While in Ketchikan, you’ll likely want to spend some time on the water exploring the fjords and lakes embraced by Tongass National Forest, be it in a kayak, canoe or Zodiac boat. The town is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World” — and the seas are also rich in halibut, rockfish and Dungeness crab — so you might charter a fishing skiff and later grill your fresh catch over a campfire. The views from the air are equally impressive, as revealed in a seaplane flight over Misty Fjords National Monument or a helicopter ride over the 1,500-foot cascades of Mahoney Falls.

Steps from the port in Juneau, you’ll find numerous shops, museums and a surprisingly diverse culinary scene, featuring innovative food trucks, local breweries, fusion restaurants and Alaska’s famously delicious Dungeness crab. Just beyond the city, the towering mountains of Tongass National Forest and a vast icefield comprising multiple glaciers surround this capital that is only accessible by air or sea.

The harbor of Icy Strait Point was purpose-built by Alaska Natives to welcome visitors to Chichagof Island, and you can learn about the indigenous Tlingit culture through traditional music and dance performances in the nearby village of Hoonah. On the waterfront, a restored cannery now houses a museum, local shops, and restaurants serving freshly caught crab and other delicious seafood, or you might go fishing for your own fresh salmon or halibut.