21 Unique Things To Do in Icy Strait Point Alaska

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Icy Strait Point is a unique destination for those lucky enough to visit. This is the only private cruise ship destination in Alaska created on Chichagof Island for the cruising passengers to enjoy. I had the pleasure of exploring this destination myself on our first port of call during our Alaskan cruise on Princess.

Here is an amazing list of 21 different activities and things to do in Icy Strait Point in Alaska.

How to Get to Icy Strait Point

🛳️ Cruise Ship

Most visitors arrive by cruise ship since Icy Strait Point is a popular port of call when cruising the Inside Passage of Alaska. The departure point could be Seattle, Vancouver, or another port on the Pacific Ocean. This is the way my mother and I arrived, on a cruise from Seattle and Icy Strait Point was our first port of call.

Help Getting From the Ship to Land

If you cruise to Icy Strait Point, check to see if there are accommodations for getting you across the walkway bridge to the mainland. Due to my walking with a cane on this trip, we rode an open golf cart styled vehicle that held 7 passengers at a time and had room to carry wheelchairs as well. This definitely helped me save my walking energy for exploring all the things to do in Icy Strait Point.

🚤 Boat

Although you can reach Hoonah by private boat, Icy Strait Point is only open when cruise ships are docked. When a ship is in port, then the rest of the facilities are also open to the public.

🛩️ Plane

The nearest large airport is located in Juneau, Alaska which is about 70 miles away. From Juneau, you can catch a flight into Hoonah, the nearest town with an airport on Chichagof Island.

Private flights can be arranged with local airlines to get you over to Chichagof Island. Make sure to check for rates and schedules, or have your travel agent make arrangements for you. If you’d like help booking any Alaskan travel, click here to send me a message.

🚙 Car

If arriving in Hoonah, it is a quick car ride to Icy Strait Point. You can rent a car at the Hoonah Airport to get you over to Icy Strait Point. Make sure to check ahead of time for car availability in the Hoonah area for your trip.

21 Fun and Amazing Things to Do in Icy Strait Point

1 Ride the Gondola

There are two separate gondola rides available at Icy Strait Point. The green one is free and the red one is a set price for unlimited rides.

You can board the free green gondola to cross the woods to the large gift shop and activity area. Once there you have the option to shop, ride the red gondola up the mountain, or sign up for the zip line.

My mother and I opted to ride the red gondola up to the top of the mountain. I have to admit that there aren’t many things to do once at the top. We traveled here in early May and there was still plenty of snow on the ground. The views of the nearby islands and your cruise ship below were absolutely stunning. But other than photo opportunities, there isn’t much to do up there. We rode the complete loop from bottom to top twice since we had paid for the gondola ride to the mountain peak and I did take some stunning pictures.

Accessibility Concerns

On this particular day I wasn’t walking too well, but did not bring my cane. The gondola operator saw my slow progress and actually stopped the gondola car so we could get in without any issues. Once at the top, the young man up there helped us both out. The cars can be stopped at either end to assist with you safely stepping out of the gondola without fear of being dragged along with it. This made both of us feel much safer.

2 Wander Through the Gift Shop

There were actually two different gift shops at Icy Strait Point. The first one is located at the base of the mountain and is the building you walk through to access the rest of the area. If you did not pre-purchase your specific excursion from the cruise line, there was a counter for you to book excursions, buy gondola tickets, or ride the ZipRider.

Although not too many passengers ever get really hungry on a cruise, you could buy drinks and snacks in the gift shop area. Plenty of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and common gift shop items were available for purchase, as well as unique items local to Hoonah and the Tlingit people.

If we check out the second gift shop, this one is located where the green gondola drops people off to the activity area. Outside of the gift shop was a large outdoor fire to warm your bones. It was May but the air temperature was chilly enough for hats and gloves. This gift shop carried the same merchandise as the lower one and is where I bought a pair of binoculars that helped when I got to Glacier Bay.

3 Zip Line

If the adrenaline pumping thrill of flying down the mountainside is your idea of a good time, then the ZipRider at Icy Strait Point is just for you. This is the world’s longest zip line at 5495 feet (1.67 kilometers) and opened in 2007. We watched the last group of passengers ride down from the top before they closed it down. Thick fog at the mountain top launching point caused an early closure for safety reasons.

I actually believe this was a good thing because my 81-year-old mother was considering taking the cold ride down. If she wanted to do it I was going to be right there with her, but I have to admit I was secretly relieved when they closed it early. But I promised her a zip line ride soon. Click here to learn more about the ZipRider.

4 Climbing Course

Although I didn’t see any people using it, we spotted a ropes and climbing course through the trees below the gondola. This is something I can see older kids or teens challenging themselves to tackle.

The lack of people could have been due to the condition of the land all around the course. It was a mess of snow and mud which makes sense with the early May date. We were the first cruise ship to dock at Icy Strait Point in the 2023 season.

