There is so much adventure and exploration to be had when visiting the Southeast Alaska port towns! Adventuring and wandering through the towns is exciting in and of itself - stopping in tiny stores that offer goods such as fudge, souvenirs and locally handcrafted items. There’s always a few dining options as well in case you love trying new tastes along your journey. While I love staying shoreside and exploring merchants right next to the ocean, I also like diving into the adventure that can be unlocked through guided experiences.
What I find tough to do is narrow down exactly what experiences I want to have in the area. So in this blog post, my goal is to help you by sharing the best experiences I have had in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. I am starting with these three towns because to date, these three locations have the most infrastructure built which enables more visitors.
Top 3 Experiences in Juneau, Alaska
Selecting my top 3 experiences in Juneau is incredibly hard especially because I live here. If you travel to Juneau, please make time to head to the Red Dog Saloon and head up the Gold Belt Tram. Spend some time at Tracy’s King Crab Shack and marvel at the floatplanes coming and going by the Hangar (big blue building). For experiences that help drive you closer to the people, culture and land of Juneau, here are the 3 I would recommend:
Whale Watching: I fell in love with humpback whales from the first time I saw them in the Frederick Sound. Their spiraling breaches, deep breathes of air and their rhythmic movement all called to me. Luckily, there are quite a few humpback whales near Juneau, Alaska and sometimes Orcas pass through as well.
Taku Lodge: This is a magical experience - it starts with taking a floatplane from the floating docks just below the blue Hangar building and heading down the Gastineau Channel. The plane will carry you above snow capped mountain tops and over the pretty blue glaciers - 5 blue glaciers to be exact! Depending on the time of year you go, you will get to see the bright blue of water that has formed glacier pools on top of the glacier. The plane lands at an offsite location, a historical family-run lodge. Upon deplaning, you will learn more about the history of the location and get to enjoy a salmon bake! This lodge is quintessential Alaska, a crackling fireplace, glaciers right outdoors, mountains and warm Alaskan hospitality.
Helicopter Ride: One of the more ‘famous’ glaciers in the Juneau area is the Mendenhall Glacier. While you can drive or take transportation to the glacier and visitor center (definitely visit if you can especially when the salmon are running because you may see bears!), one really cool experience is taking a helicopter and landing on a glacier. Some of the helicopter companies will pair their flight-seeing and glacier-landing experiences with a dog-sledding experience as well. Dog-sledding was a key mode of transportation to Alaskans and getting the chance to learn more about this way-of-life is an important part to sharing cultures and history.
Top 3 Experiences in Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is often one of the first or last stops when someone is visiting Southeast Alaska by cruise ship. It is the closest port town to the lower 48 states of the USA and closest (by way of water) to Canada. Just like Juneau, there are awesome experiences right at the port and downtown area. There are several restaurants such as the Fish House that are staples in many visitors ‘to do’ list so I encourage you to explore these tried and true options. If you are looking for something a little more experiential, here are the top 3 I would recommend in Ketchikan:
The Oyster House: If you like fresh oysters and want to learn more about oyster farming in Alaska, this experience was created for you! You get to take a boat to a floating oyster farm (not too far away!), the whole way, keep your eyes open for marine life! Once you get to the floating farm, you are warmly greeted and the operator will walk you through their oyster farming operation. The group size is pretty small so that allows people to ask questions and have a more intimate experience. After the walk through, guests are taken to an upstairs bar where oysters are served and a full service bar is available. There are other treats and food items that guests can select as well.
ATV Adventures: If you’re looking to get off the beaten path for awhile, one really awesome experience I had was via ATVs. Once you go through the safety briefing and gather information about the parts of the tour, you get into ATVs and head down a trail (each person has a helmet!). What I loved about this adventure were the views. Since ATVs allow you to travel faster than hiking the amount of views (overlooking a lake!) that can be packed into this experience are breathtaking.
Zip Lining: One of the best zip lining experiences I have had was right here in Ketchikan. The maze of lines amongst the forest tree tops was an incredible experience. Yes - I absolutely felt safe the entire time, the equipment was new and the staff was knowledgable! Breathing in the Alaska air while gliding from on beautiful view to the next made this experience fly by (literally) all too fast! If you enjoy adventure, this is one experience in Ketchikan that will absolutely deliver.
Top 3 Experiences in Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is one of those unique places on earth that once you have been, you will never be the same again. This historic town has so many stories and was an iconic part of the Gold Rush years and years ago. The town really revolves around State Street which is the main drag where most shops and restaurants are. The National Park Service has an office on the right side of the street where you can get your National Parks Passport book stamped for the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. If you’re looking to explore a little deeper into Skagway, here are my top 3 recommendations:
White Pass & Yukon Rail: I would have to say that this rail ride is one of the most talked about experiences in Skagway. The rail route provides incredible vistas along the journey and the narration along the journey is incredible. There are varying lengths of trips that you can experience so find one that is tailored to the amount of time you’d like to spend and go for it!
Bike Rentals: While there are not many roads in Skagway, one of the most memorable experiences that I had was renting a bike and riding it to the top of the mountain (overlooking the ocean). The views from above were breathtaking and having a bike made the experience possible - otherwise, I would probably still be walking up the mountain! You can also rent e-bikes to help riding up the hill itself. Skagway is a town carved into the mountains and getting a heightened view can help provide context to the broader Skagway history.
Trolley: As you roam the streets of Skagway, you will most likely see a set of historic trolleys. The conductor is clothed in ‘old school’ clothing and the Trolley takes people around the city, explaining the history. One of my favorite spots that the trolley goes is the cemetery. Sound eerie? As you will come to learn, so much of the Skagway story revolved around Soapy Smith. His grave is said to be in the cemetery, along with several others from that timeframe. If you make it back to the area, take a look at the dates and names on the gravestones. Folks did not live to be as old as we do nowadays!
So there you have it - 3 recommendation experiences that I would tell my best friend to go on in Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway! There are so many ways to experience the Southeast Alaska port towns, make sure to maximize your time the best way you can and gather as much adventure as possible! If you had a favorite experience or adventure in one of these port towns, drop me a line! I always love sharing stories about Alaska!