Icy Strait Point

Icy Strait Point is a purpose-built cruise destination on the shore of Chichagof Island near the Tlingit village of Hoonah, with no downtown of its own — the whole visitor experience radiates out from a restored 1930s salmon cannery. Passengers disembark directly onto a pier and pick from a short list of well-run excursions: one of the world's longest ziplines, whale-watching in Point Adolphus (the Inside Passage's best-documented humpback feeding ground), and brown-bear searches in the Spasski River Valley. The lack of crowds relative to Juneau or Ketchikan is the main draw; many cruisers rank Icy Strait Point among their favorite Alaska stops for exactly that reason. Two cruise berths now accept most ships without tendering, but smaller vessels still anchor.