HELP Booking Excursions to Alaska :(

[creatingmemories]

Hi there! Hoping you guys can help me and my hubby out :) we book a trip to Alaska this coming weekend and I am just overwhelmed with so much information

We are a young couple and although we have traveled a couple of cruises in the past...we are totally not as experience as many of you here

So I was wondering if you guys can help us out planning our trip

We are on the budget but we dont mind spending $ on something really worth seeing

My hubby is a history buff and I just love taking pics and seeing as many places as I can..

Heres what we have so far..

1. Seattle - space needle, pike market, kerry park and underground seatlle tour

2. Ketchikan - lumbar jack? Is it worth it..FREE? Dolly house creek street totem heritage..should we do the berring sea fishing or duck tour? Is mistyford worth it? Whats most cost effective way to see more stuff here?

3. Juneau- what is the budget way to go to Mendenhall Glacier..anh known private group tours? I read theres a free shuttle close to walmart? Any other place to see

4. Skagway- debating whether to go with Dyea Dave tours or Gwen & Lewis Tours?? Is the train worth it? Where is best seat..which tours I get my $ worth

5. Victoria BC - stopping here for 4 hours..what can we do or see?

 

Im hoping you guys can help us out...it will mean soo much :) Thanks in Advance!

[SightCRR]

Here would be my list since not a lot time to investigate further:

SEA: ok, but I may skip underground tour.

Ketch: Bering Sea Crab

Juneau: blue/white bus to glacier or (for a once in lifetime splurge helo to walk on glacier, not budget but worth cutting things for )

Skagway: Train up/bus back down.

Victoria: Walk downtown buildings/museums on own after shuttle bus to downtown.

Sightcrr

[Cruise_More_Often]

If you think you can spring for it, a flight or cruise into the Misty Fjords would be wonderful. A little cruise wouldn't cost nearly as much and you can take some wonderful pictures. The problem is that you are so late looking into this. There is a building right at the port in Ketchikan where you can inquire about availability.

 

Misty Fjords cruise

 

You catch the Mendenhall buses (they will be white or blue) right on the dock in Juneau. They are cheap! Hike the trails out there. We did the one to Nugget Falls. It's easy, and you can take some photos of the falls and the glacier up close (much closer than this one).

 

Nugget Falls and Mendenhall Glacier from Nugget Falls Trail.

[Lisa6of6]

I did this tour a few years back when visiting Seattle. It was interesting and you get a good history of Seattle... but (and they tell you this), you basically paid to see basements.

 

If you want to make the most of your tours, your could probably do another tour where you see more and hear the same information.

[Northern Aurora]

A history buff would enjoy a visit to the Seattle unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Park. This park has displays both in Seattle and Skagway, and while the Skagway one is very nice I actually think that the Seattle one is a tad bit better. The Seattle unit is located fairly near the Underground Tour, so both could be done on the same day with no problem.

 

We've done the Seattle Underground Tour and thought it was a hoot.

[splinkaone]

I live near Seattle and I have done the Underground tour a couple times. It is a fun and informative tour, especially if you get a good tour guide. Yes, it's a bit kitchy and you may get the information elsewhere, it really just depends on you and the kind of adventures you like. You will be going down under the street level, it will be dark in places and there may be areas where you have to step carefully. They tell you a lot about Seattle in the early days, and the great Seattle fire. The Space needle is fun, hopefully it will be a nice day because if it's really drizzly you won't be able to see much. If it's clear you will be able to see Mt Rainier and the Olympic Mts. Pike Place Market is a blast, it gets very crowded later in the day so I prefer to go early. Make sure you stop and watch the fish throwers, it's always very entertaining. Some people buy flowers at the Market and take them on the ship for in their cabin. A stroll along the Seattle waterfront is always fun too, and you can ride the Great Wheel if you like it's right on the pier. Hope you have a great visit and cruise!

[plattwear]

Creatingmemories,

 

I just got back from a cruise to Alaska (5-3 to 5-10).

 

I loved Seattle. We visited the Chihully Glass & Garden right next to the Space Needle and it is amazing. If you like to take photos... you will have a blast there. I enjoyed going up in the Space Needle as well. Pike Place Market was alot of fun! We got there early and left around 11am before we went to board the ship. The flowers for sale are just beautiful. We bought a $7 bouquet of flowers for our stateroom. Le Panier Bakery is a must do here! The smell alone is worth it.

 

Ketchikan on a budget.. easy to do. We bought the $2 day pass on the public bus to ride out to Totem Bight Park (free admission) then we walked through Creek Street when we got back to town. (there is another Totem Pole Park right next to Totem Bight called Potlatch as well). Lots of beautiful scenery for your camera of the rainforest at Totem Bight. At Creek Street, I recommend a stop at Sam McGee's A Taste of Alaska shop. The only shop we went into here. They have glacier silt soap and Alaska jams & jellies etc., This port was my mom's favorite and I spent the least amount of money here for us to see the town. At Creek Street there is a funicular that you can take up to Cape Fox Lodge for $2. We did not get a chance to do this but, It was on my list to-do list. Our ship arrived in Ketchikan an hour late so... we had to skip it.

 

Juneau- Mendenhall Glacier was wonderful and beautiful. We also enjoyed riding the Tramway here.

