Salmon Bake in Juneau

[Elliern]

I have heard both pros and cons on the Gold Creek Salmon Bake. Trying to determine if this is something we should do or not. If we don't do this, we will look at other excursions available. Someone who went last year said she and her friends were very disappointed..that is was more like a so so back yard cook out with salmon instead of hot dogs or hamburgers. They wished they had eaten on the ship instead or at least in a nice restaurant in town. Is there anyone who has been this year who can tell us how it was and was it worth it? And is there a better time of day to go than another?

Thanks

Ellie

[AMichelle]

We did the whale watching/Gold Creek Salmon bake combination. The whale watching was awesome, and the salmon bake was a nice finishing touch. However, personally, I wouldn't book the salmon bake as a do-alone excursion because it's just so completely ordinary.

 

The bake is very casual. The bus drops you off, and you wander up to a picnic area. You walk through a few different stands with general, limited picnic fare (I THINK it was corn on the cob, baked beans, and bread), then walk to a grill where the salmon is, walk to a cooler and get a piece of cake, then sit down on a picnic table. There was a nice singer there, it was a very crisp day, and our family got to visit with each other just like we would at a church picnic.

 

It was a nice little lunch and I recommend it IF and only if it follows a regular excursion.

[Elliern]

AMichelle..thanks, that is sort of what I had been hearing. We are going on Capt Larry and then on to Mendenhall Glacier, we have time after that to do something else. Think we will probably skip the salmon bake and choose another option. Any other suggestions?

Ellie

[rduke]

Hey, Ellie I know after Capt. Larry which we are both on, we found a 2 for 1 tour with MGT ( www.mightygreattrips.com ) We get a city tour & Mendenhall Glacier and then a Alaskan Salmon bake all for one price. Check it out if you are interested!!:D

[achaholic]

I just got back from the Dawn Princess cruise on 7/26 and did the salmon bake. I personally love salmon so it was a good excursion for me. It is a very simple excursion, with the bus picking you up at the pier and dropping you off near Salmon Creek. The atmosphere was well described earlier...it is a very picnic-y. The side dishes are good (baked beans with reindeer sausage, salmon salad, BBQ ribs, wild rice, etc.) but the salmon was out of this world. It is grilled over an open bit BBQ and glazed with a brown sugar/butter/honey sauce, which was unbelievable. The best salmon I had all trip. It is a very hippy kind of atmosphere though. The singer was nice but I felt like I was at an Indigo Girls concert (there's wisdom in the trees, love your earth, heal the world, blah blah blah). There is more to do than just eat salmon. As mentioned, it is by Salmon Creek and there is a nice waterfall on the grounds and at the right time of year, you can see the salmon swimming.. There is the obligatory gift shop, which had nothing especially extraordinary. They list the time as 2 hours but you can stay as long or as short as you like as there are buses constantly running back and forth to the pier, stopping in town on the way.

 

Overall its a nice little lunch. Worth the $30...that's questionable. I enjoyed it and if you like salmon, its good eatin'! If you're looking for a relaxing time with decent scenery and good food, the glacier and salmon bake might be a good idea.

[cruise pup]

I just noticed at the MGT website the salmon bake goes for $25.

[Elliern]

Thanks for the info. Achaholic, I notice you went for lunch. I was wondering if that made a difference. Seems like those that went earlier in the day enjoyed it more than those that went later, but that might not really be the case. You made it sound much more enjoyable.

 

Cruise..was MGT going to the Gold Creek Salmon Bake as well?

Ellie

[rduke]

Hey Ellie, I think there are a number of Salmaon bake locations...I don't think MGT uses the Gold Creek one!

[Elliern]

RDuke, hadn't thought of that. Most just say the salmon bake and I assumed they were all referring to the same one. Oh, well fortunately I don't have to decide today. But....IT IS GETTING CLOSE! WHOOPIE!

Ellie