Ports Of Call: What To Do In These Alaskan Cruise Ship Stops

Some routes start in this major Canadian city, using it to leapfrog back to the U.S.’s 49th state. It’s always a good idea to arrive in your embarkation city the day before (if not two) to avoid any issues caused by potentially delayed flights. While in Vancouver, explore the city by checking out the sky-high Capilano Suspension Bridge, which has a free shuttle connecting it to downtown. Stanley Park has a 9-mile seawall for walking or biking, while Gastown has a historic cobblestone district with a steam clock. At the Canada place terminal, where you board your ship, FlyOver Canada will give a bird’s eye view, soaring over the country. Don’t miss the homey ube donuts at Lee’s Donuts before you go.

Ketchikan is known as the salmon capital of the world and if you go in the summer, you’ll see why. The creek is stuffed with salmon, hastily swimming upstream, trying to spawn before their impending death. Sometimes, you’ll even see a black bear nosing around for fresh fish that practically leaps into their hands. A short walk from the main pier is the cheesy but charming Lumberjack Show, where local lumberjacks perform feats of strength. The town is built upon stilts so wander around Creek Street for souvenirs, including the impressively large Tongass Trading Company. Wind up the boardwalk heights to Married Man’s Trail, where the married men in town would sneak to the local brothels. Cap the day at Jellyfish Donuts where you can try a world-famous smoked salmon donut—it’s absolutely delicious and is basically a mostly savory pillowy piece of fried dough topped with a smoked salmon and cream cheese spread.

Juneau has two big draws: the Mendenhall Glacier and Tracy’s Crab Shack. First, take a helicopter through TEMSCO helicopters. You’ll soar over the trees via helicopter, just over the ridge and land on the glacier for a short walk where you can take photos and have a sip of the coldest, clearest water you’ll ever find. Then head over to the Gold Creek Salmon Bake for an all-you-can-eat lunch of salmon, salad, ribs, potatoes and berry cake. If that doesn’t interest you, Juneau is a prime location to watch some whales. Finish off the day with dinner at Tracy’s King Crab Shack. It’s pricey at over a $100 for a single crab leg, bisque and crabcake combo, but worth it for some of the most succulent seafood you’ll ever have.

Skagway makes you work for its charms. After a rockslide a few years back, you’ll need to take a shuttle from ship to the more lively part of the dock. Once there, take an excursion like the scenic and entertaining White Pass Scenic Railway where you can spot animals, mountains and waterfalls as they pass by, narrated by a historical figure. Musher’s Camp and Gold Panning not only shows you how to pan for gold, but also puts you in close contact with adorable sled dog puppies. As for the downtown, Skagway Brewing Company has the most incredible flaky and tender halibut fish and chips (best served with a spruce-tip ale). For dessert, try a Klondike Doughboy, an iconic sweet fry bread. Snap a pic of the creepy Arctic Brotherhood Hall, the most photographed building in Alaska.

Don’t look for sets from the rom-com “The Proposal” because even though it was set in Sitka, it was actually filmed in Rockport, Massachusetts. The town is equally charming, though. Respectfully walk through Sitka National Historical Park with Tlingit and Haida totem poles. Watch bears frolic, safely, at Fortress of the Bear and check out the Russian architecture of the Russian Bishop’s House and St. Michael’s Cathedral. Alaska loves their donuts so stop for hot malasadas like the lilikoi cheesecake donut from the Hawaiian Donut Company.

Some cruises will disembark you in Whittier for a land tour, bringing you up to the inland Denali National Park. Even though Mt. McKinley can be somewhat elusive, only visible 60 days out of the year, it’s still worth the trip to see the bears, moose, caribou and more that live on the land. A wildlife tour via bus will bring you shockingly close to grizzly bears foraging for berries in the bushes, if you're lucky.

Anchorage is a bustling city, but it has its charms if you know where to look. Hotel Captain Cook is like stepping through time, while Whiskey and Ramen is a gem of tasty cocktails and very authentic ramen noodles. Wild Scoops is where you want to go for local delicacies and foraged flavors like fireweed ice cream. Make it a baked Alaska, where fluff is swirled on top and torched. Hands down, one of the best places in Anchorage is the Alaska Native Heritage Center. It has demonstrations of Alaskan native sporting events, music and dance, as well as an indoor museum of artifacts and historical accounts. Outside, there is a small path to explore rustic native houses, both guided and self-toured.

More down-to-earth than other cruise ports, you’ll find this port less commercialized and rich in native Tlingit heritage. Walk to town through an easy one-mile path and you’ll arrive at the Icy Strait Point Cannery Museum, with historic salmon canning equipment. There’s two gondolas—one a free green transport gondola and a paid scenic red mountaintop gondola. Duck Point Smokehouse is your hookup to brick-oven pizza. Before you leave Icy Strait Point, gather for a story at Jeet’s Fire Globe, where visitors can learn about native Alaskan heritage from storytelling.

About two hours south of Anchorage, Seward is one of Alaska’s most picturesque towns. It’s from here that you’ll make you way to Kenai Fjords National Park, the place for whale watching and glacier cruises. Accessible by car, Exit Glacier offers panoramic views. Alaska SeaLife Center brings you up close to animals like puffins and harbor seals. The Cookery serves up foraged local delicacies and wild salmon.