*If you have any questions that aren't answered in this post, please leave them in the comments section where I do my best to answer all Alaska related questions directly!
My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are my favorite websites and resources to help plan an incredible trip to the 49th State. For flights, I recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska. Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars! I always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates. To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, I always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required). For fun things to do, I recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick. Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance. Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier. Juneau's Best Places to Stay
Even though Juneau is the capitol of Alaska, you can't actually drive to Juneau! This means the only ways to get there are by boat (cruise, charter, or marine highway) or by flight! For our first trip to the capitol of Alaska, we took the 1.5 hour flight from Anchorage, but on our most recent visit we were one of many visiting via cruise! If you're coming by cruise then this section won't really apply to you, but if you're planning to spend the night then it's essential to pick a place where you'll feel comfortable and a place that'll only enhance your visit to Juneau.
My top recommendation is the Silverbow Inn - my husband and I stayed here ourselves and not only was it very centrally located, but the staff and accommodations went above and beyond. They had fresh cookies, an included breakfast, and the best part? Their outdoor rooftop hot tub with views overlooking the cruise port! If they're sold out or you aren't able to get a room, I would recommend looking into the Jorgenson House Luxury Bed & Breakfast, The Alaskan Hotel & Bar, or the Best Western Grandma's Feather Bed.
My Favorite Tour in Juneau :
- Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Experience 13 Top Things to Do in Juneau
1. Try the Local Restaurants
Eating out is one of my favorite ways to explore a new city, especially if it's my first time there. Among my favorite places to eat in Juneau there's one that stands out for many visitors - Tracy's Crab Shack. Serving up King Crab combos my husband and I always get their Combo #1 - a meal including rolls & butter, 4 crab cakes, crab bisque, 1 pound of Dungeness crab, and one King Crab leg. Just make sure to plan ahead, the line can get pretty long - and if you don't feel like waiting, there's plenty of other places in town I would recommend as well!
2. The Upside Down Forest
This hidden gem in Juneau is a bit underrated in my personal opinion. Just make your way to the Glacier Gardens, a family run nursery and landscape company. For just $26.95 a person you'll get to join one of their shuttle tours through the rainforest, where you can see wildlife (our tour saw a black bear), bits of the Tongass National Forest, and even these upside down trees pictured above. You'll even have the opportunity to stop for a unique overlook of Juneau and Fritz Cove.
3. Nugget Falls
My personal favorite thing to do in Juneau is to hike out to Nugget Falls - one of the largest waterfalls you can visit in Alaska! Not only can you get up close and personal (make sure to bring a poncho & watershoes) but the hike itself starts at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and is very easy and flat - making the 2 mile trip accessible to just about anyone! Even though most of it is paved, depending on recent rainfall amounts the rest of the trail might get a little muddy, and you might have to cross a small river to get to the base of the waterfall.
4. Mendenhall Glacier & Visitor Center
Other than hiking out to Nugget Falls, visiting the Mendenhall Glacier & Visitor Center is a fun activity in and of itself! From even just the parking lot you can view the Mendenhall Lake & Glacier for a small fee of $5 per person per day, or $15 for the season (anyone 15 and younger are free). This fee covers use of the trails, and is not required if you're only doing the hike to Nugget Falls. I highly recommend hiking out to the end of Photo Point Trail to get a bit of a closer view of the glacier. Inside the Visitor Center you can watch a movie and learn more about the area through their multiple video exhibits. This is the tour I recommend to really get up close and personal to Mendenhall Glacier.
5. Steep Creek Trail
Right across the parking lot of the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is the Steep Creek Trail, a 1/4 mile elevated boardwalk loop with great bear & salmon viewing chances. Depending on where you're planning to stop on your visit to Alaska, this might be your best bet to see bears up close, so I highly recommend a stop here if you're already in the area! Most commonly, black bears are seen in this area.
