Alaska Northern Lights viewing

Here is some information about getting to Alaska: 

Ferry travel

The Alaska ferries carry many passengers -- with or without vehicles -- between many cities and villages on the Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage. The ferry system, known officially as the Alaska Marine Highway System, also connects year-round with Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and Bellingham, Wash., an hour's drive north of Seattle. A common journey has passengers boarding in Bellingham and going as far as Haines or Skagway, where they drive off the ferry and onto highways that connect with the Alaska Highway.

Highway travel

The Alaska Highway was built in 1942 to give the military a direct, safe land route to bases in Alaska. The highway, once a muddy route famous for its difficulties, is now a two-lane paved road famous for its scenery and reliability. The highway's southern terminus is at Dawson Creek, in northern British Columbia, and the highway officially ends at Delta Junction, Alaska. From Dawson Creek, it's 1,700 miles to Fairbanks or 1,900 to Anchorage. Services, ranging from fuel stations to restaurants and hotels, are available the length of the highway. Dawson Creek is accessible by highways leading up from Montana and Washington. Fairbanks locksmith

Cruise travel

Almost a dozen cruise lines serve Alaska waters. Most cruise passengers see the Inside Passage -- the route along the islands stretching north from British Columbia past Ketchikan and Juneau and on to Haines and Skagway. Cruise liners commonly call at Glacier Bay National Park and Sitka as well. Fairbanks Fishing

Weeklong cruises may be either round trip or one way. The round-trip cruises start and end in such ports as Vancouver or Seattle. The one-way trips start at a southern port and usually end in Southcentral Alaska at either Seward or Whittier, near Anchorage (or they make that trip in reverse). Passengers may extend their vacation by arranging rail or car trips before or after their cruise.