Skagway, AK and Victoria, B.C.....

C

Corky

Guest
Tell me everything you know!!

Skagway....We are here from 7 AM until 5 PM.....we are thinking about just hanging out in town, getting a map from the rangers office and doing a little hiking, walk up and down the roads, hopefully eat some really, really good seafood......what other suggestions to you have for us? No one in my family wants to book an actual excursion here so we have lots of time on our hands. Any fav restaurants that are a must?

Victoria, B.C...We are here from 6 PM until Midnight...we are thinking of doing a walking tour and making up our own Pub Crawl in the downtown and China Town area....what are you views on this?

Thanking you in advance for your help!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Renting a car is an option - at least you could check out somethings for yourself. Drive over to the Dyea area - nice scenery - mind you the road is narrow and unpaved. You could drive into the Yukon and check out the town of Carcross and Emerald Lake. Emerald Lake is beautiful lake blue green in color. If you check into www.Southeasttours.com and key in horseback - you will get some nice pictures of the area around Emerald Lake. Renting a car - at least you are your own boss - its flexible. Stop where you want. Another site to look at for that trip into Yukon is www.Explorenorth.com I believe is it. Yukon (guy in Carcross, Yukon) has that site. It will show you what to expect along the road.
 
P

PEB

Guest
Skagway itself is an extremely small town. You are not going to find a lot of choices for dining in Skagway. Skagway is a very interesting town but it won't take long to walk the whole town. Some of the must stops in town are the gold rush museam and the Red Onion Saloon. There are a lot of little shops in town.
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel...I wanted to do the horseback ride buy DH doesn't and I don't want to go by myself. I'm not really into renting a car and driving around area's that I don't know...on vacation I like someone else to do the driving. Maybe next time we will (coss I know there's going to be a next time) but this time we just want to check out the town and surrounding walking areas.


Thanks Peb....I guess we'll just waaaaalk slooooow and loooook at things/stuff even slooooower! LOL

No good places to get seafood? It can even be where the locals hang out, in fact, that's better. But no good place for fresh salmon and other fish? : (
 
B

BSeabob

Guest
Victoria is a great little city and yes they have pubs and beer. But if you into gardens and wanting to see a bit of Vancouver Island go to Butchart Gardens. They have a great evening viewing time and it's a short bus ride that will get you around some of the country side. Highly recommended..
 
C

Corky

Guest
Thanks BSeabob...we pondered the Gardens but have decided to do a walking tour of downtown and Chinatown and stop in some Pubs along the ways. Some nice home brewed beer for the guys and a nice ice cold martini for me. I'll make the guys go to the Gardens the next time!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Corky - no problem - the horseback tour is part of www.Southeasttours.com and they do pick people up at the dock. They take you all the way into the Yukon and past Emerald Lake about 1/2 mile to the ranch. They stop where ever people want on the way and on the way back and get you back in time to still do some shopping. Myself, I found Skagway too touristy and it really is crowded when the ships come in. The shopping wellllll - you really have to shop around to find something nice. Some shops are just have alot of same old same old. Anyways - it was just a suggestion.
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel....I'd love to do the horseback riding but no one in my family wants to. As for the shopping....that is not high on my priority list either so that's okay that there's not much there.

I guess we'll have a nice leisurely morning on the Star and then slowly find our way into Skagway. Unless someone in my family changes their mind, of course!

Thanks for the info.
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Hey Corky - guess what? I found this site that I thought might be helpful to you since you are insistent that your family wants to hang around Skagway. Too bad but anyways - I found this site: www.thecruisecompany.com/wreports/skagway.pdf
It lists places to eat and places or excursions to check out. Personally, I think they lean toward the excursions that the cruise offer - but it really does not take much to check things out for yourself and go independent tours. Usually they are cheaper and since it really is there bread and butter - they will make sure you get back to your ship in proper time. I am all for the independent tours. Have a great time in Skagway!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Whoops I forgot to add this one - since you and your family is not into travelling much or should I say out of Skagway - do it from your livingroom or wherever. This guy is a Canadian and did a trip from Alberta, Canada up the Alaska Highway up to the Yukon and then into Skagway, Alaska and back to the yukon into Whitehorse, Yukon and then on to North Alaska. Really good photos of sites along the way. Armchair travelling - cheap as you can get. At the very least - it might help you in making a decision one way or the other. Happy sailing!
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel.....I've just now "quickly" scanned your photo's as I'm at work. I'll take the address home with me and check it out tomorrow, I'm going out tonight so can't do it tonight....but anywho, what I saw was very impressive and I can't wait to look at them all.

I really want to do the White Pass Train trip and am in hopes of talking my four ding-a-lings into it. Maybe your pictures will make them agree!!!

Thank you so much for posting them for me!!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Hey Corky - I love it - someone else who uses "anywho" - now that's gotta be a person you can get along with! Glad to help. I was surfing the net and I found that site - I thought it was great - and I am glad that you think so too!
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel.....Maybe we should start a campaign of Anywho's and see if we can make the world a better place to live for all concerned!!!

