Alaska Excursions

[TheBigErn]

We are 4 adults sailing July 2025. Ports are Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria. Looking for recommendation for excursions at each port. Thanks in advance.

 

[happycamper47]

High dollar? How active?

 

[TheBigErn]

High dollar? How active?

any price and all activity levels

 

[wabbott]

https://wpyr.com/
White Pass Summit Excursion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creek_Street_(Ketchikan,_Alaska)
Creek Street is a historic area of Ketchikan, Alaska. The street is actually a boardwalk mounted in stilts on a high slope on the east side of Ketchikan Creek, east of the city's downtown. Creek Street was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.[1]

 

[auntlynne]

Juneau - I always recommend a whale watching cruise. My favorites are on a smaller boat. Like this one. Maybe a dozen guests. And being close to the water line is a nice angle for seeing the whales. This photo was from the same type ship. We did a Whale Watch + Mendenhall Glacier combo tour with Photography emphasis.





When I do whale watching in a different port, I still like to go to Mendenhall Glacier. It is receding, but it is an easy way to enjoy a walk with a glacier close by.

 

[auntlynne]

Skagway. We did the White Pass & Yukon train (train both up and back; there is an option to do bus one direction).

That afternoon, we did a helicopter flight to land on a glacier.







Different year: rented a car and drove to Whitehorse, Yukon. The primary destination was Emerald Lake. But we kept going to Whitehorse, with many stops along the way.



One year, we went over to Haines. Our excursion, a wildlife viewing, was a least favorite of all time.

 

[jdb in AZ]

In Juneau we "have" to have lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack. It's right on the pier at the base of Mt. Roberts Tram.

 

[jdb in AZ]

In Ketchikan we enjoyed a seaplane flight over Misty Fjords. BYW, did you know Alaska has more sea planes than cars?

 

[auntlynne]

Skagway is my favorite of the Inner Passage towns. It is small, with fun architecture. Sort of reminds me of a Western town in old movies.





They have had problems with rock slides the past few years. Could change your itinerary if they divert to Haines.

 

[auntlynne]

In Juneau we "have" to have lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack. It's right on the pier at the base of Mt. Roberts Tram.

View attachment 884795

I finally got there in 2021. So good. The extra price for King Crab was worth it versus these snow crab legs. And a lot less work. Because I did get the King Crab leg (not plural) after this. Same weight.

 

[auntlynne]

Ditto the sea plane in Ketchikan. We flew with Michelle of Island Wings. Landed on a glacier-created lake.

 

[auntlynne]

Ketchikan. Such an easy town to walk around.

…and one of the USA’s wettest cities.

A little totem park on the way to Creek Street:







I’m not a fan of the brothel area. It’s just stores. But if the creek is running, that’s more my speed.




One year, we watched the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Then did a Zodiac boat tour.

 

[auntlynne]

Are you going with a different cruise line? I ask because that combo of ports doesn’t seem to exist for DCL. And because port times in Victoria are usually limited to 4 hours late at night on ships based out of Seattle.

But if I have a decent in-port schedule for Victoria, I am headed to Butchart Gardens. We went there after a cruise that ended in Vancouver. Were there on July 4 - so rose season. The air smelled wonderful.









When Victoria was just the obligatory, legally required stop, it was from 7-11 pm. We visited the Harbour area, went to the Bay Company store, and had a Thai meal.

The Harbour area.







There’s a tiny Chinatown up the street.

If it were daytime and the schedule worked, I would have considered an Orca watching cruise.

 

[auntlynne]

I think I would like to do a Summer dog sled camp.

If you are kayakers, there’s a nice option.

 

[happycamper47]

I highly recommend any of the helicopter tours, the one out of Juneau includes a hike and climb on Mendenhall . https://northstartrekking.com/adventures/helicopter-glacier-trek/

 

[TheBigErn]

Are you going with a different cruise line? I ask because that combo of ports doesn’t seem to exist for DCL. And because port times in Victoria are usually limited to 4 hours late at night on ships based out of Seattle.

But if I have a decent in-port schedule for Victoria, I am headed to Butchart Gardens. We went there after a cruise that ended in Vancouver. Were there on July 4 - so rose season. The air smelled wonderful.

View attachment 884813

View attachment 884814

View attachment 884815

View attachment 884816

When Victoria was just the obligatory, legally required stop, it was from 7-11 pm. We visited the Harbour area, went to the Bay Company store, and had a Thai meal.

The Harbour area.

View attachment 884817

View attachment 884818

View attachment 884819

There’s a tiny Chinatown up the street.

If it were daytime and the schedule worked, I would have considered an Orca watching cruise.

Princess

 

[TheBigErn]

For those who did dog sledding, do you get your own sled and dogs?

 

[semiswtkindalife]

Ditto re Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau.

For Victoria, maybe a lesser known attraction is Malahat Skywalk. There's a free shuttle from downtown Victoria. The pick up locations are ~20 min from the port.

https://malahatskywalk.com/plan/shuttle/

 

[auntlynne]

Ditto re Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau.

For Victoria, maybe a lesser known attraction is Malahat Skywalk. There's a free shuttle from downtown Victoria. The pick up locations are ~20 min from the port.

https://malahatskywalk.com/plan/shuttle/

You sent me in a research task to find photos of the Skywalk, itself.

So close to Butchart - as the crow flies. Otherwise, what a fun combo that would be.

 

[auntlynne]

For those who did dog sledding, do you get your own sled and dogs?

Haven’t done it. But seen videos. And none of them have you as musher or single rider.

The standard one is like this, done on dry land. In this case, near Juneau.



You may find ones on snow when reached by helicopter.

What surprises most people is that huskies are not the standard dog. Most are blends, sort of Heinz 57 dogs.