Icy Strait Point on Your Own: Icy Strait Point Things To Do
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Cruising to Icy Strait Point? We cover DIY activities, maps, hikes, whale watching, gondola rides, and how to visit nearby Hoonah from the cruise port.
The only way to visit Icy Strait Point is via cruise ship. The entire place is catered to those visiting via sea. The destination was built on an abandoned canning factory.
If you’re planning an Alaska cruise, check out our full guide to Cruise Ports in Alaska.
Icy Strait Point on Your Own: (Jump To)
Arriving in Icy Strait Point
Step off your ship into the compact, walkable Icy Strait Point cruise port with clear signage to dining, shops, the cannery, and trailheads. Before you roam, screenshot the Icy Strait Point cruise port map so you can bounce between Icy Strait Point attractions without backtracking.
Once you exit the boat you’ll be greeted by a small visitors center. They call it the Adventure Center. Inside are restrooms, a small gift shop, and a coffee booth. This is likely where you will meet for any shore excursions.
Passing through the lodge will land you in an open area. Here you can visit the Duck Point Smokehouse Restaurant for food or drinks.
This is also a great spot to watch the people who booked a ride on the Icy Strait Zip Rider, a very long zipline down the mountainside.
There is also a station for the Transporter Gondola, but more on that below.
Where to Spot Whales in Icy Strait Point
Keet Plaza, the boardwalk piers, and the cannery docks are prime, free vantage points for Icy Strait Point Alaska whale watching between scheduled tours. Bring binoculars and linger—DIY sightings here are among the easiest things to do in Icy Strait.
Following the path in front of the Zip Rider Landing, you’ll be on your way to the Cannery. (There are plenty of signs, you can’t miss it). Make a stop at Keet Plaza. Keet Plaza is an outdoor dock and viewing area. Here you can check out the giant killer whale statue. This is also a great place to stare out at the ocean to try to spot whales in the water. There’s nothing better than Icy Strait Point whale watching for free from this serene setting.
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Visiting the Hoonah Cannery
The restored cannery doubles as a mini-museum and shopping hub, making it one of the top things to do in Icy Strait Point Alaska for travelers who want history with their souvenirs. Informational displays and photo-ready piers add depth to things to do in Icy Strait Point beyond simple browsing.
Following the boardwalk from Keet Plaza, you’ll pass some small and cute private homes and a cemetery. The Cannery is right past the Cookhouse Restaurant.
The Cannery is your shopping mecca. There are shops after shops selling all your favorite cruise port things and plenty of Alaska souvenirs.
Intermixed between the shops are small and informative displays about the history of the cannery. There are even some machines leftover from the fish packing days that are covered in fake blood, like a horror film. Fun for the kids.
After shopping the cannery exit toward the rear of the building. Make sure to make your way out to one (or all three) of the wooden piers to continue whale spotting. they are also great photo spots.
Outside is a crab restaurant and a massively popular donut hut.
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Visiting Hoonah From Icy Strait Point
Walk about 30 minutes or hop the shuttle to Hoonah for local flavor, Tlingit culture, and a quieter scene than the busy dock—an easy add-on to Icy Strait Point tours. If you prefer structure, many Icy Strait Point excursions include a guided town stop paired with coastal scenery.
For a taste of real life in this part of Alaska, you can make the trip to Hoonah. It will take you about 30 minutes to walk there. Most of the way is a nice path, but you will be walking on a thin shoulder of the road for the final portion.
You can also choose to take the USD$5 round-trip shuttle. Tickets are available in the booth behind the donut hut.
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Don’t forget to pack a good pair of travel binoculars to spot wildlife from the ship!
Check out our What to Pack Guide for more suggestions.
What To See in Hoonah
Check out totem poles, a carving shed (when open), small galleries, and coffee spots for a snapshot of life in Icy Strait Point Alaska beyond the pier. It’s low-key, so think mellow browsing and casual photos rather than a packed list of things to do in Icy Strait Point.
The journey is the best part of visiting Hoonah. It’s a very small and very sleepy town. There were a few more gift shops that mirrored things being sold back in the cannery.
There are also a few nice-looking totem poles worth seeing. There seemed to be a shop where totem poles are made, but it was closed during our visit. There was also a coffee shop.
We spent about 20 minutes in town before taking the shuttle back to the Cannery area.
