Southeast Alaska

Alaska | United States

Southeast Alaska

On this trip you’ll visit some of the absolute prettiest parts and most charming towns of this state – the southeast. All of these towns sit on the sea, and because of this, the coastal wildlife experience can be incredible. Additionally, many native Alaskan tribes lived up and down this chain of islands and this is a lovely area in which to better understand their culture. The most common way to visit is via cruise ship but as we are not fans of cruise ships in general, this trip avoids that. You will note a lot of flying. That is because the distances are vast in between sites and the ferry is painfully slow. This being Alaska, weather can have big effects – Alaskans say there is no bad weather just inadequate clothing. Be prepared to be flexible. If you want to see Denali – this is not the trip for you. Look at our other Alaska itineraries to help with that.

Day 1 – Ketchikan

Day 2 – Misty Fjords and Ketchikan

Day 3 – Sitka

Day 4 – Sitka to Juneau

Day 5 – Juneau

Day 6 – Juneau to Skagway

Day 7 – Skagway

Day 8 – Glacier Bay

Day 9 – Glacier Bay to Juneau and Home

  • Optional:
  • Fly to Juneau
  • Spend one more night, or fly home

Ferry Alternative

Most people visiting this part of the country travel on the many massive cruise ships that trawl the Inside Passage (the network of islands and straits that makes up southeast Alaska). We’re not fans of cruises because we prefer more autonomy when we travel and due to their environmental impact. However, this part of the world is one of the few that we’d consider visiting via cruise ship because the terrain and stops are so well-suited to this mode of travel. And, for the most part, you’ll arrive at port in the morning, have the whole day to explore, then sleep on the boat before arriving at your next stop.

If you really want a taste of the Inside Passage but don’t want to book a cruise, you can take the Alaska Marine Highway System from place to place. The ferry typically takes days (think 24-72 hours to get to your next port to disembark). It’s also more expensive (at least if you book a cabin – another option is to tent camp on deck) than flying, which only takes an hour or two. The ferries aren’t all that nice (they were built in the 60s and haven’t really been updated), and the food is mediocre (if you’ve traveled the Canadian or New Zealand ferry systems, you’ll be disappointed). On the other hand, you’ll get a unique view of the Inside Passage’s spectacular country and a genuine Alaska experience. You’ll also stop at towns like Petersburg, Wrangell, and Haines, but the stops aren’t long enough to see anything (or even get a meal on land). Ultimately, we recommend that you fly and skip the ferry.

Detailed Itinerary

OK a few things you need to know:

  1. Alaska is one of our favorite places in the entire world. The nature and wildlife is unparalleled. It’s a special place and well-worth your time.
  2. Alaska is huge – this trip hits the highlights in the southeast, but much of the state is left out. There are few roads so travel is by boat and plane. Small planes are the norm here – there are more seaplanes (and pilots) per capita than anywhere in the world.
  3. Be flexible. Weather is a big issue and we had multiple cancellations and changes. Be prepared for that.
  4. Try and plan excursions for the first day you arrive in town. If weather affects them, you then have more days to rearrange your plans to. Things get rained out, flights can’t take off, the sea swell is too high…but if you schedule for the first day the weather may improve by the second and you can re-book to then.
  5. The southeast of Alaska is highly tourist- and cruise ship-dependent – tiny towns of 800 can expand to 8000 with arrival of ships.
  6. Alaska, especially in the summer, is very expensive. VERY. Lodging, excursions, food…it all is pricey. Nearly anything you want to do is going to cost money. The seafood is some of the freshest you’ll find in the world, but it’s priced as such. Budget accordingly or visit in shoulder seasons when the prices drop. Additionally, expect lodging to be relatively basic, especially for the high prices you’re paying. That’s just Alaska and if you’re choosing to visit, you’re choosing to accept that.

Day 1 – Ketchikan

Ketchikan is the third largest town in Alaska. Originally a fishing and logging town it is now largely dependent on tourism, and much of the large industries are no more. In all honesty, the town of Ketchikan itself is one of my least favorite on-the-tourist-path stops in Alaska. That being said, the Misty Fjords make it completely worth it. Highlights include the native (mostly Tlingit) culture and the nearby Misty Fjords National Park.

