The port town of Whittier sits at the end of Passage Canal, one of the numerous fjords in the Kenai Peninsula’s mountainous east coast which open into the waters of Prince William Sound. Whittier is a gateway for many visitors who come to the Peninsula by sea, serving as a port for the Alaska Marine Highway system, the Whittier-Valdez ferry, and numerous cruise lines.
For others who approach overland by train or car, traveling to Whittier requires passing under the surrounding mountains through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which at 2.5 miles is North America’s longest combined highway/rail tunnel. The tunnel can be traveled by car or by train on the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Route .
Although Whittier is a port for such cruise lines as Princess and Carnival, visitors who come by land can also take day cruises to view the glaciers and rugged coastline of Prince William Sound. As its name suggests, the 26 Glaciers Cruise visits 26 glaciers around the Sound, with US Forest Service Rangers providing narration. Major Marine Tours offers all-you-eat salmon on their tour of 10 glaciers. Lazy Otter Charters provides water taxi services and kayak rental.
