Icy Strait Point will be your favorite cruise port in Alaska — or your least favorite.

Why? You might love the densely forested setting of Chichagof Island, which has the world’s highest population of bears per square mile and is surrounded by waters filled with wildlife — ideal for touring. Within Icy Strait Point, you can sate your need for speed as you fly down a 1,300-foot zip line, dine on fresh Alaska seafood and immerse yourself in southeast Alaska’s history and Native culture.

On the other hand, if you love cruise ports that drop you into the middle of real-world Alaska, Icy Strait isn’t that. It’s a purposefully developed cruise port (think: cruise line private island meets ski resort), and everything there has been carefully created to entice you to spend money. You will need to walk or take a shuttle to the city of Hoonah to see where real Alaskans live.

If you’re inclined to pooh-pooh this kind of port, I urge you not to give up on Icy Strait Point. I was impressed with how well its creators made authentic Alaskan elements accessible to cruise visitors at the port. I didn’t have to go far to try salmon dip and halibut pizza washed down with a locally brewed beer. I toured interesting exhibits about the salmon cannery that used to occupy the site. With a longer stay, I could have gone on a whale-watching cruise in waters so populous that I’d get a 100% refund if a whale wasn’t spotted during the tour.

Read the full article at: https://thepointsguy.com/cruise/things-to-do-icy-strait-point-hoonah-alaska-cruise/