10 best things to do in Juneau Alaska from a cruise ship (free + on your own + excursions!) 🏔 One day in Juneau cruise port tips

Hi there!

Many cruise ships have all day in Juneau.

If this is you, this is quite nice, because you can do something in the morning, go back to the ship for lunch, and then go out and do something again in the afternoon and/or evening!

You can find some epic excursions to do in Juneau that can end up being the highlight of your cruise!

Juneau is also a great cruise port for hiking if you want a more budget-friendly option on your own that can also be a highlight of your cruise.

I have been to Juneau 6 times by cruise ship, and here are the things to do in Juneau cruise port that you need to know about for one day in Juneau!

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There are partner websites below.

1. Mendenhall Glacier (cheap if you want + on your own)

Juneau is most notable for being the cruise port that you can see a glacier from land on your own, and that’s the Mendenhall Glacier.

So, one of the most popular things to do in Juneau during a cruise is to go to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center.

This is in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area of Tongass National Forest. (Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States!)

Once at the visitor center, you can see the Mendenhall Glacier from across the lake.

And yes, you are seeing it from across the lake.

The important thing to know is that you cannot physically touch the glacier by going to the visitor center. It’s a bit of a distant view.

From the visitor center, the most popular things to do are to take a short walk to Photo Point for another glacier viewpoint and to walk a leisurely trail to Nugget Falls.

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How to go to Mendenhall Glacier visitor center

The cheapest way to get to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center is to go by public bus. (I have found that google maps public transit option works well for this!)

But many people don’t want to do this, because the bus stop closest to the visitor center is not so close.

It will be about a mile walk from the bus stop to the visitor center. You can consider this a nice leisurely walk in Juneau!

Instead, there are tours that provide transportation to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center that are the Mendenhall Glacier shuttles. This is basically a drop-off and a pick-up.

For something like this, you’ll want to look at doing the Mendenhall Glacier trolley tour. (Be sure to read the reviews so you understand what you’re getting… which is transportation! It seems like the complaints are about having expected more than just transportation.)

One of the classic Mendenhall Glacier shuttles is the Blue Bus glacier express shuttle.

Select your date for the Blue Bus glacier express shuttle: Check the availability

Mendenhall Glacier tours

There are different types of Mendenhall Glacier tours.

There are combination tours that include a stop at the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center for you to explore on your own, and then it will also include another way to experience Juneau. (Like the glacier + whale watching combo tour This is one of the most popular combo tours. Read the reviews.)

When looking at tours that include a view of the glacier, you should understand what type of view you will be getting so you won’t be disappointed. Some tours will say you will be able to see the glacier from the tour, and it’s only a distant view from the Brotherhood Bridge. If you will be happy with a distant view, that’s great. Just know that not all “glacier views” get all that close to the glacier.

One of the most epic ways to see the Mendenhall Glacier is through a canoe tour.

You still won’t physically touch the glacier during a canoe tour, but you will get much closer to see the glacier than most people do.

There is the canoe-only tour, where you paddle to get close to the glacier, and then there’s a canoe tour with a wilderness shore landing where you walk to a glacier viewpoint, again getting a much closer view of the glacier.

See the list of Mendenhall Glacier tours with cost and reviews: Mendenhall Glacier on viator and Mendenhall Glacier on getyourguide

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2. Juneau whale watching tour (excursion)

Another one of the most popular things to do in Juneau from a cruise ship is a whale watching tour.

Juneau is one of the best cruise ports for whale watching in Alaska. Summer is peak whale watching season.

That said, whales are wild, and there’s never any guarantee… THAT said, you have a very good chance to have a very fun experience! No matter what, a boat ride out on the water is a classic Alaska experience!

All Juneau whale watching tours start from Auke Bay.

The vast majority of whale watching tours have the best reviews, and that’s because they all have naturalists that are whale watching enthusiasts and Alaska experts! This means you really can’t go wrong with most whale watching tours.