 

Skagway- We did the train/bus combo. I recommend this as well. More Beautiful scenery for your camera.

 

Victoria - our Whale Watching tour was cancelled due to our ship arriving an hour late (again) so... we did the Horse Drawn Trolley Tour which was enjoyable. The photos I have seen of Butchart Gardens are amazing. I wish we would have been able to see it while we were in Victoria.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :D

[Lulubelle45]

I too have done the underground tour in SEATTLE and loved it so to each their own. Pike place market is a must do as well. As for Victoria, if you like gardens and photographing take the time to see Butchard gardens. Otherwise wandering the Inner Harbour, Empress Hotel and the Royal BC museum is amazing. Victoria also has the aqua duck tours (Hippo bus) but new this year is a sea and land shuttle for $15 that takes you by water taxi to the Inner Harbour from the cruise dock and return by land. It's about a 20-30 min walk each way .

 

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[timetravelers]

I agree with all the suggestions listed. In Skagway after the train trip walk to the Cemetery just out of town. Great tombstones and history. We have enjoyed the train ride up and down.beautiful sights. You can walk around towns at all of the stops. Great scenery and history in all locations.

 

 

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[cruisenovice2]

I know how you feel. Just finished our first cruise. Do the sea bearing lumberjack in Ketichan. I really wish we had done the floatplane but you cannot do everything.. Skagway we did the train/bus if you want pictures this is great and you still have time to walk around Skagway which is cute. In Juneau I would do a whale watching tour and the the Mendahall glacier both are things you will never forget.

But no matter what you do you will have fun, I promise.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Juneau: We booked Harv and Marv’s Outback Alaska. I can't say enough good things about them. We saw humpback family!

 

Skagway: The DH did not want to do train so we booked Dyea Dave and also went to the Yukon and dog sledding.

 

Ketchikan: We did our own walking tour and went to the Totem Museum. Hands down my favorite place was visiting Santa at the North Pole. Yes, I have a picture of me on Santa's lap. ;)

 

Victoria: We walked to town and back enjoying a Victorian carriage ride in between. Perfect time.

 

Seattle: The DH and I have been to Seattle several times so we did not tour just walked around and of course we bought a beautiful bouquet at the Market to take aboard the ship. I forgot my vase so ran into Target right down the street from the market and purchase a chap one.

[creatingmemories]

Thank you guys so much for all the tips!!! I can't wait and soo excited

[Coral]

I would skip the lumberjack show in Ketchikan.

[mytime53]

For a history buff, Skagway could be heaven! I would recommend Corrington's Museum of Alaskan History...I was just there this week, and was amazed at this little and free museum. DH only went in to humor me, but when we left he said he would return to it if we return to Skagway. Lots of nuggets and kernels of history, most illustrated by a piece of scrimshaw, which I found very unique. We loved it. Find it on the NW Corner of Broadway & 5th Street.

[Eaglecw]

We’ve been Alaska many times and this some of things we’ve done on a budget. This upcoming trip will be our 8th trip.

 

 

Seattle - Klondike Gold Rush National Park http://www.nps.gov/klse/index.htm lots of information there

Museum of Flight http://www.museumofflight.org/ awesome place

I wouldn’t go to the Space Needle. But go to the 73rd floor of the Columbia Tower http://skyviewobservatory.com/ the views are out of this world.

Pike Street market is tourist trap as is the Underground tour, I wouldn’t go there again.

 

 

Ketchikan – take the city bus out to Totem Bight Park, there’s store next to the park, it’s rather interesting in there. When you get back into town go over to the Forest Service Discovery Center. A stroll down Creek street and then walk up the hill to the Totem pole park.

 

 

 

Juneau – There are tons of things to do there that won’t kill your budget. Take the Blue or White bus out to Mendenhall Glacier. Too bad the Alaska State Museum is closed, it was a nice place to kill a few hours. We always enjoyed taking the Tram u Mt. Roberts and hiking the trails on top.

 

 

Skagway – We’ve been on bus to Emerald Lake, rode the White Pass train to the summit and back. Rented a car and drove to Whitehorse for the day. The most informative and best bang for the buck was the tour with Dyea Dave tours up to Carcross. The city of Skagway has a nice museum there. You can also take a walking tour with one of the Park Service Rangers.

 

 

 

Victoria – we have an early dinner on the ship and stroll into town and stroll around the inner harbor area.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Oh gosh I forgot to suggest the Seattle Great Wheel. The DH and I loved it. The wheel goes very slow which allows fro plenty of pictures. We actually had a car to ourselves so we could hop back and forth and see two different vantage points closer. It was a great ride. There are usually coupons online.

[Crew News]

For a history buff, adding the Liars Camp/Gold Panning to the bus portion of the tour will let you hear the stories of the gold rush. Reporters like Jack London stayed in the camp and wrote their stories/books from the tales told by the miners that returned from the Yukon.

 

Listening to the hardships that the gold rushers experienced and with so few finding any gold brought history to life. The replica of the major base camp with tents and few wooden buildings gave a sense of being in Skagway in 1898.

 

One of my favorite stories was a local gang charging new miners to send a telegraph back to their relatives to announce their safe arrival. Sadly, there was no telegraph connection to the US mainland for another year and the rookies were just duped.