Have a great day!!!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Hi Corky - just have to talk to somebody - there's no interesting new stuff that I am interested in - at least you - you reply to one's message! I posted that photo site did you get a chance to see all the photos? Did you at least check www.southeasttours.com> - the horseback riding - check out the pictures? People who just drive to Emerald Lake -only see it from the road. People on horseback - they see it the mountains of Carcross in the background. So much better. Not trying to persuade you - just commenting. In Carcross - you can walk across the train bridge and then go around and walk back on another wooden bridge. People fish for trout off the bridge. They troll for the trout using bait fish. Lake Bennett is beautiful - you almost think you are in some type of warm place because of the long beach of sand by the town. Carcross has a historical old hotel that still in use but it looks rickety and I am amazed at fact that its still in use. Why because it looks like it could collapse at any time. The town is quaint and it's small. The natives that live there are Tlingit people.
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel...No I haven't had much time to check anything else out for Skagway. Yesterday I spent an exhausting two hours trying to get our tickets to see the Seattle Mariners on Friday June 25th. I finally did get them and we are in the Lower Box section DIRECTLY behind Home Plate! I am so pumped over that.

Most of my time here lately has been spent with some friends of ours. I have a friend who is sick with brain cancer and it takes all of our group, in shifts and doing many different things, to get him and his family through this. Today I've just jumped on line quickly to check things out but have to get my shower done and go to my friends to sit with him so his wife can go take a long hot bath....that the least I can do, right! We spent from around 3:30 pm until 10:00 pm over there last night because he wanted to grill out....so a total of 8 of us did just that and set around him (he's in a wheelchair) and ate our steaks and baked potatoes, watched TV and took two pictures. He had a blast!!!
Then I made sure his wife had a hot bath, we put him back into bed....it takes 3 or 4 of us using this thing called a Hoyer Lift to move him, but we do it and haven't dropped him yet! Ha! He is very patient with us. And then we left and came on home knowing that they were settled in for the night. This afternoon they are being picked up by a limo and being taken to a basketball game at the university...which he was on the staff of...so that is why I'm going over this morning...to help them get a jump on the day. Then this afternoon I'm taking my son to lunch and then I need to go to Target and pick up a few things. Maybe this evening I'll have time to check it out. I really appreciate your checking on me, that is so sweet of you.

On the horseback riding trip...are you saying that you go to Carcross? Also, I've only been on a horse maybe twice in my entire life....can you be a totally inexperienced rider and still do this tour? How long is the training session before you hop up in the saddle? How many tour operators are with us? What if my horse runs off, with me in the saddle, and won't stop? I think that is my only fear in regards to this type of activity.

Gotta scoot....I'll try to check back in this evening. Have a great day today!!!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Hello Corky - boy, you are right - you are a busy person. It is good to hear that you and your other friends are helping the friend in need. Now that truly is a group of good friends to have. I will try to remember your friend in my prayers. I am glad that your friend had a good time with you all and I hope that he enjoyed his day out. Oh, by the way, did you also purchase a helmet with face protector for your baseball game in June? Lol - just kidding.

Now the tour - on the horseback tour I was a greenhorn too. It was no problem - they gave us a brief safety instruction about holding your reins to control the horse, about what to do when going up a hill and going down a hill. They usually have two guides one leading and one bring up the front. I had no problem and I quite enjoyed myself. They make sure that you are paired with a horse that fits your experience. The horse I rode was called Spirit. If you want to stop and see certain places or see the town of Carcross it has be prearranged with the tour guide driver so that they can plan the schedule time and still get you back to Skagway on time to do whatever you want before heading back to your ship. During the horseback tour - the driver stays at the main cabin and waits for you to get back and then the tour guide offers refreshments and snacks in their quaint little cookshack at the back of the cabin.
 
H

HAngel

Guest
Cory - Don't know if your friend will be in to it but he should watch 700 club. They pray for people's illnesses - a lot of people get totally healed. The hostess and Pat Robertson or his son prays - the Lord reveals what kind of illness is being healed. Even if you check out cbn.com - can read people's testimonies. Excellent! Anyways it is a suggestion but I will keep praying.
 
C

Corky

Guest
HAngel...Thanks for the above info. I will pass it on to him.

Nothing new here....just trying to do everything all at once as usual.

Do you have a cruise planned for Alaska this year, or you've gone in the past, or you live there? I've missed this info.

As of today we are DDM's. This is for leaving for our trip to Seattle since we are going 3 days ahead of the cruise. I can't wait!!

Happy St. Patty's day to you!!!
 
H

HAngel

Guest
We did the drive up here before but did not go to Carcross and that area - did the ferry from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. Not as luxurious as a cruise ship but still get to see alot of scenery and wildlife and it is cheaper. The food is so - so. Just been on the boards alot and you gain a lot of information. I saw this site on the boards and the guy is from the Yukon. He calls himself that "Yukon" and his site is: <www.explorenorth> I hope that I got that address right. Hope that everything works out for you.
 
Top