Inside Passage

Southeast Alaska (also known as the Panhandle, or simply "Southeast") encompasses the Inside Passage—more than a century ago the traditional route to the Klondike goldfields and today the centerpiece for Alaska cruises. The weather is more Pacific Northwest-like than what most people think of as Alaskan. Be prepared for rain, and if it's sunny consider yourself fortunate. Juneau, the state's water-locked capital, is here, and ever since the population center of the state has shifted to South Central, local politicians and other public gadflies have been trying to "correct" the historical accident that placed the capital in its present remote location. An onion-dome cathedral accents Sitka, the onetime capital of Russian America, and fishing villages such as Petersburg and Ketchikan are popular cruise ship and ferry stops. Each fall up to 4,000 eagles gather outside Haines to feast on salmon at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Glacier Bay National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can inspect massive tidewater glaciers from a short distance. More »