Hoonah

No. The port is a private cruise destination on a forested point. The town of Hoonah — population about 760, the largest Tlingit village in Alaska — is roughly 1.5 miles up a single paved road. You can walk it on a marked path along the shore (35–45 minutes one way), take a shuttle when one's running, or skip it. Hoonah itself is a working fishing town with a couple of bars, a small grocery, and a harbor. It is not a souvenir district. If you want shopping, the heritage center and the cannery shops at the port are the answer.

5,330 feet long with a 1,330-foot vertical drop — six parallel lines so groups ride together, roughly 90 seconds top to bottom. Riders must weigh between 75 and 275 pounds. You take the SkyGlider gondola up the mountain, get clipped in, and ride straight down to the cannery. Whether it's worth it depends on you: it's expensive (book through the cruise line or directly at icystraitpoint.com), and the whale tour will arguably be the more memorable choice if you only get one excursion. The view on the gondola ride up is the underrated part.

Whales: very high in summer. Point Adolphus, about 12 miles across Icy Strait from the port, is one of the most reliable humpback feeding grounds in Southeast Alaska — the Whale and Marine Mammals Cruise has a long-standing reputation for near-guaranteed sightings May through September. Bears: not guaranteed. Spasski River brown bear viewing relies on salmon runs and individual bear behavior; the operator (the Huna Totem-owned excursion arm) is upfront that you might see eagles, deer, and forest and no bear at all. Best odds are mid-July through August during the peak salmon run.

Mostly yes for the cannery area. The pier, the cannery buildings, the museum, and the restaurants are connected by paved paths and ramps. The heritage center is accessible. The SkyGlider gondola loads at ground level. The ZipRider itself is not — it requires climbing into a harness and stepping off a platform — and the Spasski bear-viewing trail is a packed-dirt forest path with roots and uneven sections. Whale-watching boats vary by operator; ask before booking if mobility is a concern.

Cool and frequently wet, even in July. Average summer highs are in the high 50s to mid-60s Fahrenheit (14–18°C), and rain is common — Hoonah averages around 60 inches a year. Pack layers, a real waterproof shell (not a windbreaker), and closed-toe shoes that can handle wet planking and forest trails. The whale-watching boat is colder than you expect once it's moving. Sunglasses are still useful when the sun does break through; the water glare is intense.