What to do in ports in Alaska?

We are looking at a cruise on Zaandam this summer. What are "good" things to do in the following ports. No airplanes/helicopters or Dogsledding please, no fishing or whale watching either. Lastly no bear watching. I would like to take a train ride, but I didn't see any in these ports.

Ketchikan

Juneau

Icy Straight Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks FYI I originally posted this on the HAL board and someone suggested I also post here.

Sorry there are hundreds of tours to choose. YOU need to take a look at your shore excursion list and then narrow down your interests, and select activities that are are possible- then rank those. Keep refining and fine tuning to get to YOUR selection. It's essential you get knowledgeable about EACH of these ports. Very different from each other. Sorry the one port with the train ride- you aren't going to.

You have a LOT of negatives listed, so why are you going to Alaska and what do you want out of your trip?

Essential question to ask yourself, for direction.

We are looking at a cruise on Zaandam this summer. What are "good" things to do in the following ports. No airplanes/helicopters or Dogsledding please, no fishing or whale watching either. Lastly no bear watching. I would like to take a train ride, but I didn't see any in these ports.

 

Ketchikan

Juneau

Icy Straight Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks FYI I originally posted this on the HAL board and someone suggested I also post here.

There are lots of good books on AK in your library where you can do your preliminary research. Then come back on CC with specific questions.

DON

I really would take time to read about each port. As mentioned so many choices.

If you want to see whales a good opportunity is to do that in Juneau. Town is also nice to spend a few hours touring.

Ketchikan has many things to do and see. One of our nice experiences has been going salmon fishing there.

These are just two examples of hundreds of things or more to do in all of these ports.

Really recommend starting by doing reading or listing out for us things that may be of interest to you such as nature, wildlife, history, etc.

Keith

No airplanes...are you taking the train to embark in Seattle or Vancouver?

I am a little baffled about what you are asking for. Most people go to Alaska for wildlife and glacier viewing. What's your interest? You might get a better response if you post that.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

I'll try to field this question. Here is my list of "good" things to do in these ports, all based on personal experience, but obviously there are hundreds of other good things in these ports that I have not done:

Ketchikan:

hiking the Rainbird Trail

kayaking Orca's cove with Southeast Sea Kayaks (http://www.kayakketchikan.com/guidedtrips/)

Juneau:

Mendenhall Glacier Trek with Above and Beyond Alaska (http://beyondak.com/trips/mendenhall-glacier-trek/)

Mount Roberts Tramway and hiking trails at the top of the mountain

Icy Strait Point:

walking the nature trail

Anchorage:

Alaska Native Heritage Center

bike rental and riding along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

car rental and drive Turnigan Arm to the Alyeska Tram and to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Homer:

Natural History Tour from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (https://www.akcoastalstudies.org/)

Free shuttle to the Pratt Museum and Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center

Kodiak:

hiking in Ft. Abercrombie Park

Sitka:

Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest (ship tour)

walking to see totems in Sitka National Historical Park

hiking the Gavan Hill Trail

Victoria:

Miniature World Museum

renting bikes and riding the Galloping Goose Trail

Bottom line is..... there's no shortcut. You need to do some research to determine what sights and activities best suit YOUR interests, budget, and physical abilities.

Look at past trip reports to see how other travelers enjoyed their time. Usually the first line indicates the itinerary. There are a couple for the 14day HAL cruise. Specifically, look in the 2016 list for a photojournal from JimAOK1945...its near the end.

Also, each town/port has a web site which helps support tourism and local vendors. Many of them even have a Visitor Guids to download. I included most of the links in the Helpful Resources thread.

Borrow a few Alaska travel books from your library.

Have fun with your research and planning!

I really would take time to read about each port. As mentioned so many choices.

......

Really recommend starting by doing reading or listing out for us things that may be of interest to you such as nature, wildlife, history, etc.

 

Keith

There are lots of good books on AK in your library where you can do your preliminary research. Then come back on CC with specific questions.

 

DON

I agree with these posters. Please don't think people are being unhelpful. There are just SO MANY choices for Alaska, you need to have some ideas of what DOES appeal before people can offer input.

For me, the first time I went to Alaska, I looked at the shore excursions the ship offered, as my starting point. I made a list of "ooh that looks good" and then researched each item on that pretty long list. Got THAT list cut in about half. IMHO that's the point where I could have asked on CC about the various options.