6. Whale Watching
Juneau is the city where I've had my best whale watching experience ever, and I've been in Hawaii, Iceland & Ireland - including other places to whale watch in Alaska as well. Going out on a whale watching tour while in Juneau actually is one of the top tours I recommend to anyone visiting Alaska, mainly because of the huge amounts of krill in the area and the fact that many whales migrate here during the summer months. During my one tour in Juneau, our group saw nearly 20 humpback whales - the most I've ever seen at once - and they just happened to be the closest I'd ever seen them as well. If you do one tour while in Juneau, this has to be the one.
7. Alaska Brewing Tour
If you're visiting Juneau for your first time, then chances are you might want to try some local brews! Lucky for you the famous "Alaskan Brewing Co." (which you can find in almost all of 50 states) is brewed right here in Juneau! If you stop by their downtown merch store, you can catch a free shuttle ride to their tasting room to try brews that aren't available anywhere else.
8. Visit the Alaska State Capitol
Like we mentioned above, Juneau is actually the capitol of Alaska - and the only capitol you can't actually drive to. If you happen to visit on a summer week day they even offer free guided tours, otherwise you can always take a self-guided tour during regular business hours. The state capitol building (pictured above) is located right downtown and was built in 1931.
9. Tahku the Whale Sculpture
If you're looking to see a whale up close but don't have time to take the whale watching tour I recommend, then the next best thing would be Taku the Whale Sculpture. If you get the timing right with the water fountains and squint just a little, it might even pass as a real whale. ;) You can find Taku at Juneau's downtown waterfront.
10. Find the Rainbow Crosswalks
If you happen to be exploring on foot, then dotted throughout Juneau you might find some rainbow painted crosswalks. These started to pop up as far back as 2017, and although last time I visited I could only find one (the intersection of Main St. & Front St.) and they represent inclusivity and acknowledgment of all members of the community, visitors included.
11. Mount Roberts Tramway
If you're looking to enjoy the best views of Juneau, then no doubt you'll find them at the top of the Mount Roberts Tramway. As the only tram in Southeast Alaska, your $55 tickets includes admission for the entire day - meaning if you really want you could ride the tram as many times as you want! Lines can get long during the summer cruises - so I recommend going early if you want to avoid being super crowded. Once you get to the top you can watch a video to learn more about the Tlingit people, try some Alaskan cuisine, or even head out on a hike!
12. Explore the Tongass National Forest
As the USA's largest national forest, it spans over 16.7 million acres. The best ways to experience the forest are via hikes, overnight visits to public use cabins, and spelunking in the limestone caves. You can see bits of the forest at Glacier Gardens, the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, and at the Juneau Icefield. If you've rented a car, you can also head out to the Auck Recreation Area (known for camping, it's beach areas, and public use shelters) or the North Douglass Area (known for the incredibly beautiful coastal views).
13. Helicopter to a Glacier
One of the most bucket list worthy experiences in Juneau (if not all of Alaska) is to take a helicopter ride out to a glacier! Although tours can be a bit spendy, I highly recommend adding this experience to your itinerary if you're able to. You'll view the most epic views of the Juneau area and Icefield from the helicopter during your roundtrip flight to Herbert Glacier - where you'll be able to get out for a guided glacier walk!
Other Alaska blog posts you might be interested in :
-> 7 Best Things to Do in Ketchikan -> 7 Reasons to Visit Sitka, Alaska -> 7 Best Tours in Alaska
Pin this Guide to Juneau for later!
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I'm Deborah👋🏼
In 2021 my husband Tyler convinced me to move to Alaska. After living there for a year (then leaving to take a year long world trip) we realized there was no place we loved more. So now we're back - and I'm here to share all my best tips and hidden gems to make Your Alaskan Adventures the best they can be. My favorite travel & outdoor gear is available right here! Use this link to shop all my favorite Alaska necessities! This blog and all content is free to you, however, when you purchase through referral or affiliate links on our site I may earn a small commission with no extra cost to you! --- Learn more here about our affiliates and privacy policy. --- Links look like this, and are tours and products I only personally recommend! --- Join Travel Payouts or Rock Porch to earn affiliates on your own sites! Planning a trip outside Alaska? Check out our blog Raarup Adventures for international vacation ideas or Deborah in Korea for adventures in South Korea! |