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10 Best Things to Do in Icy Straight Point, Alaska (A Port Day Guide)

4/14/2026

Icy Straight Point is a popular cruise port in Alaska, and even though it can sometimes be mistaken for Hoonah, it's actually a completely separate area designed just for cruise ship visitors. Unless you walk or drive to Hoonah, you won't actually experience local life outside of the curated tours and experiences they provide here. Personally, it's not my favorite port in the Southeast, however, there's still quite a few things to enjoy in the area like the incredible views from the Skyglider Gondola and the chance for some amazing bear and wildlife viewing.

My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to Alaska. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars!

I always use Expedia's to compare the best rates & stays in the state.

If you're traveling internationally, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, I recommend Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours in the area.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your travels to the great state of Alaska.

Getting Around Icy Straight Point & What to Expect

Once you arrive in Icy Straight Point on your cruise ship, getting around is pretty easy. There are two docking areas, the "Wilderness Landing" and the "Ocean Landing," both are connected by the green colored Transporter Gondola, which is free for everyone to use. If you get confused easily or struggle with directions, they have these giant maps around the entire port.

The Wilderness Landing area is within walking distance to the shuttle that takes you to Hoonah, the Salmon Cannery, the Adventure Center, and is the meeting point for most of the tours and excursions in the area. The Ocean Landing is within walking distance to the red colored Skyglider Gondola that brings you to Sky Peak and all the activities at the top of the mountain like the Zip Rider. There's things to see in both areas, so I recommend taking advantage of your time onshore to explore as much as you can! Overall, the best way to get around in Icy Straight Point is to simply walk.

My Favorite Tours Near Icy Straight Point :
-> Guided Fishing Tour with Locals
-> Whale Watching Cruise
-> Village Tour and Crab Feast

Best Things to Do In Icy Straight Point

1. Go Whale Watching
One of the best things to do in Icy Straight Point is to go whale watching. If you have multiple port days in the Southeast, I recommend either going here or in Juneau. Because Icy Straight Point is only 17 miles from Point Adolphus, one of Alaska's most concentrated feeding areas for humpback whales, sightings are almost guaranteed. It's also popular for bubble feeding, a feeding event where whales work together to blow bubbles from underneath and gather schools of krill by swimming upward with open mouths. If you happen to see it, consider yourself lucky. (p.s. the orca statue above can be found on your way to the cannery)

Book your whale watching tour here.

2. Explore the Salmon Cannery & Museum
Icy Straight Point's most popular attraction is the local Cannery, which is a majority of the area near the Wilderness Landing. A large portion of the Cannery is a gift shop, with another area housing the Museum where you can take a self-guided tour to learn how salmon were caught and processed through the original cannery dating all the way back to 1912. Plus, lots of beautiful views and fun photo opportunities.

3. Try the Gondola Ride
Like I mentioned above, there's actually two different gondolas at Icy Straight Point. The green Transporter Gondola (left) is free for everyone to use, stays pretty low, and connects the Wilderness Landing area to the Ocean Landing area. The other red Skyglider Gondola (right) has the famous views, and brings you to the top of Sky Peak where there's a few other activities to enjoy. This gondola will cost you some money for the 7 minutes ride and is pretty steep, but has incredible views overlooking Icy Straight Point (the land) and Icy Straight (the water).

4. Ride the Zip Rider
Considered the longest zip rider in the world, if you're wanting to experience a thrilling and adrenaline filled experience then this is definitely what you'll want to do during your visit to Icy Straight Point. You'll have to make your way to Sky Peak via the red Skyglider Gondola and then enter the Zip Rider from there. Even the ride itself goes really fast (it lasts about 90 seconds), you'll want to try your best to enjoy the views - which might be even better than on the gondola ride on the way up.

5. Join a Bear Viewing Tour
If you're visiting Alaska, chances are you're hoping to see a bear or two. Luckily, Icy Straight Point is located on Chichagof Island - an island here in Alaska that has one of the highest concentrations of brown bears. You won't want to see one when you're out and about on your own, but you can join a bear viewing tour and be brought out to Spasski River Valley which has a few bear viewing platforms. Tours are fully guided, so you'll learn more about local history and life while hopefully running into a bear or two. Even though my group only saw one bear, it was still one of my favorite things I did while at Icy Straight Point!

Book a bear viewing tour here. (If you're able to book onsite at the Adventure Center, that is what I recommend, however you run the chance of them being sold out for the day.)

6. Huna Tribal House
Located near the Adventure Center in the Wilderness Landing area, this building is an excellent stop if you want to learn more about the native Tlingit people. On the outside you'll find multiple totem poles to admire, and inside you can learn about Tlingit culture and history. In the summer they also have special dance and storytelling performances lasting about one hour each. You can also join this small group village tour + crab feast!

7. Head Out on a Fishing Charter
In addition to some amazing whale watching, Icy Straight Point is also known for some great halibut and salmon fishing opportunities! If you're visiting via a cruise you'll need to book a fishing charter, and I highly recommend booking it as far in advance as you can because they typically sell out pretty early. Most fishing tours last a couple hours, and if you're lucky you'll not only catch a giant halibut or salmon but also see some wildlife like whales and otters along the way! Just make sure to purchase your Alaska State Fishing License online and have it handy, you'll need it if you want to drop any lines in the water.

Book a guided river fishing tour here.

8. Walk to Hoonah
Some people arrive to Icy Straight Point thinking it's the same area as Hoonah, when actually they're two completely different areas. Icy Straight Point is the area that's been created just for cruise ship passengers, whereas Hoonah is the actual local town. If you want to visit it, you'll either have to walk or take the shuttle the 1.5 miles into town. Even though I wanted to do this during my visit, the person at the shuttle booth had no idea when the next shuttle would be and wouldn't give us an estimated time, so it was hard to plan into my trip. If seeing Hoonah is at the top of your list during your Icy Straight Point port day, I recommend heading to the shuttle booth first or just walking over right away so you don't cut it too close to your ship's departure time on the way back.

9. Try Some Places to Eat
Of course, I had to include some local places to eat on my list of things to do while in town. If you're a frequent reader of my blog you know I love trying local restaurants and foods whenever I visit anywhere new. Even though my port day was pretty short, the one place I really recommend trying is 'Lil Gen's Donuts - a small Salvation Army Donut Booth selling 36 different flavors of mini donuts. I tried the Cinnamon & Huckleberry and both were delicious, definitely something I'll be trying again next time I visit. If you're wanting to try something a bit more filling, I would try one of the multiple restaurants on the way to the cannery!

10. Try Kayaking
If you've never been kayaking Icy Straight Point is an excellent spot to try it out for the first time. The water here is usually really calm, and you'll be able to start right from the beach. Because it follows a whale feeding route, there's a chance you might even see humpback whales during your 2.5 hour guided tour.

Watch My Icy Straight Point Port Day Here!