Somehow, I managed to book the wrong tour. I thought this was a walking/hiking tour to look for…read morebears, but it turned out to be a three-hour drive in a van with limited space, windows that did not open, and was either too hot for some or too cold for others. The driver/tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, at best, some of us saw the rear end of a bear running off the road into the bush. The rest of us saw nothing. There were some eagles at a distance and a buck far, far away. We stopped several times and spoke to other van drivers, and it seemed like sightings that day were very infrequent. While it's not anyone's responsibility (tour company or cruise line), it would be helpful to guest comfort if we were reminded to bring bug spray with us when leaving the ship. After we took the tram to the waiting area, everyone was eaten alive while waiting for their next mode of transportation.

This was a great stop via an Alaskan cruise in Icey Strait Point in Hoonah! The walk is approx…read more30min to this shopping area. It was a really nice day to walk and enjoy. They have really nice gifts and customer service was definitely the best! I purchased a silver charm for my bracelet. You can also book tours and grab a bite to eat. Overall I do recommend a visit of your in the area.

I cannot say enough great things about this experience. Captain Joardan was amazing at getting us…read moreclose to humpback whales and 2 Orca whales. Lots of other wildlife was seen as we cruised out along the coastline. His better half picked us up to take us the short ride to his boat. She happens to be an amazing baker and had fresh blueberry muffins made with wild blueberries they pick! Our boat had 6 of us so allowed us to move freely. I get motion sick and it was super smooth as to not cause me any concerns! Book directly with them vs thru second party. I have sent many people their way and would definitely book again if ever back in Alaska.

I found Hoonah Whale Tours on TripAdvisor and using Google. When I read they only took 6 people, I…read morewas immediately intrigued. I knew after some research that the cruise ship excursions would take dozens to more than a hundred. I read the many great reviews Hoonah already had. We chose them to be our only whale watching tour on our 11-day cruise. Jordan's wife found us easily and picked us up in their van and brought us directly to Jordan on the pier. Jordan was an excellent guide, and he found us nearly 50 whales, even some that were bubble net feeding. We were stunned and were able to sit inside the boat or go outside and felt safe doing so. Jordan went past our tour length because it was just so exciting; I think he loved it and didn't want to miss out on the action. We took so many photographs and videos. The blueberry muffins are real and delicious. Jordan really cared about giving the whales space to move. If you are reading this review and are wondering if this tour is for you, it is most definitely for you, and it's more than worth it. It's a glorious experience and is so worth the memories. Hands down, this was our family's favorite shore excursion. Hoonah Whale Tours delivered!

Great captain and crew, start to finish it was flawless. Whales, seals, otters and bears in one…read moretrip in one day could not ask for more! Small group and great boat. Highly recommend!

Absolutely recommend doing your whale watching tour with Catch of the Day!…read more They take smaller groups which allows you to get some really great photos and to chat with the knowledgeable crew about the area. We got to follow a humpback right away and also saw some bears on the shore which gave us bragging rights when we got back. Plus they pick you up in a LIMO! What a fun extra touch. I get sea sick very easily on smaller boats and I didn't have any problems on this ride. Thanks so much to the Catch of the Day team for such a memorable experience!

Hoonah, Alaska was one of our stops on our Alaska cruise trip. Before our private whale watching…read moreexcursion, we took the public bus into the small downtown area of Hoonah. We came across Misty Bay which offers lodging, a casual restaurant, and whale, fishing, and bear watching excursions. We had lunch at the order at the counter restaurant and had the following: (1) Fresh Halibut & Chips My fish was grilled & served with french fries. I must admit that I wanted my traditional battered & deep fried fish & chips. Although my halibut was fresh, it was also dry and just OK. (2) Cheeseburger &Fries Hubby and sonny boy both ordered the burger dish and both were satisfied. The Misty Bay Lodge restaurant offers a casual atmosphere, friendly service, and "A-OK" food. 3 Stars

We booked a whale watching tour with Misty Bay on our honeymoon to Alaska. Hoonah proved to have…read moresome great whale watching! We saw plenty of humpbacks, sea lions, orcas, deer and a pack of bears! We were so lucky to see the bears, according to the captain. He made sure to stop so we could snap some photos. It was worth every penny. After the tour, we returned to Misty Bay Lodge for lunch. They advertise what they are serving that day as a special, while they also serve whole pizzas and pizza by the slice. Hoonah is a small place, so your options are limited for dining out. It appears that locals and tourists eat here daily. Hope (the owner) was a great host. She answered all of our questions about the area. She suggested that we split an order of fish and chips (fresh halibut!) for lunch and she was right- it was plenty for both of us. We each enjoyed Alaska APA and amber ales. So good. And I'll admit it- I never watched Alaskan Bush People, but now that we are home we have watched a couple episodes just to see Hoonah and Misty Bay Lodge! Pretty cool.

