Compass American Guides: Alaska's Inside Passage taps a growing travel market. Alaska is the world’s third most popular cruise destination, attractingaboutone million cruise ship passengers a year.While other guides offer recommendations on where to stay and what to see, none combine that practical information with the depth and literary quality of a Compass American Guide.

In this thoroughly readable book, travelers, locals,and armchair travelers alike will find a mix of stunning color photos, sightseeing scoops, historical background, fun FAQs, and evocative, inspiring descriptions of this breathtaking region. Following the route of a fantasy cruise from south (Ketchikan) to north (Sitka), the guide takes readers through all the incredible attractions, including Glacier Bay National Park, Ketchikan’s totem poles, and Skagway’s historic Gold Rush District. The explorations of each port ofcall are organized by the amount of time visitors have on shore. In addition to natural and historic sights, the guide includes favorite places to eat and shop in each town, and tips on everything from animal-watching to packing the night gear.

Writer Ann Chandonnet lived in Alaska for more than 30 yearsand is the author of more than a dozen books,including The Alaska Heritage Seafood Cookbook, and Alaska’s Arts, Crafts & Collectibles . Photographer Don Pitcher spent 15 summers in the wilds of Alaska and Wyoming and now works as a photographer and travel writer, basing his travels from Homer, Alaska.