Inside Passage (Roundtrip San Francisco)

Cable cars, the Golden Gate rising from the fog – welcome to San Francisco, arguably the most romantic and cosmopolitan city in the United States. San Francisco has it all: a colorful history, superb restaurants, sophisticated museums, world-class shopping, and that elusive air of romance and abandon that’s part of the tang of the city.

This narrow fjord is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Juneau and is part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area. Breathtaking Endicott Arm extends over 30 miles long, with nearly one-fifth of its area covered in ice. At the head of the fjord, tidewater glaciers, such as the Dawes Glacier, regularly expel enormous chunks of ice into the waters below in a magnificent process known as calving. During the summer when Princess ships visit, icebergs float along the surface of the glistening water in an array of sizes, from just a few inches up to three stories wide. Protected within the Tongass National Forest, Endicott Arm is a haven for wildlife. Black and brown bears, deer, wolves, harbor seals, mountain goats and a variety of seabirds have been spotted in the area. As you glide through the pristine fjord, you’ll first pass by a lush forest where a number of beautiful waterfalls cascade down, and then you’ll be treated to views of snowcapped mountains and blue-tinged glaciers more spectacular than you could ever imagine.

In 1880, it was slow going for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris as they searched for gold with the help of Native guides. After climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets “as large as beans.” From their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world. By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined. Eventually the mines closed, but the town Joe Juneau founded became the capital of Alaska and the business of gold was replaced by the business of government. Some 30,000 people live in Juneau. Its total area makes it one of the biggest towns, in size, in the world. Only Kiruna, Sweden, and Sitka, Alaska, exceed Juneau’s 3,248 square miles. Today Juneau is famous not only for gold and government but also for its breathtakingly beautiful glaciers and stunning views of both water and mountains.

Nearby Alaska’s largest Tlingit village exists a uniquely Alaskan place – lcy Strait Point. Hoonah, meaning “village by the cliff,” is home to the Huna Tlingit who have occupied this area for thousands of years. Local legend tells how they were forced from their ancestral home in Glacier Bay by advancing glaciers, resulting in their relocation to and settlement of Hoonah. In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Co. built a large cannery one mile north of town. After only five years of operation, the cannery at Icy Strait Point turned out 152,505 cases of one-pound cans of salmon, the largest pack ever achieved in Alaska. Today, Hoonah is home to nearly 750 residents. Visitors will be intrigued by its rich Native heritage, opportunities to see wildlife and the vast wilderness that surrounds this unique village. Icy Strait’s waters have yielded record-breaking halibut and salmon catches and provide summer-long access to all five species of salmon. Chichagof Island, on which Icy Strait Point is located, supports one of the largest concentrations of brown bears in the world and sightings are common.

Historic Prince Rupert captivates both mind and heart with its maritime history and awe-inspiring scenery. Located near the Alaska panhandle, Prince Rupert was established in 1910 as the intersection of commerce and trade for First Nations people and continued to develop as a town when selected as the western terminus for the Grand Turk Pacific Railway. Nestled within a temperate rainforest, it experiences 220 days of rain each year, earning it the poetic nickname “The City of Rainbows.” But from within the raindrops, Prince Rupert shines with heritage charms best seen in its Kwinitsa Railway Station Museum, The Museum of Northern British Columbia and the historic North Pacific Cannery compound. Its stunning vistas captured in flight from the window of a seaplane adventure amaze travelers. Abundant wildlife can be observed on land at the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary. And seen from the deck of a wildlife cruise on the chilly waters, breeching humpback whales and soaring eagles inspire. Hike through the Butze Rainforest or the Exchamsiks River Provincial Park, then end the day with a stroll among the colorful gift shops stopping in a charming bistro to sample the freshest catch of the day.

Cable cars, the Golden Gate rising from the fog – welcome to San Francisco, arguably the most romantic and cosmopolitan city in the United States. San Francisco has it all: a colorful history, superb restaurants, sophisticated museums, world-class shopping, and that elusive air of romance and abandon that’s part of the tang of the city.