Make every hour in Skagway count.
Glaciers, bears, a Gold Rush main street and a mountain railway — all within walking distance of the ship.
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Pick your time and we’ll plan the day.Browse by category
Drill into what you came for.
Most popular right now
What cruise visitors search for first.
White Pass & Yukon Route Railway
A narrated narrow-gauge ride retracing the stampeders' route to the summit.
Wildlife Safari & Bear Viewing
Fast ferry to Haines, then the Chilkoot Valley to watch brown bears fish for salmon.
Red Onion Saloon
Skagway's original 1898 saloon — pub fare downstairs, brothel museum upstairs.
Skagway Fish Company
Grilled halibut, salmon, king crab and chowder right off the water.
Whale & Wildlife Cruises
Guided boat trips through nearby fjords for humpbacks, seals and waterfalls.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Free visitor center in the 1898 depot, the Gold Fever film and Gold Rush museum exhibits.
Skagway Brewing Company
Craft beer brewed on-site, with locally caught salmon and halibut.
Chilkoot Trail Hike & Float
A stretch of the historic Chilkoot Trail, then float the Taiya River to Dyea.
Itineraries for every port call
Ready-made plans built around real ship schedules.
Pack smart for Alaska
Curated gear for rain, trails and wildlife.
Gear links are Amazon affiliate links.
Weather for your dates
Enter the days you will be in Skagway. We show the National Weather Service forecast for the next 7 days, or typical weather if your trip is further out.
Forecast: National Weather Service. Typical weather: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for Skagway.
Guides for your day
What to wear, how to spend your hours, and what not to miss.
What to Wear in Skagway
Layers, rain gear and shoes for a day ashore.
How to Spend One Day in Skagway
A practical plan for a typical cruise port day.
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway
What to expect from Skagway's signature ride.
Bear Viewing from Skagway
When and how to see brown bears.
Watch before you go
Real footage from the National Park Service.
In Port Today: October 18, 2026
Our 35-second daily video: which cruise ships are in Skagway, when they arrive and leave, and how busy town will be.
What a busy day looks like: July 14, 2027
An In Port Today video for a four-ship summer day, with nearly 14,000 cruise visitors in town.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
The park's history, nature and the people who care for it, from downtown Skagway to the Chilkoot Trail.
Latest articles
New from our editors: bears, wildlife, trails and choosing an excursion.
Bears around Skagway: what visitors and hikers need to know
Black and brown bears live right around town, in Dyea and along the Chilkoot. Here is how to stay safe, what to know about bear spray, and where to watch bears the easy way.
What wildlife you can see around Skagway, and when
A month-by-month guide, May through September, to the whales, seals, eagles, goats, bears, salmon and even toads near Skagway, with where to look on a day in port.
The Chilkoot Trail: day hikes, permits and the closed border at the pass
How to sample the Gold Rush's most famous trail on a port day, and what it takes to backpack it now that the border at the pass is closed to hikers.
Sailing on to other ports?
Quick guides to common Alaska cruise stops.
Juneau
State capital · no road in
Ketchikan
Salmon capital · rainforest
Sitka
Russian & Tlingit history
Icy Strait Point
Private port · whalesPhotos on Unsplash: Juneau, Marco Tjokro; Ketchikan, Joseph Corl; Sitka, Simon Hurry; Icy Strait Point, Meg von Haartman.
Books on the Alaska Gold Rush
Essential history, biography and fiction for the trip.
Get your Skagway day plan for your ship date
Sign up and we’ll take you to a printable plan for your ship’s hours in port: dock, times, a timed walking plan and the map. Then one email a month with ship schedules, crowd-beating tips and seasonal openings.