you can borrow bear spray from behind the desk of the main lodge.

Conclusion

Alaska is on many bucket lists and there’s good reason for that. Its ruggedness and natural beauty surpass any place I’ve been. While most people view the Inside Passage of Alaska from the deck of a cruise ship, we were very pleased with our decision to create our own tour. It allowed us to escape the crowds, meet fascinating people who call Alaska and the Yukon their home, create an itinerary, and choose activities that reflected our interests. For the 22-day trip, we spent $15,700, including travel, accommodations, meals, wine and cocktails, and entertainment.

Ernie (Ernestine) Greenslade

Recently retired, my husband and I love to travel and enjoy planning our own itineraries. We consider ourselves very lucky to live in Portsmouth, NH, a 400-year old city on the NH Seacoast, offering culture and natural beauty.