Nestled at the northernmost point of the Inside Passage, Skagway encapsulates the essence of The Last Frontier. Where Juneau looks like most other port cities, Skagway is reminiscent of a scene from a Western film, complete with Gold Rush era buildings, vintage locomotives, and ladies hanging out balcony windows enticing passersby to come see a show in the saloon.
Skagway is just five blocks wide and 24 city blocks long. And it very walkable. It’s perhaps most famous now for the White Pass & Yukon Rail Tour. But our excursion of choice was the Ocean Raft Wildlife Adventure.
This was a zodiac tour that took us around Skagway and Haines, and it was super fun! It was especially chilly and windy on this day, so I was relieved when we received appropriate outerwear for the trip.
If you look closely at the photo above, you’ll see the effects of a major rockslide from a few years ago that closed one of the docks, causing multiple ships to be diverted.
Aren’t we cute? We have awesome family pics in our orange garb, but the teens want to keep those under wrap. Womp!
In between doughnuts, the captain stopped so that we could take photos. We saw several noteworthy waterfalls, a family of seals, and so many eagles. No bears though.
Even on a cold, rainy day, the beauty of Alaska shines.
We were so pleased with our choice and can’t decide if we liked this tour or the whale watching tour best. Decisions. Decisions.
Check out the Encore in port. Isn’t she stunning?!
Occasionally I’ll have Alaska cruise clients who don’t want to book an excursion in each port. They’ll ask about ports where they can do things independently. Skagway is one where you can walk off the ship right to the downtown area. There are museums, Ranger talks, saloon shows, shopping, and DIY scavenger hunts around town. While I believe excursions make the experience more enriching, there is a lot to do in Skagway on your own.
Up next, sailing through the extraordinarily gorgeous Glacier Bay!
Our Alaska Adventure: Norwegian Encore
Our Alaska Adventure: Glacier Bay
Our Alaska Adventure: Ketchikan (Ward Cove)
Our Alaska Adventure: Victoria + Alaska Cruise Tips
Shop my winter staples from Amazon that I’ve used and loved for years:
Down Coat With Fur Hood (silver not available at this time) / Satin Lined Beanie with Faux Fur Pom / Waterproof Winter Gloves with Touch Screen / Ankle Boot
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