5 Tour the Cannery

The Icy Strait Point Cannery was once one of the most productive salmon canneries in the world. At their peak, the cannery exported nearly 4000 tons of canned salmon per year.

The Cannery has now been converted into a museum so visitors have the opportunity to learn about the salmon canning industry. We walked around the canning area looking at the antique machinery. Along the wall and at the machines are plaques sharing original photographs and describing the process of canning the salmon. You can almost imagine the people working the machines as you gaze at the pictures from so many years ago.

6 Visit the Cannery Shops

As you walk through the Cannery building, make sure to check out the small shops on either side of the main walkway. In addition to many salmon products, local Alaskan foods, jellies, jewelry, and handmade crafts are available for purchase. Browse through the small local shops and check to see if any local artisans are in their craft workshops during your visit.

Alaska Wood Creations features sculpted and etched products created by Tlingit natives. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions about their creative processes.

7 Sit Out on the Patio at The Duck Point Smokehouse

Duck Point Smokehouse restaurant was located just across from the lower gift shop and near to the green gondola ride. Sitting on the shoreline, the restaurant is an open area with a counter to order and pick up your food.

The options are limited but include halibut, salmon, or a smoked buffalo burger. Pizzas were also on the menu along with beer, soda, water, coffee, and hot chocolate. Check for any specials too!

It is a cafeteria style setting but the special place was out on the back patio. Here were several wooden chairs set up to capture the view across the water while staying warm with the fire burning cozily in front of you. This was the perfect place to sip my hot chocolate and gaze out across the still water. Gorgeous.

8 Seafood Tasting – Try the Crab!

The Crab House may be nothing fancy, but you are here for the food! Alaskan crab is a world-renowned specialty and the prices were reasonable at the Crab House. Food was ordered at the counter and then taken to a picnic table for enjoying. You can’t get fresher crab than from the area right near to where it was caught.

9 Activities and Things to Do in and Near Hoonah

Alaska’s Icy Strait Point is home to the Huna Tlingit tribes which have stayed in this same area for over 2000 years. Tlingit translates to “where the north wind doesn’t blow.” They have kept their home environment free from outside pollutants and wildlife roam freely across the rugged landscape around Hoonah.

Less than 1000 people live in the village of Hoonah and visitors are welcomed to explore their culture and land. The town sustains itself through fishing, timber, and tourism. Once the Icy Strait Point port was added to the Alaskan cruises through the Inside Passage, the tourism side increased dramatically. There are many interesting places in Hoonah to explore and here are some of them.

Tlingit totem poles
Icy Strait Brewing
Warehouse shops
Cultural Center
Dei L’e.aan – Lisa’s Art Store
Huna Tribal House
The Fisherman’s Daughter Restaurant
Oso Gordito Food Truck
Tideland Tackle and Marine Coffee Corner

10 Cultural Excursions – Tlingit performances, art displays, historical displays

The Native Heritage Center stands as the perfect spot for delving into the history of this remote part of Alaska. It offers cruise passengers a chance to explore authentic Tlingit artifacts that have endured for centuries, followed by a live cultural performance.

Situated within the Native Heritage Center, the theater hosts live shows that not only entertain but also educate. The performances portray the vibrant history and legends of the Tlingit people, which is one of the most entertaining ways to learn about another culture.

11 Cultural Interactive Exhibits

Step into the beautiful Native Heritage Center, where Tlingit culture comes to life. A troupe of talented performers in colorful regalia will portray Native stories through traditional song and dance. Listen to storytellers share tales of the tumultuous days when a rapid glacial advance forced the people from Glacier Bay, their ancestral home. You’re invited to participate in this lively celebration.

12 Meet Local Artisans

Meet and talk to the local Tlingit dancers, storytellers, or crafters. Learn about how these artisans keep their cultural stories alive by sharing their history through their work.

13 ATV Ride

Cruise ship passengers have the opportunity to explore and view the rugged coastline and deep wilderness around Icy Strait Point. Excursions on ATVs allow a ride through the forest at a more physical level. You can book an ATV excursion on your cruise ship or through another tour operator. Stay safe and have fun.

14 Whale Watching

One of the most popular excursions booked at most ports in Alaska is the whale watch. The frigid waters around Alaska are a haven for whales, orcas, porpoises, and sea lions. Whether you choose through the cruise line or a separate tour company, there are many options when choosing your whale watch tour. Click here to check out whale watching tours.

Most of the tours are a few hours long. Some provide snacks and drinks and others have an enclosed area to stay out of the elements. Decide which features best suits your needs and choose from there. If you’d like help selecting excursions for your Alaska trip, contact me by clicking here.

