SPOILER ALERT!

Darth Vader is Luke’s father?! No way!

Kids nowadays sure love spoilers. There are countless websites that will tell you all about the plot of your favorite movie or TV show months before it even comes out. Why do people like spoilers so much? Because surprises are no fun. It’s important to go through each and every day free from surprises that take the mundanity out of life.

So what exactly is this blog about? 

Good question. If you’re on a cruise to Alaska, it’s very important to know what you’re going to see before you actually see it. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to get a photo of a bear or a Bigfoot with your cell phone, so you need to know when surprises are going to happen before they happen. But before we continue, I do have to add this simple warning….

SPOILER ALERT!

Still here? Good. I am going to tell you about three things you don’t know about Skagway so you don’t have to worry about being surprised when you get to town. 

Spoiler #1 – Much of Skagway is a National Park – You’re going to get off of your ship and head downtown to see the history and whatnot and guess what? You’re in a National Park! It’s called the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park because the federal government loves very long names. There is even an NPS office where you can learn about the Gold Rush and a fake bar Museum called the Mascot Saloon. Yeah, I really don’t get it either.

Spoiler #2 – Soapy Smith was a legendary con man – When you get to Skagway, someone is definitely going to tell you about Soapy Smith and you’re going to think, “If he is so legendary, how come I’ve never heard of him?” Well, let’s just say he’s legendary in Skagway. You see, Soapy Smith was a con man who sold soap and swindled suckers until he got shot and killed by someone totally fed up with his shenanigans. That’s pretty much the whole story. Isn’t kind of weird how a two-bit grifter can capture people’s imagination while honest people usually become nothing more than side notes in the annals of history? It really makes you think. Oh, and I just realized I told you the end of Soapy’s story without saying SPOILER ALERT! Sorry.

Spoiler #3 – The Klondike is very far from Skagway – When you travel to these parts, you’re going to hear the word Klondike until you’re sick of it. As of now, you likely associate the word Klondike with tasty ice cream treats. The Klondike is actually a region in the Yukon Territory about 500 miles north of Skagway. If you’re on a cruise, you are not going to see the Klondike unless you get on the wrong bus. 

Enjoy your surprise-free vacation!

It’s important to enjoy a vacation free from the disconcerting shock of self-discovery. Read up on everything ahead of time to ensure you aren’t surprised when you walk through town or take a tour to the Yukon. If you’re the kind of adventurer who loves surprises, why on earth did you read this blog!  Now you’re spoiled! 

Hmmm… I’m kind of hungry… I wonder what I should have for a snack…

I would write a blog for a Klondike Bar!