With the seemingly infinite array of different Alaskan shore excursions being offered by
cruise lines, it can oftentimes be difficult for prospective travelers to figure out which
one is right for them.
If you’ve found yourself in this difficult position, we’re here to help!
We’ll be taking a look at some of the absolute best shore excursions offered by the major
cruise lines and seeing the unique things that each one has to offer to travelers.
Join ViewCation as we take a look at the best Alaska cruise excursions (all cruise lines).
Ketchikan Shore Excursion Score excursions to the city of Ketchikan
are some of the most popular shore excursions offered by cruise lines, and for good reason!
Ketchikan is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s the perfect place to catch some wild Alaskan
salmon!
If you’re a fisherman, you won’t be able to get enough of the various streams that
can be found around the city.
These streams are overflowing with fish during the later parts of the summer, which means
that this may be the perfect time for fishermen to plan their Ketchikan shore excursion.
While the fishing opportunities that you’re liable to find on your Ketchikan shore excursion
can't be beaten, taking a shore excursion to the city of Ketchikan also offers travelers
plenty more than just the chance to catch some Alaskan salmon!
The true draw of the area is its immense natural beauty, and there are several different ways
for travelers to experience Ketchikan's beauty while on their shore excursion.
One of the most popular ways to take in the sights around Ketchikan is to go on a helicopter
tour.
The terrain in the area is pretty mountainous, and it can be kind of hard to get a taste
for the beautiful Alaskan landscape without getting up in the air.
By helicopter, the mountains of Alaska seem completely different than they do on the ground,
and travelers with the opportunity will want to experience this!
There are a plethora of helicopter tours around the area, and the different tours may stop
down in different areas.
Another popular way to view Ketchikan and its surrounding area for travelers visiting
Alaska on a shore excursion is to go on a Zodiac tour.
For those that don't know what a Zodiac is, it's a unique type of inflatable motorboat.
Zodiacs are incredibly popular around Alaska, and you can either rent one or go on a guided
tour.
Seeing the area of Ketchikan on a Zodiac serves two functions, as you can get the chance to
see plenty of great scenery and also familiarize yourself with one of Alaska's preeminent modes
of water travel.
Zodiacs are cool, but some travelers prefer the peace and quiet of a kayak or canoe to
the loud motor of the Zodiac.
Thankfully, there are plenty of kayak and canoe tours available to travelers visiting
Ketchikan on a shore excursion.
Tours can come in all different shapes and sizes depending on which area of Ketchikan
you want to see and how much time you have to spend.
There are also plentiful options for guided jeep tours available to tourists if they'd
prefer to check out what Ketchikan has to offer inland.
Finally, those visiting Ketchikan on a shore excursion may want to head over to the nearby
city of Saxman and check out Saxman Totem Park.
The park features a variety of totem poles that were placed there long ago by Native
Americans.
Understandably, these totem poles are now meticulously maintained for their unique cultural
value, and the park serves as a great attraction for cultural-minded tourists.
Besides the leftover totem poles from the Native Americans, another piece of Saxman’s
history that you can see the fingerprints of all over the town is its logging industry.
Lumberjack culture is still a big thing in the town of Saxman today.
People visiting Saxman may want to check out the Great American Lumberjack Show, which
features a variety of lumberjacks competing in logging events.
Juneau Shore Excursions While shore excursions to Ketchikan are arguably
the most popular of all, there are still plenty of other popular shore excursions that prospective
travelers may find themselves more interested in.
A shore excursion to the city of Juneau has plenty of unique sights and activities to
offer visitors, including the chance to try out dog sledding!
Those who want to try out dog sledding will get an unprecedented opportunity to do so
while visiting Juneau on their shore excursion.
In order to try out dogsledding for yourself, you’ll need to journey by helicopter to
the Juneau Icefield, which is a popular ice field located just north of the city itself.
Here, you’ll be able to find ice all year round, giving cruise-goers the chance to try
out dog sledding.
If dog sledding isn’t your preferred activity, there are some other cool things to do revolving
around the Juneau Icefield.
You can explore the glaciers of the popular ice field on foot.
If you want to go exploring the ice field’s glaciers on foot, you’ll still have to take
a helicopter there.
Regardless of how you prefer to experience the Juneau Icefield, you’ll certainly want
to see it for yourself on your Juneau shore excursion.
There’s plenty more to do on a Juneau shore excursion than visit the Juneau Icefield.
Visitors can also get the chance to go rafting along the Mendenhall River, though they should
be aware that they’re going to have to face some fairly significant rapids, as well as
incredibly cold water splashing up into their face.
