Skagway..... Tour bus or drive and see ourself?

[sdaughs]

I'm having difficult time trying to decide. Family of 4 want to see the area, is tour bus better or how realistic is it to drive ourselves up the Klondike hwy /summit etc?

 

Also interested in gold panning?

 

Please help we have never done a cruise or anything before.

 

 

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[bonvoyagie]

Take a look at http://www.cruiseportinsider.com they have details on several popular AK ports - including history, DIY, and cruise ship excursions.

 

Also read reviews here.

 

Don't be afraid to book independent tours - the operators in AK are quite good at getting you back to the ship long before it sails.

 

Skagway is a good place to rent a car and DIY - you will have to do your gold panning at one of the tourist sites - like the dredge at 40 Below.

 

Driving to the Klondike is an option if you want to see Emerald Lake and the rest of the scenery there.

 

If you like trains - the White Pass RR has several different options.

 

I recommend Chilkoot tours for any of their bus or bus/train tours.

[xlxo]

Love the bus/train combo. See both sides of the canyon.

 

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[DougH]

The bus tours are nice but a rental car will give you lots more flexibility and probably be cheaper. Road is super easy to drive, very little traffic and you will probably be travelling only 45-50 mph most times. Very little turnoffs so no way to get lost. Most people use Emerald Lake as a turn around point, it is nice to see but is really only a short stop.

 

It's nice to be able to stop when/where you want for as long as you want. I like to stop and just enjoy the scenery for a while. Last year I spotted a bear right alongside the road and watched him for at least 5+ minutes as there was no traffic. We were only 20-30 feet apart so of course all my photos are from inside the car :)

 

5-6 hours is a very leisiurely pace and will still allow you time afterward to wander around the town itself as most ships depart late in the evening.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I've done the train up and bus back and also rented a car and driven to Emerald Lake and back. TBH, my family found the cheesy commentary on the train unbearable and pace to be way to slow. The car was perfect! We could go at our own pace and stop when we wanted. That trip was by far the most enjoyable visit to Skagway we've had.

 

As far as this being your first cruise, you picked a great one! Think about what's really important to you: glaciers, whales, flightseeing...then do the research to find out which ports are best for which activity and that will help you narrow down what to do and where. Take a deep breath. It'll be great!

[Budget Queen]

With 4 it is a significant savings to rent a car. I suggest you firm up a rental now, then cancel if you change your mind, with Avis. There is only one road- no chance to get lost. I recommend turning back at Emerald Lake. Caribou Crossing is an easy stop. I really like my lunch at the Chilkoot Bakery in Carcross. :)

 

Necessary- and will really enhance your trip is the purchase of Murray's Guide.

[Eaglecw]

We’ve done all of them, Train, Bus and rented a car. I think the best way to see the area is to rent a car and get Murray's Guide, Murray’s guide dot com. Lots of great information in it and it breaks the trip down so at mile post such and such look for this or that. Last year we rented a car and the weather in Skagway was terrible. When we got to the top of pass it was absolutely beautiful, 80 deg. We ended up driving to Whitehorse, long drive but Whitehorse is an interesting place.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Eaglecw