Any off the beaten path tours you can recommend?

[torybruno]

This is our third cruise to Alaska… looking for maybe a private tour company for something different than all the cruise ship offerings.  We are three active couples in our 60’s.  Tell me what you did!

[AKStafford]

What ports will you be at?

[torybruno]

10 hours ago, AKStafford said:

What ports will you be at?

Sorry!

Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway!

[AKStafford]

Maybe in Juneau rent a mini-van and do some exploring on your own? The drive out to Eagle Beach with a stop at the Shrine of St. Therese is nice.

[Gardyloo]

Rent a car or minivan (or two cars if there are six of you) in Skagway and drive up to the Carcross Desert, Emerald Lake and the Robinson Roadhouse ghost town in the Yukon.  Google them.

[NothingBeatsBaseball]

We rented a Turo in Jueneau and went to multiple places. There are some nice hikes across the bridge on Douglas Island, a few were flooded when we went through. We went to the shrine as well. Packed a lot into a day. 

 

 

[edinburgher]

On 12/3/2023 at 3:09 AM, torybruno said:

looking for maybe a private tour company for something different than all the cruise ship offerings.

if you didn't already do the Carcross, Emerald Lake run either by bus, train or a car rental, it really is a special trip despite not really being "off the beaten path", more of a "well trodden path" but folks do it for a good reason.

 

Should you decide on a rental from Skagway, do check the rules for crossing into Canada, also Canadian driving rules and remember to take your passports with you for the Fraser Border Crossing..

[Glaciers]

Above and Beyond has a couple off the beaten path tours up the West Glacier Trail and then down to the glacier. Just hiking the trail itself without going down to the glacier gives you exceptional views from above Mendenhall Glacier and can be done on your own.

https://beyondak.com/trips/mendenhall-glacier-guided-hiking-tour/

 

[sambamama]

If Dyea Dave is still running his tour to Carcross, I did it that way.  Absolutely amazing-highly recommended! He added about 3 hours extra to my tour for free, and I was lucky enough to get him. (he does not do many tours himself any more!)  The one tour worth doing the ship (because you can't do it any other way) is the train up to Carcross.

[martincath]

Whether it's a Seattle RT, or a Vancouver one-way/RT, there are some good walking tours in both that may help either burn off or justify excess cruise calories, on top of options in the port stops.

 

Free (tip what you like) versions I've enjoyed in Sea and Van; completely free (no tips expected, and just your group not randos) in Sea and Van (full disclosure, I am a Vancouver Buddy, but since we make zero money I feel it's not much of a conflict of interest to recommend the organization!); Tripadvisor lists all the paid tours available - I've personally very much enjoyed the Architectural Institute of BCs tours here in Van, which should be firing up again in 2024 and were in the past by far the best value paid tours at ~$10pp (it's basically to cover admin costs, not for-profit).

 

Something a lot of folks miss out on in Skagway are the Ranger walks - the Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park is split between here and Seattle, so you can see both ends of the trips that the wannabe prospectors took.

[Coral]

On 12/5/2023 at 3:37 PM, sambamama said:

If Dyea Dave is still running his tour to Carcross, I did it that way.  Absolutely amazing-highly recommended! He added about 3 hours extra to my tour for free, and I was lucky enough to get him. (he does not do many tours himself any more!)  The one tour worth doing the ship (because you can't do it any other way) is the train up to Carcross.

Sadly, Dyea Dave is no longer alive.

 

You can book the train with out the cruise lines. You can book it direct with the White Pass RR and also with companies like Chilkoot Tours.

Edited December 10, 2023 by Coral

[Aquahound]

On 12/3/2023 at 9:43 AM, torybruno said:

 

Skagway!

 

I second the car rental option in Skagway.  In fact, I recommend going a little farther than Carcross and checking out the Robinson Roadhouse.  It's a neat little ghost town with an interesting history.  

 

If renting a car isn't your thing, I recommend the Lower Dewey Lake hike.  It's an easy walk to the trailhead from the piers.