OMG, not cheap, but beyond worth it…read more Where to start. We booked this with PCL as an excursion while in Alaska. Tamara was our shuttle driver to & from the pier. Friendly, outgoing, w/ lots of knowledge of the area. She made the ride to & from the Yacht seem like it was shorter than it was. Jen (our captain) & Katie (naturalist) were wonderful. These ladies know how to make a trip enjoyable. Was almost like family outing. Although the whale spotting started off slow, it really picked up in the 2nd half. I had the best time, even though on this adventure I was the only Man. 2 Ladies, 1 Lady and her Daughter, and then my Wife and I. Would do this tour again in a heartbeat, and if I could request these two bonus points for sure. The boat has own restroom, drinks provided, and a couple charcuterie boards made for an enjoyable time on water. Highly recommend, and a hidden gem for sure. Enjoyed it so much I am still talking about it to all my coworkers. You have to do this...

What a wonderful adventure! We loved every moment of this tour. Intimate, personal and the ladies…read moredid such a wonderful job telling us all sort of facts. No doubt they are all passionate about their job! Would definitely do again!

Absolutely the BEST fishing experience in Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. Chris and his wife are an…read moreabsolute pleasure to be around, and they sure do know their way around the waters. As soon as we dropped anchor at a location Chris scoped out for us, I caught a HUUUGE halibut and the excursion only got better from there. For the remainder of the trip, every passenger continue to hook fish one after another and that continued until everyone was exhausted. I know catching fish is not guaranteed on any trip, but based on my own personal experience, combined with my research of other customers reviews; I would venture to guess your chances of catching a fish with him at the helm is as close to 100% as humanly possible. I can not give a higher recommendation for Chris at Tok River, and highly suggest you check them out as well.

From the owner: Offering saltwater fishing charters for halibut, salmon, sea bass and rockfish. Whale watching and…read moreocean nature tours.

My family and I went whale watching with Hoonah Matata on 7/29 and we had a wonderful experience…read more Captain Jaromy knew just where to go to find a bunch of humpback whales that we're all around us the entire afternoon. The vessel is fast, brand new, and provides a much more nimble and private experience than you get on the larger boat tours my extended family went on. We even got to see a bunch of bald eagles fishing as we watched the whales. If you want an intimate whale watching tour with a knowledgeable and friendly crew, Hoonah Matata is the way to go.

From the owner: We offer private and small group (maximum 6 passengers) excursions to see some of the most scenic…read morenature and wildlife Southeast Alaska has to offer! Get away from the crowds of the large tour excursions and join us on a private, off-the-beaten-path excursion!

Without a doubt one of the most adventurous things we did. The high speed one mile zipline. It's…read moreunbelievable. What a great time we had. From the top you can see everything on the one side. When you come in for the landing it's really cool as you drop in over everyone watching.

Icy Straits or Hoonah: one word, TECKK Outfitters. Ok, that was two words. We had originally…read morecontacted them for just a morning of bear searching. Edna (co-owner) handled the preliminaries. Very courteous and prompt with answers. Required no money down. Keith, her husband, did the touring. Picked us up outside the boat area, swung us by his house to pick up his pup (Trigger) and let out his geese...all the way giving a tour of Hoonah. Then he dropped off half the van occupants at the dock for their morning of whale watching as the three of us (4 counting Trigger) headed into the bush in search of bear. Seriously. The four of us (ok, five if we count Keith) heading over old forest service roads deep into the back country! We couldn't have asked for more personal, attentive service. Within minutes, I felt like family. Keith is as open and good natured as they come. We really felt like we were penetrating the real Alaska with a real Alaskan! After four hours of deep and persistent searching, we came back with no bear sightings...such is the reality when trying to find a wild animal out in the wild, but we had zero regrets. When we come again, and we will, there will be no need to call anyone else. In fact, we had such a great experience with Keith and his organization that even though we had just whale toured the prior day in Juneau, we opted to hop aboard his boat for the afternoon tour. Wow. WOW! The boat is new and totally equipped for rough seas and full fishing assemblage. And in true TECKK fashion, the experience was very personal...boat has room for pilot and lookout, and 5 guests. That's it! We spent the next four hours zipping across Point Adolphus with more whales, to include full breaches, than we could keep a count of! I'm not lying, whales were everywhere and we were right in the middle of them! Oh, and just to show the fickle nature of bears, Keith's afternoon tour ran across three large brown bears! Military discount.

We had a great day whale watching in comfort. The crew was always diligent for wildlife sittings…read moreand then getting us as close as possible. We saw 5 or 6 whales. Always from a distance. We saw one tail.

Absolutely an amazing experience and demonstrated respect by true stewards of nature!…read more For a couple of hours, the captain and crew treated all of us as welcomed family upon a pristine tour boat. His respect towards the competing tour companies was refreshing (not crowding them and working with them). It was obvious he is exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled on the area's wildlife as he positioned his boat perfectly to carefully allow his customers to witness nature without disturbing or harming! He was able to anticipate where a feeding whale would surface more than a few times! A tip, all should dress for the weather and be ready to be outside in the elements. While the cabin inside allows a great view, all will want time either on top or on the bow viewing area. The rest of the crew's enthusiasm and knowledge was evident in all they did. It's great to see people LOVE what they are doing and thrive on sharing what they know. This is a boat on deep cold water. The crew looks out for the passenger safety. USCG briefing is conducted and all looks very safe on this boat. The boat is very well maintained and that helps keep all focused on the Whale and Wildlife adventure and eliminates other concerns. This is a restroom/head on the boat. I highly recommend this company, captain, crew and boat! WELL worth tour cost and time.