Alaska 360
Alaska 360
4.5
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About
Alaska 360 provides award-winning tours to customers from around the world since more than 20 years, bringing to life some of Alaska’s most famous highlights. We offer guests a full view of Alaskan life both past and present. At Alaska 360's Dredge Town we transport our guests back to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 and 1899. Our different tour options feature amazing encounters with sled dogs and puppies, a heaping dose of gold fever, a private tour of one of the last authentic Klondike gold dredges in the world, a BBQ lunch, and a campfire filled with surprises and much more. We blend entertainment with fun for multi-generational guests lead by period-costumed guides to make the excitement of the gold rush come alive for our guests. Open: Seasonal. Please book directly via your cruise line.
Skagway, Alaska
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Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
904 reviews
Excellent
761
Very good
88
Average
27
Poor
15
Terrible
17
Glenn H
8 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We booked Alaska360 through a Disney Cruise Line Port Adventure in June 2022 mainly because it involved holding husky puppies. Little did we know that it would also include a wonderful, immersive tour through Dredge Town, a place that takes you back in time to the Skagway Gold Rush of the 1890s and shows how differently the gold was mined as compared to the Californian Gold Rush. Also included with puppy cuddles and kisses was a one-lap run of 5 sled dogs to show how they work together and a session of how to pan for gold. You might even find some yourself when you’re given your own pan of dirt to sift through! A delicious barbecue with ribs, chicken, baked beans, cornbread, macaroni and cheese and home-brewed root beer and cream soda ended the excursion. The best part of this 5-hour adventure was our tour guide, Nugget Barlow, a grizzled gentlemen who showed us the points of interest of Skagway’s mining town, including the store where Kids Wear Salmon, and the ways the gold was excavated from the mountains.
We would recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning about the history of a town that was literally founded because of a gold rush and who enjoys some interactive learning that includes holding puppies!
We would recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning about the history of a town that was literally founded because of a gold rush and who enjoys some interactive learning that includes holding puppies!
Written June 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zach
Vancouver, Canada3 contributions
May 2022
Alaska 360 was quite the well rounded experience and a must do if you're visiting Skagway.
From learning how to pan for gold (which I quickly realized, I would be terrible at, had I truly needed it for survival and/or riches), learning about the Iditarod from a musher, interacting with the sled dog puppies to the awe-inspiring White Pass train ride.
We were lucky enough to have Longshot Liz as our tour guide and she is by and far one of the best tour guides ever. Even when there were mechanical issues with the train, Longshot Liz pressed on, giving us even more insight to our surroundings. One nice thing that Longshot Liz did was give us a guided tour on the way up and then back through, something I know others do not necessarily do.
If you're a soda aficionado, you must try their root beer and their cream soda, made on site (they also have a ginger ale but it wasn't available at the time).
I would do this tour again in a heartbeat and would recommend it to anyone who is stopping in Skagway!
From learning how to pan for gold (which I quickly realized, I would be terrible at, had I truly needed it for survival and/or riches), learning about the Iditarod from a musher, interacting with the sled dog puppies to the awe-inspiring White Pass train ride.
We were lucky enough to have Longshot Liz as our tour guide and she is by and far one of the best tour guides ever. Even when there were mechanical issues with the train, Longshot Liz pressed on, giving us even more insight to our surroundings. One nice thing that Longshot Liz did was give us a guided tour on the way up and then back through, something I know others do not necessarily do.
If you're a soda aficionado, you must try their root beer and their cream soda, made on site (they also have a ginger ale but it wasn't available at the time).
I would do this tour again in a heartbeat and would recommend it to anyone who is stopping in Skagway!
Written August 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeanie P
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
We had a group of 6 on the Norwegian Spirit cruise and one of our excursions included the White Pass Railway tour, panning for gold, an historical lesson about Dredge Town and the 1898 gold rush in Alaska, and the sled dog demonstration and visit with the dogs and puppies. Every part of the excursion was wonderful. Our tour guide for the day, Slim Pickens, was knowledgeable, funny, personable and stayed in character all day. The cider and snacks were much appreciated. The train ride and Slim's narration was my favorite part. Amazing history lesson and White Pass's natural beauty made the train ride a breathtaking experience. Our whole group would highly recommend this 6 hour excursion - well worth the time and price!
Written July 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deanna E
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Family
We did the Gold Panning and Gold Rush Sled Dogs excursion in 2022 ( just my husband and I) and we loved it so much we came back in 2024 with the kids. Our Prospector Nugget (Chris) is an amazing tour guide! He is so knowledgeable and kept us entertained the entire time. It was a short ride from the pier to the excursion site, and Nugget narrated our trip through town. Once at the site, we got a gold panning demo, then got our own pans of “pay dirt” to sift for gold. Nugget and the rest of the team were very helpful and they even come around and helped make sure you didn’t leave any gold in your pans.