It seems daunting at first, especially since you have a lot of ports. But it will be very much worth doing ..... and then we can give you feedback/input about your "short list" :)

I've done the cruise you are planning and it was fabulous. It is well worth some research time on your part to ensure you see what interests you. (y)

If you want to ride a train, check out the White Pass Railway excursions out of Skagway. We are a diverse group of ages and interests and we are not doing the same things in each port.. I have spent hours researching to suggest the right excursions to everyone, and this is our second trip.. That's part of the fun of cruising!

If you want to ride a train, check out the White Pass Railway excursions out of Skagway. We are a diverse group of ages and interests and we are not doing the same things in each port.. I have spent hours researching to suggest the right excursions to everyone, and this is our second trip.. That's part of the fun of cruising!

The cruise the OP is on doesn't go to Skagway.

There are several train options on the ARR at Anchorage, but I don't believe you would have sufficient time on your Zaandam call there...

I'll try to field this question. Here is my list of "good" things to do in these ports, all based on personal experience, but obviously there are hundreds of other good things in these ports that I have not done:

 

Ketchikan:

hiking the Rainbird Trail

kayaking Orca's cove with Southeast Sea Kayaks (http://www.kayakketchikan.com/guidedtrips/)

 

Juneau:

Mendenhall Glacier Trek with Above and Beyond Alaska (http://beyondak.com/trips/mendenhall-glacier-trek/)

Mount Roberts Tramway and hiking trails at the top of the mountain

 

Icy Strait Point:

walking the nature trail

 

Anchorage:

Alaska Native Heritage Center

bike rental and riding along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

car rental and drive Turnigan Arm to the Alyeska Tram and to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

 

Homer:

Natural History Tour from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (https://www.akcoastalstudies.org/)

Free shuttle to the Pratt Museum and Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center

 

Kodiak:

hiking in Ft. Abercrombie Park

 

Sitka:

Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest (ship tour)

walking to see totems in Sitka National Historical Park

hiking the Gavan Hill Trail

 

Victoria:

Miniature World Museum

renting bikes and riding the Galloping Goose Trail

I second the ideas for Juneau and Ketchikan. We had a great trip with Southeast Kayaks. We were the only two people booked on the trip we did. Saw humpback whales close up, enjoyed a delicious snack on their mother ship, and had several new and eager guides helping us along. It was awesome. Mendenthal Glacier in Juneau is well worth the trip. We did that without a tour. Just got on a bus that took us there and then spent as much time as we wanted wandering around, enjoying the scenery and taking pictures.

Check out the website Alaska Shore Excursions. It's a generic site that lists excursions in various cities in Alaska. That's where we found all of ours. They are cognizant of the ship timetables too, so will make sure to get you back on time.

You don't like fishing but you're pretty good at trolling.

Perhaps posting what would please you would be more productive.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Most of you are correct. Alaska has never been on my radar, but DH wants to go and see it. We live in a warm climate and dh wants go someplace 'different" When I started looking into this I will say I was baffled and still am to a certain extent. And most of you are correct I don't like most of the things that people go to Alaska for, but I am willing to try and see what I can come up with. I think I need to do a lot more research.

The one thing I do know is we are cruising on a HAL ship and I am sure I won't be a bad way to spend two weeks. (I just need to bring plenty of warm clothing!)

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my questions

Do either of you have mobility problems? Are you both able to walk reasonably well? Can you hike (up and down inclines) or are you better on fairly flat terrain?

Do you have interest in history? Gardening? Art?

There is plenty of good scenery and nice hiking if you don't want to go on excursions.

• History
  
• Totems in Ketchican (both in town and at Totem Bight),
  
• Museums in Juneau and Anchorage
  
• Visiting Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau which has a nice visitor center and hiking. You may see bears there at Steep Creek.
  
• Buchart Gardens out of Victoria if the port times allow or just wandering around Victoria
  

I'd also urge you to try to be more open minded and try some of the things you think you may not like. My husband, B, and his friend, R, were both adamant that they didn't want to go on a whale watch so I didn't make arrangements for it. Then R saw an ad for the whale watch excursion out of Juneau on their cabin TV and decided he wanted to try it after all. Since, he was in, B decided he would do it too so we all went on the ship's whale watch.

