Thinking about taking that helicopter ride and landing
on a glacier? You may want to reconsider, when you hear
the price...over $300 per person! Perhaps you want to
go fly-fishing off a float plane at some remote Alaska
lake. Maybe not. That will cost you even more.
So, what can
you do that is both fun, adventurous and priced right to
fit your budget? Here are some cheap shore excursion
ideas you can do at some of the most popular Alaska
ports of call:
Juneau:
Ride the Mount Roberts Tramway, a 6-minute ride to
the 1,800 foot level of Mount Roberts. Under $25. And
because the tramway is located near where your cruise
ship is, you can just walk to it. No extra
transportation costs to deal with.
When you get to the top, try one of the many trails
on Mount Roberts. You can hike all the way down. Other
trails range in ability from a nature walk to a
challenging and strenuous climb, there is even a trail
that is handicap-accessible. Stop for a bite at the
restaurant on the mountain, or visit the nature center.
Another inexpensive, yet must-see attraction is
Mendenhall Glacier. The cruise line will charge you
about $40.00 per person for this tour. However, If you
want just a plain-vanilla bus ride to the Glacier so you
can explore on your own, a roundtrip ticket is just $12,
with service running every 30 minutes.
Skagway:
A great budget-saver is a self-guided bicycle tour of
the town. rent a bike, get a local guide book and your
off on your own adventure. Rentals can be found for
around $14 for 2 hours, twice the price for 4 hours.
How about exploring Skagway by foot for free? Go to
www.skagway.com
, download the free walking tour map and have a great
shore excursion in Skagway absolutely free.
Want to relive the exciting days of saloons and dance
halls, shoot-outs and lynch mobs, floozies and Can Can
girls? The Days of ’98 Show has it all: live music,
singing and dancing, love and rejection, comedy and
drama, and this show truly brings Skagways' colorful
history to life. Cost just $18 if you do it on your own.
Much more if you by it from the cruise line.
Ketchikan:
Ketchikan is the place to see totem poles. You can
view them at the Saxman Native Village and Totem Bight
State Historical Park. The cheapest way to see the totem
poles is a city bus ride on your own to Totem Bight
State Historical Park - $1 each way.
The Southeast Alaska's rich logging History comes to
life at the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Located a
short walk from your cruise ship, this celebration of a
bygone era is a rip-roaring good time. At just $34
per adult, $17 for children, it's a great value.
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