Skagway: What Am I Missing?

[GradUT]

I've been looking at various itineraries for Inner Passage cruises for May 2017. The more I read, the less interested I find myself in Skagway as a port destination. I've read a couple of Alaska guidebooks and done some internet research. We enjoy historical places and outdoor activities so the Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park is of interest to us and we'd enjoy the hike to Lower Reid Falls, but that's all I'm finding to do. It just seems like Skagway is a place full of tourists and touristy shops. Whatever charm used to be there seems to now be gone.

 

We aren't interested in train or boat trips or pricey excursions. We mostly enjoy sightseeieng on our own which we did in the Baltics last summer and in eastern Canada the summer before that.

 

Is there something I'm missing here or is Skagway just not for me?

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I've been looking at various itineraries for Inner Passage cruises for May 2017. The more I read, the less interested I find myself in Skagway as a port destination. I've read a couple of Alaska guidebooks and done some internet research. We enjoy historical places and outdoor activities so the Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park is of interest to us and we'd enjoy the hike to Lower Reid Falls, but that's all I'm finding to do. It just seems like Skagway is a place full of tourists and touristy shops. Whatever charm used to be there seems to now be gone.

 

We aren't interested in train or boat trips or pricey excursions. We mostly enjoy sightseeieng on our own which we did in the Baltics last summer and in eastern Canada the summer before that.

 

Is there something I'm missing here or is Skagway just not for me?

 

I'm going to jump in before a whole bunch of people tell you you're missing SO much! LOL. Skagway is my least favorite port on an Alaska cruise itinerary. I did the train--two slow-paced and the cheesy commentary made me want to jump off! But, people absolutely rave about it.

 

Last time, we rented a car and drove to Emerald Lake and absolutely loved that! It parallels the route the train takes, but you can stop when you want and don't have to listen to the lame jokes. The history is really interesting, but we read up on that before we went. We loved going at our own pace. Next time, I'll probably take a "pricey excursion" -- a helicopter landing on a glacier or a wildlife safari I've been reading about.

 

Most people seem to love it there, but I find it too touristy to want to spend much time in town. JMHO.

[RSF Cruiser]

If you like to sightsee on your own, you might want to consider renting a car and driving into the Yukon to Emerald Lake. It's all about the journey - The scenery is beautiful. Google Murray's Guide - he has a road guide you can download for five dollars, and you'll know all the sights. There's lots of information on this board about Emerald Lake and Murray's guide. There's also several good hiking trails - you can get trail maps at the national park headquarters or online. A favorite is Dewey Lake. And then again, Skagway might not be a port for you...

 

All ports in Alaska are full of tourist, sometimes as many as ten thousand on a day. I have found if you venture out past the immediate port area, you can get a glimpse of Alaska. If you stay on the port area, there will be many trinket and t-shirt shops for the thousands of cruisers in town for a few hours.

[zqvol]

I've been looking at various itineraries for Inner Passage cruises for May 2017. The more I read, the less interested I find myself in Skagway as a port destination. I've read a couple of Alaska guidebooks and done some internet research. We enjoy historical places and outdoor activities so the Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park is of interest to us and we'd enjoy the hike to Lower Reid Falls, but that's all I'm finding to do. It just seems like Skagway is a place full of tourists and touristy shops. Whatever charm used to be there seems to now be gone.

 

We aren't interested in train or boat trips or pricey excursions. We mostly enjoy sightseeieng on our own which we did in the Baltics last summer and in eastern Canada the summer before that.

 

Is there something I'm missing here or is Skagway just not for me?

 

 

Other than the train ride you are pretty much correct, though one time we did a hike followed by a river float that was pretty nice. The hike was about 1.5 miles and not too difficult. The float was about 2 hours.

 

Having been twice it is not a port that I would go back to and if we did it would a stay in the ship day or at most wander in town.

[NancyIL]

A Baltic cruise is mostly about history and culture, whereas an Alaskan cruise has a lot of scenery and wildlife - if you get out of the port towns!

 

I have been to Skagway twice, and both times I did the rail/bus tour to the Yukon with Chilkoot Charters: https://chilkootcharters.com It was a great tour, but I don't need to do it again.

 

I will be on b2b Alaska cruises in May 2017, so I am looking for different things to do in the ports. For Skagway, I am interested in hiking the first 2 miles of the Chilkoot Trail, followed by a float trip down the Taiya River. Must cruise ship excursions call it "Chilkoot Hike and Float." Since I haven't done it yet, I don't know if I am allowed to mention the company. I like gardens, and I can fit a ship's 5 p.m. tour to the Jewell Gardens after the hike and float. Another Skagway excursion I'm very interested in for my 2nd stop in Skagway is the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari. There is a recent thread about that here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2346140

 

For ideas of what to do in the ports, go to Trip Advisor and click "Things to do." The Forums at Trip Advisor will also be helpful. In general, the Alaskan parts are small, and many of the more interesting activities are out of town.

