Book excursions vs hiking on our own

[bobkat11]

First Alaska cruise is a couple weeks away (Celebrity Infinity, 12 nights). We want to do a lot of hiking and just enjoying nature and the towns. Wondering if we really need to book excursions, or if we can just hike on our own? Maybe get a taxi if the good hiking area isn't walkable from the port. Of course, if there are any "must not miss" attractions or sights, we'd consider those instead of hiking.

 

We have booked excursions already for Skagway and Ketchikan, but we're also going to:

Sitka

Juneau

Haines

Nanaimo, BC

Victoria

Vancouver

 

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with so many ports and so many options so appreciate your suggestions!

[Glaciers]

We want to do a lot of hiking and just enjoying nature and the towns.

 

Juneau

 

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with so many ports and so many options so appreciate your suggestions!

 

There is a wonderful hike in Juneau along the West Glacier Trail. You’ll need a rental car or taxi to get there as it’s on the opposite side of Mendenhall Glacier from the visitor center. You end up looking down on where the helicopter tours land on the glacier.

 

This is a write up with photos from Steve Hall in 2008.

http://www.panamintcity.com/alaska/westglacier.html

[xlxo]

Some port ideas....

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[Budget Queen]

There are hundreds of ways to occupy your time. IF there are excursions you wish to take, then take them. With hiking, do your homework, going in May is going to eliminate some areas, you may "select" without knowing they are inaccessible now. there are some detailed hiking books you may want to try and obtain.

 

Pick a few in each port, and determine, how you are getting to the trailheads and back. Have that all arranged in advance. Port times are too short to be trying to figure it out when you get there. Don't waste your valuable time.

[rvorcruise]

The vast majority of the great hiking - that is, the high-country trails - will still be closed by snow. Hiking excursions are geared to the slowest walker, not to experienced people, so I suggest doing your own thing.

[lynncarol]

In Juneau take the city bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hike to Nugget Falls. The park is free and there is a very nice visitor center. If you have a National Park pass, you get into a restricted section with access to scopes for close-up viewing of the glacier.

 

In Vancouver, if you want to hike, take the Seabus (very near Canada Place) to north Vancouver and catch bus #228. Ask the driver to let you off near Lynn Canyon entrance. Great hiking trails, waterfalls, suspension bridge and all for free. Alternatively, you could catch the public bus to Stanley Park. Lots of places to hike around there.

 

In Victoria, take the public bus to Buchard (sp?) gardens. Just gorgeous.

[Budget Queen]

In Juneau take the city bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hike to Nugget Falls. The park is free and there is a very nice visitor center. If you have a National Park pass, you get into a restricted section with access to scopes for close-up viewing of the glacier.

 

.

 

 

This transportation recommendation involves over a 2 mile round trip walk to the visitor center. For Nugget Falls, allow an hour for the hike.

[hfj]

We (family of 4, two girls 14 and 11 at the time) did a some light hiking on our cruise last year.

 

Ketchikan: caught a cab to the Rainbird trailhead by the university, and hiked back towards town/Creek street. Very pretty, easy hike. Lots of black slugs on the trail, which we found out later are an invasive species. Next time we'd probably do Deer Mountain for something more challenging.

 

Juneau: Cab to Perserverance Trail head near the mining museum, hike to Ebner Falls, then back down to the docks via the Flume trail/local streets on a rainy day. Pretty cool hike though; a few mountain bikers were also on the trail. On a previous cruise long ago before kids, we had taken the city bus to Mendenhall; the hike to the visitor center wasn't bad, and the forests around the glacier were pretty. Next time we might consider West or East glacier trails, but the options around the Perserverance Trail are pretty tempting too.

 

Skagway: I'm a cyclist, so I had a birthday ride in Skagway to the White Pass summit (my first ride that I needed to carry a passport), but my family and some friends walked to the Gold Rush cemetary / Lower Reid Falls. My daughters were not fans of that, saying the walk through town wasn't interesting, then it was just a short hike to the falls. Pictures at the falls looked pretty though. When we met up back in town, they wanted to do a little more, so we did the "Lower" Dewey Falls hike, since the trailhead was right by the cruise ship dock. "Lower" is a bit of a misnomer; it was definitely the steepest hike we did, and the mosquitos were out in force. We'd do it again though, maybe head to Icy Lake / Upper Reid falls.

 

Victoria: Made our way from the cruise ship docks along the coastline to Beacon Hill Park (pretty; lots of families out since it was a warm day) and then around to the Empress and wharf area, as sort of a loop. This was very much more of an urban hike. Pretty gardens everywhere.

Edited May 9, 2015 by hfj

[xlxo]

In Vancouver, if you want to hike, take the Seabus (very near Canada Place) to north Vancouver and catch bus #228. Ask the driver to let you off near Lynn Canyon entrance. Great hiking trails, waterfalls, suspension bridge and all for free. Alternatively, you could catch the public bus to Stanley Park. Lots of places to hike around there.

Warning... the described hike should not be confused with the nearby Lynn Headwaters hike to Norvan Falls. This 5hr hike has no cell coverage and has the occassional bear.

http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2014/05/14/great-under-the-radar-vancouver-hikes-norvan-falls/

 

Going up further... it takes you up the back side of Grouse Mountain... which can have snow in the summer.