After the panning, you can get your gold weighed and valued. If you like, you can purchase additional items to display your gold flakes. We chose a Christmas ornament with a pendant for our gold that I thought was very reasonably priced. There is a small gift shop that sells amazing warm cookies, drinks, and a few other snacks, as well as Alaska and sled dog themed items.
While our gold was being packaged in the ornament we chose, we went to the sled dog section of the site, where a real Iditarod musher talked to us about the race, the history, and the dogs who participate in it. It was very informative and interesting. After the talk, we got to see the adult dogs, and a few of them did a dirt track demo of them pulling a sled. Then…puppies! On our latest trip, they had six puppies that guests got to hold and pass around. We would have gladly stayed with those puppies all day! After the puppy visit, Nugget returned to lead our group around the gold site, giving us more of the history of the Gold Rush and Skagway’s place in it. He was so funny and engaging-everyone had a great time. On the way back to the pier he told us his own personal story of how he came to be in Skagway. It’s clear that he loves what he does, and he’s great at it. 10/10, 100% recommend this tour company and especially Prospector Nugget!
After the panning, you can get your gold weighed and valued. If you like, you can purchase additional items to display your gold flakes. We chose a Christmas ornament with a pendant for our gold that I thought was very reasonably priced. There is a small gift shop that sells amazing warm cookies, drinks, and a few other snacks, as well as Alaska and sled dog themed items.
While our gold was being packaged in the ornament we chose, we went to the sled dog section of the site, where a real Iditarod musher talked to us about the race, the history, and the dogs who participate in it. It was very informative and interesting. After the talk, we got to see the adult dogs, and a few of them did a dirt track demo of them pulling a sled. Then…puppies! On our latest trip, they had six puppies that guests got to hold and pass around. We would have gladly stayed with those puppies all day! After the puppy visit, Nugget returned to lead our group around the gold site, giving us more of the history of the Gold Rush and Skagway’s place in it. He was so funny and engaging-everyone had a great time. On the way back to the pier he told us his own personal story of how he came to be in Skagway. It’s clear that he loves what he does, and he’s great at it. 10/10, 100% recommend this tour company and especially Prospector Nugget!
Written September 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna M
SUFFOLK9 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
Panning for gold at Cheechako
Dredge Town. It was ok, kind of neat to see how they did it and what was required them to take with them to be allowed to pan for gold. We also got to see and pet the sled dogs and hold the puppies. Wanted to buy a sandwich or two because we would be headed to the train for a 4 hour trip. There was over 90 people there and they only made 30 sandwiches. So all we got was a drink and a cookie. The train ride was awesome. Longshot Liz was our tour guide and she was amazing. Pointing out things and talking about the town and what it took to build the tracks for the railroad. She was very knowledgeable and funny.
I highly recommend the train! If you do the cruise excursion “gold Panning, Sled Dogs and exclusive Scenic Railway, you only have time for the excursion and no time to shop or explore the town. The ship had to wait for us to get back to the ship. Don’t worry, the wait.
Would have liked to support the local shops.
Dredge Town. It was ok, kind of neat to see how they did it and what was required them to take with them to be allowed to pan for gold. We also got to see and pet the sled dogs and hold the puppies. Wanted to buy a sandwich or two because we would be headed to the train for a 4 hour trip. There was over 90 people there and they only made 30 sandwiches. So all we got was a drink and a cookie. The train ride was awesome. Longshot Liz was our tour guide and she was amazing. Pointing out things and talking about the town and what it took to build the tracks for the railroad. She was very knowledgeable and funny.
I highly recommend the train! If you do the cruise excursion “gold Panning, Sled Dogs and exclusive Scenic Railway, you only have time for the excursion and no time to shop or explore the town. The ship had to wait for us to get back to the ship. Don’t worry, the wait.
Would have liked to support the local shops.
Written May 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very grateful that you took the time to tell us about your time with us and your wonderful tour guide Longshot Liz. We are very sorry that we ran out of sandwiches, but as you can image it is very hard to predict daily demand. We wish you a great continuation of your travel and hope that when you do visit Alaska again, we will once again be on your itinerary!
Written May 21, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dawn M
Atlanta, GA124 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Gold panning at Dredge Town was awesome! We were given real paydirt with gold!
