skagway without a tour

Any ideas of things to do in Skagway if we are not taking a tour? We do not want to rent a car and drive...I will have three kids with me 7, 7, 6. Just want to hang out in the port area. Anything fun for this age? Someone mentioned gold panning but is it within walking distance?

Me and another CC member just had a related chat to this. There are two gold panning places very near or in Skagway. The one is the Back Alley Rock Shop http://www.backalleyrockshop.com/Fun-Activities.html this one is very walk-able from the ship. It is listed between 4th and 5th Avenues. We are planning on going there next month.

The other is the Klondike Gold Fields, that is about 2 miles outside of the port area. We

were told that sometimes on busy ship days (more than 3 ships in port) they run a shuttle from the port.

Otherwise Skagway is a fun place to just walk around, very authentic old west. This walking tour guide is very helpful http://skagway.com/walking-tour-and-trail-maps/walking-tour-map/

Or stop by the NPS office http://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm they have all sorts of great information and ideas.

Also, we really enjoyed getting bikes last year and exploring. There aren't very many cars in town (probably more tour buses than cars), so we felt safe biking around. http://www.cyclealaska.com/

Check out the town web site for information .... activities, hikes, vendors, etc

http://skagway.com/walking-tour-and-trail-maps/walking-tour-map/

There are free Ranger led walks and Jr Ranger activities at the Goldrush Museum:

http://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

I just found this thread. Thank you very much for the link to the walking tour map. We are stuck with what to do in Skagway. We are hoping to avoid long bus rides and one of us is a non swimmer so excursions in a raft or canoe are out. We are still looking but this maps gives us another fun option. Thanks!

While I think it is a bit of shame of visit Skagway and not take the WPYR to at least the summit however, there are certainly many other thing do. The NPS has some great presentations in their facility downtown, there are walking tours....but get off Broadway and its false fronts. If there in late July or August check the creek for a salmon run. There is a very good museum there that can easily use up a couple of hours. You may care to take the local shuttle which will take you to within in a 1/2 mile or so of the historic Gold Rush Cemetery. Most things on Broadway are tourist traps including the Red Onion but I will include a link to a walking tour which may interest you.

http://skagway.com/skagwaywalkingtour.pdf

While I think it is a bit of shame of visit Skagway and not take the WPYR to at least the summit however, there are certainly many other thing do. The NPS has some great presentations in their facility downtown, there are walking tours....but get off Broadway and its false fronts. If there in late July or August check the creek for a salmon run. There is a very good museum there that can easily use up a couple of hours. You may care to take the local shuttle which will take you to within in a 1/2 mile or so of the historic Gold Rush Cemetery. Most things on Broadway are tourist traps including the Red Onion but I will include a link to a walking tour which may interest you.

 

http://skagway.com/skagwaywalkingtour.pdf

Nice walking tour. Just want to add that the children (as well as adults) may enjoy the walk across the footbridge, looking for seals and other wildlife in the water on the way out to Yakutania Point.

The children especially would probably enjoy the closeup views of the helicopters taking off and landing at the airport terminal along the way, or even stopping there to chat with the friendly people who work there.

Here is a link to Yakutania Point reviews on TripAdvisor

Yakutania Point (Skagway, AK)

Nice walking tour. Just want to add that the children (as well as adults) may enjoy the walk across the footbridge, looking for seals and other wildlife in the water on the way out to Yakutania Point.

 

The children especially would probably enjoy the closeup views of the helicopters taking off and landing at the airport terminal along the way, or even stopping there to chat with the friendly people who work there.

 

Here is a link to Yakutania Point reviews on TripAdvisor

 

Yakutania Point (Skagway, AK)

 

 

If looking at a map, the above reference for the helicopters is not at the airport. TEMSCO has it's own tarmac next to the Ore Dock.

Another nice walk- is along Alaska, which runs right along the airport run way, and goes by the school. When I walk to the Gold Rush Cemetery- I always walk this street at least one way.

I recently went to the Back Alley Rock shop and I would not suggest it as a good place for the kids to try panning for gold. There were two troughs for panning, basically in someone's backyard. Not authentic in any way. I would try the other location for panning for gold.