If you’re up for it, rafting down the popular river can be quite the experience.
These rafting trips will start out at Mendenhall Lake before venturing into the river, and
you’ll want to keep an eye out for the Mendenhall Glacier.
There are also some pretty significant wildlife-viewing opportunities available for those visiting
the city of Juneau on a shore excursion, including the chance to see both whales and bears.
Whale watching is a pretty big deal in Juneau, as the waters along its shore are filled with
humpback whales.
If you want the best chance to see these creatures, you’ll want to sign yourself up for a whale-watching
tour.
Besides humpback whales, those going on whale-watching tours in the area can also see other whales,
such as orcas.
There are also seals, sea lions, and the occasional bald eagle!
Besides whale-watching tours, visitors to the city of Juneau can also try going on a
bear-viewing tour if they want to see some of the amazing wildlife that the area has
to offer inland.
Seeing a bear can be just as majestic of an experience as seeing a humpback whale, but
it can also be a bit scarier!
Finally, once you’ve gotten a taste of all the various natural sights that Juneau has
to offer, you may want to head into the city and check out the Juneau-Douglas City Museum.
If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support!
Also, subscribe to the channel if you’d like to be among the first to know when more
globetrotting ViewCation videos are on their way!
Skagway Shore Excursions Another city in Alaska that it has become
popular to take shore excursions to is Skagway.
Those taking a shore excursion to Skagway may want to take a train ride on the White
Pass & Yukon Route Railway.
Seeing the beautiful glaciers and mountains of the region on a train is a magical experience.
Riding the train can make visitors feel as if they’ve gone back in time to the 19th
century, and adding on the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake only increases
the authenticity of this sensation!
The Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake is another tour available to visitors
to Skagway.
This unique tour starts off with a decidedly Alaskan feast before allowing tourists the
opportunity to go panning for gold.
Skagway also offers it’s own dog sledding opportunities, and, like the aforementioned
cities, the surrounding area is fun to see by helicopter!
Haines Shore Excursion A shore excursion to the small Alaskan location
of Haines may be another good idea.
Haines isn’t exactly a town or a city.
Instead, the small location of Haines is labeled a “census-designated place”.
Haines is comparatively unpopulated when judged against the aforementioned cities, and going
on a shore excursion to the location is liable to grant tourists with a good deal more peace
and privacy.
Some of the best things to do for those going on a shore excursion to Haines include taking
ATV tours of the nearby Takshauk Mountain Trail and taking photography tours.
Photography tours are guided tours for photographers that want to find the best places in the area
to take pictures.
Sitka Shore Excursions Last but not least, let’s take a look at
some of the unique things offered to visitors going on a shore excursion to the city of
Sitka.
Arguably, the most interesting aspect of Sitka is its various wildlife centers.
These include the Alaska Raptor Center and the Sitka Sound Science Center.
The Alaska Raptor Center is a rehabilitation center for birds of prey in the area, including
bald eagles.
Of course, this means that visitors are going to be offered the chance to see some exceptionally
rare Alaskan birds much more up close and personal than they would otherwise.
The Sitka Sound Science Center is more focused on aquatic life, and it contains a salmon
hatchery, a touch tank, and an aquarium.
Besides those two unique wildlife centers, going on a shore excursion to the city Sitka
also offers visitors some pretty significant fishing opportunities.
Fishermen are liable to find as many fishing opportunities around Sitka as they would when
taking a shore excursion to the aforementioned city of Ketchikan.
Like Ketchikan, the area surrounding the city of Sitka features plenty of Alaskan salmon,
but you’ll also find other fish, such as lingcod and rockfish, in its waters.
Finally, the area surrounding the city of Sitka is just as gorgeous as any of the aforementioned
areas, and it’s also just as fun to view on a helicopter, kayak, or canoe tour.
These types of tours are common in most areas of Alaska.
Depending on your location, taking any of these tours can provide you with some greatly
differing scenery.
While figuring out which Alaska shore excursion is right for you can be quite the difficult
prospect, hopefully, this video gave you some hints about which of the state’s most popular
shore excursion destinations would be ideal for you.
Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that taking a shore excursion to the
Alaskan city of Juneau can allow visitors the chance to go dog sledding all year round
and that there’s a rehabilitation center in the Alaskan city of Sitka designed specifically
for birds of prey?
As always, like this video to show your support, subscribe, and hit the notification bell if
you’d like to be among the first to know when more globetrotting ViewCation videos
are on their way!