Tours by Locals connects you with local guides who can help you plan a private personal tour, guide you, and get you back to your ship on time. It is a great resource for finding how to get from one place to another, including public transportation, taxis, ferries, and more. Note that the local Ounalashka people own much local land and inexpensive permits are required for some trails. The main sights are the World War II Visitor Center, the Museum of the Aleutians, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Dutch Harbor Mall. It is well worth hiking or joining tours to see the region’s wartime defences and other heritage.
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World War II targets include Bunker Hill (one mile/1.6km; 400ft climb), which you can see alone or on a two-hour guided walk with the visitor bureau. A second site, Fort Schwatka, can be reached either from town or by turning right from the cruise terminal and hiking the gravel coast road up and (left fork) inland (two hours; 800ft ascent). The most popular trek is straight up – and down – Mount Ballyhoo, distinctly visible, with its trail, above the town. Most cruise ships dock at City Dock, part of the Unalaska Marine Center, a no-nonsense berth with few facilities on Amaknak Island, which is connected by causeway to the main Unalaska Island.
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Unalaska has more than dutch harbor cruise reviews 600 bald eagles, so you will see these majestic birds around town, but keen birdwatchers should join a tour to experience some of the 40 million other birds that nest in the Aleutians during the summer. Your contributions help keep our guides accurate and up-to-date for other cruisers. No matter where your cruise takes you we’ll ensure every port is an unforgettable experience. Find your next adventure and make every port of call the highlight of your journey.
Sightseeing
One of the longest established operators, Miss Alyssa, runs a boat that offers a variety of tours. If you’re stepping off your cruise ship into Dutch Harbor, you’re in for an adventure. The dock is about a 45-minute walk (roughly 4 km) from the main part of town, so be prepared for a scenic stroll through Alaskan wilderness. Taxis and shuttle vans are typically available, and on rare occasions tenders might be used. While the area is remote, the sense of wildness is genuine—look for amazing seabirds, active volcanoes, and feel the vibe of one of the oldest native cultures in the Americas, the Aleuts. Hiking is a great option for wonderful views and seeing wildlife and the wartime monuments.
- A full day in the area allows you to see the main sights and add a hike or wildlife tour.
- Tours by Locals connects you with local guides who can help you plan a private personal tour, guide you, and get you back to your ship on time.
- Hiking is a great option for wonderful views and seeing wildlife and the wartime monuments.
- Your contributions help keep our guides accurate and up-to-date for other cruisers.
Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island, Alaska, USA Guide
Take a town shuttle or organised tour and you’ll be able to see the main sights (see above) in four hours or less. Make your first port of call the visitor centre, a mile (1.6km) from City Dock, or the excellent Museum of the Aleutians another 1.5 miles (2.4km) beyond. In a different vein, the shop at the Museum of the Aleutians has local art and handicrafts you’ll be hard pushed to find elsewhere. Dutch Harbor has been the United States’ largest fishing port by volume of fish landed for 20 consecutive years, thanks to the teeming, nutrient-rich waters of the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Tuck into freshly caught pollock (1.5 million tons are landed a year), Pacific cod, halibut, red king crab, sablefish and yellowfin sole. A full day in the area allows you to see the main sights and add a hike or wildlife tour.
First look: On board the Cunard ship given a multi-million pound facelift
Dutch Harbor is part of Unalaska, one of the Aleutian Islands, and is visited by cruise vessels en route for Japan or – increasingly – by expedition vessels heading through the Bering Straits to the High Arctic and Northwest Passage. Its appeal lies in its stark beauty, extreme remoteness from the rest of Alaska, abundant wildlife, unique World War II history and daily life of the largest fishing port in the United States (the town features in the popular TV reality show Deadliest Catch). Dutch Harbor is a bustling port on Unalaska Island in Alaska, surrounded by stunning natural beauty, vibrant native culture, and fascinating history. As the nation’s top fishing port, it offers visitors a unique glimpse into the life and heritage of the Aleutian Islands. Unless you want to hike or make the 45-minute walk to the heart of downtown Unalaska from the cruise terminal, you will need to use cruise-ship shuttles, local taxis or tour operator transportation to get around. Tour operators in the area vary from year to year, but usually include guided hiking, kayaking, fishing and wildlife tours.
- If you’re stepping off your cruise ship into Dutch Harbor, you’re in for an adventure.
- No matter where your cruise takes you we’ll ensure every port is an unforgettable experience.
- It is well worth hiking or joining tours to see the region’s wartime defences and other heritage.
- Unless you want to hike or make the 45-minute walk to the heart of downtown Unalaska from the cruise terminal, you will need to use cruise-ship shuttles, local taxis or tour operator transportation to get around.
Dutch Harbor is safe to explore under your own steam, but if you are hiking alone, keep an eye on the weather – mist can descend quickly – and make sure you are properly equipped.
Museums are open year round while most tour operators and other sights close from mid-September to May. The visitor centre occupies a former weather station and operations building from World War II. Much of this is given over to rooms restored to their period appearance and exhibits connected with 1941 and beyond, detailing the military build up in the Aleutians, the evacuation of residents and the invasion and attacks on parts of the Aleutian chain. The centre also details the wartime monuments elsewhere on Unalaska, which make up one of the most remote national historic areas in the US.
Culture & Local Events
From the terminal it is 2.5 miles (4km) along the waterfront road (turn left from the dock) to the main town of Unalaska. Equally compelling is the excellent Museum of the Aleutians, with modern displays on all aspects of this remote and fascinating island chain. One area covered is the era of Russian presence in the region, a perfect introduction for a trip to the out-of-town Russian Orthodox Church, which is included on most islands tours, but probably not worth a trip in its own right if you are exploring independently.