Icy Strait Point Cruises: Best Cruises to Icy Strait Point

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Icy Strait Point Cruise Port Guide

Cruises to Icy Strait Point, Alaska bring you to a pristine, forested headland on mountainous Chichagof Island, some 40 miles from Juneau. This remote spot is an adventure-lover’s dream, with endless opportunities for exploring the great outdoors against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, distant glaciers, dense, old-growth forest, and the sparkling waters of Icy Strait, which are home to abundant marine life.

Choose your thrills on your Alaska cruise to Icy Strait Point. Fly over the forest canopy at 60 mph on a zipline, or hike wooded trails with a guide, in search of bears. Paddle a sea kayak through sheltered waterways where you could spot whales and dolphins, and look out for majestic bald eagles in the trees. Feast on delicious salmon and crab, and get to know the local Tlingit guides, who have a deep connection to nature and are delighted to share their rich culture and legends with visitors.

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Top Sights & Attractions on Cruises to Icy Strait Point

Native Culture

The culture of the Tlingit is inextricably linked to Icy Strait Point. Local guides explain the history of totem poles and the stories they tell, or show you how they live off the land. At the Heritage Theater, you could discover tribal dance performances that showcase the rich traditions of the Native Southeast Alaskan tribes. Proud Huna Tlingit performers, dressed in their finest regalia, display the stories of their ancestry through dance, storytelling, and songs.

Tongass National Forest

Chichagof Island lies within Alaska’s vast Tongass National Forest, with multiple options for hiking or exploring by 4x4. For a taste of the immense natural beauty of the area, head up to Sky Peak on the SkyGlider Gondola and join a walk, guided by a ranger, around the mile-long Hidden Lake Loop Trail. Breathtaking 360-degree views of Chichagof Island and the surrounding waterways await, while there’s a chance of spotting bald eagles, brown bears, and Sitka black-tailed deer.

Waterborne Adventures

Away from the dock, the shoreline of Chichagof Island is a pristine wilderness of dense forest, log-strewn pebbly beaches, and serene waters. There are various ways to take in this majestic scenery while looking out for foraging bears and eagles in the treetops. Guided kayak trips take you through protected waters where the blow of a humpback whale or the black dorsal fin of an orca could pierce the smooth surface at any moment.

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Top Things to Do in Icy Strait Point

Fly on one of the World’s Largest ZipRiders

Six thrill-seekers at a time can fly 5,330 feet through a vertical drop of 1,300 feet on the ZipRider, which connects the top of Sky Peak with the Adventure Center. You’ll reach speeds of up to 60 mph as you soar 300 feet over the forest canopy, giving you an adrenaline rush like no other. If you have time to take in the scenery, look out for bald eagles, bears, deer, and the distant snowy peaks of Glacier Bay National Park.

Spot Marine Mammals

Icy Strait is famed for the abundance of marine mammals that come here to feed in summer. Embark on a whale-watching excursion to the Point Adolphus area, where one of Alaska’s largest resident whale populations resides. The whale-watching boats are small and low in the water, so you’ll be at eye-level with the marine life. Eagle-eyed guides will help you spot humpbacks, orcas, dolphins, and seals and tell you about the habits of each species.

Search for Bears at the Spaaski River Valley

Bears come to the lush Spasski River Valley to feed on salmon, making this a great place for viewing Alaska’s apex predators. You’ll stroll on boardwalks across Muskeg swampland before hiking forest trails to a series of lookout points facing the river. As well as coastal brown bears, you could spot Sitka black-tailed deer and bald eagles. Tlingit guides also point out the different plants growing in the forest, many of which are edible or have medicinal uses.

Food & Drink Spots Near the Icy Strait Point Cruise Port

The Crab House
This casual crab shack sells Dungeness, king, and snow crab to eat in or take out. The signature offering is the Alaska Crabby Bloody Mary, a salad in a glass garnished with celery, shrimp, olives, and lime, served with a snow crab leg and packed with crab meat.

