Best Alaska Excursions for 2026

Last Updated: Jan 07, 2026

Whether it's your first time in Alaska or you're a seasoned traveler, this guide can help you choose the best excursions Alaska has to offer. You can enjoy everything from scenice boat or train tours to exhilarating dog sledding rides and helicopter tours. Read on to find our picks for the best excursions in Alaska for 2026:

1. Juneau Dog Sledding & Glacier Helicopter Tour

Port: Juneau

Tour Type: Small Group, Dog Sledding Tour, Helicopter Tour, Glacier Tour

Points of Interest: Mendenhall Valley, Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau Icefield

Best For: First-Time Alaska Explorers, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Adventure Seekers, Great for Kids

This dog sledding and helicopter tour is the experience of a lifetime. You'll start your adventures on a helicopter ride to the Herbert Glacier over the breathtaking landscape of Juneau. After landing in the Mendenhall Valley, you'll get to meet the dogs that will take you on a thrilling dog sled ride across a snow-covered valley between the majestic mountains on the Juneau Icefield. Many visitors say this tour was the highlight of their Alaska vacation.

2. Skagway White Pass Railroad Summit Excursion

Port: Skagway

Tour Type: Train Tour

Points of Interest: White Pass Railroad, White Pass summit, Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, Dead Horse Gulch, Klondike Trail

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Comfort-First Travelers, Easy-Paced/Limited-Mobility Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travlers, Great for Kids

This White Pass Railroad excursion is the most popular excursion in Alaska. You'll enjoy a fully narrated journey along the "Scenic Railway of the World" and up to the White Pass summit, which is 2,865 feet in elevation. Along the trip, you'll be able to enjoy views of canyons, mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls.

3. Skagway Glacier Helicopter Tour

Port: Skagway

Tour Type: Small Group, Helicopter Tour, Glacier Tour

Points of Interest: Denver Glacier

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families & Multi-Generational Groups, Active and Adventure Seekers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travlers, Great for Kids

On this helicopter tour, you can explore the beauty of million-year-old glacial icefields. During the flight, you'll get the chance to see wildlife, mountains, rainforest, icefalls, ice spires, and vibrant-blue crevasses. After landing on a glacier, you'll go on a guided walking tour across the surface of the glacier while snapping photos of this magnificent piece of history.

4. Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour

Port: Juneau

Tour Type: Whale Watching Tour, Glacier Tour, Boat Tour, Land Tour

Points of Interest: Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal, Saginaw Channel, Auke Bay, Mendenhall Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier Visitor's Center

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families & Multi-Generational Groups, Wildlife and Nature Lovers, Comfort-First Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids

This combo whale watching and glacier tour is the best way to make the most of your day in Juneau. From specially-designed boats with large windows, heated cabins, and outdoor decks, this whale watching journey will take you through Favorite Channel, Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal, or Saginaw Channel. These are all excellent opportunities to spot wildlife and take a few snaps. You'll have plenty of time on the water, so you're sure to see tails, breaches, and an array of spouts from these magnificent whales!

5. Deluxe Misty Fjords National Monument Tour

Port: Ketchikan

Tour Type: Small Group, Seaplane Tour

Points of Interest: Misty Fjords National Monument, Big Goat Lake

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Active and Adventure Seekers, Wildlife and Nature Lovers, Scenic and Photography-Focused Travelers

This floatplane tour is the best way to fully appreciate the dramatic beauty of the Misty Fjords National Monument. During this narrated flight, you'll get to see Ketchikan's lush forests, snowcapped mountains, and abundant wildlife from the window seat of a floatplane. After experiencing majestic fjords, cascading waterfalls, jewel-like lakes, and abundant wildlife from the air, your journey will end with an exhilarating landing on an alpine lake or remote fjord.

