You might also consider Sitka; it's one of the more scenic areas of the Southeast. Actually, all of SE Alaska is scenic as far as I know. If you do go to Ketchikan, be sure to take rain gear! It's in a rain forest.
The site of the events in Into the Wild is on the mainland near Denali National Park; pretty far from the Southeast. I read the book and seem to recall that what he actually ate was wild potato seeds. The poison was a particularly lethal type that prevents the body from absorbing nutrients: it would take skilled medical care to remover from it so someone in that position off in the middle of nowhere wouldn't have much of a chance.