Icy Strait Point on Your Own
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Icy Strait Point is an exclusive cruise ship port in Alaska with lots to see and do.
The only way to visit Icy Strait Point is via cruise ship. The entire place is catered to those visiting via sea. The destination was built on an abandoned canning factory.
If you’re planning an Alaska cruise, check out our full guide to Cruise Ports in Alaska.
Icy Strait Point on Your Own: (Jump To)
Arriving in Icy Strait Point
Once you exit the boat you’ll be greeted by a small visitors center. They call it the Adventure Center. Inside are restrooms, a small gift shop, and a coffee booth. This is likely where you will meet for any shore excursions.
Passing through the lodge will land you in an open area. Here you can visit the Duck Point Smokehouse Restaurant for food or drinks.
This is also a great spot to watch the people who booked a ride on the Icy Strait Zip Rider, a very long zipline down the mountainside.
There is also a station for the Transporter Gondola, but more on that below.
Where to Spot Whales in Icy Strait Point
Following the path in front of the Zip Rider Landing, you’ll be on your way to the Cannery. (There are plenty of signs, you can’t miss it). Make a stop at Keet Plaza. Keet Plaza is an outdoor dock and viewing area. Here you can check out the giant killer whale statue. This is also a great place to stare out at the ocean to try to spot whales in the water. There’s nothing better than Icy Strait Point whale watching for free from this serene setting.
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Visiting the Hoonah Cannery
Following the boardwalk from Keet Plaza, you’ll pass some small and cute private homes and a cemetery. The Cannery is right past the Cookhouse Restaurant.
The Cannery is your shopping mecca. There are shops after shops selling all your favorite cruise port things and plenty of Alaska souvenirs.
Intermixed between the shops are small and informative displays about the history of the cannery. There are even some machines leftover from the fish packing days that are covered in fake blood, like a horror film. Fun for the kids.
After shopping the cannery exit toward the rear of the building. Make sure to make your way out to one (or all three) of the wooden piers to continue whale spotting. they are also great photo spots.
Outside is a crab restaurant and a massively popular donut hut.
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Visiting Hoonah From Icy Strait Point
For a taste of real life in this part of Alaska, you can make the trip to Hoonah. It will take you about 30 minutes to walk there. Most of the way is a nice path, but you will be walking on a thin shoulder of the road for the final portion.
You can also choose to take the USD$5 round-trip shuttle. Tickets are available in the booth behind the donut hut.
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Don’t forget to pack a good pair of travel binoculars to spot wildlife from the ship!
Check out our What to Pack Guide for more suggestions.
What To See in Hoonah
The journey is the best part of visiting Hoonah. It’s a very small and very sleepy town. There were a few more gift shops that mirrored things being sold back in the cannery.
There are also a few nice-looking totem poles worth seeing. There seemed to be a shop where totem poles are made, but it was closed during our visit. There was also a coffee shop.
We spent about 20 minutes in town before taking the shuttle back to the Cannery area.
Icy Strait Point Nature Hike
A very brief looping nature trail is available. It's directly to the right before you enter the Adventure Center.
It starts along the ocean before turning into the forest. At the merge point, keep left and continue to Wilderness Landing.
On the way, keep your eyes peeled for Bald Eagles nesting on the trees lining the shore.
Icy Strait Point Gondola
Once you get to Wilderness Landing (which is just an open area and another dock) you’ll see two gondolas. The Skyrider Gondola costs about US$45 and takes you high up the mountain to an area they call Sky Point. It was extremely cloudy and foggy on our visit, so we decided it wasn’t worth the cost to go up. We were told that there is a one-mile nature trail up there and a small lake, but the clouds took away the possibility of a great view.
Instead, we rode the Transporter Gondola. It's a short fun ride that takes you back to the Adventure Center area. It’s free to ride, so go as many times as you like!
We spent about 3 hours exploring Icy Strait Point before returning to our cruise ship. If you’re trying to pick the best stop during your sailing to do a shore excursion, I would recommend a whale watching trip here.
Our next stop is Juneau Alaska where we take a trip to the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier.
Free Things To Do in Icy Strait Point
See the Cannery Museum and shop in the Cannery Shops.
Walk to Hoonah (or a shuttle for $5).
Take the nature hike along the ocean and into the forest.
Watch for whales at Keet Plaza.
Take a free gondola ride.
Icy Strait Point Map