6. Yukon Suspension Bridge & Summit Tour

Port: Skagway

Tour Type: Small Group, Land Tour

Points of Interest: White Pass, Yukon Suspension Bridge, Chilkoot Mountains, Gold Rush Cemetery

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Easy-Paced Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids

In this small group tour, you'll depart from Skagway in a 10-passenger van and begin your trip on the Klondike Highway, up the White Pass, and into the Yukon. Along the way, you'll enjoy photo stops, including at Reid Falls and the White Pass Summit. You'll spend 30 minutes at the Yukon Suspension Bridge, where you can get stunning views of the Tutshi River roaring below. Enjoy the outdoor museum, gift shop, and maybe grab a bowl of reindeer chili at the cafe. This tour parallels the White Pass Railroad route and offers a different way to take in the beauty of White Pass. This tour enters Canada, so passports are required.

7. Icy Strait Whale Watching Tour

Port: Icy Strait

Tour Type: Whale Watching Tour, Boat Tour

Points of Interest: Icy Strait Point, Shaman Point

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Wildlife and Nature Lovers, Comfort Seekers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids

On this whale-watching tour, you'll get to watch the Humpback whales that come to Hoonah in huge numbers each summer. These whales are amazingly active, and sightings will include diving, blows, and flukes (tails). Lucky whale-watchers may get the thrilling experience of watching the whales breach or bubble-net feeding.

8. Seward Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise Tour

Port: Seward

Tour Type: Boat Tour, Glacier Tour, Wildlife

Points of Interest: Kenai Fjords, Resurrection Bay, Holgate Glacier, Aialik Bay, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Resurrection

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Wildlife and Nature Lovers, Comfort-First Travelers, Easy-Paced/Limited-Mobility Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids

Join this breathtaking wildlife and glacier cruise to view the Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier. Enjoy a complimentary deli lunch as you cruise through the protected waters of Aialik Bay. The tour concludes with a cruise to either the Chiswell Islands or Cape Resurrection in search of whales, otters, Steller sea lions, bald eagles, shore birds, and more.

9. Ketchikan Alaska Fishing & Wilderness Dining

Port: Ketchikan

Tour Type: Fishing, Food Tour

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families & Multi-Generational Groups, Active & Adventure Seekers, Wildlife & Nature Lovers, Great for Kids

The best fish you'll ever eat in Alaska is the fish you catch yourself. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, seals, whales, or spawning salmon as you fish for rockfish, cod, and seasonal salmon. On this guide fishing tour, what you catch will be the centerpiece of your gourmet meal of saffron-infused bouillabaisse-inspired stew, followed by warm blueberry crisp. You'll enjoy the meal at a beachside camp, with a crackling fire.

10. Juneau Mendenhall Glacier Express Bus

Port: Juneau

Tour Type: Glacier Tour, Land Tour

Points of Interest: Mendenhall Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier Visitor's Center

Best for: First-Time Alaska Visitors, Families and Multi-Generational Groups, Comfort-First Travelers, Easy-Paced Travelers, Scenic and Photography Focused Travelers, Great for Kids

Mendenhall Visitors

The perfect way to explore Juneau's most visited site, the majestic Mendenhall Glacier. Board a luxury bus for a narrated round-trip ride to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center. Once there, enjoy two hours to explore the Visitors Center, trails, and glacier views. This tour provides ample time to walk to Nugget Falls.

FAQ:

1. What are the best Alaska tours for first-time visitors?

Our Best Alaska Cruise Excursions for 2026 are all excellent choices for first-time visitors. They are well reviewed by past guests and provide options to enjoy the scenery, wildlife, experiences, and people that make Alaska unforgettable.

2. Are Alaska tours suitable for families and older travelers?

Yes — many tours are family-friendly and easy-paced. We list the physical and age requirements, as well as the ADA Accessibility, in the “Things to Know” section of each tour.

3. How long do most Alaska shore excursions last?

Most tours range from 2–6 hours and are designed to fit cruise port timeframes.

4. Do Alaska tours operate in rain or cold weather?

Most land-based tours operate rain or shine. Flightseeing tours may be canceled due to unfavorable weather. This decision is made by the tour provider. If your tour provider cancels your excursion due to weather conditions, your tour will be refunded in full.

5. Is it better to book Alaska tours in advance or wait until arrival?

We recommend booking as soon as you are ready and able. Popular tours sell out in peak season. Booking ahead gives better availability and planning confidence. This is especially important for glacier helicopter, White Pass Train Tours, and wildlife tours.