Best excursion to choose?

[travgurl]

I would like some ideas of what is the best excursion to pick to do while in port at Juneau, Haines/Skagway and Ketchikan. Will be there next July. Thanks for any suggestions!

[CruiserBruce]

"Best" is what interests you most. If I said best was climbing some nearby peak for the view, but you have a fear of heights, or mobility issues, guess that wouldn't be the best for you...

[Budget Queen]

I would like some ideas of what is the best excursion to pick to do while in port at Juneau, Haines/Skagway and Ketchikan. Will be there next July. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

There is no simple "best" list. There are 100's of tours to choose from. It's up to YOU to find out what your interests are and what you want out of an Alaska trip.

 

Many factors are involved- budget, for some have limits, mobility etc.

 

You will get rave reviews with tour reports, so I suggest you start by looking over a shore excursion list, and then narrow down your interests and repost.

 

There is no point in me, listing my "best" tours, when they are not going to be your. :)

[mapleleaves]

Previously you started a few different threads, asking for the 'best' cruise/cruisetour to take. The advice for excursions is the same .... RESEARCH !!

 

I mean what's the point of my recommending a fishing capt if you have no interest in fishing, or I suggest a city tour when your interest is hiking ??

 

Borrow Alaska travel books from your library and learn about ALL the opportunities available to you at each port. Don't limit yourself to the 3 or 4 recommendations you'll get by asking for the 'best' excursion. Look at your ships excursion list and see what appeals. Read trip reports and see which activities appeal to your interests.

Edited June 27, 2014 by mapleleaves

[cruzinfamilyof4]

I agree with everyone else - what you like may not be the same as what I like. That being said I started with what the cruise line offers for excursions, printed out what I thought the family would like to do, showed it to them, then narrowed it down to what we would like to do. Then I checked to see if there were any independent companies offering the same thing and checked the prices.

 

We are going in August and decided to spend most of the port days on our own.

 

Juneau we are doing a glacier float, and then if time permits taking the bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hiking up to Nugget Falls.

 

Ketchikan We are going to hike Deer Mountain Trails, and if time permits we are going to do the self guided walking tour of the town.

 

Skagway We are looking at several different day hikes, we haven't decided which one yet. We wanted to do an excursion with ocean raft alaska, but I haven't heard back from them regarding the cost. We also considered going through Chilkoot Charter and Tours (the Bennet Scenic Journey) but we couldn't see spending almost a 1000.00 for an excursion; we would have to pay for 4 people.

 

Victoria Again we are going to walk around town. We are planning on visiting fisherman's wharf, Maritime Museum, and the Empress Hotel.

 

Don't forget to check trip advisor for ideas and reviews.

[rjeffler]

I'll simply tell you what I did and what I liked!

 

Juneau - helicopter to glacier to dog sled with Era. Most expensive tour I've ever done (15 cruises) but we enjoyed it, rain and all. I'm not sure I would do it again (money) but we loved the experience!

 

Skagway - rented car from Avis and drove to Emerald Lake. Got Murray's guide and I read it out loud to our car as we were driving. Stopped in Carcross for lunch and stopped about 15 other times for photos. We had already taken the train from anchorage to Seward so we didn't want to train again. After dropping the car off, still had time to wander town and get a drink at one of the pubs.

 

Ketchikan - walked town to Creek St. Did the funicular to Cape Lodge for lunch. Checked out their totems and walked Married Mans trail back to town. Did the lumberjack show and everyone in our group really enjoyed it. Sure, it's touristy, but they are quite entertaining!

 

All of my planning and review are in my signature.

[fleckle]

"Best" is what interests you most. If I said best was climbing some nearby peak for the view, but you have a fear of heights, or mobility issues, guess that wouldn't be the best for you...

Reading this reminded me of a fellow named Mike who used to post here. Whenever someone asked a question like this about the "best" excursion he would reply:

 

The excursion that is best to me might be boring to you, and the excursion that is best to you might kill me. :D

 

[Budget Queen]

 

We are going in August and decided to spend most of the port days on our own.

 

Juneau we are doing a glacier float, and then if time permits taking the bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hiking up to Nugget Falls.

 

.

 

"Time" is easily saved, if you don't waste all your time, backtracking at least an hour with what you have planned now.

 

To save this time, and allow you to include Mendenhall, go from the float DIRECT to Mendenhall. Just exit your tour and either already have a rental car, or have a cab arrangement.