Icy Strait Point Nature Hike
A short coastal-forest loop near the Adventure Center delivers eagle spotting and sea views, a quick win among things to do Icy Strait Point Alaska. Stay left at the merge to continue toward Wilderness Landing if you want to connect hikes with eateries and shops.
A very brief looping nature trail is available. It's directly to the right before you enter the Adventure Center.
It starts along the ocean before turning into the forest. At the merge point, keep left and continue to Wilderness Landing.
On the way, keep your eyes peeled for Bald Eagles nesting on the trees lining the shore.
Icy Strait Point Gondola
Ride the Icy Strait Point Gondola to Sky Point for big views on clear days and an easy alpine stroll, or use the free Transporter ride as your scenic shuttle. If you’re planning your time around the Icy Strait Point tram and the famous Icy Strait Point zipline, book the zip early and float the rest of your day.
Once you get to Wilderness Landing (which is just an open area and another dock) you’ll see two gondolas. The Skyrider Gondola costs about US$45 and takes you high up the mountain to an area they call Sky Point. It was extremely cloudy and foggy on our visit, so we decided it wasn’t worth the cost to go up. We were told that there is a one-mile nature trail up there and a small lake, but the clouds took away the possibility of a great view.
Instead, we rode the Transporter Gondola. It's a short fun ride that takes you back to the Adventure Center area. It’s free to ride, so go as many times as you like!
We spent about 3 hours exploring Icy Strait Point before returning to our cruise ship. If you’re trying to pick the best stop during your sailing to do a shore excursion, I would recommend a whale watching trip here.
Our next stop is Juneau Alaska where we take a trip to the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier.
Free Things To Do in Icy Strait Point
See the Cannery Museum and shop in the Cannery Shops.
Walk to Hoonah (or a shuttle for $5).
Take the nature hike along the ocean and into the forest.
Watch for whales at Keet Plaza.
Take a free gondola ride.
Best Shore Excursions From Icy Strait Point
Top picks include Icy Strait Point Alaska whale watching, bear-viewing safaris, and cultural tours that blend village stops with coastal scenery. Adrenaline seekers can pair wildlife-forward Icy Strait Point excursions with the record-long Icy Strait Point zipline for a signature port day.
Whale Watching and Marine Wildlife Cruise
This is the most popular excursion from Icy Strait Point—and for good reason. Hoonah is one of the best whale-watching spots in Alaska, and sightings are almost guaranteed. Boats depart from the nearby dock and spend a few hours scanning Icy Strait for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, and harbor seals. The small boats mean everyone gets a good view, and guides are usually locals who add great commentary about the area.
Bear Island Wildlife Excursion
This 4-hour small group tour explores what's been called “Bear Island” by National Geographic, an area near Hoonah known for having one of the highest concentrations of brown bears in the world. You’ll head out with a local guide who uses real-time data about recent bear movements and feeding behaviors to lead you to the best chance of spotting brown bears in the wild. Along the way, you’ll explore diverse terrain including old-growth forest, muskeg meadows, and berry-covered hillsides that support Sitka black-tail deer, mink, martens, red squirrels, bald eagles, and more. The flexible route and small group size mean your guide can re-position quickly if needed—boosting your chances of spotting wildlife. It's a rugged but rewarding adventure for travelers hoping to see Alaska’s wild side.
Village Tour and Crab Feast
This three-hour shore excursion from Icy Strait Point combines an authentic look at daily life in Hoonah with one of the freshest meals you’ll find in Alaska. You’ll travel by van through the island’s only village, stopping to pull a crab pot from the water before heading to the host’s beach house to prepare lunch. Along the way, visit a forest garden where locals grow vegetables and forage wild ingredients, learn about sustainable living, and stop at a carving shed to watch Tlingit artisans create totem poles from yellow cedar. The experience wraps up with a waterside crab feast that includes locally caught dungeness crab, Thai-style fried rice, and a wild berry dessert. Beer and wine are also included. This is a great option if you want something slower-paced, personal, and food-focused.
Icy Strait Point Map
Use the official Icy Strait Point cruise port map to navigate between the Adventure Center, Wilderness Landing, gondolas, and the cannery in minutes. Mark restrooms, shuttle stops, and meeting points so your things to do in Icy Strait Point stay smooth even when crowds build.