You will have a fun whale watching experience if you do this whale watching tour. It is a slightly bigger boat (49 people max) but you can get out on the open deck when the boat comes to a stop (which it will if a whale is spotted). When the boat is not stopped, you’ll be sitting inside.

A 20-person boat is also a very fun experience (I’ve done this too), and you can do a whale watching tour with less people through this whale watching tour.

One of the most well-known Juneau whale watching companies is Harv and Marvs. See the official info and read the reviews.

Read the reviews for the best Juneau whale watching tours.

Again, there’s a combo tour so you can see the top 2 things that Juneau is known for with the popular Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching combo tour.

How to book a Juneau whale watching tour

You can look for a whale watching excursion through your cruise line or independently.

There are dedicated whale watching only tours, and there are also combination tours that include whale watching and another Juneau experience.

Consider that the more time you have out on the water, the more chances you have to have more memorable whale sightings! (aka WHY you might want to book a dedicated whale watching tour, and not a combo tour!)

See the list of the best whale watching tours in Juneau.

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Is Juneau the only cruise port to do a whale watching tour?

No, Juneau is not the only cruise port to do a whale watching tour. Icy Strait Point is another very good cruise port for whale sightings.

So if you have other things you want to do in Juneau, you can do your whale watching tour in Icy Strait Point!

There is also whale watching in Sitka.

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3. Juneau icefield seaplane tour (epic excursion)

One of the most epic flightseeing excursions you can do in Juneau is a seaplane tour over the massive Juneau icefield.

You will get simply amazing views as you fly over the Juneau icefield. You’ll fly over several glaciers and you might even see blue ice.

👆 Seaplane tours depart from downtown Juneau.

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How to book a Juneau seaplane tour

You can book this Wings Airways tour independently by looking for the Five-Glacier Seaplane Exploration, or you can look for it through your cruise line.

Read the Wings Airways reviews on google maps.

See my pictures from the Juneau 5-glacier seaplane tour.

When doing any sort of flightseeing tour in Juneau (and anywhere in Alaska), it’s important to understand that these tours are weather-dependent. This means that it’s important to manage your expectations! It’s possible that the flightseeing tour in Juneau that you are most excited about may be canceled due to weather. Expect the worst and hope for the best! Weather conditions can change rapidly and you may end up with a last minute cancellation.

4. Juneau whale fountain (free + on your own walking from downtown)

The joke among whale watching tour guides on the drive back from a whale watching tour… Oh look, there’s a whale!

Or maybe that was just my tour guide. 🤪

Well it’s not really a joke because you actually can see a whale… a whale statue that is. 🤪 This is Tahku the whale. On google maps it’s called the Whale Project.

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This is an iconic statue in Juneau though, and it can be considered to be within walking distance from the cruise port. So if you have 2 hours or so before your back-on-board time, it’s worth having a walk over.

So you are guaranteed to see at least one breaching whale by going to see Tahku. 🤪

Depending on where your cruise ship is docked, it will be a 20 to 30 minute walk one way from the cruise port to the iconic Juneau whale statue fountain. So if you’re quick about it, you don’t actually need 2 hours. But it will give you time to slowly wander around! (map)

Tahku the whale is located in Overstreet Park, which is basically a small waterfront open area that you can walk around. (It is small, so don’t be expecting a big green park!)

When coming from downtown, the trail immediately leading to the whale statue is lined with totem poles. Once you’re at the whale fountain, you can walk around Tahku and take some creative pictures so it can actually look like a real whale jumping out of the water at first glance! (I wasn’t thinking about this at the time, so I didn’t really get pictures like this.)

More of walking through downtown from the cruise port

You can start off your walk to the whale statue by walking along the Juneau Seawalk.

This is the boardwalk you will naturally end up on as soon as you get off the cruise ship! And just by walking on the boardwalk, you will see totem poles.