The Cookhouse Restaurant
The Cookhouse is another casual restaurant, specializing in locally caught halibut and chips, as well as salmon BLT sliders. For another local delicacy, try the Alaska Blue Burger, which includes reindeer meat, caramelized onions, and blue cheese.

Duck Point Smokehouse Restaurant
The poshest of the three local restaurants, the Duck Point Smokehouse does as its name suggests and smokes salmon on the premises. It also has brick pizza ovens. The signature dish is Icy Strait Point Surf and Turf, featuring crab tater tots and Alaskan Blue sliders, while there are plenty of seafood dishes, too.

Culture & History of Icy Strait Point

The Huna Tlingit have lived in and around nearby Glacier Bay for thousands of years. The first outside influence to reach Chichagof Island was fur traders, who arrived in the 1880s and established a community here. In 1912, a salmon cannery was built, creating employment for many local Tlingit. Many families took shelter here after a fire destroyed the town in June of 1944.

The cannery ceased production in 1953 and was used thereafter by the Hoonah fishing fleet for maintenance and storage. The Huna Totem Corporation bought the old cannery in the mid-1990s and created the facilities for a purpose-built cruise destination with a full focus on preserving the environment and the wildlife habitats here.

Icy Strait Point continues to be entirely Native owned and operated, with all profits going back into the community. Some 85 percent of the people who work here are local, which means your guide will most likely be from the Tlingit, giving a

Icy Strait Point Cruise Port Facilities & Location

Cruise ships dock at either the Wilderness Dock or the Ocean Landing, both of which allow you to disembark and walk along the jetty, with no need for a tender. If you’re docked at the Wilderness Dock, you’ll walk ashore to restrooms, the start of both the SkyGlider and the Transporter gondolas, and the Departure Den, where shore excursions assemble.

From the Ocean Landing, you can walk ashore to the Adventure Center, which is a visitor center, restrooms, and the other end of the Transporter gondola. This area is also where the ZipRider lines end, which can be fun to watch. The Duck Point Smokehouse is right by the jetty, while the Cannery, for more restaurants and the majority of the shops, is a short walk along the beach.

Transportation in Icy Strait Point

A shuttle bus runs from Icy Strait Point to nearby Hoonah; purchase your tickets at the ticket booth by The Cannery at the port itself or in town, at Huna Outfitters/Longbottom Coffee Shop next to City Hall. There are also two gondolas. The SkyGlider whisks you over the forest from the Wilderness Landing up to Sky Peak, while the Transporter links Wilderness Landing and Ocean Landing. There are clearly marked walking trails along the beach and through sections of the rainforest, but these could be closed if bears have been spotted. There are no taxis and no rideshare operators available.

Shopping Near the Icy Strait Point Cruise Port

The historic Cannery complex has been turned into a shopping emporium filled with stores that are all 100% Alaskan-owned, with profits going back into the local community. Look out for smoked Alaska salmon, preserves made from locally grown berries, hand-made crafts like paintings, wood carvings, glassware, and authentic silver jewelry. You’ll also find all the usual branded clothing, water bottles, mugs, and bags that are sold all over Alaska.

Local Currency & Tipping Customs

The currency in Icy Strait Point is the U.S. Dollar (USD). There is no bank in Icy Strait Point, although there is one in Hoonah, a mile and a half from the dock. Most vendors will accept credit cards, but it is a good idea to keep some cash on hand for small restaurants or local boutiques that may only accept cash.

Tipping here is the same as it is elsewhere in the U.S.; 15 to 20% in restaurants, and for a good guide, around 10% of the cost of the tour, per person. You don’t need to tip the park rangers; they are government employees and don’t expect it.

Cruisetours

To explore further into Alaska, you can extend your cruise with a Cruisetour. This allows you to travel inland via motorcoach and railway exploring Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, Talkeetna, Girdwood (Alyeska) and Denali National Park, taking in the views of the highest mountain peak in North America. Cruisetours include the finest hotel accommodations, a local dedicated Alaskan Tour Director, luxury transportation, and some activities.

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