Alaskan excursions on a budget.

[GINNY L]

My friend and I will be going to Alaska in July for her birthday.  We have been to some of these ports before.  However, due to certain reasons, we are going with a low budget.  

 

Can anybody give some good recommendations on hiking trails, besides free to inexpensive things to do in the following ports.  We will not be interested in food or drink suggestions, since we will only eat and drink on the ship.

 

Icy strait point--(I know there is a free gondola ride there)

 

Juneau--

 

Skagway--

 

Keystone Canyon

 

Thank you all in advance for any and all information you all can provide.

 

 

[majmaj4]

In Skagway, the Klondike Historic Park does some free tours.  
 

in Juneau you can take the public bus to the glacier, but you have to walk I think it is 1.5 miles to the visitor center. 
 

icy strait point - walk to Hoonah is interesting,m

[GINNY L]

6 minutes ago, majmaj4 said:

In Skagway, the Klondike Historic Park does some free tours.  
 

in Juneau you can take the public bus to the glacier, but you have to walk I think it is 1.5 miles to the visitor center. 
 

icy strait point - walk to Hoonah is interesting,m

Thank you for the information

 

[cw2go]

1 hour ago, GINNY L said:

My friend and I will be going to Alaska in July for her birthday.  We have been to some of these ports before.  However, due to certain reasons, we are going with a low budget.  

 

Can anybody give some good recommendations on hiking trails, besides free to inexpensive things to do in the following ports.  We will not be interested in food or drink suggestions, since we will only eat and drink on the ship.

 

Icy strait point--(I know there is a free gondola ride there)

 

Juneau--

 

Skagway--

 

Keystone Canyon

 

Thank you all in advance for any and all information you all can provide.

 

 

 

Who are you sailing with? I don't recall a free gondola? 

 

In addition to the above

Skagway you can hike Yakutania Point

Ketchikan you can bus to Totem Bite State Park & Walk/HikevMarried Mans Trail 

ISP might see whales from shore. 

 

 

Patty 

 

Update: 

I went to do some research. The Green Transporter is free and the Red Sky Glider is not. These are both new since my last visit. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by cw2go

[wolfie11]

Keystone Canyon is the NCL name for Valdez (the canyon itself is quite a few miles out of town).  Valdez is a fishing town and the terminus for the Alaska Pipeline.  It almost never gets big cruise ships, although I guess that's changing.  There are local stores heavy on fishing and outdoor gear.  There is lots to do in the way of fishing charters, kayaking, and boat tours to glaciers, which tend to be pricey.  There are some nice hiking trails around town.  If you are going during salmon season, please be aware that there are bears around and always tell someone where you're going and how long you expect to be gone.  

[SueMo]

For Skagway, check out https://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/shorterdayhikes.htm.

 

[J&L~SetSail]

Search on youtube...parodeejay port guides.  They have recently uploaded some Alaska ports and they include a "free and frugal" section in each video.   

[GINNY L]

2 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Keystone Canyon is the NCL name for Valdez (the canyon itself is quite a few miles out of town).  Valdez is a fishing town and the terminus for the Alaska Pipeline.  It almost never gets big cruise ships, although I guess that's changing.  There are local stores heavy on fishing and outdoor gear.  There is lots to do in the way of fishing charters, kayaking, and boat tours to glaciers, which tend to be pricey.  There are some nice hiking trails around town.  If you are going during salmon season, please be aware that there are bears around and always tell someone where you're going and how long you expect to be gone.  

Thank you for the information--It is much appreciated

[GINNY L]

46 minutes ago, SueMo said:

For Skagway, check out https://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/shorterdayhikes.htm.

 

Thank you for the information--It is much appreciated  I will look it up.

[GINNY L]

18 minutes ago, J&L~SetSail said:

Search on youtube...parodeejay port guides.  They have recently uploaded some Alaska ports and they include a "free and frugal" section in each video.   

Thank you for the information--It is much appreciated  I will look it up.

 

[GINNY L]

2 hours ago, cw2go said:

 

Who are you sailing with? I don't recall a free gondola? 

 

In addition to the above

Skagway you can hike Yakutania Point

Ketchikan you can bus to Totem Bite State Park & Walk/HikevMarried Mans Trail 

ISP might see whales from shore. 

 

 

Patty 

 

Update: 

I went to do some research. The Green Transporter is free and the Red Sky Glider is not. These are both new since my last visit. 

Thank you for your time and information.  I was surprised to learn about the free grandola

[cw2go]

2 minutes ago, GINNY L said:

Thank you for your time and information.  I was surprised to learn about the free grandola

 

You're welcome! I looked at videos, you may want to as well. It's not really a gondola, more of a low straight path ride thingy. 😜

When we were there last we walked the path, seems that's what the transporter does, maybe it was added for mobility challenged? 

