Excursion Suggestions Alaska

Booking a cruise on such short notice means that I haven't had time to
do much research on excursions. This is likely to be the only time we
go to Alaska so I want to make the most of it. So what do you suggest
for two people in their mid 70s who are interested in photography,
wildlife and history, and not so much in shopping?

I've booked three and wait listed on two. But I still have to decide
on these three.

SUN 15MAY11 Ketchikan, Alaska, US 7:00am 5:00pm
TUE 17MAY11 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 10:00pm
WED 18MAY11 Icy Strait Point, Alaska, US2 7:00am 4:00pm

FRI 20MAY11 Anchorage, Alaska, US 7:00am 11:00pm
We are wait listed on the Grandview Train

SAT 21MAY11 Homer, Alaska, US 10:00am 6:00pm
Booked Seldovia Cruise with Gull Island

SUN 22MAY11 Kodiak, Alaska, US 7:00am 3:00pm
We are wait listed on the Kodiak Sightseeing & Russian Tea

TUE 24MAY11 Sitka, Alaska, US2 10:00am 5:00pm
Booked Sea Otter Quest & Alaska Raptor Center

THU 26MAY11 Victoria, British Columbia, CA 12:00n 11:00pm
I've been to Victoria once and to Buchart Gardens, so I booked Grand
City Drive & Empress High Tea. I tried to do the High Tea before, but
it was too expensive, so I thought I'd do it this time.

I took a helicopter ride up to the Mendenhall glacier, however it is
quite expensive but was well worth the dollars. This was in Juneau.

Not much to do in Ketchikan, but I enjoyed creek st. and visiting
Dolley's place. Many of the homes on creek st. used to be brothels.

Also went river rafting but don't remember where this took place, as I
was on my cruise back in the 80's.

On 4/3/2011 6:44 PM, wrote:
Booking a cruise on such short notice means that I haven't had time to
do much research on excursions. This is likely to be the only time we
go to Alaska so I want to make the most of it. So what do you suggest
for two people in their mid 70s who are interested in photography,
wildlife and history, and not so much in shopping?

I've booked three and wait listed on two. But I still have to decide
on these three.

did a little snipping

TUE 17MAY11 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 10:00pm

Can you get on one of the tours to the Mendenhal Glacier? We found this
to be the highlight of our Alaskan tour (which, unfortunately was less
extensive than yours)


FRI 20MAY11 Anchorage, Alaska, US 7:00am 11:00pm
We are wait listed on the Grandview Train

Is there an excursion that goes to the Portage Glacier (Portage Lake)?
That is really something to see. The boat sails in the lake and there
are glaciers all around. At least they were there in 1997. Hopefully Al
Gore didn't melt them all.

SAT 21MAY11 Homer, Alaska, US 10:00am 6:00pm
Booked Seldovia Cruise with Gull Island

You'll like that. We did that boat trip in 1997 when we drove to Alaska
in our RV.

We also did the Whitehorse Railroad and that was very scenic and not at
all taxing.

I was terribly disappointed at how the pretty harbor towns had turned
into a "Caribbean of the North" with Diamonds International and all
those other jewelry shops and touristy rip-offs. Maybe if you know in
advance and expect it, you won't be so disappointed.

Have a wonderful cruise.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

I have been to Alaska several times and can offer a few suggestions.

TUE 17MAY11 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 10:00pm

Can you get on one of the tours to the Mendenhal Glacier? We found this
to be the highlight of our Alaskan tour (which, unfortunately was less
extensive than yours)

I agree that you really need to see Mendenhall Glacier. The setting is
fabulous. Also, if you
have time, there is a short walk near the parking lot. I have seen
brown bears there every time that I have been there.
(They are on the other side of a barrier. If there is more activity,
they will block off the rest of the path, which happened on one
occasion when
I was there.) You might also want to take the Mt. Roberts Tramway,
which is near where the ships dock. There are some eagles up there
that have be rehabbed.
You can get lunch up there and the view looking back down to Juneau is
good.

SUN 15MAY11 Ketchikan, Alaska, US 7:00am 5:00pm

Don't miss the Saxman Native Village in Ketchikan. It has a nice
collection of totem poles and there is a demo shed nearby where you
can watch carvers. When we did a shore excursion there,
they had a Tlingit dance performance as well. Back in town, you could
walk to Creek St.
I agree with another poster about the Diamonds International. The very
first time I visited Alaska, I was shocked to see such stores in town.
It just seemed so incongruous to me.

