With 571,951 square miles comprising the nation's 49th state, travelers to Alaska have several options for getting around. This is especially true since many of Alaska's settlements cannot be accessed by road. Although air travel is common on large and small planes, these alternatives also exist:

• The Alaska-Canadian (ALCAN) Highway is one way to arrive in Alaska from the contiguous United States or "the lower 48." Spanning some 1,500 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction, Alaska, the two-lane highway is mostly paved, although harsh winter temperatures necessitate frequent maintenance.

• The Alaska Marine Highway includes 12 state-operated ferries that serve the south central coast, the eastern Aleutian Islands and the Inside Passage and British Columbia, Canada. The vessels carry vehicles, freight and walk-on passengers to some destinations also accessible by road and some only accessible by air or water.

• The state-owned Alaska Railroad carries freight and passengers more than 500 miles between the state's interior and the tip of the Kenai Peninsula. The railroad is among the state's tourist attractions, with some of the cars privately owned by cruise companies — also an option for touring the state.

For more information on visiting Alaska, go to the State of Alaska Travel and Vacation Information Web site at www.travelalaska.com.