Southeast Alaska is an absolutely stunning place to visit. Each town there has something different to offer, from wildlife viewing to glaciers to seafood feasts and more. Some of the most visited destinations in the region include Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Haines, Wrangell, and Sitka, just to name a few. While most people choose to cruise Southeast Alaska (which is a fantastic way to see it all), you can also totally see it by flights and ferries! You can fly into a destination like Juneau, and from there either take short flights to other nearby towns (I fly to Ketchikan and Wrangell, for example) or try the Alaska Marine Highway aka the ferry system, which is how I got to Haines. It’s all dependent on how you want to see the area (ferries take longer but are more scenic by far), and how much time you have to explore!
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What to Do in Juneau
Feast on Alaskan King Crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack
Did you even go to Alaska if you didn’t eat any Alaskan King Crab? Tracy’s is THE place to go if you’re looking for a bucket of delicious crab legs. And fun fact: they buy their crab from the crew of The Deadliest Catch! So if you’ve ever wanted to know what their crabs taste like, now’s your chance. Also, do not miss out on the crab bisque!
Fly Over a Glacier
When you’re visiting Southeast Alaska, you have to splurge on a glacier helicopter flight. It is the coolest way to see a glacier, especially if you choose one with a landing on the glacier itself. During my trip, I chose to do a combo tour of a glacier helicopter flight and dogsledding. Not only did we get amazing glacier views from up above, but we also got to land on the icefields and spend an hour at the Dog Sled Camp, meeting the puppies and mushing on a 1.5-mile dog sled track.
If you want to spend more time exploring glaciers, try a helicopter tour with a guided icefield walk instead. You’ll get to see glaciers by both air and land this way. And trust me, you’ll get some pretty magical photos exploring by foot!
Lastly, there’s another option for glacier viewing in Juneau. Mendenhall Glacier is easily accessible for visitors! I recommend checking out the visitor center and making the short hike out to Nugget Falls for some epic views. If you have time, you can also do a canoe tour on the lake that will take you right up to Mendenhall Glacier by water.
Go Whale Watching on a Yacht
Alaska is one of the best places in the world to go whale watching, so why not do it in style? You can book your own private whale watching yacht excursion through Alaska Luxury Tours. They’ll provide you with snacks and drinks as you cruise around Juneau, looking for humpback whales, seals, orcas, eagles, and more. Whale watching doesn’t get more luxurious than this.
If you don’t have a group to splurge with, don’t worry, there are plenty of affordable whale watching options in Juneau as well. For example, you can book this tour for around $125 per person!
What to Do in Ketchikan
Take a Scenic Flight Over the Misty Fjords
Hands down, this was my favorite thing I did in Alaska. Misty Fjords National Monument is absolutely stunning, and there’s no better way to see it than by seaplane. We did a tour with Southeast Aviation that took us soaring over the fjords and included a lake landing (my favorite part of the trip). If you’re going to splurge on one activity during your time in Southeast Alaska, this might have to be my number one pick!
On a previous trip, I also did the Misty Fjords flightseeing plus crab feast combo tour. On this tour, you make a landing at George Inlet Lodge for a feast of unlimited Dungeness crab. The crab was AMAZING, but I have to say I preferred the lake landing tour versus the combo. But this could be a good option if you have less time here and want to fit in some local seafood alongside your flightseeing.
Get Out on the Water by Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaking has been one of my favorite things to do every time I’ve visited Alaska. On this trip, I went out with Southeast Exposure on their Eagle Island Sea Kayaking excursion. We spent several hours kayaking around Clover Pass inside the Tongass National Forest. The trip took us paddling around Eagle Island and Clover Island, spotting some seals, starfish, and eagles as we went.
Learn about Totem Carving in Saxman
Saxman Village has the largest collection of standing totem poles, so if you want to learn about totems and how they’re carved, their historical significance, and the stories behind them, this is the place to go! We were lucky enough to get a private tour by carver Kelly White during our visit. He explained the techniques of carving, how the paint was historically made (with chewed salmon roe providing the oil base!), the tools he uses, the stories behind a few of the totems from his clan, and more about Northwest Coast Formline. One interesting thing I learned – when a totem falls, they move it to a “totem graveyard” of sorts and let nature reclaim it. Then, they carve a new totem based on the original (sometimes an exact replica, sometimes inspired by, depending on the carver) to go up in its place.
What To Do in Wrangell
Do the Ultimate Bear Viewing Experience at Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory
If you’re in Wrangell at the right time of year (mainly July to mid-August), you cannot miss visiting the Anan Bear & Wildlife Observatory. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can view both black and browns bear in the same fishing spot, as they come out for the salmon at Anan Creek. As a protected area, there are limited permits available for visitors, so you need to book a spot on a tour as early as possible (the earlier, the better). Alaska Vistas is one option for booking, which you can check out here.
Hunt for Ancient Petroglyphs on the Beach
Petroglyph Beach in Wrangell has the highest concentration of petroglyph carvings in Southeast Alaska, dating all the way back up to 8000 years (that’s before the pyramids, y’all)! You’ll find them as you walk along the beach – spirals, animal shapes, and more – scattered amongst the rocks, left by the early Tlingit people. They’ve found at least 40 petroglyphs there, though some have been moved up to the museum in town. My favorites I found were the sea dragon (pictured below) and the whale. Pro-tip: some of the petroglyphs can be easier to spot in the rain while the rocks are wet!
Boat up the Stikine River
Spend a day out on the water jetting up the Stikine River, which explorer John Muir called “a Yosemite a hundred miles long.” You’ll take in beautiful views and hopefully spot some wildlife along your journey as you make your way up to Shakes Lake. Depending on the season and ice conditions, you may even be able to make your way up to Shakes Glacier as well. We booked our river boating via Alaska Vistas, who also offer another jet boating tour if you’re interested in a different itinerary. That one takes you up to LeConte Glacier, where you might even see harbor seals lounging around on the ice!
Hike Through the Rainforest
One cool thing about all of these towns in Southeast Alaska? They all border the massive Tongass National Forest! One hike I loved in Wrangell was to Rainbow Falls. Technically, this hike is not part of the national forest, but it’s still a trek through a beautiful rainforest up to a waterfall, so you really can’t go wrong! If you have a rental car, you can venture out more into the forest, including to more remote campsites. Another cool thing to note – there are 23 cabins maintained by the Forest Service in the area. A lot of them can only be reached by boat or floatplane (which you can charter a ride out to them), and you’ll need to book them well in advance, but these cabins are perfect for anyone looking for some remote wilderness relaxation time.
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