We are going on the Millenium to Alaska in June and am looking at shore excursions-we have one booked in Juneau-the helicopter/dog sled adventure-was thinking about the Canopy ride in Ketchican but wondering about the activity level as one person is 70 (although a very young 70!)-any suggestions, also looking for suggestions in Icy Point and Skagway. Thanks!

The best excursion in Skagway is the train. It can be done by itself (1/2 day) or as part of a tour with the bus ride either up or back.

Train ride in Skagway is the best! Not so sure about Icy Strait as it is a very new port.

You should try the zipline in Juneau if you have time!

In Skagway, the WP&YR train ride is the most popular excursion. Note that, besides Juneau, Skagway is the only other port you can helicopter flight-see and dog-sled... same ice-field between the 2 cities, so if you're after that excursion, you have 2 options.

The ziplines (1 in Ketchikan, 2 in Juneau and 1 in ISP/Hoonah) all get great reviews. The Hoonah zipline is billed as the longest and fastest in N. America... They weren't running the last time I was over there - day off for the ships.

Hoohah (ISP) is also one of the better ports for halibut fishing (also, the only place I'd bother with a 1/2 day halibut charter)... There's a decent bear-viewing excursion in Hoonah... if the bears aren't out at the salmon streams, they'll likely be found at the garbage dump!

@Majestic Gems: ISP has been running for over 5 seasons now... hardly "new" by Alaska tourism standards. You should get over there for lunch and check things out sometime... it's only a 15-20 minute flight or an hour's boat ride from Juneau!

Happy Alaska Travels all!
-Case

We've booked the WP&YR train for Skagway & Misty Fjords Floatplane for Ketchikan.

Cant wait :-)

Col & Sue

Thanks for all the advice-am booking a train ride in Skagway because of the advice-still not sure about Icy Strait

Little Hoonah doesn't have much to see but I did a short (8 mile) bike ride and topped it off with the zipline ride. Thank god i did not actually SEE the zipline before I got to the 'Ride Ejection Center' over 1400 feet high otherwize I might have chickened out! It was a super-gas - especially if, like me, you never did this before. The first half descent feels more like a free fall as you are secured in something like a parachute harness. You drop like a rock after mettalic doors open - you never know what hit you as I don't remember anything except being airborne and looking at clouds around eye-level. It is one major blast...and 70 years old is NOT too old to experience a controlled fall unless the person has a heart condition. I am a fit 62 and this experience will last a lifetime.. unless I do it again! Good Luck.

Does anyone know how far Mendenhall Glacier is from where the ship docks? I was tols like 45 minutes

It's about a 20-30 minute drive. The 45 minute figure is probably on a bus tour that takes the old highway and goes slow for sightseeing purposes.

You can find a blue MGT shuttle for $7 or $8 per person each way.

-Case

thanks! do you have any tips or advise for excursions? We want the not typical excursions... we found a 1000 ft waterfall that isnt on the cruise website.