The airport is on an island across the water from Ketchikan. Follow the signs to the ferry (runs every 15 minutes) across the the port. We recommend Tongass Car Rental. They’re very nice and much less expensive (like half price) than larger agencies. If you stay in town you may not need a car. Most lodgings in town will offer a shuttle from the ferry terminal. If you stay at the Cape Fox Lodge or Inn at Creek Street arrange a shuttle with them, arrange a shuttle with them. If you stay at the Black Bear Inn, you’ll probably find a car worthwhile.

Depending on your arrival time, explore the town today. Top places to see include Creek Street Boardwalk (Kethikan’s red light district from 1903, still complete with well-preserved homes), Ketchikan Creek Falls and the salmon ladder (where salmon swim upstream in August, can see from Creek Street Footbridge), and a variety of totem viewing places, the best being Totem Bight State Park. If you want a extended deep dive into the local culture and experience, you can opt for a tour with Lisa of Tlinglit Tours for a tour around the area including areas to see bears and some of the famous totems.

For dinner recommend the Heen Kahidi Dining Room at the Cape Fox Lodge, which has a great view over town (and is open later than many places in town). Other good options include the 108 Tap House, the Alaska Fish House, New York Cafe, and Annabelle’s. A good option for brews (Alaska loves its craft beer) is Bawden Street Brewing Company. If you want a nightcap and a local watering hole experience, the Asylum Bar is open late and offers a great selection of local draft beers.

Ketchikan

Day 2 – Misty Fjords and Ketchikan

Be sure to arrange Misty Fjords flight-seeing in advance and meet your pilot at the designated time. The meeting point is not far from downtown. If you get good weather, the flight will be one of the highlights of the trip. Allow about 2 hours. You will fly out over the enormous Tongass Wilderness to some truly amazing scenery and land on a spectacular mountain lake before returning to Ketchikan. For more of an adventure you can combine this with a glacier tour or a hiking tour.

Misty Fjords National Monument

Grab lunch at the 108 Taphouse and Burger Bar. Spend any remaining time of your afternoon exploring any site you didn’t see the day before. You can also opt for a hike if you have additional time (consider Rainbird Trail or Carlanna Lake Trail or the hike up to Deer Mountain leaves from downtown and climbs 3000 feet through forest to alpine terrain). If you’re a beer fan, stop by Bawden Street Brewery.

Totem Bight State Park

Grab an afternoon or early evening flight to Sitka. Sitka does not have ride sharing app-based services and has very limited cab service (Baranof is one of the options). If your hotel does not provide a shuttle, range a cab ahead. If your hotel does provide a shuttle, call ahead to confirm your pick up.

For lodging, the Sitka Hotel is basic but in a fantastic location and very walkable to everything. Other decent options include Sitka Longliner Lodge and Westmark Sitka. If you’re looking for a fishing lodge experience, Sikta is a nice place for this option. Consider staying at and extending your trip at the Talon Lodge and Spa for a private island experience.

Grab dinner at Ludvig’s Bistro (reserve ahead), Beak Restaurant, Mean Queen, or Harbor Mountain Brewing Company.

For a nightcap stop by Ernie’s Old Time Saloon.

Day 3 – Sitka

Sitka is one of Alaska’s prettiest and most historic towns (and has won awards for one of the prettiest towns in America). Sitka is surrounded by forests, mountains, and water with a blend of Alaskan native, Russian (Sitka was capital of Russian Alaska from 1808 to 1867), and historic American sites. It’s a delightful place to spend a few days.

Start with breakfast at the wonderful Wildflour Cafe.

