(907) 983-3900
Text Us
201 2nd Ave Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907.983.3900 • Fax: 907.983.3915
Mailing Address: M & M Tour Sales P.O. Box 1027 Skagway, AK 99840
Email: toursskagway@gmail.com
Your port-of-call in Skagway will be the highlight of your Alaska vacation. When you arrive, what Skagway excursion are you going to take? Do you want to ride the famous White Pass train? Would you like to walk on an ancient glacier after an incredible Skagway helicopter excursion? Would you like to feel the wind through your hair as you drive a team of Alaskan huskies down the trail?
At M&M Tours, we offer all of the best Skagway excursions. You can book ahead of time or wait until the day of your departure (more on this below). Text or call and we will do our best to make sure you get the Skagway tour you’re looking for. Why else should you choose M&M Tours?
Before traveling to Skagway, you should take some time to get your bearings. If you’re taking a Skagway excursion while in port, you will first want to know where your cruise ship is berthing. There are three cruise ship docks in Skagway, so depending on where your cruise ship berths, you will have a different route to Downtown Skagway. If you’re unsure where your cruise ship is docking, you can download a Skagway cruise schedule at Cruise Line Agencies website.
Once you’ve scheduled your Skagway excursion, we recommend heading to the Skagway Visitor Center, located at the Arctic Brotherhood Hall. The building is located between 2nd and 3rd Avenue on Broadway in the heart of downtown Skagway. The facade is covered in driftwood and is the most photographed building in Alaska.
"Where can I find information about Skagway before I visit?" Simply click the link and check out the Skagway Tourism Department’s website.
If you’re planning a Skagway excursion, you should plan for any variety of weather. This is especially true if your tour is outdoors. You can find valuable weather information about Skagway on the internet but it makes sense to plan for anything. Wear clothing layers that can be removed or bring along layers that may be added.
Always bring prescription medication with you. If you run out or need medical attention, you can get care at the Dahl Memorial Clinic. It’s more than a mile away from the cruise docks so you probably want to get a taxi or take the city bus.
Lastly, bring along the things you need to get the most out of your Skagway tour or excursion. Make a checklist that includes your smartphone, charger, binoculars, snacks, raincoat, or anything else you desire. If you have questions about what to bring, feel free to give us a call or send a text.
If you're planning your cruise to Alaska, then now is the time to sort through our selection of Skagway tours and find the perfect excursion for you and your family. M&M Tours is the only tour brokerage contracted by the Municipality of Skagway, making us the most trusted source for local Skagway tours.
By booking independently from the cruise ship, you stand to save a substantial amount of money. So, why is it that so many people choose to book their tours in Skagway through the cruise lines?
As year-round Skagway residents with over a decade in the local tour sales business, we've met a number of people that see our prices while in port and realize that they paid hundreds of dollars more than necessary. Invariably, these cruise passengers voice the reasons that they booked their Skagway tours on the ship, and what follows is a brief overview.
"I should have booked my Skagway tours with you guys!" - Something we hear every day "They told me that if I book my tours in Skagway independently that I could miss my ship's departure." This is the most common reason we hear why people book their Skagway excursion on the ship, and it's undoubtedly a legitimate concern. At M&M Tours, you will never miss your ship, because every purchase comes with a GUARANTEE that we will pay to fly you to your next port if your tour results in missing your ship.
So, in our 22 years as the leading tour broker in Skagway, how many times have we paid to fly someone to their next port? NOT ONCE!
The threat of missing your cruise ship is fabricated so that you spend your money on the ship. When you think about it, how long would any Skagway tour vendors stay in business if their customers were regularly missing their ship departure? The answer is obvious.
This is a tricky question to answer because it makes sense to book some tours ahead of time but others may be better suited to book after you arrive in port. Let’s look at this question in detail.
If the Skagway excursion you most want to do is in high demand, then it makes sense to book ahead of time. Skagway helicopter excursions are a good example. These tours often sell out well ahead of time because Skagway usually has four ships in port. If you want to take a Skagway helicopter excursion to the glacier or to the dog sledding camp, we urge you to book the tour right now.
The White Pass train excursion is also a high-demand tour but there is almost always plenty of seats available throughout the day. For this reason, we suggest waiting until you arrive in Skagway to decide whether to take the tour.
Why? Because weather can significantly impact your enjoyment of the tour. Sometimes fog or low-level clouds make visibility on the Skagway train excursion poor. If you wait to book your excursion, you can talk to the tour sales agent about the visibility and make other arrangements if necessary.
