


My Alaska cruise tips
Best cruise ships by category
Best 4 Alaska cruise ports to visit
Best time to go - plus getting there
Alaska shore excursion rankings
Best shore excursions - overview
Helicopter tours
Floatplane tours
Best 3 Juneau shore excursions
Best 3 Ketchikan shore excursions
Best 3 Sitka shore excursions
Best 3 Skagway shore excursions
Best pre- & post-cruise excursions
Denali National Park
Goldstar Dome railroad ride
More pre- and post-cruise options
More Alaska cruise tips
Best glaciers
Famous Alaskan foods
Itinerary insights
Alaska facts & tidbits
Packing tips
Candid cruise advice
Best cruise lines by category
29 cruise lines - descriptions
Top 10 destinations
Cabin selection
Cruise costs
Booking advice
Shore excursions
Cruise pros & cons
Cruise dining insights
Family cruising tips
Cruise etiquette
Ship communications
Cruise industry - facts
What it's like on a
luxury Alaska cruise ship
Why the Silver Shadow is special
Top activities
Dining
Dinner menus
Crew photo gallery
Suite photo gallery
Deck plans
Other public spaces
Silver Shadow facts
More pointers
Read my
destination-specific
cruise tip guides
Alaska
Antarctica
Arctic
Baltic
Bermuda
Canada New England
Caribbean
Fjords of Norway
Galapagos
Hawaiian
Honeymoon
Luxury
Mediterranean
Mexican Riviera
Nile
Persian Gulf
Romantic
River cruises
South American
TransAtlantic
World
Yangtze
World's top wonders
Top 100
Top 1000
More
Site map
About my credentials & website
Reader testimonials
Email me your opinion


Alaska cruise
tips you can trust

Floatplane sightseeing
Unlike a helicopter, a floatplane can land in a remote lake or fjord, turn of its engine, and let you sense nature's intense silence and solitude. They travel to various destinations. By far the best is to Misty Fjord (which is also reachable by boat tours). The area is blessed with sheer mountain cliffs, stunning waterfalls, and beautiful lakes.
Creek Street
This former red-light district today hosts boutiques, galleries and eateries luring tourists strolling along the boardwalk. The buildings are built over the narrow Ketchikan Creek on pilings. During the mid-summer salmon runs, you can see salmon flipping their way upstream to spawn.
Great Alaskan
Lumberjack Show
Although the show is a bit hokey, there's no denying that the championship-caliber lumberjacks put on a crowd-pleasing contest in log rolling, pole climbing, and ax throwing. The show's script generates laughter, the lumberjacks' skills, applause.
Bear viewing tour
Unlike in a zoo, bears do not appear on cue. Your chances of seeing them in their wild habitat is best from late July through early September. Keep in mind my bear-viewing rule of thumb: "When salmon are gone, bears are gone."
Rainforest tour
Do it by road - or book a fly-in combined rainforest and hike tour.
Museums
The Southeast Alaska Discover Center and Dog Sled Mushing Museum have interesting exhibits.
Salmon sport river fishing
Excellent in July and August.
Sea kayaking
Get up close to wildlife and the undisturbed wilderness.
Totem Poles
You'll find a wide assortment of totem poles in and around Ketchikan. The three best spots are the Totem Heritage Center, Totem Bight, and Saxman Totem Park. The first is in town, the others are beyond. Each offers Native Indian culture arts, crafts and presentations.
Zipline
Soar through the tree tops as you sit in a harness attached to a hanging zipline.


World Wonders - Top 100 rankings
World Wonders - Top 1000 list
My credentials
About my website and criteria
Reader testimonials
Site map

sponsored ad


Learn
my candid
worldwide
tips & rankings
Click blue links
Top
wonders of
Top
wonders of
Cruise line ratings
Cruise
destinations tips
Special interest cruising
Safari guides
Special topics
World wonder rankings
Other tips & advice
More
Copyright 2013 HQP - Hillman Quality Publications / hillmanwonders.com