So it’s really easy to see totem poles in Juneau! You actually don’t even need to try. The totem poles line the boardwalk! You can stop to read the informational signs to learn more about the meaning behind each of the totem poles.

Although you can see the downtown Juneau totem poles without even trying, if you want to be intentional about it, you can follow the downtown Juneau totem trail. (pdf)

You can also follow the trail to the Sealaska Heritage Native Alaskan exhibit. (map) There is an admission fee for the Sealaska Heritage Institute. See the current fees.

If you’re looking for a nice walk in downtown Juneau and you have 2 hours or so, you can making your walking route from the cruise ship to the Juneau whale statue, and then on your way back, take your time with totem poles!

DIY day/half day ideas: I went to the Juneau whale statue on my way back to the cruise port after I went to Douglas Island. First I did an easy beach walk in Juneau on Douglas Island which I got to by bus. (I saw jellyfish on the beach!) And then on the way back, I stopped off near the Douglas Island bridge, walked across the bridge, and then to Tahku the whale and the totem poles! And then from there, I headed to downtown and back to the cruise ship!

See more easy walking in Juneau.

Is Juneau the only cruise port to see totem poles?

No, Juneau is not the only cruise port where you can see totem poles. One of the best cruise ports to see totem poles is actually Ketchikan cruise port! There are lots of totem poles all around Ketchikan. Sitka is also a very good port to see them, you can do easy walking in Sitka to see totem poles. You can also make it a totem walk and see totem poles in Victoria!

5. Goldbelt tram (on your own)

The Goldbelt Tram is also called the Mount Roberts tramway.

The Mount Roberts tramway is another one of the most popular things to do in Juneau, and it will take you to a high point in Juneau.

The tram station is in a very convenient location. Depending on where exactly your cruise ship is docked, you might be just a few minutes (literally less than 5 minutes walk) from the tram station.

You’ll take the tram up to the top. Once at the top, you can go for a short hike on one of the trails from the tram station. There’s also a trail that’s lined with totem poles, so this is a perfect spot to see totem poles in Juneau. You can also hike to the Father Brown Cross which will give you amazing views of Juneau’s mountains and waterway.

You can also just eat and drink with a view at the restaurant once you’re at the top. You’ll find Alaskan food and Alaskan beer.

To learn a bit about Native Alaskan culture, be sure to look for the Chilkat Theater where you can watch a short film.

If you’re going to Juneau during peak Alaska cruise season, there’s a chance the line for the tram will be really long going both ways.

See more things to do near the Juneau tram.

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How to buy Mount Robert tram tickets

You can buy Mount Robert tram tickets through your cruise line, or you can buy a ticket on-site (expect a line), or you can buy a ticket through the official Goldbelt Tram website.

NCL cruise tip: Free at Sea to get one free Mount Roberts tram ticket!

If you won’t be booking any excursions in Juneau through NCL and you have “free at sea,” then you can get a tram ticket for cheap or free! So don’t miss out on that!

How to HIKE to the Mount Roberts tram station

The easy way to get to the Mount Roberts tram station at the top is by taking the tram that’s a few minutes walk from your cruise ship. But why get there the easy way when you can get there the harder way?! 🤣

Well actually there are 3 good reasons to hike the Mount Roberts Trail to the tram station!

The first good reason is because you want to do a rainforest hike! You can hike through a rainforest to get to the tram station!

The second good reason is because then you won’t have to deal with crowds or a line to take the tram near the cruise port! (Although you might have to deal with it later going down.)

The third good reason is because you’ll still take the tram, it will just be one way, and it will be cheaper! (It’s only cheaper to go one way if you take it down. Buying a ticket going up is the same price whether you go one way or round trip.)

So if all that sounds good to you, you want to hike the Mount Roberts Trail starting on Basin Road. (map)

This trail will take you straight to the tram station at the top! This is a solid hike. It’s pretty much all uphill.

