Our family spent a magical four months RVing Alaska last summer, and I loved it so much that I want everyone else to experience it, too! It’s one of our favorite places we’ve been in four years of fulltime travel. We even collaborated with the Skagway, Alaska tourism board to promote what a fun place it is to visit! So I’m thrilled to share our favorite things to do in Skagway Alaska with you today.
If you’re planning an Alaska trip, I’ve written an e-book about everything we learned from living there for an entire summer! There are sample itineraries, ideas for every major town, and the best places to camp:
RV Alaska with Kids Travel Guide
If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, you’ve come to the right place! This guide features 20+ pages of what we learned throughout a summer RVing Alaska with Kids.
Things to do in Skagway Alaska:
Walk the historic downtown
If you do nothing else in Skagway, simply walking around the adorable little downtown area is a real experience. It’s gold rush era kitschy with a splash of Alaska glacial mountain range charm. The buildings are all adorably painted, and there are fun shops like the bookstore with the historic spelling of “Skaguay” painted on the front. Duck in and out of the stores and enjoy imagining that you showed up as one of the ambitious (and foolhardy?) gold rushers. Consider a meal at the Red Onion Saloon, a restaurant with a brothel museum that shares the building’s storied past upstairs.
National Park site
Speaking of gold rushers, Skagway has a wonderful little National Historical Park Visitor’s Center that you absolutely should check out. Read the displays and watch the short film to get context about why the town even exists. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be absolutely blown away by how many gold rushers descended upon the Yukon and what harsh conditions they survived.
White Pass & Yukon Railway
This historic train ride takes you through absolutely breathtaking views of the mountain pass that gold rushes had to climb (carrying a year’s worth of supplies!). It’s a pricey trip, but absolutely worth the money if you love vintage trains or gorgeous views. It’s definitely one of the iconic things to do in Skagway.
Take a hike
There are several hiking options around Skagway that range from a casual walk to a more strenuous option. You can walk from downtown to the Lower Reid Falls, which is a pretty walk and also nearby the Gold Rush Cemetary. For more of a challenge, consider the Dewey Lake Trails that lead to beautiful alpine lakes and have lovely views of the harbor from above. Experienced hikers might consider the Chilkoot Trail outside of town, which requires overnighting and a permit. But for an easier option, simply start the trail and turn back when you’re ready to head back to your comfy bed that night!
Dyea trip
History buffs might enjoy a day trip out to the historic Dyea town site. It’s the town that existed before Skagway was founded, and though there isn’t much left of it now, the setting is gorgeous. It’s a lovely place to camp or simply play on the rocky beach, plus the Chilkoot Trail starts out here. If you’ve followed my advice and watched the video at the National Park visitor center, you’ll have an appreciation for why this spot is important.
Stop in for a donut or a brew
Consider checking out the local brewery or donut shop for a special Skagway Alaska treat. Klondike Doughboy serves “doughboys” or sweet fried bread that’s delicious on a cold or rainy day. Skagway Brewing Company is another must-try local stop and an excellent place to warm up from the drizzle.
Sled dog mushing
If it’s in the budget and on the bucket list, there are several outfitters in town that offer sled dog mushing tours. It really is a fun time to be pulled along by a team of happy dogs, and I highly recommend it if you’ve never tried.
Carcross day trip
Carcross is just a brief jaunt into Canada from Skagway, and it’s absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. If you have the time (and a rental car or train ticket!), please add Carcross to your sightseeing list. The drive alone is worth it, plus Carcross offers a summertime outdoor shopping center with locally made crafts, amazing Indigenous artwork, the Carcross desert, and the oldest general store in the Yukon. We drove through Carcross rather quickly and wished we’d had more time to stay!
Ferry to Haines
If Haines, Alaska isn’t already on your list, it’s worth a ferry ride over for the day! The ferry takes just 45 minutes and you’ll be in Skagway’s less touristy sister city with lots of opportunities for bear and bald eagle sightings. If you’re interested in visiting Haines, check out my post about what to do there!
I hope this post was useful to you in planning your time in Skagway! There are so many fun things to do in Skagway, Alaska.
If you need help packing for your trip, be sure to check out my Alaska packing list and take a look at the other posts I’ve written about our time in Alaska:
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