Travel by Ferry For A Fabulous, Unique Way To Explore Alaska

When you are traveling in the 656,425 square miles of rugged wilderness in Alaska, roads only go to a tiny portion of the places you want to be. Aside from the highways that run from Deadhorse in the North to Homer on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, most of Alaska is off the road system. The forest and tundra of mainland Alaska is usually traversed by small planes, riverboats, snow machines and four wheelers. In most of southern Alaska, the ocean is a part of the terrain and a boat is practically necessary to get around.

Luckily, the Alaska Marine Highway System is at the ready to take you where you need to get in style, comfort and ease. Take the ferry for a unique way to explore and soar past glaciers and mountains with the cool wind in your hair.

You can access the Alaska Marine Highway from many of the coastal communities on the road system. The ferry system covers 3500 miles all the way west to Dutch Harbor on the Aleutain Chain or along the Alaskan Panhandle to the south.

The ferry has a cafeteria for dining, a comfortable lounge, and everything you need for pleasant trip. Rent a deluxe private room for longer trips...

...or just hang out in the seating, the lounge, and the deck space for a more economical and adventurous trip.

There are mainline larger ferries and smaller boats for day trip and shuttle routes. Southeast residents use the ferry widely for commuting to work, play or larger towns for shopping trips.

You can drive your car right onto the ferry and bring it with you to your destination for a fee. Relax in the comfortable seating and just watch the islands roll by for a wonderful and relaxing way to travel.

Cruising down the Inside Passage means you are between the islands of southeast, protected from the open ocean. The ride is usually smooth and easy.

The waters of southeast Alaska are teeming with marine life. You're quite likely to see dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, harbor seals, beluga, humpback whales and orcas playfully swimming near the ferry.

You might see a group of humpback whales bubble net feeding, where they make a circle and blow bubbles to collectively catch a lot of fish.

And of course, there will be a lot of rain as you are traveling through rainforest and the open ocean. But all that rain will bring plenty of rainbows for lots of magical moments.

Take the ferry for an easy, relaxed way to cruise to your next Alaskan destination. You'll have a wonderful adventure that you'll never forget.

If you like to travel, check out 10 Places In Alaska You Must See Before You Die. Or you might like There’s A Tiny Town In Alaska Completely Surrounded By Breathtaking Natural Beauty.

Have you taken the ferry? Do you use it all the time? Tell us about it in the comments below.