(from somewhere else - cuz they ain't no gold in Skagway)
Slim Pickens taught us how to actually get to the flakes. It was hella cool. Like me, we were all scared to dunk our pans – we didn’t want to lose the gold flakes!!!
Slim Pickens and his buddies made sure everyone was finding the flakes, which you get to keep!
The place was done up nice, neat, clean and fun themed - not full on period correct and yet not cheezy. Just VERY entertaining
One kid got $17.00, I got $14.00, Other Kid $9.00 and Dad - $8.00
(from somewhere else - cuz they ain't no gold in Skagway)
Slim Pickens taught us how to actually get to the flakes. It was hella cool. Like me, we were all scared to dunk our pans – we didn’t want to lose the gold flakes!!!
Slim Pickens and his buddies made sure everyone was finding the flakes, which you get to keep!
The place was done up nice, neat, clean and fun themed - not full on period correct and yet not cheezy. Just VERY entertaining
One kid got $17.00, I got $14.00, Other Kid $9.00 and Dad - $8.00
Written October 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trippingonnature
4 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Klondike Mike acted in character from the 1898 Gold Rush the entire time, making you feel like you were part of history. We first went to the musher’s camp where we had a presentation by Terese & Peter about their experiences racing in the Iditarod. They showed us the sleds that are used, equipment and all of the necessary supplies needed to compete in the race. They discussed the types of dogs that they own & breed to compete in the races. They answered everyone's questions and were very informative. They let us pet the sled dogs and even had them do a demonstration of them pulling the sled around a track. It was impressive to see how excited they were to pull the sled and fast they were. Afterwards, for a treat they let everyone hold the puppies and get photos.
In the same location, we were taken to the mock Gold Rush era town, where we met another character actor that gave us information about how difficult it was to find & pan for gold. He taught us what to do & then we were able to pan for gold, where everyone was guaranteed to find some. Actually, panning was more challenging then realized.
We were then taken to the White Pass Railway on the route that the prospectors took in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. There were beautiful views & it was a relaxing train ride that has a bathroom onboard. We were given drinks & snacks during the ride, making it a very pleasant & educational experience.
We enjoyed all of the activities in this tour and recommend it as a great experience to feel a part of the Alaskan history.
In the same location, we were taken to the mock Gold Rush era town, where we met another character actor that gave us information about how difficult it was to find & pan for gold. He taught us what to do & then we were able to pan for gold, where everyone was guaranteed to find some. Actually, panning was more challenging then realized.
We were then taken to the White Pass Railway on the route that the prospectors took in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. There were beautiful views & it was a relaxing train ride that has a bathroom onboard. We were given drinks & snacks during the ride, making it a very pleasant & educational experience.
We enjoyed all of the activities in this tour and recommend it as a great experience to feel a part of the Alaskan history.
Written May 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo P
Kingsport6 contributions
Aug 2022
On a dreary, rainy day, Runaway Jim met us with a tremendous sense of humor that refused to let the weather dampen our spirits. He kept track of us all as we went to the train to White Pass, and kept everyone laughing throughout the trip. He was charismatic, fun, and endearing, all while telling us stories, passing out snacks, and keeping an eye on everyone to make sure they were enjoying themselves. Dredge Town was an incredible experience, even though the rain didn't stop. We enjoyed a wonderful, detailed dog sled demonstration and got to meet the dogs and their sweet pups before heading out to learn about the prospectors and the trials they faced. Everyone there was upbeat, relaxed, and comfortable to chat with! It was wonderful to talk with the young lady at the gold counter that knew what she was talking about, and the root beer they make on site was sooo good. There is wonderful food there too, plus some of the best cookies we had on our trip! It's much larger on the inside! With beautiful views all around. We really enjoyed ourselves despite the rain! Will absolutely do it again.
Written August 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teagan H
3 contributions
May 2024 • Family
We had a great time at this tour. The tour guides are in character as old timey gold rush people, our guide was Batty Betty. She was really funny (you have to be a fan of puns though) and had a lot of interesting information about Skagway. Once we got to Dredge Town, we first went to see Peter and Therese who talked about what it's like to race in the Iditarod. This was by far my favorite part of this excursion. I could have listened to their stories for hours. Then we got to see the amazing sled dogs and the puppies. It was such a cool experience, I absolutely loved it. After that we got a tour of the large dredge which was interesting. Then we were taught how to pan for gold by Nugget who was also hilarious and made it look so easy! But it's definitely more difficult than I originally thought. I ended up getting around $12 worth of gold flakes which I was quite proud of since I was certain I'd get zero dollars worth at the beginning. We were fed lunch after, there was pasta salad, really good baked beans, a shockingly delicious cornbread/corn pudding, and ribs and chicken. They did have a vegan option as well. We got to end the tour with some s'mores and stories from Batty Betty until our bus was ready to take us back. The fire pit for the s'mores is indoors so you don't have to worry about missing out if it rains when you are here. I highly recommend this excursion, I had a lot of fun and it was definitely worth it just to hear those Iditarod stories.