Spend today exploring on foot. The top sites include St Michaels Cathedral and Castle Hill. Grab lunch at one of Sikta’s many food trucks: Ludvig’s chowder cart, Ashmo’s, and The Fresh Fish being our favorite or at Sitka Pel’Meni (for Russian dumplings), before continuing onto the Sitka National Historic Park, marveling at totems, and ending up at the Alaska Raptor Center which serves to rehabilitate Alaskan birds and raptors. After you finish at the Raptor Center, you’re well-positioned to stop at Harbor Mountain Brewing Company for a beer (or wood-fired pizza). Other interesting places to see in Sikta include the Sheldon Jackson Museum and Russian Bishop’s House which you can do on the way to or from the Raptor Center. With time you can head out (via bus (runs about once per hour) or cab) to the Fortress of the Bear a conservation center for resident grizzlies harmed in the wild.

If you have time in the afternoon, the hike along Indian River Trail to Indian River Falls is well-worth it and ends with a stunning waterfall.

For dinner, try a place you didn’t try the night before.

Day 4 – Sitka

You have to make a choice today: when to leave Sitka and head to Juneau. We’d recommend trying to get an afternoon flight to Juneau to give you more time to keep exploring Sitka, but if you want more time in Juneau, you could catch a morning flight.

If you love wildlife, jump on a Coastal boat tour to sail out into sitka’s bay to the ocean, seeing whales, otters, puffins, and seals along the way. Captain Rick who owns Coastal Tours Sitka (mentioned above) can also take you out to Goddard Hot Springs. If you enjoy hiking, the Gavan Hill Trail to Harbor Mountain is one of the prettiest hikes we’ve ever done and will take you up to incredible views over Sikta of mountains, sea, and sky.

Once you arrive in Juneau, pick up your rental car at the airport (unlike Ketchikan, the Juneau airport has offices for several of the major car rental companies) and drive downtown (about 15 minutes) to stay at our favorite lodging in Juneau, the Alaska Capital Inn. Other options include Jorgenson House Bed and Breakfast, Auke Lake Bed and Breakfast, and Four Points by Sheraton.

For dinner, stop by The Island Pub, SALT, The Twisted Fish, Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos, Hangar on the Wharf, or In Bocca al Lupo.

Day 5 – Juneau

Juneau is a beautiful town set on the water and tucked under soaring mountains and waterfalls. It’s in the middle of a rainforest so it rains a lot, but it’s a prettier town than Ketchikan or Anchorage. We highly recommend getting up early for a whale and bald eagle tour.

A bald eagle over Auke Bay from The Local Guy’s tour boat

Your tour leaves from Auke Bay just north of Juneau so it makes sees to stop at the Mendenhall Glacier for sightseeing and a hike on the way back to town. There are a number of short walks you can do from the glacier visitor center (like the lovely East Glacier Trail or the Nugget Falls Trail) or walk up to the glacier via the more intense West Glacier Trail. You can also arrange for an afternoon guided glacier hike.

The Mendenhall Glacier

Spend some time exploring the shops and Juneau’s historic district. If you like beer, be sure to visit the Devils Club Brewery; it’s one of our favorite breweries in Alaska. Other good options if you enjoy breweries are Forbidden Peaks Brewery, Barnaby Brewing Company, and Alaska Brewing Company. Or if you’re heading to Douglas already for dinner, check out Louie’s Douglas Inn. For dinner we do recommend taking the short drive across to Douglas Island for amazing pizza at The Island Pub. Other good options for dinner include SALT, The Twisted Fish, Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos, In Bocca al Lupo, and Hangar on the Wharf.

Day 6 – Juneau to Skagway

We recommend getting breakfast or coffee at Rookery Cafe or Heritage Coffee Roasting Company.

Your flight to Skagway on Alaska Seaplanes can be flexible depending on what you want to do. The train sells out early in Skagway and if you’re looking to do the train/biking combo you may want to arrive in Skagway before noon. If you’re not planning the excursion for today, you could arrive later.

You may have time in the morning in Juneau to take the Mount Roberts Tram 1,800 feet up the mountainside for views and hiking in the alpine landscape at the top. There’s a café and bar up there as well. If you want a really early start, you can actually walk/climb all the way up to the top.