Whether you book your Skagway tour ahead of time or on the day of the tour, you are going to save a substantial amount of money. At M&M Tours, we are dedicated to offering our guests the best prices combined with top-quality customer care.
Excursions in Skagway may be canceled for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is bad weather. Inclement weather affects every tour operator, regardless of whether you book on the ship or with a local Skagway vendor.
When you book your Skagway excursion ahead of time, we hold your reservation with a credit card, but we don’t charge you for the tour until the day you arrive in port. This means we don’t have to go through a cumbersome refund process. If your tour is canceled after you pay, we give you a full refund. This sometimes happens on Skagway helicopter excursions when weather causes them to be canceled at the last minute, or due to unforeseen circumstances.
When you book your tours with one of our agents in Skagway, they will confirm your departure time and send you all pertinent information by email. You are free to reach out at any time with questions or changes to your itinerary.
Best of all, if your tour is canceled or your situation changes, you can choose one of our other tours from our long list of Skagway options.
Not everyone likes to plan every detail of their vacation ahead of time. You may be the type of person that waits to book tours until the day of your arrival because you want to see how you feel, make sure the weather cooperates, monitor the mood of your children, or just because you like a little spontaneity in life.
If you want to wait until you dock in Skagway to book your tours - no problem. Browse through our list of Skagway excursions today, and as you look through the website write down the tours you like most. When you are in Alaska, simply call or text us via this website from your smartphone and book your tour.
If you call early in the morning on the same day as your arrival, it is likely we will still have what you're looking for. If not, we will help you find something else. Just because you wait until the last minute, doesn't mean you are forced to book Skagway excursions on your ship. Even if you have a large group, we can usually accommodate your needs if you get a hold of us between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m.
Are you excited about your upcoming trip to Skagway and other ports in Alaska? We are eager to show you why we love this place we call home, so take a few moments to familiarize yourself with all of our exciting Skagway tours. You can find us proudly featured on the Skagway Municipal Tourism website.
If you would like to find tours in other ports, we also offer a handful of quality tours in Ketchikan and Juneau, a few of which are listed on this site. If you would like to learn more about excursions in Ketchikan and tours in Juneau, simply follow the links. By booking tours in every port with M&M Tours, you can save additional money via our "package tour options."
Best of all, when you buy with Skagway locals, your money stays in our small Alaskan community, which is important for a town of barely 1000 residents that hosts up to 15,000 visitors daily.
We can't wait to see you in Skagway, so if you need any help with our tours simply call (907) 983-3900 or text (907) 612-0889, and we will take good care of you and your group.
Skagway's history is inexorably linked to the original Tlingit population, who referred to the area as Shgagei, which is an idiom that means "lady in the rock", likely named after the prominent mountain ridge to the west that resembles a woman’s face.
The Lynn Canal is the second-longest fjord in North America, and the deepest in the world at over 2,000 feet in depth. It was first explored by Joseph Whidbey in 1794. George Vancouver named the famed inlet after his birthplace, King's Lynn.
Shgagei is also the nickname of Kanagu, who is a mythical woman who transformed herself into stone along Skagway's shore. According to legend, it is Kanagu who causes the strong winds that blow toward Haines, Alaska to the south, where Tlingit people lived for millennia. Parson's Peak, which is colloquially called "Face Mountain" in Skagway, is likely the Kanagu stone formation of legend. Face Mountain is a prominent Skagway landmark and a highlight of many tours that originate in Skagway.
While the area around Skagway was used by native populations from prehistoric times, Skagway's present location was uninhabited. A former steamboat captain by the name of William Moore made the first recorded survey expedition over what would be named the White Pass. This is the pass that makes Skagway the Gateway to the Klondike and is where the White Pass & Yukon Route Skagway train excursion is centered.
William Moore and his son Ben created a homestead at the terminus of the Skagway River because he recognized it as the most direct route to the goldfields of the Yukon. They named their home Mooresville and built a log cabin, wharf, and sawmill that would prove instrumental to Skagway's development in the coming years.
Moore's instincts were validated when gold was discovered in the Klondike. The ensuing Klondike Gold Rush ushered in a new age for Skagway, and it was incorporated as Alaska's first incorporated city in 1898.
The reason Mooresville didn't become the official name was that Moore's fortunes took a sour turn in 1897. His property was overrun and stolen by prospectors who then sold it. In just a few months, Skagway's population swelled to more than 30,000. Jack London called Skagway "little better than hell on Earth," because the town was lawless and mean. Rival gangs battled amidst a backdrop of gambling and prostitution, while intrepid gold seekers prepared for the 500-mile arduous journey to the Klondike.