It’s recommended to give yourself 1.5 hours on the trail itself.

And you’ll need to allocate extra time to get to the trailhead (you can walk 30 minutes – consider it part of your hike!), and you want to give yourself extra time to spend around the tram station as well.

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See more about hiking the Mount Roberts Trail to the tram station.

6. Gastineau Peak (hiking + on your own)

The Gastineau Peak hike is a solid hike.

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You start you hike from Gastineau Peak from the tram station, and you will start hiking in the same direction as the Father Brown Cross, and then you will keep going.

Or if you’re really ambitious, you can start it from the Mount Roberts trailhead on Basin Road (map)… or if you’re even more ambitious you can start it from the Gold Creek Flume trailhead on Evergreen Avenue (map). Also since we’re talking about ambition, if you are ambitious, you can even hike further than Gastineau Peak to Roberts Peak. OR… if you’re just looking for an easy walk, you can do the Gold Creek Flume Trail on its own!

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The hike to Gastineau Peak is another one of the best hikes in Juneau.

If you want to choose just one epic hike, it’s a tough call between the West Glacier Trail and the Gastineau Peak hike!

On the one hand, you’re doing an Alaska cruise to see glaciers, so it feels like you MUST do the West Glacier Trail! On the other hand, the Gastineau Peak hike comes with incredible views of mountains and water!

The Gastineau Peak hike is the harder hike.

If it’s raining, I also wouldn’t do it. It’s reported to get really muddy, and there were parts of the trail that made me nervous even in sunny and dry conditions, although I do get scared easily. 🤪 (I did the West Glacier Trail in the rain, and it’s not anything that should stop you from doing it… unless you’re not prepared with rain gear and hiking shoes! I was not prepared with waterproof hiking shoes, and that meant spending time in my cabin blow drying my shoes with the hair dryer. 🤣)

7. Taku Lodge salmon bake excursion (epic excursion)

The Taku Lodge excursion is 2 excursions in one! You get the epic Juneau icefield flightseeing tour and a salmon bake tour!

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The seaplane tour you do is the same Juneau icefield seaplane tour mentioned earlier, but the Taku Lodge excursion comes with a water landing at Taku Lodge!

The Taku Lodge is now only operational for day trips, and it’s basically a lodge in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. There’s classic Southeast Alaskan forest on one side, and on the other side is the waterway with a view of a glacier.

Once your seaplane lands, you’ll have some time to walk around the grounds before the food is ready, so be sure to do this! There’s a trail you can take that goes along the water and winds into the forest. You’ll see moss-covered trees and more unusual looking trees. There’s waterfalls in the back too, although there might be a group walk after eating to go to that.

And then you’ll have a classic Alaskan-inspired meal. If you’re seated right, you can even eat with a view of a glacier!

How to book the Taku Lodge excursion

You can book this Wings Airways tour independently by looking for the Taku Lodge Feast & Five-Glacier Seaplane Discovery, or you can book this excursion through your cruise line.

Read the Wings Airways reviews on google maps.

See my pictures from the Taku Lodge excursion.

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8. Glacier helicopter tour (epic excursion)

One of the most epic excursions you can do in Alaska is to experience a glacier through a helicopter tour with a glacier landing!

There are helicopter tours in Juneau that will allow you to walk on the glacier for an amazing glacier experience in Alaska.

The glacier and guided walk helicopter tour will take you on a flightseeing tour across Juneau to see a glacier and Alaskan wilderness from above, and then you will make a landing on the glacier. Then, you’ll do a walk across the glacier!

The dog sledding on a glacier helicopter tour will also allow you to have a flightseeing tour across the Alaskan wilderness and make a glacier landing. But this glacier landing is at a sled dog camp! You’ll have the chance to meet a real team of sled dogs in training, along with their musher (aka the sled dog trainer)!

You can do both of these tours through Temsco. Read the Temsco reviews on google maps.