Return to sea level and head back to the airport to board your flight to Skagway. The plane will be small (usually about 9 passengers), but the only other way to get there is the Alaska Ferry or Fjord Express Ferry. The boat ride is a lot longer than flying, so you’ll probably have to add a day to your trip (or cut another day somewhere) to travel by sea. While it does offer some impressive views of the Inside Passage, we don’t think it’s worth the trip/extra time.

Skagway in tiny, and you won’t need a car. If you decide to get one, there is only one place to rent a car in town, Affordable Car Rental. Avis sometimes claim to offer rentals in Skagway, but they haven’t had an office there for years. A car is useful if you decide to visit nearby Dyea, but otherwise not necessary.

In any case, you should arrive in time to do a walking tour and you can pick up a map for a self-directed exploration of the town from the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Visitor Center, which also offers a good overview of the stampedes to the Klondike gold fields. There is a short bordello tour at the Red Onion Saloon which you can do today or reserve for tomorrow. With thousands of men on their way to the Klondike gold fields there were a lot of bordellos in Skagway; some of the most successful business people in town got their start working in one. In fact your lodging tonight is at the Historic Skagway Inn, which was a former bordello. The rooms are named for the ladies who worked there.

For dinner, stop by Olivia’s Bistro, Skagway Brewing Company, The Smokehouse, Red Onion Saloon, or Skagway Fish Company.

The White Pass & Yukon Railroad rises into the mountains above Ketchikan

Day 7 – Skagway

Take the AM Whitehorse and Yukon Railway train up to the pass for great views and history of the gold rush in Alaska (you need these tickets far in advance, they sell out). If you’re up for a little more adventure, we highly recommend Sockeye Cycle Company‘s combo train/bike tour. They offer a tour where you can ride the train up to the pass and bike the 3,000 feet back down the mountain into town, ending before noon. Alternatively, you can take a van to the top.

There were two routes to the gold fields: Whitehorse Pass and the Chilkoot Trail from nearby Dyea. Dyea was a large town and the Chilkoot trail left from there. It was dangerous and strenuous but a somewhat shorter route than from Skagway. When the railway was built (an amazing feat of engineering), there was no more point in taking the Chilkoot Trail, it marked the death of Dyea. Today Dyea is a forest with a few foundations remaining. If you have time (and transportation) you can check out what remains of it. Then grab an Alaska Seaplanes flight back to Juneau in the afternoon.

If your flight arrives early enough that you have some time before your flight to Gustavus (usually around 4:30 PM on Alaska Airlines), you can take a cab to nearby Auke Bay and the Forbidden Peaks Brewery. There aren’t a lot of dining options at the Juneau airport.

The flight to Gustavus is only about 30 minutes. When you arrive, take the shuttle bus to the Glacier Bay Lodge where you will be having dinner and staying. It’s a good idea to get dinner reservations in advance, as it’s the only place to eat, so it can fill up. In the summer you should be there early enough to take a walk around the area before dinner.

Mt. Fairweather from the Glacier Bay Lodge

Day 8 – Glacier Bay

Like most things in Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park is huge. Many cruise ships do enter the bay but to really get a sense of it you can arrange to take the all day Glacier Bay Tour Boat from the Glacier Bay Inn (7am – 3:30pm) which cruises past scenery and wildlife to park at the end of the bay where you can watch the glacier calving – dropping huge block of ice into the water as is reaches the sea. Glacier Bay was an enormous ice field when Europeans discovered it in the late 18th century, and the rate of glacial retreat is pretty astonishing.

The Lamplugh Glacier

When you get back to land, consider a late afternoon hike, either the Bartlett River Trail or Forest Trail to explore more of Glacier Bay.

If you’re pressed for time, your boat will arrive back early enough to fly back to Juneau tonight on either Alaska Airlines or Alaska Seaplanes.

Day 9 – Glacier Bay to Juneau

You can choose to leave in the morning, fly back to Juneau and catch a flight home.

Alternatively, you can spend the day exploring more of Glacier Bay via Sea Kayaking or a hike to Bartlett Lake. If you really love kayaking, this is also an area that offers multi-day kayaks into Glacier Bay National Park.

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