 

For those wanting a challenge... some may want to try "Mother Nature's stairmaster". Grouse mountain offers a trail near the Gondola. Very popular with the locals. You can get a discounted Gondola ticket to get back down.

https://www.grousemountain.com/grousegrind

 

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For ultimate Vancouver challenge... one should try for the annual Knee Knacker marathon that takes you from one end of the North Shore to the other side over 3 mountain ranges...

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Edited May 9, 2015 by xlxo

[lynncarol]

This transportation recommendation involves over a 2 mile round trip walk to the visitor center. For Nugget Falls, allow an hour for the hike.

 

I am a little confused. We just did this in September and the bus dropped us off in a parking lot less than a block from the visitor center. There was no 2 mile RT hike. Nugget falls did involve an hour hike.

[Budget Queen]

I am a little confused. We just did this in September and the bus dropped us off in a parking lot less than a block from the visitor center. There was no 2 mile RT hike. Nugget falls did involve an hour hike.

 

This was in response to your CITY bus reference. The SHUTTLE buses are not city buses, hence the detailed mention.

[xlxo]

I am a little confused. We just did this in September and the bus dropped us off in a parking lot less than a block from the visitor center. There was no 2 mile RT hike. Nugget falls did involve an hour hike.

Different tours pay different parking rights and pickup points. Low-cost tours may choose to opt for pickups/drop-offs points further away from the visitor centre. In this link you can see one of the far lots that is 5 minute walk away... We were dropped at this lot to as our tour started with the "Trail of Time".

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/58.4125872,-134.5451105/Mendenhall+Glacier+Visitor+Center,+6000+Glacier+Spur+Rd,+Juneau,+AK+99801/@58.4137174,-134.5428107,1091m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x5400e187cf6c1f41:0x12ef6d1f6e7346cc!2m2!1d-134.547607!2d58.417116!3e2

 

There is another lot that is closer.

 

This was in response to your CITY bus reference. The SHUTTLE buses are not city buses, hence the detailed mention.

I think the city bus stop is 30 minute walk from the road...

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/58.3976997,-134.560369/Mendenhall+Glacier+Visitor+Center,+6000+Glacier+Spur+Rd,+Juneau,+AK+99801/@58.4070861,-134.571547,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x5400e187cf6c1f41:0x12ef6d1f6e7346cc!2m2!1d-134.547607!2d58.417116!3e2

[bobkat11]

Thank you everyone, for all the suggestions you've shared so far!

[CruisingSince2012]

In Victoria, take the public bus to Buchard (sp?) Gardens. Just gorgeous.

 

It's Butchart Gardens. I was there on my last cruise and didn't have time to see all of it. This summer I will go back and spend more time there.

 

Where are the bus stops near Butchart Gardens and the Empress Hotel?

[xlxo]

It's Butchart Gardens. I was there on my last cruise and didn't have time to see all of it. This summer I will go back and spend more time there.

 

Where are the bus stops near Butchart Gardens and the Empress Hotel?

Here's google maps on transit info.... takes about an hour to get there...

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/The+Fairmont+Empress,+721+Government+Street,+Victoria,+BC+V8W+1W5/The+Butchart+Gardens,+Central+Saanich,+BC/@48.4936445,-123.4907255,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m18!4m17!1m5!1m1!1s0x548f7490ef50fa89:0xe22e87219e7b9d4c!2m2!1d-123.36687!2d48.421834!1m5!1m1!1s0x548f6c19f8ae33bf:0x6f99f7862811ac04!2m2!1d-123.470626!2d48.563576!2m3!6e0!7e2!8j1431432000!3e3

 

There's a bus stop in the Gardens.

 

The Empress stop is on Douglas street.... one block East of the Empress Hotel.

Edited May 12, 2015 by xlxo

[Langley Cruisers]

Where are the bus stops near Butchart Gardens and the Empress Hotel?

 

Personally, I would not take a city bus to Butchart Gardens. Yes, it's the cheapest option, but it takes a long time, obviously, with the stops. A tour (not a ship's tour) is my advice. I would do this tour with this company - info at the link below. Admission is included in the price.

 

http://www.cvstours.com/butchart-gardens-express-shuttle.html

 

.

[Budget Queen]

Personally, I would not take a city bus to Butchart Gardens. Yes, it's the cheapest option, but it takes a long time, obviously, with the stops. A tour (not a ship's tour) is my advice. I would do this tour with this company - info at the link below. Admission is included in the price.

 

http://www.cvstours.com/butchart-gardens-express-shuttle.html

 

.

 

The city bus isn't an option unless the port day is a lot longer than most of them, which are only in the evening.

 

My sister used CVS last year- and even with them being recommended for cruise passengers, still may not be the best option. Their bus, sat in the dock parking lot for 45 minutes, waiting for people, where the ship excursion quickly loaded and departed. I go to Butchart when I'm there for days. :) And have done so several times. It is a beautiful attraction- deserving of all the time possible.

[Glaciers]

The East Glacier Trail at Mendenhall Glacier will be closed for a week or so due to an aggressive bear.

 

http://www.ktoo.org/2015/05/12/protective-mama-bear-prompts-trail-closure-near-mendenhall-glacier/

[lynncarol]

I must admit we took the city bus to the gardens when we stayed in Victoria, not from the cruise port. However, at the Empress stop where we caught the bus, there was no wait at all to get to the gardens.