Cheap and/or free excursions?

[tddragoon]

I am planning on spending most of my excursion money in Ketchikan (about 200 pp). I was wondering if there are any cheap (less than 50 pp or around there) or free things to do in Juneau, Skagway, and Icy Strait Point. As for Juneau, I know about the Mt. Roberts Tramway and plan on doing that, but is the capital building worth seeing?

 

Is there hope in my quest, or do I need to try and save more money?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Toyz711]

here's some help:

http://www.traveljuneau.com/

the tram is right at the docks, you can do that anytime during the day..that you are near your ship. around that same area there are tour booths, as well as the shuttle to mendenahall glacier.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/

if you read a few pages, of this board...many, many do mendenhall on their own. $6 per person each way on the shuttles. if you go into the visitor's center, there is a small fee. to walk the trails and go out to the viewing area..no extra fees. the shuttle drop you off at the visitor's parking lot, the city bus drops you off down the road and you walk the mile or more to the area.

 

skagway: here's another story..to me, if you are not doing a train or train combo or renting a car to get up to the yukon and the better views, you will be missing out. but there are hiking trails out of skagway and a city walking tour...the cemetray (with gold rush history) is just outside of town.

http://www.skagway.com/

 

ketchikan is one of the better places for "do-it-yourself" stuff. getting out to the totem poles, walking around creek street.

http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/

the websites have some maps, but i would send off for the visitor's guides and any maps of the towns/areas. get some plans before the trip. each town has a visitor's center near the docks, some have free walking/guided tours....check the websites.

[tddragoon]

That takes care on Juneau... I'll look more into Skagway. I'd look at the line's excursions but they are down right now.

[Yukon]

I'd look at the line's excursions but they are down right now.

 

If you want to save money, stay away from the ship excursions - in Alaska you almost always get more bang for your buck with independents.

 

Murray

[tddragoon]

Yeah, I didn't phrase that right, I meant to look at them for ideas and to see what is offered in general.

 

Edit: I found this in Skagway, is it any good? http://www.southeasttours.com/skagway_sightseeing_tours_yukon_skagway_alaska_tour_info.html

[tee_harbor]

Here's two threads with ideas for low cost activities in port:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=590527

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=583805

 

[tddragoon]

Thanks, I guess I didn't search as well as I had thought.

[Budget Queen]

The best bargain in Skagway is the Park Service Visitor center. Free Walking tours, movie, ranger programs, small museum.

[tee_harbor]

Thanks, I guess I didn't search as well as I had thought.

 

I doubt you could have found these two threads with the search function and they were from earlier in the summer--pages back. :) I knew I replied, so I just searched under my name.

 

'Icy Strait Point' might be a tough one because it's a cruise ship creation, thus they control the activities and price points. It's simple enough to escape the enclave and walk to Hoonah, the small Native village that's right there. There's hikes all around, but independent tours like whale watching, fishing or land tours--driving around looking for bears--would probably exceed your budget. They haven't developed the Tee Shirt/Jewelry Shop Row, either, or slapped a bunch of falsefronts on all their buildings. It's a real AK village, which I think is worth looking at, but it's not packaged for easy consumption yet.

 

Be sure to check into the car rental in Skagway. I don't know how many are in your group, but if it's two, I'd think you can rent a car/refill the gas tank for @ $100.

[Happyladi]

Renting a car is Skagway is much cheaper then most things you can do. You can rent a car for under $100.00 a day and drive into the Yukon.

[AK Teddy Bear]

Since I'm from Alaska, here is my take.

 

Juneau: Juneau proper is pretty small and everything is in walking distance of the port. Our capital building is ugly but across the street is a bronze statue of a bear. It is usually a hit. The walk to the Governor's mansion is beautiful (on a sunny day) and along the route is the Douglas Museum which as a Alaskan, I found interesting. Mount Roberts has a tram or you can do it like I did and hike up it. It is a really interesting hike. Juneau has a tram service for $10.00 pp that will take you all over the city right at the port. As you get off the ship there are other trams which will take you to Mendhall Glacier and the island of Douglas. The last time I was there, it only cost $15.00 pp. As you get off the ship, there will be people handing out walking tour pamphlets for free. I did it and it took about three hours. If you are into mining, AJ Mine is very interesting and they have a free shuttle from the port. I think the tour was $35.00 pp (?).

 

Skagway: The National Park Service has interesting information on the Klondike. The train station is about 5 blocks from the dock that can take you up the Chilkoot Pass. I highly recommend this!!

 

Sitka: I haven't been to Sitka in years so I can't help much here but as I recall everything is in walking distance.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Terri

[TXARF]

 

Skagway: The National Park Service has interesting information on the Klondike. The train station is about 5 blocks from the dock that can take you up the Chilkoot Pass. I highly recommend this!!

 

Do you happen to know the cost of the train up to Chilkoot Pass and the length of the round trip? Also, is Chilkoot Pass still in Alaska or is it in Skagway?

[Toyz711]

http://www.skagway.com/

http://www.chilkootcharters.com/

http://www.wpyr.com/

 

round-trip was about 3 1/2 hours, goes up and comes back. if you book through the cruiseline, you board at the docks..easy. if you are on a cruise ship and call the the train company directly, if you tell them you are with a cruise, they will tell you to book through the cruiseline. (usually). if there are decide at the last minute, you can try to book at the depot. chillkoot charters does combo tours with train in one direction and van/bus in the other. longer trips, further into the yukon. diffferent versions on this tours available, using different attractions.

or you can rent and car and use murray's guide (to make sure you don't miss anything)

[fti]

As suggsted, the NPS film, talk and walking tour in Skagway are excellent. Also hiking is great in Skagway - trail maps can be found online or in town. I did the Upper Reid Falls hike and it was great. An easier hike across the river near the airport looked interesting but I only got about half way before I had to turn back.

