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The M/V Columbia & M/V Kennicott
Alaska Marine Highway Ferries
Cruising round trip out of Bellingham on the Alaska Marine Highway's premier ships - offering full dining rooms, cafeteria's, and cocktail lounges. Cabins are outfitted with comfortable twin bunks, the rooms are spacious, and most have full facilities.
The scenery as you cruise through the Queen Charlotte Islands, and the Alaska Coast line, is unsurpassed with wildlife such as whales, seals, sea otters, and a variety of sea birds. Our on-board naturalists run a variety of programs as we pass through interesting coast line pointing out Glaciers and a brief history of Alaska throughout the area.
All Alaska Marine Highway ferries are owned by the State of Alaska- every crew member is an Alaskan resident, union employee, and takes great pride in providing every passenger a fun, safe, and first class experience while on board.
Meals on the ferries are not included but all ships have a restaurant,
and or cafeteria, cocktail lounge and the food is reasonable priced.
Cabins are spacious and comfortable outfitted with twin bunks and
full bathrooms on most ships.
Cruising the Inside Passage "Calm Waters" with land
up close on
both sides of the ship. Photo opportunities end less...
Cars are easily driven on and off the car decks.
A common sight along the Inside Passage
Skagway - Top of the Inside Passage
 Fairbanks - Follow the Alaska Pipeline
Along the Highway - Denali National Park
Land of the Midnight Sun - ALASKA
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 North to Alaska Ferry & Drive Tour 2011
Depart Bellingham July 2011
Friday 6:00PM- Alaska Marine Highway Ferry
Arrive Skagway Monday Afternoon
Overnight accommodations Included
plus -
The White Pass Yukon Route
This 3 hour. round trip rail tour climbs from tidewater to the summit of the White Pass 2,865 feet on restored vintage coaches pulled by vintage diesel locomotives.
Drive -Skagway to Whitehorse, Yukon
98.6 miles of dramatic and beautiful terrain from Skagway climbing up over the White Pass, this 2-lane paved road has been recently improved is fairly wide and open year round.
Haines Junction -100 miles north of Whitehorse an important stop on the Alaska Highway for services, located on the eastern boundary of the Kluane National Park and Reserve.
Beaver Creek -180 miles north of Haines Junction
Customs- Passports Required
You will find a post office, bank, and ATM (limited hours) in Beaver Creek.
Tuesday Overnight accommodations provided in Beaver Creek
Tok - Alaska 111 miles north of Beaver Creek
Tok is the overland point of entry into Alaska for summer travelers, with 13 churches, a public library, and elementary school, named after a husky pup in 1942 when the US Army Corp began breaking trail on what is now the Tok cutoff.
Fairbanks - 205 miles north of Tok
No other place in Alaska blends the richness of history with present day than Fairbanks. The midnight sun, warm temperatures, farmers market, botanical gardens, stern wheelers, bush plans, railroads, and hot springs. The drive from Fairbanks to Denali represents what Alaska is truly about, wondrous landscapes, rugged topography, mighty rivers and lakes, and some of the friendliest people around.
Wed.& Thursday accommodations in Fairbanks plus
Alaska Salmon Bake Dinner at Pioneer Park
Our group will meet at Pioneer Park to enjoy King Salmon grilled over a wood fire, deep fried halibut and cod, salad bar, and desert.
Riverboat Discovery Cruise
We will join the Binkley family aboard the stern wheeler Riverboat Discovery, for a morning cruise on the Chena and Tanana Rivers. The tour includes a guided walking tour of an Athabascan Indian village, and we will get to see Susan Butcher's champion iditarod sled dogs in action.
Denali National Park
125 miles south of Fairbanks, the road is wide the driving is easy, with several places to stop along the way for lunch or a beverage. Six million acres of incredible beauty surrounding Mount McKinley, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bears and wolves, roam the park freely. A great place to take a break from several days of driving, share experiences, and enjoy the wonders Denali has to offer.
Friday & Saturday accommodations in Denali National Park
plus:
Friday Night Theatre and Dinner- "Cabin Night" A gold rush tale of adventure in the early 1900s by Fannie Quigley.
