what is your favorite Alaska souvenir?

I want to get something "made in Alaska" on our upcoming cruise on the Crown. We will be in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Please share what your favorite purchase was and where you got it. Thanks for you input!

In Juneau, I picked up an ulu and cutting board set for around $50 from Alaska Knife Works. It is absolutely fantastic. It works like a charm and is razor sharp. Whenever I cook, I prefer using it to my fancy knife set I bought a few years back, obviously for certain functions. For chopping vegetables, I absolutely love it.

One key: if you want something made in Alaska, be sure and look for the "Made in Alaska" logo. And if you want an authentic item made by an Alaskan Native, look for the "Silver Hand" logo.

That being said, I think the Ulu is the classic Alaskan item. Again, you can find cheap ones made somewhere else. So spend the money to find a good one. Oh, and it has to go in your check-in luggage, not your carry on.

I go to museum shops and buy crafts or art work.

DON

Our first Alaska cruise was in 2003 I bought a hat and still wear it steady in winter, love it dearly and also on the second trip in 2008 lots of art cards and framed them when home. We are so looking forward to to returning in August and I am sure I will be looking at the arts and crafts again.

The one thing I think we all share after this trip is the very special treasured memories . Jean.

I second the recommendation of the Alaskan made ulu. I love mine and bought several as gifts and they love them too.

I also look for locally spun yarns. I found some wonderful stuff at Seaside Yarns in Juneau.

In Ketchikan I bought a jigsaw puzzle at a store on Creek Street called FISH CREEK CO. Very, very unique - they had several designs to pick from. They aren't square but in the shape of many different animals - bear, hawk, whale, salmon, wolf, etc. Put together they are about 24"x18". The interesting part is they are made from wood and each piece is in the shape of things like a bear, palm tree, bird, etc. Not your regular puzzle piece shape. You can also flip them over and the reverse is a light brown with dark brown outlines of the piece shapes, which is also cool to look at. They are made in the USA (Evidently not made in Alaska...but I've never seen them anywhere else) and are by an artist named Sue Coccia. They are a little expensive (around $100) but it's my favorite item from the trip. I even went to the store's web page and ordered another for a friend. The most unique thing I saw anywhere. I picked the bear and it looks like this:

I like jewelry with some local flavor - there was walrus and mammoth ivory jewelry everywhere, so I picked up a pendant and a pair of earrings carved into dogwood blossoms. Pretty and reasonably priced, got me a lot of compliments when I wear them to work. Walrus and mammoth ivory (unlike elephant ivory) have no restrictions on them, except that harvesting them may only be done by the native populations.

My all time favourite is soap from the Glacier Smoothie store. It's made with glacier silt. It's a wee shop on Franklin Street in Juneau. I bought gift sets to bring back as gifts. We were lucky enough to go to Alaska a second time and I went back and just bought a bunch of soaps for myself. :) They have stuff for men too.

And I use my ulu knife a lot as well.

Medium size Ulu with cutting board from the Ulu Factory in Anchorage. I use it a lot! I would not use it as much if I hadn't bought the set as the indentation on the board fits the knife and is perfect for keeping whatever I am cutting under control!

Jewelry. I have a sterling silver set I purchased in Juneau decades ago, and I get compliments every time I wear it. Got an amber necklace in Ketchikan a couple of years ago, and again, people compliment it every time I wear it.

I agree that Glacier Smoothie soap was the best souvenir gift I have ever purchased in Alaska. Their small log cabin near the dockside library is family owned. The owner's widow now runs the shop. It is my first stop in Juneau every year. Ulu knives are my souvenir for personal use since my DW is very sensitive to scents.

For Dudette it would likely be the gold nugget pendent I purchased for her in Skagway on one of our cruises and my fave would be a bear mask carved by a native artist. If you are interested in native art, there are several shops in Ketchikan but probably the best one I have ever been in is the Mount Juneau Trading Post on Franklin Street in Juneau.

http://mtjuneautradingpost.com/

I remember I was in that store last time we were there in 2008. I really liked the art. Hopefully we will have enough to time in port after our excusrsion so I can have a re visit. Thanks for reminding me. Jean.