 

Mendenhall Glacier bus is cheap, hiking also near there, walking tour in Juneau is free and you can find info on such if you check the Juneau website that Toyz711 mentioned.

 

ISP is tougher but you can walk from ISP into Hoonah, look around, have lunch, take photos, talk with locals. If you are one of the first off the ship, I heard you can perhaps see whales right near the shore though that was not the case for me though I was one of the first off the ship. Wildlife doesn't keep a cruise ship schedule!

[tee_harbor]

Mendenhall Glacier bus is cheap, hiking also near there, walking tour in Juneau is free and you can find info on such if you check the Juneau website that Toyz711 mentioned.

 

fti, were you able to get your hike done on the West Glacier trail? I sort of paid attention that Sunday, and noticed it cleared up and was sunny in the later afternoon, and hoped you hadn't given up.

 

(Sorry for highjacking the thread)

[Yukon]

Do you happen to know the cost of the train up to Chilkoot Pass and the length of the round trip? Also, is Chilkoot Pass still in Alaska or is it in Skagway?]

 

The Summit trip is 3 hours, $98. The train actually doesn't go to the Chilkoot Pass, it goes to the White Pass - both passes, though, are on the Alaska/Canada border. ( route map at http://wpyr.com/multimedia/routemap.html )

 

Murray

[TXARF]

 

Skagway: The National Park Service has interesting information on the Klondike. The train station is about 5 blocks from the dock that can take you up the Chilkoot Pass. I highly recommend this!!

 

Do you happen to know the cost of the train up to Chilkoot Pass and the length of the round trip? Also, is Chilkoot Pass still in Alaska or is it in Skagway?

:eek:

Oops, I meant is Chilkoot Pass in Alaska or Canada?

[tddragoon]

I've read that car rentals sell out fast in Skagway, but we are sailing the week of July 4 and want to know if we have time to weigh options. And I checked out Hoonah on Google Earth but the resolution isn't that great, about how far is Hoonah from the dock?

[Yukon]

I've read that car rentals sell out fast in Skagway, but we are sailing the week of July 4 and want to know if we have time to weigh options. And I checked out Hoonah on Google Earth but the resolution isn't that great, about how far is Hoonah from the dock?

 

You have LOTS of time to book your car. Hoonah is about a mile from the dock.

[jjb415]

Mount Roberts has a tram or you can do it like I did and hike up it. It is a really interesting hike.

 

In May, 2007, I hiked up and took the tram back down for free. Very interesting and somewhat easy hike up the hill. I'd also recommend it. Also, the wi-fi at the Juneau Public Library is free.

[fti]

fti, were you able to get your hike done on the West Glacier trail? I sort of paid attention that Sunday, and noticed it cleared up and was sunny in the later afternoon, and hoped you hadn't given up.

 

(Sorry for highjacking the thread)

 

Somehow I missed your post after I returned from the cruise on August 31. Yes, I did the west glacier trail. Well, actually the west glacier then I inadvertently veered off onto the other trail that goes up...and up :) . Just a super hike. I didn't make it to the "top" (that was not my goal) but the views were spectacular. Next year I am planning on camping at Mendenhall campground and doing a bit more hiking (though I will be doing a couple of tours + July 4th festivities - even four nights is hardly enough time!)

 

John

[tee_harbor]

Next year I am planning on camping at Mendenhall campground and doing a bit more hiking (though I will be doing a couple of tours + July 4th festivities - even four nights is hardly enough time!)

 

I thought you told me about your hike in another thread, or at least I did see your report! I remember you tested out the showers at the campground. ;)

 

Since you're going to be out in the Valley, I'll add another restaurant recommendation beyond my usual Udder Culture and Hot Bite for lunch and Sandbar and Grill for deep-fried halibut. (Yes, Alaskans have a terrible addiction to puns in their business names.)

 

Most people aren't out in the Auke Bay area at dinner time, needing to get back to their ships, but if you're staying the night, I heartily recommend the rather oddly named Chan's Thai Kitchen. The only good Asian cuisine in town, and would rate favorably with Thai restaurants Outside, and thusly, has horrible wait time. (No take-out or reservations.) Get there right as they open. Offer to share a table, and you'll get some real AK contact.

 

Southeast Waffle Company next door is yummy and has coffee drinks too. It was started by a couple of college students who wished there was someplace they could go, late, to study and eat waffles. So they opened their own restaurant. It's rare to find someplace open late, unfortunately, since I'm a night owl myself. I'm not sure if they're open super-late during the summer when college is out, but it's worth checking as a dry place to go over the next day's plans in the evening, rather than huddling down in a wet tent.

 

Both restaurants are in the long, ugly building kitty-corner to DeHart's, under The Squire's Rest bar.

 

And the 4th of July, or rather, the 3rd and 4th, will give you some unique opportunities. This year, The Boys' Club built a Viking longship out of empty plastic bottles for some sort of boat race. Hopefully something similarly odd will be attempted for '08.

[lalawgirl]

As for Juneau, I know about the Mt. Roberts Tramway and plan on doing that, but is the capital building worth seeing?

.

 

 

I enjoyed the capital building very much - mostly because of a wonderful tour. During the summer, student volunteers give free tours of the buidling, heavy on the history of Alaska. I think they are every hour on the hour. Highly recommended. And free!

[BIG4YA]

We will be going on a RCCL cruise to Alaska in 9/08 visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, and Sitka and was wondering should I book any excursion through the cruise line or or there good options at the port.