Ketchikan. If you have time, you want to visit the famous Creek (shop too) at the very back of the town (you can see from the ship). You can even take a little tram ride for $1 up to the Westmark hotel, where you can usually see the ships. And if you go out front, you can see Totem poles !
One that sells out and is one of the most popular (once it sells out, they stop showing this availability) .... Deadliest Catch. Here you board a fishing boat that was once used in the Aleutian Islands. Matter of fact, there’s a short video inside, where you will see that this boat almost capsized. When I went, they had unlimited hot chocolate and they do serve a salmon snack. Once they leave Ketchikan, they take a left into Indian waters, which they have to rent to go into. After a short while, they bring up a huge crab pot, with about 5 different kind of crabs. They also bring up some other things. They continue on, and then stop to fee the eagles and the eagles come pouring down for great pictures ! Of course, they sell all kinds of things with their name on it. I think I have a long black shirt and a vest and I bought some little floaters to bring home to friends. I would do this again.
Lumber Jack Show. This is commercialized, yet people like it. Done this, don’t need to do again ! From the ship, you can see the location. If facing the town, it’s to the far right, about a block back. They have a big store, where you can buy stuff.
Saxman Native Village is not the same as the Potlatch Totem Park. The park is a walk in the woods. The village will show carving and dancers. If you buy the Village, on your own, once off ship, it does NOT include the dancers (demonstration). I looked at 2 from “Shore Excursion Group” and they mentioned NO demonstration. This is given to the cruise lines (but again, be sure it’s included with Royal Caribbean).
Fishing. Many folks do it here.
Don’t know if popular. Cooking class. I did this here. They just brought out the food and showed us nothing. Loved the food but wanted more. Could have changed (?).
I don’t know how many folks have done the horse & buggy, but it is only suppose to be offered thru the ship. I’ve not done.
Don’t do the eagle rapture center here. Unless it’s changed, a city tour would be better !
Boat ride to the Lighthouse. It was ok. Too many other things to do !
Icy Strait. If you look this up on line, the maroon/red type building is all there is here ! Inside the building, I believe is ice cream and maybe chips. Not much else unless they’ve changed.
Zip Lining. People love it. Takes about 1 ½ hours to get to the top. You come down just past the town but across, where folks might (?) see you if they know it’s you !
Cooking class. I did this. You first grill yourself, salmon and maybe halibut (?). Then you come into the class. They teach you how to make a salsa and a dip for the fish (?). Kind of forgotten. Enjoyed !
The bear watching … I wouldn’t waste time. If you get lucky to see bear upclose in Denali, this could be a total joke for you. I saw one bear, far far away, so it looked like a dot. What was scary, we had guides in front and in back with rifles. I worried more about if a bear was going to jump out onto the path. Won’t do that again !
Juneau. I’ve done lots here ! Lots of shopping here ! Notice the T-Shirt factory under the tam wires. Great deals cause they provide in bulk. Might find baseball caps for $2.
My favorite whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier. You can buy this tour as a combo. The little bit extra to go to Mendenhall is totally worth it ! FYI, if you are NOT buying a tour, once off ship, you pay $25 (?) and they will take you to Mendenhall and bring you back ! You can take the city bus for $2 (?), but once the driver lets you off, you have to walk up in there, to get there ! FYI, I’ve never gone into the conservatory there. I have walked on the wood path before you get to the road that takes you closer to the glacier, and there was a bear cup under the path !
Helicopter onto the glacier. Did this years ago. Love it ! They provide the boots. There’s a maximum weight, so be sure to look.
Fishing. Dad and I did this here and had fun. I’m the only one who caught 2 big enough to save. We paid to have them smoked and shipped home. The shipping is the expensive part, but not any more expensive than buying good salmon at the store, and this is yours. It’s vacuum packed. We saved for years. We kept in freezer; don’t know if you have to.
Water rafting. I’ve not done it, but folks love it !
Canoe ride to the glacier. My friend Nancy (she's 80 this year) & I did this. Oh yeah, you have to paddle all the way across the lake, but the guide helps much in the paddling and if you have lots of folks there (we only had 3 & it was in September), it helps. This was great. I’m so glad to get this off my bucket list cause I wanted it so bad ! It “does” take you closer to the glacier than you will be able to walk to (about ½ more).
Go into a mine. This is really neat. But this is one of the last things I’ve done in Juneau cause there is so much to do !
Gardens. Their trees are upside down. The roots are in the air. Interesting.
Tram. I love this. You can look this up on line. I never buy ticket till I get there to see the weather. Probably $26. Then I go up and eat dungenous crab ! You can buy one cluster for $12 (?) and they often have all you can eat. You can call before you go and find out ! They have Alaska beer on tap too. Once up there, there’s some eagles, etc. But I go for the food. You can view the town from up top ! I do this, even if I’ve bought a tour that day, after I’ve gone shopping.
Red Onion Saloon. Not a tour, just a place to stop off at. They have beer and they have entertainment. The floor is saw dust ! You can look this up online.
Don’t do the pan for gold. You will do this in Fairbanks and will love it so much, in compared to what this offers. You actually go in the woods and to a creek. What a joke !
I think there’s a low cost dog sledding here (?). Haven’t done. Sells out quick.
Skagway. I love this little shoot out town. If you have time to go to the town, they have a bus for $2 (?) round trip. Ride the bus to the end of the street, after going around the church and get off. Start at the end of the street and come towards the ship ! If you don’t do this way, that’s ok too, cause the bus picks up at the end of the street and brings you back to the ship too. I do it this way, cause there’s a small T-Shirt factory here, that has some of your lowest rates !
I always do the train ! You can do round trip. Or you can do train, and they take the longer tour that takes you into the Yukon. Be careful, you want the train first; you want to ride up first; know what you are buying. And the better choice is morning. When riding up the mountain, YOU SIT ON THE LEFT ! Get in a car, not right at the engine, that everyone is not getting on, and sit on the left. Action is on the left. If you do train second, all the folks, who road up on the right, get to move to the left, and all you will get is left over seats on the left. If you don’t want to do train, you can do bus up and back. You need YOUR PASSPORT ! Meet extra 30 min early and everyone check to see if they have their passport. Also, if taking morning, once the ship is cleared, the train is right by the ship, so again, you want to be one of the first off !
Days of ’98 show. You can find this online. I enjoyed. Just a little play. Probably cost $20 and you can probably find a coupon somewhere in town. But again, this is good if you don’t plan to shop.
Red Dog Saloon. You can buy this as a tour, but instead, I just go there. Girls dressed in can-can outfits. You can buy lunch here. Beer on tap. Have a little store. And you can pay $5 to take a tour upstairs in the bordello.
Liarsville salmon bake. I didn’t like it. It was raining. Nancy did this again for the 3rd time this year. Do not know why she likes it ! I think you’ve got a salmon bake in Fairbanks (?).
Extension Bridge. Sorry I am too afraid to do !
Dog sledding. Costly here ! Friends did it but they never told me what they thought.
Old Timey Cars. This only takes you out of town as far as the cemetery. My folks did this. They are great to take a picture of and maybe to ride in, but I wouldn’t use my day for this. You can see pictures online.
Also, for our customers, we offer tours, to help keep you off the “net” and from getting hurt.
www.Discounts4ToursAshore.com
And you might want to go here to my notes and see if I missed anything. Go to Alaska.
www.IslandInfoAndTourSuggestions.com
If you've yet to go to Alaska, 2014 is the year. Call me and join a 5N Customized land package with a 7N Royal Caribbean cruise beginning August 10, 2014. Ship almost sold out. And you need to act on the land before January 2014 !