My all time favourite is soap from the Glacier Smoothie store. It's made with glacier silt. It's a wee shop on Franklin Street in Juneau. I bought gift sets to bring back as gifts. We were lucky enough to go to Alaska a second time and I went back and just bought a bunch of soaps for myself. :) They have stuff for men too.

 

And I use my ulu knife a lot as well.

I bought this too. I loved it and gave as gifts too. You can order on line too.

For minimal, bulk, I really like the quality and artwork of Spear Pins. Long time vendor in Juneau on Franklin St. While in the area, take a look at Alaska Fudge, and take a look at the Alaskan Hotel, on the National Historical Register. :)

I do try and buy- made in Alaska chocolate/candy bars, that are getting harder to find. :)

I want to get something "made in Alaska" on our upcoming cruise on the Crown. We will be in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Please share what your favorite purchase was and where you got it. Thanks for you input!

I like the small hand carved, made in AK totems, the key is make sure that they are authentic.

In Ketchikan I bought a jigsaw puzzle at a store on Creek Street called FISH CREEK CO. Very, very unique - they had several designs to pick from. They aren't square but in the shape of many different animals - bear, hawk, whale, salmon, wolf, etc. Put together they are about 24"x18". The interesting part is they are made from wood and each piece is in the shape of things like a bear, palm tree, bird, etc. Not your regular puzzle piece shape. You can also flip them over and the reverse is a light brown with dark brown outlines of the piece shapes, which is also cool to look at. They are made in the USA (Evidently not made in Alaska...but I've never seen them anywhere else) and are by an artist named Sue Coccia. They are a little expensive (around $100) but it's my favorite item from the trip. I even went to the store's web page and ordered another for a friend. The most unique thing I saw anywhere. I picked the bear and it looks like this:

 

While the puzzle sounds pricey, to me appears as a frame able artwork. Thanks for posting.

I also bought an ulu with tray and use it all the time

I'm still using my ulu and cutting bowl from our first cruise to Alaska more than a dozen years ago. Most of the time I use it for chopping fresh herbs.

Something I haven't seen anyone mention is smoked salmon.

Not a serious cook here, just wondering if would be a waste to buy the common ulu "cheap" ones to handle herbs, maybe lettuce? Or should I head to a store like the knife store. Genera what kind has lasted you so long?

I got a free ulu one year (made in China). Without the cutting bowl it was pretty much useless and of course the cutting blade was poor. A few years later I watched a demonstration at the Ulu Factory in Anchorage (they have a free shuttle downtown to their store) and I purchased the set and find it very useful. I don't cook much but use it for onions, parsley, etc. I can't imagine how it would work for lettuce. I gave the free one to Goodwill. If you don't want to spend much at least buy an ulu "Made in Alaska".

If you want one to display as art you should still look for the authenticity of an Alaska made product.

That puzzle is absolutely beautiful.

Donkey's years ago, I bought a teeshirt from the Tongass Trading Company in Ketchikan. Wore it several years and finally had to reluctantly concede that it was too old and ratty to wear anymore. I went to their website and bought an identical replacement! Does the replacement count as an Alaskan souvenir since I was at home when I bought it? :confused:

Donkey's years ago, I bought a teeshirt from the Tongass Trading Company in Ketchikan. Wore it several years and finally had to reluctantly concede that it was too old and ratty to wear anymore. I went to their website and bought an identical replacement! Does the replacement count as an Alaskan souvenir since I was at home when I bought it? :confused:

My best souvenir was a scenic Alaskan plate found at a thrift shop at home after our trip. Does that count? It's a nice plate. If not, I bought an Alaskan ulu knife at Ketchikan.