Well my sister in law is in town this week and we're playing tourist here in Juneau. Very funny how folks react to us because we're locals.
Anyway, we went to the Gold Creek Salmon Bake in Juneau last night and we had a blast. You have to think of it not as a dinner but more of an experience. The grilled salmon was very good although I was disappointed that they were using Chum Salmon as the choice of the evening. Local Alaskans don't eat Chum Salmon!!
It wasn't until I finished eating that I noticed that it was Chum and actually it was rather good. It depends on what time of year that you come here as to what kind of salmon that you'll get. Early in the Alaska cruise season (May-June) you'll get King Salmon but in early July Chum salmon are more available. Sockeye salmon are next in line and they happen to be my personal favorite. They call them reds because their meat is more of a red color then the traditional 'salmon' color that you get from Chinook (Kings) or silvers (Coho) or even humpies (Pink Salmon). Chum tends to have more of a whiter color and most of the seafood processing plants actually add food coloring to spoof people into buying Alaskan Salmon for next to nothing.
With that in mind for around $25.00 per person you get an all you can eat meal of grilled salmon, potato salad, Caesar salad, baked beans, cornbread as well as cole slaw. It's a pretty good deal and the salmon is usually wonderful and cooked to perfection. The cooks there know how to cook the salmon right since they barbecue so much of it on a daily basis.
You can treat yourself to an Alaskan Amber or any of the local award winning Alaskan Brewery's products or get a glass of wine if you choose. They also have coffee, tea and hot chocolate for the non-drinking folks.
While eating you'll be treated to a live performance of folk music, there's always someone playing a guitar for entertainment.
After dinner you can walk by the side of Salmon Creek all the way up to the waterfall which by the way is a beautiful place to take some pictures, it's the perfect backdrop. Once at the waterfall you can try your skills gold panning and even a beginner can find some powdered gold here. Salmon creek was actually one of best place to find gold in Juneau around the turn of the 1900's.
All along the trail (which is only a couple hundred yards in length) they have information plaques that display information on the local plants as well as stories complete with pictures of the life cycle of the salmon.
Once back to the 'camp' don't forget to check out their little gift shop! The shop is first class and my wife dropped about $50.00 in gifts that incorporated Alaskan gold in them. Overall she got a great bargain for the gifts.
And before you leave don't forget to take the kids over to the fire pits where there are plenty of marshmallows and sticks to roast them on. My kids absolutely loved this part of the trip and we thought that we would have to hose the stickiness off of them before we left.
The whole experience should take you about two and a half hours to complete and it's well worth the price. So when taking an Alaskan cruise and stopping in Juneau don't miss the Gold Creek Salmon Bake!!
Earl Lear lives in Juneau year round and enjoys writing about the joys of living in Alaska. You can preview his site for up to date information on the Alaska Cruise industry and visiting Juneau at http://www.touring-juneau.info or learn what it's like living in "The Last Frontier" at http://www.touring-alaska.com
Are you planning a cruise vacation but don't know where... Read More
Experiencing the magic of Disney at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney... Read More
It has been called "the big ditch", "the bridge between... Read More
Luxury goes exploring! How faithfully these words portray the elegance,... Read More
Sometimes it can be difficult to round up the old... Read More
In the time that has followed since the tragic events... Read More
SAILING ITINERARIES IN GREECE - A PROPOSAL Bellow you may... Read More
Some Taiwan scientists have figured out a way to reduce... Read More
In the 1980s, Croatia - then part of Yugoslavia -... Read More
It is important when cleaning a dock that you use... Read More
Alaska cruises can be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance... Read More
The Alaska cruise is a breathtaking adventure that you'll never... Read More
Europe is one of the premier cruise destinations in the... Read More
Who says FEMA is not doing their job. They just... Read More
Are you planning to take a cruise- tour vacation to... Read More
Yachting vacations used to be the sole preserve of the... Read More
Some years ago my wife and I decided to take... Read More
The kids are grown and gone, the mortgage is paid... Read More
Some people step onto a boat and are straight at... Read More
It is often recommended that you do not use any... Read More
When to GoThe sailing season in Greece lasts from March... Read More
For those new to cruising, there are a few things... Read More
Many academics are unable to handle the possibility of ships... Read More
Are you contemplating a travel vacation and don't know how... Read More
Alaska is a place to experience not merely to visit... Read More
Deaf and hearing impaired individuals are no different from anyone... Read More
A great addition to cleaning boats in a marina will... Read More
This year more than 10.5 million people will go on... Read More
If you own a boat maintenance business you need to... Read More
Cruises are a fun opportunity to dress up and look... Read More
Australia is a country of amazing diversity and awe- inspiring... Read More
If you are a first time cruiser you are in... Read More
Ever wanted to really put yourself to the test and... Read More
Determining Oxidation Levels on Your Yacht and how to deal... Read More
The results are in for 2004. The number of people... Read More
A Mediterranean cruise is without doubt the most varied type... Read More
If you are a boater, in particular a sea or... Read More
If you own a boat maintenance business you need to... Read More
The weekend is finally here. You're all loaded up (well,... Read More
Thinking you could use an escape from the wintertime blahs,... Read More
Some people step onto a boat and are straight at... Read More
The most famous of the Dodecanese, beautiful and famous for... Read More
This year more than 10.5 million people will go on... Read More
Inflatable boats such as inflatable kayaks, inflatable catamarans, and inflatable... Read More
Are you tired of the hustle and bustle of driving,... Read More
The golden age of transatlantic ocean shipping and travel began... Read More
Ever since Marco Polo returned from his 24-year trek to... Read More
The best advice is to be informed about cabins and... Read More
Gorgeous, acrobatic, and lit-up, Sailfish rank as the # 1... Read More
Take an Arctic Tour by flying north of Fairbanks to... Read More
Imagine a cruise line where choices include ships with golf... Read More
Experiencing the magic of Disney at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney... Read More
We were on the Radiance of the Seas for the... Read More
There's magic in everything that team Disney touches and their... Read More
Finding Cruise Deals are half the battle when considering a... Read More
For those new to cruising, there are a few things... Read More
"All the world's a stage", the saying goes! And on... Read More
Europe is one of the premier cruise destinations in the... Read More
As anyone who's ever bought a used car knows, you... Read More
Kids and vacation ? trying to find the perfect option... Read More
Caribbean Cruises are among the most demanded cruise vacations in... Read More
Have you considered taking a cruise vacation but just aren't... Read More
"If you build it, they will come."That advice, which prompted... Read More
Cruises are a fun opportunity to dress up and look... Read More
It has been called "the big ditch", "the bridge between... Read More
Philippines surfing is not quite a destination that would conjure... Read More
Cruising & Sailing |