Written May 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue J
Kettering united kingdom3 contributions
May 2022
We were on the Celebrity Solstice and did this tour, which we were disappointed with the tour guide Betty Betty seemed to drag out the visit.
The tour was offered as a Salmon Bake - not a piece of salmon in sight.
The food was served in a hall not out on the decks or on the river bank as described.
Only positives for me was the sweetcorn dish (I would like the recipe please). Also seeing the puppies.
The tour was offered as a Salmon Bake - not a piece of salmon in sight.
The food was served in a hall not out on the decks or on the river bank as described.
Only positives for me was the sweetcorn dish (I would like the recipe please). Also seeing the puppies.
Written May 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear S5224VQsuej,
I am very sorry to hear that you did not fully enjoy your experience at Alaska 360’s Dredge Town. Batty Betty is one of our beloved guides on the team and I am sorry that she was not what you had expected. She usually receives acclaim for her enthusiasm and extensive knowledge about the Gold Rush, Skagway and Alaska, but we assure you that we will follow up on your comment. Any comment that is made to us is taken very seriously because we constantly strive to offer excellent tours to our esteemed guests.
When it comes to your comment about the Salmon Bake – I assume you must have confused us with another tour offered in Skagway since we never had a Salmon Bake on our menu – nor was it ever advertised. I doublechecked with your cruise line and their corresponding tour descriptions also do not reflect it. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the sled dog demonstration and interaction with the dogs and puppies.
I offer again apologies that you did not fully enjoy your tour and hope that the rest of your trip met your expectations.
Written May 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If we visit on our own, do we just pay a general admission price or do we pay per activity? Can you please tell me what those prices might be and if we should purchase in advance? Thank you!
Written April 19, 2023
Hello! My previous post was actually my first Trip Advisor post. I did it on my phone and noticed it autocorrected "say" to "day." I appreciate your comments in response, but wondered if I could fix my error somehow? Also, if Jon Bon Goldi has a work e-mail that you could send me privately, I would be happy to send along my finished Sway for him to view. I just ask that you do not publish it as I have pictures of my students on it. Thank you so much! ~Angela Anderson
Written August 20, 2019
Thank you for your response Robert! I think I fixed my review so hopefully, Jon Bon Goldi can see it for himself. Thank you again!
Angela
Written September 8, 2019
What tour did you book? How long was the train ride? Was it the complete White Pass train ride, as long as the other excursions offered by NCL?
Written June 6, 2019
Our excursion was booked through Princess Cruise Lines and the coach ride up was a couple of hours and the train ride down was also, a couple of hours. This one was not the total length of the rail line.
Written July 31, 2019
How do I book a klondike family tour?
Written June 23, 2018
Dredge Town
Skagway, Alaska
Hello!! Thank you for your interest in Alaska 360 :) We would be more then happy to have your family come and enjoy a day with us here in Dredge Town.
To book a Klondike Family Experience tour aka The Big Nugget you have a few options:
1.) For a guaranteed spot, if traveling by cruise ship, you would need to book the tour with your shore excursions team.
2.) You may also just come to the site itself via a car or the public transportation system (SMART bus) and then purchase the tour through our admissions office.
Unfortunately at this time we are not yet doing online bookings. However, if not traveling by cruise ship or do not book a tour with your ship, you can email us via our website, a few days prior to your arrival and we can give you an idea of tour availability of that day.
Please feel free to reach out and our team will help you in the best way we can!! Thanks again!
Written June 27, 2018
Can you go there on your own without organized tour? Is there just a general admission ?
Written August 1, 2017
Yes! When you get to Skagway, you can get on the SMART bus and come out to Dredge Town. The only problem is that while we can almost guarantee that we have space on our gold panning tour, it is only the night before when we see if we have space on the dog sledding tour. Just keep in touch on info on our website and we will let you know!
Written June 27, 2018
Can we do this tour without booking through the cruise line? There are eleven of us (6 adults & 5 children). What would the cost be for gold panning & visiting the sled dogs?
Written June 16, 2016
what tour company should I use for the tour?
Written April 22, 2016
Does anyone know the price of these tours? I've contacted the vendor and looking online and can't find any information.
Written April 21, 2016
Just wondering where the tour center is located in Skagway
Written March 29, 2016
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