[Mrs.Gosse]

I don't mind some of the cheesy tourist stuff. We did the train and really enjoyed it. Of course we had the entire day there. About 14 hours. By 1 p.m. we had done all of the shops and our Excursion. My husband got back on the ship and relax and I got off and walked about 4 miles around the town. During that time I got to really see the town itself and many of the homes and small buildings have signs that have historic markers in the Gold Rush days. That was pretty neat. I also did the little Museum. It really isn't that exciting of a town but it does have a little bit of charm. Plus the mountains on either side of the inlet are real pretty. We are probably doing the glacier helicopter thing next time. I know that's not a lot of help but it does kind of sound like you wouldn't be too interested in the port. They have quite a few excursions so I'm sure they will never stop going there just because of how many excursions they can pump out. Sounds like the Emerald Lake driving tour might be better than nothing if you aren't into the helicopter Glacier thing LOL

[peety3]

Consider the "fast ferry" (45 minutes each way) to Haines. It's a lot more developed than Skagway, as it's not so isolated. There's some history in the town, and just the ferry ride could be the fresh look at things you want.

 

We did a photography tour there last year and certainly found it a lot more photogenic than touristy Skagway.

[DougH]

The town of Skagway itself has not much to really see, it is pretty much one main street with shops. It was really only a stop for the miners on the way to the gold.

 

If renting a car and driving up into the Yukon doesn't interest you I'd suggest a flightseeing trip over the glaciers or Glacier Bay. Paul from Mountain Flying Service offers several options from Skagway. He is based down in Haines and has tours from both locations. I did a flight over Glacier Bay that was spectacular and had more flight time at a cheaper price than thru the cruise lines.

 

Ketchikan is my least favorite port.

[shadowmeboy]

Skagway is an interesting place, but once you have been there several times it seems to loose its luster. No argument from me on it not being for the OP.

[illiniwahoo]

We loved out alaskan cruise, but frankly didn't like any of the towns. Sure they were good to poke around in for an hour or two after a cool excurison, but that's all in my opinion. The beauty of Alaska isn't in the towns, it's in getting out of them!

 

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[Mrs.Gosse]

 

Ketchikan is my least favorite port.

 

Ours as welll.

[oaktreerb]

Skagway is a National Park and it does take some time to learn of it's charms. Go to the national park visitor's center and the Skagway visitor's center, talk to the volunteers, pick up some hiking maps, walk the town. Go over to Dyea, you can ferry to Haines if you want. There's actually a lot to do and just because you have done something before doesn't mean that the next time you do it your experience will be the same. Look at the paintings near the Rail Road Dock. Is your ship there? Enjoy your day in and around Skagway. Get off of Broadway!

[NancyIL]

If you are looking for a port to visit instead of Skagway - look for itineraries that go to Sitka. Of my 4 Alaska cruises, 2 went to Skagway, and the other 2 (on HAL) went to Sitka. It's larger and less touristy than Skagway, has lots of Russian history, and there is a lot of wildlife in the area. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60966-Activities-Sitka_Alaska.html However, I really like Skagway, too, and I'm glad that my 9-night Radiance of the Seas cruise in May 2017 goes to both Skagway and Sitka.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

If you are looking for a port to visit instead of Skagway - look for itineraries that go to Sitka. Of my 4 Alaska cruises, 2 went to Skagway, and the other 2 (on HAL) went to Sitka. It's larger and less touristy than Skagway, has lots of Russian history, and there is a lot of wildlife in the area. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60966-Activities-Sitka_Alaska.html However, I really like Skagway, too, and I'm glad that my 9-night Radiance of the Seas cruise in May 2017 goes to both Skagway and Sitka.

 

I love Sitka! I've been there only once, and it was great!

[Eaglecw]

I've been looking at various itineraries for Inner Passage cruises for May 2017. The more I read, the less interested I find myself in Skagway as a port destination. I've read a couple of Alaska guidebooks and done some internet research. We enjoy historical places and outdoor activities so the Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park is of interest to us and we'd enjoy the hike to Lower Reid Falls, but that's all I'm finding to do. It just seems like Skagway is a place full of tourists and touristy shops. Whatever charm used to be there seems to now be gone.

 

We aren't interested in train or boat trips or pricey excursions. We mostly enjoy sightseeieng on our own which we did in the Baltics last summer and in eastern Canada the summer before that.

 

Is there something I'm missing here or is Skagway just not for me?

