Ferries or airplanes are often the only reasonable option to and from Alaska or when travelling to the next big city, the coast is extremely rugged, and road construction is very difficult. This is why the so-called Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) exists. This connects the different cities.
It starts in Bellingham, near Seattle, all the way to Prince Rupert, British Columbia and Alaska. BC Ferries departs from Port Hardy, Canada, and goes to Bella Coola or Prince Rupert. A trip through the Inside Passage, between the offshore islands and the mainland, is a great experience.
This ferry system is the only way to travel by car, as there is a road network around individual towns, but there is usually no connection to the road network. The main route of the Alaska Marine Highway System connects southern cities such as Prince Rupert to Juneau, with other ports of call such as ports Ketchikan, Metlakatla, Wrangell, Petersburgh, partly also Kake, Sitka, Tenakee, Angoon, Pelican or Hoonah. Central Alaska connects Valdez, Tatitlek, Cordova, Whittier, Chenega Bay, Seward, Seldovia and Homer to Kodiak. Interstate routes are available at Valdez, ports Whittier near Anchorage, Seward and Homer.
The Alaskan Sea Highway is rather well preserved in the summer, many take advantage of it to take a cheap cruise, but without the usual comfort of a cruise ship. You can also take your car with you and see many of central Alaska’s sights from Anchorage. But please don’t expect too much here, the country is huge, the distances are very long to the next big city.