Many Skagway excursions focus on this storied history and retell the tale of the famous shootout between Soapy Smith and Frank Reid on the Juneau Wharf, which is called the Railroad Dock in Skagway today.
Today, Skagway is a First Class Alaskan Borough with a population of just over 1,000 hardy and friendly souls. The economy is mainly tourism, although Skagway's port provides shipping to and from the Yukon.
The Skagway borough is quite large, with an area of 464 square miles. You would have to take multiple Skagway excursions to see it all. Skagway is also within the Alaskan time zone, which is one hour ahead of the West Coast of the United States. Over a million tourists visit Skagway every season, many of which enjoy tours during their stay. Some of the more popular Skagway excursions we offer include:
Skagway is especially loved by the people who call it home. The local K-12 school boasts the highest test scores in the state of Alaska, and families benefit from the small-town atmosphere and many town functions. If you're visiting Skagway on a cruise ship, you will find the locals to be friendly and helpful.
At M&M Tours, we are proud to be locally owned and operated by year-round Skagway residents. All of our employees are year-round residents, and many grew up and went to school in Skagway. When you purchase your tour with us not only are you saving money, but you're also supporting our local economy.
If you buy a tour from us, every penny is staying in Alaska.
If you're not the touring type, there is still plenty to do in Skagway. You could also incorporate anything on this list into your day before or after you enjoy a local tour.
Lower Dewey Lake is a short hike from downtown Skagway to a pristine glacial lake stocked with brook trout. This is a popular local getaway. The hike to Dewey Lake in Skagway only takes 20 minutes, and you can follow this trail to other popular hiking destinations like Upper Dewey Lake, Sturgill's Landing, and Upper Reid Falls.
Yakutania Point is another popular local hangout, and part of a larger hike to Smuggler's Cove. From the Skagway Airport, which is near the point of origin for helicopter and flightseeing tours, a bridge over the Skagway River leads to this picturesque spot where whales are often spotted. You can’t see this spot on a Skagway excursion because it’s a public space.
The Gold Rush Cemetery is located along the tracks of the famous White Pass & Yukon Route, so if you're on the Skagway train tour, you will get a brief glimpse of this historical landmark. Not only is this cemetery the last resting place of Soapy Smith and Frank Reid, but it is also the point of access for Lower Reid Falls, which is a stunning 100- foot-high waterfall.
The Klondike Gold Rush National Park spans parts of downtown Skagway, Dyea, the Yukon, and even Seattle, Washington. In Skagway, you can visit park headquarters on 2nd and Broadway, and then head across the street to check out Soapy Smith's Parlour, which was restored in 2015. Another highlight is The Arctic Brotherhood Hall, which is the driftwood-covered building on Broadway and the most photographed structure in all of Alaska.
Pullen Park is located near the waterfront and is a great place to relax after enjoying a Skagway tour. You can cook out some food in the covered picnic area while watching locals catch pink salmon in the pond. If you ask nicely, you may even be able to talk them into sharing some of that tasty salmon with you and your tour group.
AT M&M Tours, we specialize in catering to the needs of our many cruise ship visitors. With convenient locations at every cruise dock, we make it easy to shop locally. We want you to have a good time, so we will help you find a tour in Skagway that suits your interests. Our goal is not to sell you the most expensive tour available, but to find you a tour that you will thoroughly enjoy.
Ask yourself this question: "Why did I choose to come to Alaska for my vacation?
Are you interested in experiencing the life of the Klondike gold seeker? Were you hoping to see an eagle swoop down to the water and scoop up a fish? Did you want to enjoy the tender licks from a husky puppy that may one day grow into an Iditarod champion?
Whatever your fancy, we will diligently work to find the perfect Skagway tour for you and your family.
Drop us a line today and let us help you make your Alaskan dreams come true. We offer group discounts and can combine your Skagway tour with other popular shore excursions in Juneau and Ketchikan for additional savings.
We are eager to share the love of our Alaskan home with you. Book your tour of Skagway with real locals by contacting us today.
201 2nd Ave Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907.983.3900 • Fax: 907.983.3915
Mailing Address: M & M Tour Sales P.O. Box 1027 Skagway, AK 99840
Email: toursskagway@gmail.com
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Skagway, Alaska. All rights reserved.