I've checked with him and he did enjoy it. He hadn't wanted to go because he felt that other boat trips he had been on had been boring or not comfortable enough. He found the boat comfortable and he enjoyed the commentary. You start out pretty close to the whale areas so there isn't a long time sitting waiting to get to where they are. (It would have been even nicer if they had been more open to it ahead of time because I would have arranged for something nice on a smaller boat.)

It isn't a terribly long or expensive excursion so consider giving it a try unless your reason for not doing it is that you already live somewhere near whales and have been on so many whale watches you are not interested in doing it again.

Do either of you have mobility problems? Are you both able to walk reasonably well? Can you hike (up and down inclines) or are you better on fairly flat terrain?

 

Do you have interest in history? Gardening? Art?

We, thank the lord do not have any mobility issues. (dh had knee replacement two yrs ago). We are better on flat terrain. We do love history. (did a 42 day cruise last year to the med). I am hoping we can go to a salmon bake. Now that looks wonderful. We put a cabin on hold last night. I think Alaska is so different (think Hawaii, Tahiti, Caribbean) from anything we have done that all the "things to do" are just "foreign. DH wants to go so I am just going to continue to research and check out if there is a roll call and see what the people on it are doing.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Most of you are correct. Alaska has never been on my radar, but DH wants to go and see it. We live in a warm climate and dh wants go someplace 'different" When I started looking into this I will say I was baffled and still am to a certain extent. And most of you are correct I don't like most of the things that people go to Alaska for, but I am willing to try and see what I can come up with. I think I need to do a lot more research.

 

The one thing I do know is we are cruising on a HAL ship and I am sure I won't be a bad way to spend two weeks. (I just need to bring plenty of warm clothing!)

 

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my questions

I don't know your budget, but I would caution you about going to Alaska unless there is a strong desire to do so. The excursions are great but most are pricey. If you just walk around town, it is not what it used to be like when I first saw it 20 years ago. Diamond International, etc. Still a great place to visit and I am planning my 5th trip, but I am going to Denali and on excursions to see wildlife, etc and get away from the people. But that is what Alaska is to me. I hear a lot of people who go and don't do excursions and they say they weren't really impressed. If you aren't going to be impressed, why spend the money?

I encourage you to look at ship's excursion to see what interest you along with Trip Advisor and YouTube. I look at the photos from trips to see if I like to visit a place. If you don't find enough to interest you, then pass on Alaska. Save it for those of us that love it!

We are looking at a cruise on Zaandam this summer. What are "good" things to do in the following ports. No airplanes/helicopters or Dogsledding please, no fishing or whale watching either. Lastly no bear watching. I would like to take a train ride, but I didn't see any in these ports.

 

 

 

Ketchikan

 

Juneau

 

Icy Straight Point

 

Anchorage

 

Homer

 

Kodiak

 

Sitka

 

Victoria

 

 

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks FYI I originally posted this on the HAL board and someone suggested I also post here.

You may want to add no eating of salmon or crab to your list [emoji22]

Seriously, I would not recommend a helicopter ride to a glacier anyway: just oh-so-boring. Want helicopters? Go to Kauai!

That said, you may want to reconsider the plane ride as long as it can be arranged for a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver floatplane, which is "the real deal" and a dying breed. Landing on a pristine mountain lake in a "beaver" is just icing on the cake.

I can't remember which port but, we did visit an eagle rescue organization that was very informative. We also did a couple of very small historical/cultural museums (included no one with a native dance performance) and managed to avoid all the schlocky tee shirt and ripoff cruise port jewelry outlets.

The worst tour we did was a glacier walk. Absolutely worthless since we live in NorCal and can just head to Lake Tahoe for snowy mountain majesty. But, I guess we can say we did it. But, what was exciting was to get so close to the Hubbard Glacier on smaller Oceania Regatta and see/hear the calving. (Other big ships in the area couldn't get anywhere near as close.) This and the dehavilland flight made it all worthwhile.

Whales are hit and miss viewing. No interest, since we've got them at home. Likewise, no need for salmon or crab because of our home base.

BTW: you may also want to consider Oceania. Far better everything (especially the food) than HAL and the price comparison is not as bad as you may think when you consider O's included airfare/air credit and all other stuff for which you'd pay extra on HAL.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I have the 14 day HAL cruise booked for this summer. This is our 2nd time to Alaska, so a bunch of what you are not interested in, I did the first time. This go around I am not doing whale watching, bear viewing, or a float plane (though the float plane was amazing). I purchased the e-book Cruising Alaska on a Budget: A Cruise and Port Guide by Melinda Brasher to research other things to do in ports. Her recommendations are great for figuring out what we want to do. Don't focus on the "budget" part of the title. Between this book and researching micro-breweries, I am developing a great game plan for each port.