Saturday - The Denali Back country Adventure
"The most complete Wildlife Tour bus tour into the park". 95 miles to Kantishna and Wonder Lake with lunch at the Backcountry Lodge.
Talkeetna
153 Miles south of Denali on the Parks Highway
Talkeetna, small and quaint, filled with Alaskan history and local charm, is a staging area for Mt. McKinley climbers. We will overnight at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, first class lodging, with unsurpassed views of the south side of Mt. McKinley.
Sunday accommodations at the beautiful Talkeetna Lodge
plus:
South Face McKinley Flight Tour with Glacier Landing
See Mt. McKinley and the Ruth Gorge: the Ruth Gorge, filled with a 4,000 foot thick river of ice, is the deepest trench in North America. Experience the Don Sheldon amphitheater surrounded by granite peaks and cascading icefalls. Your pilot narrates the tour, pointing out wildlife and geological interests. Land on a glacier at the base of Mt. McKinley and experience the excitement of standing among the great peaks; the immense scale will astound you. Enjoy the sun, snow and the unique sounds of the glacier. Bring lots of film- this is an excellent photo opportunity.
Anchorage
112 miles south of Talkeetna the largest city in Alaska, with a frontier spirit and an eclectic metropolis, Anchorage is vibrant with color, friendly, and located in the heart of the wilderness.
Monday accommodations Included.
The Kenai Peninsula Anchorage to Homer
Leaving Anchorage we will head southwest towards Homer, 237 miles to the "End of the Road". You will have many places along the highway to stop and take in the beauty of the Cook Inlet coastal drive.
Homer sits on the shores of Kachemak Bay, offering breathtaking highway views of glaciers, volcanoes, and the Kenai Mountain Range. Homer offers many activities; deep sea halibut fishing, birding, kayaking, and glacier hiking are excellent in this area.
Tuesday & Wednesday accommodations at the end of Spit
Lands End Resort plus
Wednesday Morning - Fjord Explorer & Gull Island Tour
Cruise along the breathtaking Fjords of Tutka Bay, Sadie Cove, and Eldridge Pass. On route, discover Gull Island a small rocky island on the southern shore of Kachemak Bay. More than 16,000 seabirds nest on this natural sanctuary. Gull Island is one of the most viewable seabird colonies in Alaska, and every year thousands of people visit the island by boat to witness the spectacle of nesting seabirds.
Wednesday Evening- Dinner Lands End Captains Quarters
Whittier to Juneau by Ferry
Thursday - The drive from Homer back to Whittier is about 167 miles. The M/V Kennicott will depart Whittier late Thursday evening for a voyage across the Gulf of Alaska to Juneau.
Friday - At Sea
A short stop in the Native Village of Yakutat - Home of the Mighty Hubbard Glacier.
Saturday - Arrival Juneau Capital City of Alaska
Saturday & Sunday accommodations downtown Juneau.
Alaska's colorful capital, Juneau is squeezed between towering Mt. Juneau and the Gastineau Channel. Government buildings contrast with the Gold Rush Historic District in the downtown area.
Here you will have time to see to the Mendenhall Glacier, or visit the Alaska State Museum, or take a drive around the Island with a stop at the Shrine of St. Therese.
Monday - M/V Columbia Ferry Juneau to Bellingham WA.
Port of Call - Sitka
One of the most scenic Southeastern cities, a true Alaskan gem. Island-studded waters, elegant forests, jagged mountains, and the towering Mt. Edgecumbe volcano surround this stunning seaside town. Tour busses are found at the terminal parking lot - be sure to get aboard for a 2-hour tour of downtown Sitka.
Port of Call - Petersburg, Wrangell, & Ketchikan
Petersburg ~ Affectionately know as "Little Norway" with its cultural heritage decorating's on homes and shop fronts.
Wrangell ~ Walk just half a mile from the ferry terminal and along the beach see mysterious petroglyphs at low tide.
Ketchikan ~ Alaska's southernmost major city, Ketchikan stretches 3 miles along the water front with a business district suspended on pilings above the Tongass Narrow.
The Columbia arrives in Bellingham on Friday morning 8:00am.
  
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