Port of Skagway

The smallest of ports we visited while on the cruise.
Yet the one port that had the most interest for us. My hubby’s dad was stationed here during the war for three years. So it was fun to wander around the quaint town of 900 that hasn’t changed that much in the last 75 years. The entire town is part of a National Park and the port for many Yukon gold rush miners to start their journey to fortune or loss.
The town is about 15 blocks long and three wide. As you come in from the docks you walk right by the train depot. Inside is a great museum and theater to see what the town was like during the Yukon gold rush. You can also take the train from there up into the mountains and into Canada– take your passport with you if you plan on taking the train.
Take the time to wander the town. North of the business area there’s a creek that runs along between the street and the homes. In early September it’s litterly packed with salmon going upstream. It was so fun to watch and follow the creek to see how far they had traveled. We never found the end.
Around the edges of town are some great hiking trails, all well marked.
Great little town. It reminds me a little of Virginia City, NV

What a gorgeous port and little town. Seasoned cruisers know that most cruise ports are a little bit trashy with over priced trinkets made in China and tacky jewelry for miles. Skagway is NOTHING like this.
The first unique thing you’ll notice as soon as you step off the boat are all the little murals first mates have painted on the rock wall. According to our guide, the first one was painted in 1909. The first mates paint the ship name and the captain’s name. Some are super high up, and you wonder how that got up there without killing themselves.
The town has been preserved from its gold mining hay day, and most of the buildings are still standing from the date they were originally constructed. There is a brothel that unfortunately we didn’t have time to see, but we definitely wanted to check it out. According to our guide, «The price is still the same — $ 5 for 15 minutes, but the services are different.» Lol. We did get to have a beer flight at Skagway Brewing Company, and we bought 4 bars of fudge from Alaskan Fudge.
This cute little town is somewhere I’d love to revisit, especially when I have more time. 8 hours was simply not enough, so if you come here make at least a 3 or 4 day trip out of it. There are plenty of things to do nearby. (That’s what took up most of our time.) Finally, make sure to take a ride on the White Rail Pass. Spectacular views and phenomenal photo opportunities.