What you should wear on an Alaska shore excursion depends on the activity. Here is what to bring for whale watching, kayaking, rainforest exploration, and outdoor dining.
An Alaska shore excursion may take you onto open water, through a forest, or across several outdoor settings in one day. Across its current tour materials, Alaska Travel Adventures recommends layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
The equipment Alaska Travel Adventures provides varies by experience. This guide uses the current tour information from the local team operating these excursions to explain what guests should wear, what is included, and what to expect before arrival.
Alaska Shore Excursion Gear at a Glance
| Tour | What Alaska Travel Adventures Recommends Bringing | What Alaska Travel Adventures Provides |
|---|---|---|
| Whale Watching Adventure | Layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes | Binoculars available onboard |
| Best of Juneau | Adaptable layers, weatherproof clothing, and comfortable walking shoes | Binoculars available during whale watching |
| Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari | Layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes | Poncho, life jackets, and paddles |
| Wilderness Sea Kayaking | Layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes | Raingear, boots, and a life vest |
| Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake | Layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes | Gold-panning experience included |
Tour details and inclusions can change. Review the current product page before departure for the latest information.
What to Wear on Most Alaska Shore Excursions
Layers make it easier to adapt as the activity and conditions change. Start with comfortable clothing, add a warm layer, and finish with weatherproof outerwear.
Alaska Travel Adventures’s current tour pages commonly recommend:
- Layered, weatherproof clothing
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- A camera or binoculars, depending on the experience
Choose clothing that allows you to move comfortably and footwear suited to outdoor surfaces. Several Alaska Travel Adventures excursions operate in most or all weather conditions, so prepare for the forecast rather than assuming rain will cancel the tour.
What to Wear for Whale Watching in Juneau
The Whale Watching Adventure begins with transportation from the Juneau Cruise Ship Terminal to Auke Bay. The full experience lasts approximately 3.75 hours.
Alaska Travel Adventures’s custom-designed, 48-passenger jet boat has a warm interior with oversized windows and an open-air viewing deck. Layered, weatherproof clothing makes it easier to move between the two spaces, while comfortable walking shoes are appropriate for getting around onboard.
Alaska Travel Adventures recommends bringing:
- Layered, weatherproof clothing
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- A camera, if desired
Binoculars are available onboard. Guests do not need to bring their own unless they prefer using a personal pair.
What to Bring on the Best of Juneau Tour
The Best of Juneau combines a self-guided visit to Mendenhall Glacier, a whale-watching cruise, and the Gold Creek Salmon Bake.
Because the approximately 6.5-hour tour covers several settings, wear layers that can adapt throughout the day. Weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes are practical for exploring the glacier grounds, stepping onto the boat’s outdoor viewing deck, and visiting the rainforest salmon bake.
The whale-watching vessel also has a warm interior with oversized windows. Binoculars are available onboard during this portion of the tour, so bringing a personal pair is optional.
What to Wear for the Ketchikan Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari
The Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari combines off-road driving, guided canoeing, and an optional nature walk through the Tongass National Forest.
Guests travel along mountainous, unmaintained logging roads before crossing Lake Harriet Hunt in a 37-foot Alaska Native-style canoe. Alaska Travel Adventures recommends layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes for this four-hour experience.
The current tour page confirms that Alaska Travel Adventures provides:
- A poncho
- Life jackets
- Paddles
- A shared Jeep Wrangler
- A snack and beverages
Guests who plan to drive must bring a driver’s license. Alaska Travel Adventures also suggests bringing sunglasses, sunscreen, and a camera or binoculars.
What Alaska Travel Adventures Provides for Sitka Sea Kayaking
The Wilderness Sea Kayaking Adventure begins with a ride from Crescent Harbor aboard a Seahawk rigid inflatable vessel. Guests cross Sitka Sound to a floating base camp before exploring the sheltered waters of Camp Coogan Bay in two-person kayaks.
Alaska Travel Adventures provides paddling instruction and essential activity gear, including:
- Raingear
- Boots
- A life vest
Guests should arrive in layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes. The current tour page also recommends sunglasses, sunscreen, and a camera or binoculars.
The full tour lasts approximately three hours and includes a 90-minute paddle. Children must weigh at least 40 pounds to fit into the provided life jackets.
What to Wear at Liarsville Trail Camp
The Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake is an easy, approximately two-hour experience at the foot of White Pass.
The tour includes an all-you-can-eat salmon bake, historical exhibits, live entertainment, and gold panning. Because it operates in all weather conditions, Alaska Travel Adventures recommends warm layers, weatherproof clothing, and comfortable walking shoes.
The current tour page also suggests bringing a camera, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Specialized hiking or water gear is not listed as a requirement.
Gold panning is included, and guests may keep the gold they find.
Alaska Shore Excursion Packing Checklist
Alaska Travel Adventures’s guidance varies slightly by experience, but these items appear consistently across the current tour pages:
- Layered clothing
- Weatherproof outerwear
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Camera, if desired
- Binoculars, if desired and not available on the tour
- Driver’s license if you plan to drive during the Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari
Before departure, review the current page for your specific excursion. It is the best source for confirming what Alaska Travel Adventures provides, what guests should bring, where the tour meets, and whether any age, weight, or participation requirements apply.
Book Directly With Alaska Travel Adventures
Alaska Travel Adventures has operated Alaska experiences since 1978. By booking directly, you’ll connect with the local team behind the tours and receive specialized pre-arrival guidance.
Alaska Travel Adventures can clarify:
- What clothing is recommended
- Which gear the tour provides
- What guests need to bring
- Where and when the tour meets
- Whether age, weight, or participation requirements apply
- What to expect during each part of the excursion
Review current details and availability on the individual tour pages:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Bring on the Juneau Whale-Watching Tour?
Alaska Travel Adventures recommends layered, weatherproof clothing, comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a camera if desired. Binoculars are available onboard, so guests do not need to bring their own unless they prefer to.
What Should I Wear at Liarsville Trail Camp in Skagway?
Wear warm layers, weatherproof clothing, and comfortable walking shoes. The experience includes outdoor dining, historical exhibits, live entertainment, and gold panning, and it operates in all weather conditions.
Does Alaska Travel Adventures Provide Gear for the Sitka Kayaking Tour?
Yes. Alaska Travel Adventures’s current tour page confirms that raingear, boots, and a life vest are provided. Guests should arrive in layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
What Does Alaska Travel Adventures Provide for the Ketchikan Jeep and Canoe Tour?
Alaska Travel Adventures provides a poncho, life jackets, paddles, and a shared Jeep Wrangler. Guests should wear layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Anyone planning to drive must bring a driver’s license.
What Should I Bring on the Best of Juneau Tour?
Wear layered, weatherproof clothing and comfortable walking shoes for the Mendenhall Glacier grounds, whale-watching boat, and Gold Creek Salmon Bake. Binoculars are available during the whale-watching portion.