 

My opinion, the float tour- is one of the worse tours and although it is listed as "Mendenhall" the glacier is behind you, so your viewing is very brief. Most of this trip is backyards and trees. No white water either. Sure you probably have read "good" reports, there are all kinds of people, but overall, I stand by my assessment, having done several float trips in Alaska, Denali, Haines, Kenai River, Taiya River., Skagway this one is poor choice, at the end of the list for me.

[Glaciers]

We were visiting friends in Juneau and their house backs to the river. I think we enjoyed watching this tour group more then they enjoyed looking up at us from the river. Much of it is viewing backyards as BQ noted. It’s a pretty good example of the need to research further than just the tour operator’s description and it’s certainly not limited to just this tour.

[cruzinfamilyof4]

Wow - thanks for the information on the Mendenhall float. DH has gone white water rafting and thought this would be a good start for me. But what you guys describe sounds pretty boring. Told DH this and we are changing our excursions around now. Thank you!!

[Mrs.Gosse]

Wow - thanks for the information on the Mendenhall float. DH has gone white water rafting and thought this would be a good start for me. But what you guys describe sounds pretty boring. Told DH this and we are changing our excursions around now. Thank you!!

 

 

We looked at that as well since DH loves white water rafting and he was SO EXCITED about the idea of rafting in Alaska and then we watched the video and read a little bit more and realized it really was "floating". I still think he would enjoy it OK but we would rather do something else.

[Budget Queen]

Wow - thanks for the information on the Mendenhall float. DH has gone white water rafting and thought this would be a good start for me. But what you guys describe sounds pretty boring. Told DH this and we are changing our excursions around now. Thank you!!

 

Unfortunately this float trip isn't cheap either. It's one thing if you have a $50 "float" down a river, another when it's over $100pp. Again, only my opinion, but I certainly think money is better spent elsewhere.

 

Frankly, using this "savings" would probably pay for half the Chilkoot Lake Bennett tour, which is superb.

[cruzinfamilyof4]

Unfortunately this float trip isn't cheap either. It's one thing if you have a $50 "float" down a river, another when it's over $100pp. Again, only my opinion, but I certainly think money is better spent elsewhere.

 

Frankly, using this "savings" would probably pay for half the Chilkoot Lake Bennett tour, which is superb.

 

LOL I wanted to book the Lake Bennett tour with Chilkoot to begin with and not do the float trip - I was outvoted. DH just agreed to changing our excursions around, and now we are going to do the Yukon and White Pass through the cruise line. I'd rather book independently but DH is terrified of missing the ship :roll eyes:

 

I love this site, there are so many people with so much knowledge! Thanks!

[Budget Queen]

LOL I wanted to book the Lake Bennett tour with Chilkoot to begin with and not do the float trip - I was outvoted. DH just agreed to changing our excursions around, and now we are going to do the Yukon and White Pass through the cruise line. I'd rather book independently but DH is terrified of missing the ship :roll eyes:

 

I love this site, there are so many people with so much knowledge! Thanks!

 

Again, only my "frank" opinion, I would split up,if you want Lake Bennett. :) You still have a little time, to perhaps show your husband all the great reports of Chilkoot. I have NEVER, over many years, heard of them leaving anyone behind. It just does NOT happen. Maybe find out, the timing? Depending on your port time, this could be hours apart.

 

You still will enjoy your trip, remember :) from Skagway, by train- sit on the left, by road, sit on the right. :)

Edited June 28, 2014 by Budget Queen

[lasnev]

You still will enjoy your trip, remember :) from Skagway, by train- sit on the left, by road, sit on the right. :)

 

Appreciate your knowledge, I did book the Lake Bennett for our party of four!

Coming down with the bus do we still sit on the right?

Thanks

[donaldsc]

I would like some ideas of what is the best excursion to pick to do while in port at Juneau, Haines/Skagway and Ketchikan. Will be there next July. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

That is a totally unanswerable question as we do not know anything at all about you - age, number in party, physical ability, what you like, what you do not like, budget, etc., etc., etc.

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

Appreciate your knowledge, I did book the Lake Bennett for our party of four!

Coming down with the bus do we still sit on the right?

Thanks

 

Nope- left.

 

IF coming from the Yukon going back to Skagway.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Budget Queen