Salmon Bake - Skagway or Ketchikan?

[lennythenose]

We are going to Alaska in July 2023. I would like to go to a salmon bake in either Skagway or Ketchikan but prefer to not purchase through the ship. Does anyone have any recommendation for either?

[Brandis]

We once had a great salmon bake in Juneau, it was pretty much in the middle of the city, but there was a wooded creek with an old mine and it felt miles from civilization. 🙂

[lennythenose]

3 hours ago, Brandis said:

We once had a great salmon bake in Juneau, it was pretty much in the middle of the city, but there was a wooded creek with an old mine and it felt miles from civilization. 🙂

Thanks!  Our Juneau day is already planned so I was hoping to find something at another one of our ports. Preferably Skagway as we are there longer than Ketchikan. 

[DougH]

Another option in Ketchikan is the George Inlet all you can eat crab feast

[jdk4asu]

Although it was five years ago. we LOVED the George Inlet Crab feast! I have been traveling for years and am always leery of these tourist tours. But believe it or not, this was great! It consists of a wonderful boat ride and a fantastic meal of all-you-can eat Dungeness crab! Trust me, this is way better than King Crab! Way tastier.

 

We first took a wonderful boat ride around the inlet with an amazingly talented host. I think she was a biologist or had a degree with that or something. None the less it was an enclosed pontoon boat with about 30 - 40 people. It had a deck on the back for those of us who wanted to either get a better look or photograph the eagles (when permitted).  

 

They taught us about how the locals are allowed to catch their own crab. Next thing you know they stopped at a small buoy and our host was bringing up a crab pot! They have a special permit to allow catching since it is "educational" and then release whatever they have in the pot right away. My wife volunteered to show the catch (see attached pics). The also floated by a HUGE eagles nest, I think it had to be about 30 feet across. They go by it all the time and get them to come down with some raw fish.

 

Lastly was the all-you-can eat crab feast. Again I am always leery of these things and thought it would be like a luau in Hawaii being cheesy. I was WRONG! My wife and daughter absolutely loved it as well as myself. Perfectly cooked crab! And we are seafood lovers! Funnest thing was that they had a contest at each table as to how many crabs that table to could eat by stacking them... very funny.

 

Lastly was their fresh blueberry cheesecake Yes, nearly five years later and I still remember it. Oh, yeah, great bus ride down there with the Inside Passage on your side the entire route. Well worth it! Hope it is still the same of course. 

[travelbuds]

On 1/15/2023 at 1:03 AM, jdk4asu said:

we LOVED the George Inlet Crab feast! I have been traveling for years and am always leery of these tourist tours. But believe it or not, this was great! It consists of a wonderful boat ride and a fantastic meal of all-you-can eat Dungeness crab!

 

Wondering what month you did this excursion. We will arrive in Ketchikan  on June 12th, 3 days prior to dungeness crab season. Trying to find out  from our our Princess Planner how this excursion is offered prior to the season start. I don't see anything on the Princess website, so thought CC may be faster. Thanks.