 

It doesn’t sound to me like an Alaska cruise is for you. When I was a young man I would get on the Alaska ferry out of Seattle then and go north exploring alone the way, this would satisfy my wanderlust. So with that being said here’s what you should do. Catch the Alaskan Ferry at Bellingham Washington and take it North and get off at whatever port you want to spend a few days at and then catch the next ferry to the next port that you want to check out. Here’s a link to the ferry system http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

[Alaskanb]

If you read Pierre Berton's books on the Klondike goldrush you will discover the importance of Skagway, the Chilkoot trail and the White Pass railroad. It's the back story that makes the area fascinating. When we were in Skagway (2012) we did the Yukon excursion with Chilkoot Charters and this year we will do their Bennett Lake excursion. Bennett is where the miners built their boats and rafts to get to the Yukon; the Chilkoot Trail ends there. Skagway is a place where you follow the path of the gold rush participants in their quest for a better life.

https://wpyr.com/history/

http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/collections/exhibits/klondike

Edited April 24, 2016 by Alaskanb

[NancyIL]

Other than the train ride you are pretty much correct, though one time we did a hike followed by a river float that was pretty nice. The hike was about 1.5 miles and not too difficult. The float was about 2 hours.

 

Having been twice it is not a port that I would go back to and if we did it would a stay in the ship day or at most wander in town.

 

According to Skagway Float Tours - the tour lasts approximately 4 hours, with 1.5-2 hours hiking (2 miles) and 40 minutes on the raft: http://skagwayfloat.com/tours/chilkoot-trail-hike-and-float/

[Alaskanb]

This tour looks interesting http://www.packerexpeditions.com/denver-valley-wilderness-hike-white-pass-railway-adventure/

[GradUT]

Thank you all. You have certainly given me a lot to think about.

Edited April 25, 2016 by GradUT

[Rockinrobin50]

Sitka was my favorite port town also. We were there on a beautiful, sunny, warm day. It was gorgeous sailing in to the port surrounded by snow capped mountains. We were the only ship in port that day so no crowds.

[K.T.B.]

I've been looking at various itineraries for Inner Passage cruises for May 2017. The more I read, the less interested I find myself in Skagway as a port destination. I've read a couple of Alaska guidebooks and done some internet research. We enjoy historical places and outdoor activities so the Klondike Goldrush National Historic Park is of interest to us and we'd enjoy the hike to Lower Reid Falls, but that's all I'm finding to do. It just seems like Skagway is a place full of tourists and touristy shops. Whatever charm used to be there seems to now be gone.

 

We aren't interested in train or boat trips or pricey excursions. We mostly enjoy sightseeieng on our own which we did in the Baltics last summer and in eastern Canada the summer before that.

 

Is there something I'm missing here or is Skagway just not for me?

 

Not every port is for everyone. Sometimes it just doesn't "click" for you.

 

Anyway, here's a walking tour that I will be doing this June: LINK.

 

I'm also doing this show as well: LINK. It looks a little cheesy, but I'm OK with that. :)

 

In terms of excursions that are not pricey, look into the Ghost & Goodtime Girls walking tour: LINK. You can book it on your own or probably book through the ship.

 

I hope that helps some!

[onespots]

To Grad UT

 

We did Dyea Dave's & enjoyed a full day outside of town. I don't like to drive on vacation, so this was the answer to not renting a car. You have options with them. Some who took the train trip up rode back with us to town. We had many photo opportunities, lunch in the Yukon ( need passport ) & lots of time at Emerald Lake. Check them out. I will take heat for this....

I think my pictures will far exceed those taken from the train. Plus I did not have to fight for a space on the train to takes photos. After returning to Skagway we still had several hours to explore town & return to the ship.

 

Email me at sfaigle@aol.com if you have questions or want to see a few photos.

Happy Travels, John

[maggieworkman]

If you read Pierre Berton's books on the Klondike goldrush you will discover the importance of Skagway, the Chilkoot trail and the White Pass railroad. It's the back story that makes the area fascinating. When we were in Skagway (2012) we did the Yukon excursion with Chilkoot Charters and this year we will do their Bennett Lake excursion. Bennett is where the miners built their boats and rafts to get to the Yukon; the Chilkoot Trail ends there. Skagway is a place where you follow the path of the gold rush participants in their quest for a better life.

https://wpyr.com/history/

http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/collections/exhibits/klondike

 

It looks like he has a couple books on the topic. Is the book you are referring to "Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush"?

 

Thanks,

Maggie

[etoilefj]

The National Parks Service offers a free, one hour walking tour of Skagway - you can go in to the office (part of the White Pass Railway station) and sign up for one of the tour times. If you're interested, go in early as they get full. It's a great way to get an overview of the history and see the town, then you can opt to look in some of the stores or not as it suits you.

 

A friend did the Goodtime Girls tour via the Red Onion Saloon and really liked it and I'm going to try and do that one this time (be my 4th visit to Skagway, once via land and three via sea, it's not so bad, but I get a kick out of cheesy/touristy)