Just a friendly tip, it can get a wee bit chilly out on the water. Make sure to dress in layers for comfort and warmth and add in a waterproof jacket to be on the safe side. You won’t enjoy your thrilling views of whales if you’re wet and freezing cold.

15 Fishing Trips

This part of Alaska is filled with opportunities to join a small group fishing charter experience out on the water. Explore the Icy Strait and Hoonah area and learn why this is a fishing haven. You can fish for halibut which is plentiful in these frigid waters.

Fish and explore the area around Chichagof Island while hearing tales and folklore from the seasoned captains. Groups are kept small for a comfortable excursion aboard your fishing vessel. If you wish to book this activity, you must have a valid fishing license prior to the departure of the boat. No exceptions to this rule.

16 Fresh Water Fishing

If fresh water fishing is your preference, then sign up for a scenic drive through the wilds of Southeast Alaska to the seasonal fish runs.

Char and trout run throughout the summer
Pink and chum salmon run from late June through September
Silver salmon runs from late August through October

Most of these fresh water fishing excursions are catch and release. An Alaskan state fishing license is required before you set off on this fishing trip.

17 Bear Watching

Icy Strait Point is home to the largest concentration of brown bears in the world. Although I would have loved to see one, I am also rather glad I didn’t. At the top of the mountain there’s a sign warning of bears in the area and they are being serious. I’m not sure what I would have done if I’d seen one up close. Probably be the sacrifice since I definitely can’t run very fast. 😂🐻

If you sign up for a bear watching excursion, you will be able to see them in their natural habitat. Have your camera ready to snap a picture and perhaps even capture a photo of the bears catching salmon for dinner. Click here to go looking for bears!

18 Kayaking

Set off from the beach in Icy Strait Point in a 2-person kayak to explore the protected waters of Port Frederick. You are led by a certified local guide as you paddle along the shoreline and the Hoonah waterfront. Check out a kayak tour here.

Stay alert for signs of bald eagles and humpback whales. For additional safety, a motorized boat accompanies the tour. Here are a few bits of additional information to help decide if this is the activity for you.

be able to paddle in small waves and against a moderate current
be out for 2 1/2 hours
must be at least 8 years old
minimum height of 4’10” and maximum height of 6’6″
weight must be between 50-250 pounds

All of these requirements and restrictions are for the safety of the kayakers in the boats being used for the experience.

19 Wilderness Island Tour

If you’d like to explore the beauty of the island from land, then a driving tour across Chichagof Island may be your best choice. Watch for Alaskan wildlife as your local guide shares stories and local history to bring the scenes to life. Sit comfortably and learn about the indigenous people and how they live in harmony within the surrounding area. This is a great excursion for those wanting to experience the Alaskan wildlife in their natural habitat, but without walking or hiking to get to the best viewing spots.

20 Hiking and Walking

There is a 1.1 mile loop starting from the dock that brings you through a nature trail and along the local roads toward Hoonah. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed.

Walk along the rocky beach near the ship and enjoy the fresh air and beauty all around you. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures!

21 Photography Opportunities

The chance to create beautiful memories with your camera are endless. Capture scenes of the untouched landscape, the soaring mountains and trees, or any wildlife you are fortunate enough to see. Everywhere I turned was an opportunity to memorialize what I was seeing because it often seemed unreal. This place is real and totally unforgettable.

FAQs About What to Do in Icy Strait Point

Is Icy Strait Point worth a visit?

If you have read this far, then you know there are many exciting and fun activities and excursions from and at Icy Strait Point. It is definitely worth a visit in my opinion.

Is the gondola at Icy Strait Point free?

There are 2 different gondolas. The green one is free and brings you across to another area at the base of the mountain. The red one is about $50 for unlimited rides up the mountain for amazing views.

How many people live in Icy Strait Point?

This is a private cruise ship destination port built specifically for the several cruise lines that sail the Inside Passage of Alaska. There are several small Tlingit communities on Chichagof Island, with Hoonah being the largest with nearly 1000 residents.

Do you get off the ship at Icy Strait Point?

You have the choice to get off the ship or not, but I highly recommend exploring all Icy Strait Point has to offer. It was my first taste of the natural beauty and fun of Alaska. The ship is docked here for the day, so make the most and get out there to explore the majestic sights of Chichagof Island.

Check out this list of excursions and activities you can sign up for when looking for Things to Do in Icy Strait Point

😀ZipRider Excitement

🐋Whale Watching Tours

🐻Looking for bears! Oh my! 

💧Kayak Tours

In Conclusion: Have an Amazing Time in Icy Strait Point!

I didn’t know what to expect when we arrived at a place specifically developed for the cruise lines. But there were so many different things to do in Icy Strait Point to give you a taste of the Alaskan experience. Plus everything was very close to the dock. This was an excellent introduction to the amazing beauty and culture of Alaska and I look forward to learning more about this unique land.