The dog sledding season in Juneau is from mid-May to early September.

Mendenhall Glacier and Guided Walk helicopter tour: Check for availability

Dog Sledding on Mendenhall Glacier helicopter tour: Check for availability

Is Juneau the only cruise port to do a glacier helicopter tour?

No, Juneau is not the only cruise port to do a glacier helicopter tour.

You can also do similar tours in Skagway cruise port. See my post about the best Skagway excursions for that.

Sled dog tours NOT on snow

Glacier sled dog tours are epic but expensive. If you want a cheaper way to have fun with sled dogs in training, then you will want to look at doing a dog sled camp in Juneau.

These types of dog sledding musher camps do not include a helicopter ride, they are not on a glacier, and they are not on snow… therefore they are cheaper!

You can go to this type of sled dog camp in Skagway too.

9. Tracy’s King Crab Shack (food + on your own)

Tracy’s King Crab Shack is one of the most popular restaurants in Juneau. Yes, the thing to eat at Tracy’s is king crab!

To do Tracy’s King Crab Shack the right way, it’s like the cost of an excursion. (The right way = getting the crab legs!) King crab is expensive! See the menu.

Or you can do it as an actual excursion too. There’s a Tracy’s King Crab Shack + whale watching combo tour.

Depending on where your cruise ship is docked, you might just be a few minutes walk from Tracy’s King Crab Shack. (Again, you might literally less than 5 minutes walk!)

This means that it’s easy for everyone to go to, and that can mean crowds and a long line.

There is also an alternate location for Tracy’s King Crab Shack that typically gets less foot traffic, so you might want to go there instead! It’s a 15 minute walk from the cruise ship, again depending on where you’re docked. (map)

You will pass by the secondary location of the crab shack on your way to Tahku the whale. So you can make a half day of it by going to the iconic whale fountain in Juneau, and then go eat the famous crab legs of Juneau! (map)

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You can also do a crab food excursion in Ketchikan and a crab food excursion in Icy Strait Point.

10. Sentinel Island lighthouse tour (excursion)

If you are a lighthouse enthusiast, then the Sentinel Island lighthouse tour is the best lighthouse tour to do during your Alaska cruise!

Being from Michigan, I’m a lighthouse enthusiast, so I was happy to do this tour! (There are said to be over 100 lighthouses in Michigan, more than any other state in the US, although I’ve been to nowhere near that!) I also did a lighthouse tour in Ketchikan, although that was a pass-by of a lighthouse from the boat, with no walking around the lighthouse.

With the Juneau lighthouse tour, it’s not only a visit to the lighthouse, but you can also do the must-do experience in Juneau of whale watching!

Sentinel Island is a small island, and you’ll take a boat to get there. That boat ride is on the same path as all the other whale watching boats in Juneau, so you won’t be missing out on a chance to see whales.

But your destination is a little further, and that’s to Sentinel Island where the lighthouse is located!

And once on the island (which you get on after the boat crew set up the floating pier!), you will get to walk around on a small Alaskan island and into the lighthouse.

You can also walk the short trail off to the side to go see the shoreline on the other side of the island. Ask your tour guide if there are blueberries that you can pick and eat!

In terms of whale watching, the main difference between the lighthouse tour and other whale watching tours is that with a whale watching only tour, you’ll get more time dedicated to humpback whales, which means more opportunities for more exciting whale sightseeing.

See the official info about the Juneau lighthouse and whale watching combo tour.

Read the Juneau lighthouse tour reviews on google maps.

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For a better visual of where many of these things are located in relation to the cruise port, see the Juneau cruise port map. (This also includes where your cruise ship will dock.)

Top 10 in more Alaska cruise ports: Best of Ketchikan | Best of Skagway

Things to do in other cruise ports: Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria | Vancouver | Seattle

HAPPY DOING THINGS IN JUNEAU CRUISE PORT!