The Port of Hoonah is an island community that can be reached only by plane or boat. Vessels sailing the Alaska Marine Highway visit the Port of Hoonah on a regular basis for travel to/from Juneau. Hoonah also has an airport that serves bush carriers offering as many as five flights per day between the Port of Hoonah and Juneau.

The Port of Hoonah enjoys a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Temperatures in the summer range from 7°C (45°F) to 16°C (61°F). Winter temperatures range from -4°C (25°F) to 4°C (39°F). During the summer months, days are up to 19 hours long. During the winter, they are six hours short. The weather can change rapidly, so dressing in layers and having waterproof outerwear is advised.

There are many places within walking distance where visitors can find interesting and enjoyable outdoor recreation opportunities. Bird watchers can observe more than 250 species of shorebirds, waterfowl, and common birds. It is a wonderful spot for watching majestic bald eagles.

The Port of Hoonah's Chicagof Island is home to one of the world's biggest brown bear populations, and other wildlife includes mink, Sitka black-tail deer, marten, land otter, and red squirrel. It is also common to see whales from the shore. In 2007, over 160 humpback whales were identified near the Port of Hoonah in the Point Adolphus-Glacier Bay area. Other marine mammals include porpoises, sea otters, seals and sea lions, and orcas.

In 2003, the abandoned salmon cannery in the Port of Hoonah was converted to a Native-owned cruise ship destination named Icy Strait Point. Today, busses run regularly between the dock and the town when a ship is in port, and there is also a walking path running aside the road that offers beautiful panoramic seaside views for those who wish to walk.

In front of the Port of Hoonah City School and at Icy Strait Point are totem sites where visitors can see totem poles that depict Tlingit history, legend, and culture as well as locally-carved canoes.

There are over 300 kilometers (200 miles) of dirt roads where hikers and cyclers can enjoy Chichagof Island, and visitors can get Hoonah Area Road maps from the Forest Service complex. Visitors should be trained in bear safety before venturing out alone on the Island.

Just 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the Port of Hoonah is Glacier Bay National Park. This marine wilderness park and preserve contains glaciers, mountain ranges, coastlines, fjords, and freshwater lakes and rivers. It supports a diverse community of wildlife and plants. Visitors to Glacier Bay National Park can enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, rafting, fishing, hunting, mountaineering, and bird watching.

Most of the park does not have roads or trails. Visitors can go for days without seeing other people or even evidence of people. Several outfitters offer guided trips in the wilderness, river rafting adventures, and kayaking trips. The park's website offers information on these services.

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