7 Skagway Essentials for a Better Vacation

Just look at these Skagway tourists having the time of their life. Do you know why? Because they read this blog about Skagway essentials!

Are you taking a Southeast Alaska cruise this summer? If so, chances are one of your ports of call is in Skagway. Lucky you! In today’s blog, I am going to list 7 Skagway essentials that will make your vacation better. 

What qualifies as essential?

Have you ever been on vacation and realized how much better it would be if you only had some information beforehand? I went to Disney World one time and quickly realized how much better it would be with earplugs. Kids were screaming and yelling everywhere I went and I am not about that life. None of the many gift stores in Disney World sold earplugs, so I was out of luck. You are going to avoid this scenario in Skagway by simply reading this blog. 

7 Skagway essentials – away we go!

I recommend printing this list and sticking it under a magnet on your refrigerator. When you pack for your Alaska cruise, make sure you go over the list and carry it with you at all times. Except when you shower. 

Skagway Essential #1 – Your passport. When you arrive in Skagway, grab your passport and carry it in your pocket, purse, or whatever. You are likely going to need it. Many tours require a passport because Skagway is right next to Canada. If you don’t have your passport, you’re going to have to walk all the way back to the cruise ship and nobody has time for that.

Skagway Essential #2 – A base layer. What the heck is a base layer, you ask? It’s a warm layer of underwear. You can get one base layer to cover your torso and arms and another to cover your legs. You may think that summers are warm in Alaska but that’s the kind of assumption that can make you have a bad day. I’ve seen it snow on the 4th of July. You can always remove clothing if you’re too cold but there’s nothing you can do to conjure warm clothing when you’re on a mountain hike and the temperature drops 25 degrees. 

Skagway Essential #3 – Your medication. There are no pharmacies in Skagway. If you need prescription medication, bring it with you. Not having your medication will likely make for a bad day, especially if you need it to stay alive. 

Skagway Essential #4 – A water bottle. There are multiple water-refilling stations in Skagway. Some of them are often called “sinks.” Single-use plastic bottles often end up in a ditch, the ocean, or inside one of the M&M Tours flower boxes. Bring your own glass or metal water bottle and drink Skagway’s water, which is undeniably the best tasting water you will ever drink.

Skagway Essential #5 – Quality local maps. When you disembark your cruise ship, someone is going to hand you a map. Throw that map in the garbage. The cruise ship maps are only designed to direct you to certain stores, most of which sell jewelry from overseas. The cruise ship maps aren’t even geographically accurate, which causes passengers to get lost. Getting lost in a town the size of Skagway is embarrassing, so make sure you have an accurate map to work from. Follow this link for an assortment of quality local maps created by our local Skagway Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. Thank me later. 

Skagway Essential #6 – Lip balm. Skagway is windy. In fact, the word Skagway literally means “super windy place in Alaska.” The wind is bad for your lips. It sucks away the moisture, leaving your lips dry, cracked, bleeding, and sore. Solution? Bring some lip balm and wear it. 

Skagway Essential #7 – Cash or credit card. One unfortunate fact is life is that you need money to buy things. If you’re taking the shuttle into town, you’re going to need cash because they don’t take credit cards. If you decide to buy a tour for your family of 18, you’re probably going to want a credit card because carrying around wads of cash is a bad idea. Many tourists fail to bring cash or a credit card and then get mad that they are unable to buy things. Don’t be like those people. 

We hope you enjoyed this informative blog designed to make your Skagway visit absolutely perfect in every way.