WED 18MAY11 Icy Strait Point, Alaska, US2 7:00am 4:00pm

I didn't do this tour, but others on our ship commented that the whale
watching tour was very good and that they saw lots of whales.
There is a display when we first get into town right at the dock.(This
is a tender port.) We did bicycling, which I don't recommend because
the bicycles were not in good repair.

Do be sure to pack for any type of weather - the layering system is a
good one.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip.


Tess
Cruise Bug Vacations
www.cruisebugvacations.com

On Apr 3, 4:44*pm, wrote:
Booking a cruise on such short notice means that I haven't had time to
do much research on excursions. *This is likely to be the only time we
go to Alaska so I want to make the most of it. *So what do you suggest
for two people in their mid 70s who are interested in photography,
wildlife and history, and not so much in shopping? *

I've booked three and wait listed on two. *But I still have to decide
on these three.

SUN 15MAY11 Ketchikan, Alaska, US 7:00am 5:00pm
TUE 17MAY11 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 10:00pm
WED 18MAY11 Icy Strait Point, Alaska, US2 7:00am 4:00pm

FRI 20MAY11 Anchorage, Alaska, US 7:00am 11:00pm
* * We are wait listed on the Grandview Train

SAT 21MAY11 Homer, Alaska, US 10:00am 6:00pm
* Booked Seldovia Cruise with Gull Island * * *

SUN 22MAY11 Kodiak, Alaska, US 7:00am 3:00pm
* *We are wait listed on the Kodiak Sightseeing & Russian Tea

TUE 24MAY11 Sitka, Alaska, US2 10:00am 5:00pm
*Booked Sea Otter Quest & Alaska Raptor Center *

THU 26MAY11 Victoria, British Columbia, CA 12:00n 11:00pm
* I've been to Victoria once and to Buchart Gardens, so I booked Grand
City Drive & Empress High Tea. *I tried to do the High Tea before, but
it was too expensive, so I thought I'd do it this time.

Ketchikan has best shopping of all the ports, Juneau has a salmon bake
at an old mine that we've enjoyed on 2 of our cruises and Icy Strait
Point has very little to see or do. Kids went on a Backwoods trail
ride but didn't recommend it. We walked into the little town and went
exploring at yard sale, had a sandwich at a small shop and chatted
with THE police officer there. It is part of Native Land and the
police only take care of non-native problems.

On Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:44:26 -0400, wrote:

Booking a cruise on such short notice means that I haven't had time to
do much research on excursions. This is likely to be the only time we
go to Alaska so I want to make the most of it. So what do you suggest
for two people in their mid 70s who are interested in photography,
wildlife and history, and not so much in shopping?

I've booked three and wait listed on two. But I still have to decide
on these three.

SUN 15MAY11 Ketchikan, Alaska, US 7:00am 5:00pm
TUE 17MAY11 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 10:00pm
WED 18MAY11 Icy Strait Point, Alaska, US2 7:00am 4:00pm

FRI 20MAY11 Anchorage, Alaska, US 7:00am 11:00pm
We are wait listed on the Grandview Train

SAT 21MAY11 Homer, Alaska, US 10:00am 6:00pm
Booked Seldovia Cruise with Gull Island

SUN 22MAY11 Kodiak, Alaska, US 7:00am 3:00pm
We are wait listed on the Kodiak Sightseeing & Russian Tea

TUE 24MAY11 Sitka, Alaska, US2 10:00am 5:00pm
Booked Sea Otter Quest & Alaska Raptor Center

THU 26MAY11 Victoria, British Columbia, CA 12:00n 11:00pm
I've been to Victoria once and to Buchart Gardens, so I booked Grand
City Drive & Empress High Tea. I tried to do the High Tea before, but
it was too expensive, so I thought I'd do it this time.

We had about the same amount of time in Juneau. Rather than taking
excursions, we took a cab to the airport and picked up a car that we
had reserved. We went first to the Mendenhall Glacier. We arrived
before the tours got there and there weren't many people there. We
were able to see the glacier and do a walking tour on a trail. As we
were leaving the buses started pulling in.
A friend of ours, who is not particularly religious had told us about
the Shrine of St. Therese.
http://www.shrineofsainttherese.org/
It is a beautiful place and would be worth a trip whether someone is
religious or not. He also told us about Eagle Beach which isn't too
far from the shrine.
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits...lebeachsra.htm
We then went into Juneau where there are some museums. We ran into
another (Jewish) friend who told us about a Russian Orthodox church
where the priest was discussion his religion. We went there and it was
very interesting. We learned a lot. This was a few years ago so i
don't know if he is still there.
By renting a car we were also able to just ride around and see a lot.
We have always been a little concerned about going off on our own in a
port if something happened but it worked out well. We figured if
something happened, it was a relatively small place and we could just
get a cab.