 

The Red Gondola aka SlyGlider which climbs up in the forest, that's not free. In my cruise planner, it's $80 

 

 

Patty 

 

[LocoLoco1]

JUNEAU: Perseverance Trail hike. Starts very close to downtown. 5/miles. Take a lunch. Very very nice. Wikersham House Museum. Quaint. Charming. Enjoy. 

[Northern Aurora]

Just a quick note -- the Wickersham State Historic Site is located in Juneau.  If someone "googles" Wickersham House Museum they will find the website for the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society which operates the Wickersham House Museum in Fairbanks.

 

I am curious if the OP and friend are willing to spend any money on various sites.  Low cost options would be the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive in Valdez and the Alaska State Museum in Juneau.  And since the US National Park service owns a number of buildings in Skagway much of the town is a free museum.

[oaktreerb]

visitor center in Skagway has map of hiking trails.  Walk down to Hoonah in icy Strait.  Juneau is walkable, get a map of the town.  We walked to the governor’s residence.  

[Sailin Gal]

All Trails app is a great resource for info on hiking trails, including maps, trail details, and photos.  We have paired that with online street maps and sat overlay to get context for trail locations.

[GINNY L]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

visitor center in Skagway has map of hiking trails.  Walk down to Hoonah in icy Strait.  Juneau is walkable, get a map of the town.  We walked to the governor’s residence.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply back.  I take all the information I can get and make an itinerary 

[GINNY L]

2 minutes ago, Sailin Gal said:

All Trails app is a great resource for info on hiking trails, including maps, trail details, and photos.  We have paired that with online street maps and sat overlay to get context for trail locations.

Great idea.  Thank  you for taking the time.

[jean87510]

8 hours ago, Sailin Gal said:

All Trails app is a great resource for info on hiking trails, including maps, trail details, and photos.  We have paired that with online street maps and sat overlay to get context for trail locations.

Agree.  We use this all the time. 

[bomabound]

In Juneau if you hike up Mt Roberts you get to ride the tram down for free.  It’s a beautiful hike.  I think you might need to show a receipt for a purchase made in the restaurant or gift shop at the top, but they sell many practical items like soap, lip balm, etc.  And when we were there they had nice chowder in a bread bowl. 😀

[GINNY L]

On 4/24/2023 at 8:31 PM, Northern Aurora said:

Just a quick note -- the Wickersham State Historic Site is located in Juneau.  If someone "googles" Wickersham House Museum they will find the website for the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society which operates the Wickersham House Museum in Fairbanks.

 

I am curious if the OP and friend are willing to spend any money on various sites.  Low cost options would be the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive in Valdez and the Alaska State Museum in Juneau.  And since the US National Park service owns a number of buildings in Skagway much of the town is a free museum.

We are trying to do excursions from about $75 down.  Most excursions are pretty pricey.  My friend is on a very tight budge.  I am actually helping her with the cruise and the flight so she can full-fill her birthday wish of going to Alaska for the second and last time.

[wolfie11]

20 minutes ago, GINNY L said:

We are trying to do excursions from about $75 down.  Most excursions are pretty pricey.  My friend is on a very tight budge.  I am actually helping her with the cruise and the flight so she can full-fill her birthday wish of going to Alaska for the second and last time.

The excursions that you get for $75 are mostly those that you can do on your own for free with a little research.  Walking tours, food tours, city tours, forest walks, etc. can be taken in most Alaska stops without a guide.  Skagway and Ketchikan both have busses that loop through town cheap or free. You can spend hours in port going to landmarks and museums, especially in Skagway where there are free ranger-led walks.  That way you can save enough money to splurge on a really nice excursion.

[GINNY L]

56 minutes ago, wolfie11 said:

The excursions that you get for $75 are mostly those that you can do on your own for free with a little research.  Walking tours, food tours, city tours, forest walks, etc. can be taken in most Alaska stops without a guide.  Skagway and Ketchikan both have busses that loop through town cheap or free. You can spend hours in port going to landmarks and museums, especially in Skagway where there are free ranger-led walks.  That way you can save enough money to splurge on a really nice excursion.

Thank you for the information.

[GINNY L]

12 hours ago, bomabound said:

In Juneau if you hike up Mt Roberts you get to ride the tram down for free.  It’s a beautiful hike.  I think you might need to show a receipt for a purchase made in the restaurant or gift shop at the top, but they sell many practical items like soap, lip balm, etc.  And when we were there they had nice chowder in a bread bowl. 😀

Thank you for the information and information.

[CCJack]

2 hours ago, GINNY L said:

Thank you for the information and information.

 

15 hours ago, bomabound said:

In Juneau if you hike up Mt Roberts you get to ride the tram down for free.  It’s a beautiful hike.  I think you might need to show a receipt for a purchase made in the restaurant or gift shop at the top, but they sell many practical items like soap, lip balm, etc.  And when we were there they had nice chowder in a bread bowl. 😀

Good idea.... you could also take  the tram up and then hiked the free trails up from there.   You can hike as much as you like up there the views are great.   Then take the tram down.  Essentially hiking all above the tram.    You would have to purchase tram tix, but they are reasonable.