One thing that I am excited about is we will be in Ketchikan on the July 4th. My plan is to enjoy the parade, festivities and wander around town. Oh, and drink some micro-brews. :D

Lisa

 

I can't remember which port but, we did visit an eagle rescue organization that was very informative. We also did a couple of very small historical/cultural museums (included no one with a native dance performance) and managed to avoid all the schlocky tee shirt and ripoff cruise port jewelry outlets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I know that there is an eagle rescue facility in Haines. Been there several times. https://baldeagles.org/

DON

hflors, I'm going to encourage you to reconsider that list of things you don't want. One of the best memories I have of a cruise is doing something I did NOT want to do, but DH really wanted to. So I shut up and did it :) I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, and I'm still darn proud of myself for doing it :) And I smile every time I think of it :D

If you can reconsider, think about doing a whale watch in either ISP or Juneau. Or an Otter Quest in Sitka. If you are fussy about bathroom facilities, do it through a HAL shorex -- the biggish boats they use have real walk-in bathrooms, not marine "heads"....

Since you have no mobility problems, I second the suggestion of getting out to the National Historical Park in Sitka and doing the walk through the forest to see various totems. (A decent trail, pretty flat). Art, nature, and history. Spend time at their information/visitor centre, too.

Icy Strait Point has a cooking class that HAL has listed on its shore excursions. Something like that, anyway. Something-or-other kitchen, I think it is called. To me, food fan that I am, it sounds interesting! Next time we get to ISP, I am going to insist we walk to Hoonah. We did a whale watch in ISP and the conditions and operator (through HAL) were not-good. Our experience was not typical, I know.... but was very disappointing.

In Kodiak, friends went to the Baranov Museum (they gave it a good rating) and we went to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. We really enjoyed that!

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g2161460-d10517013-Reviews-Kodiak_National_Wildlife_Refuge_Visitor_Center-Kodiak_Kodiak_Island_Alaska.html

I'll have more, later. Gotta run!

In Kodiak, HAL used to offer a boat trip to Dutch Harbor -- of interest if you're a fan of Deadliest Catch. It wasn't available as a choice when we did the 14 day, unsure why that is.

There's a fishermen's memorial near the entrance to the harbor. Very touching.

In Homer we did the Spit. It's a funky little artsy place that is also where a number of people set up their trailers for the summer season :) The Seafarers' Memorial on the Spit had me in tears. It touched my soul. There was a shuttle from the dock to the Spit. I can't remember if there was a cost. The dock in Homer is long, and loud with kittiwakes, and a bit smelly because of the kittiwakes. There was also a HoHo into Homer, there was a cost for that (can't remember exactly, but it was either $30 each or $30 for the two of us, round-trip).

Someone up thread suggested the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage. You have a long day in Anchorage (arrive 8 am and depart at 11 pm, if I remember correctly). Not sure how you feel about taking the RR, but certainly worth checking. We did the 26 Glaciers cruise through HAL. Bus to Whittier, cruise, bus back to Anchorage. Had a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center on the way to Whittier. It was okay, the bus driver was very informative, entertaining, knowledgeable. But it was a pretty long day. If we go back, we won't do that tour again.

More later, when I remember :)

. . . I purchased the e-book Cruising Alaska on a Budget: A Cruise and Port Guide by Melinda Brasher to research other things to do in ports. Her recommendations are great for figuring out what we want to do. Don't focus on the "budget" part of the title. Between this book and researching micro-breweries, I am developing a great game plan for each port.

. . .

Lisa

I'm not a newbie at this. We'll be going on our fifth Alaska cruise in June, and in 2019 we're doing one of the 21-day Alaska cruises HAL is offering. That cruise includes many ports that will be new to us, and it looks like most, if not all of them, are included in Ms. Brasher's book.

Hflors, even after just a short perusal of this book, I can highly recommend it to you. And, it only costs $4.99! I have purchased a few books on Alaska over the years, and this one is fantastic. The first quarter of the book is about why to go to Alaska, how to choose a cruise and the nuts and bolts of cruising. The part about why to go to Alaska might help you get more excited about experiencing this wonderful, exciting adventure you will embarking on.