There are many destinations to explore while in Juneau. Finding one that is affordable is a whole other story.
After hours of researching, we decided we would walk around the town and explore the port that way. In the past, those are the best excursions, I remember. Having the ability to see the town for what it really is and not the tourist side they showcase.
We all enjoy hiking, as long as they are easy trails. My sister came up with the suggestion of going to the Mendenhall Glacier park. From there we could see the glacier, take a little hike, get some fresh air, and see some of the city. Once, in port, this is what we were going to do.
The cruise line offered a shuttle to the downtown area. The shuttle ride is quick, like less than 5 minutes. It is also a short walk, if you are up for moving more. With all the extra food we were eating, we opted to walk to downtown.
Once we were in the downtown area, we were going to ride the city bus to the park entrance. The cost in inexpensive. However, the catch is the bus drops you off about a half -mile away from the visitors’ center. Be prepared to walk one mile round trip just to get from the bus drop off spot to the visitors’ center and back. That doesn’t include any additional hiking that will occur once you get to the park.
Instead of taking the bus, we opted to take an Uber to the Glacier. We were on a time constraint, and the Uber was a direct trip. Whereas the city bus had to stay on their route, make stops and pick people up. We read that the 13 mile ride could take up to 2 hours riding the bus, or 20 minutes in an Uber.
Once we arrived at the visitors’ center, the view was break taking. I have seen nothing remotely close. Not only was the glacier HUGE. The colors that popped out were beautiful.
If you are not interested in hiking back to get closer to the glacier, you have an amazing view from the visitors’ center. The picture is the front of the entrance near the Visitors Center. Unfortunately, we did not go into the Visitors Center. We were more curious about hiking the mile in trail to get closer to the glacier
The hike is easy. The terrain is a little uneven, but the path is well worn and easy to navigate.
While we were hiking back to the Glacier, we saw 2 park rangers that were also hiking the trail and making sure everything was in order. I am not sure if that is everyday practices or if we just got lucky.
If you have time and the capability of making the hike in, I highly recommended it. The ability to be that close to something that big doesn’t happen often in life. That moment brought me back to reality to appreciate the beauty we see daily. For me, I am always in hustle mode, wanting to jump into the next thing life offers. I have a fear of missing out, and I want to see it all. But when we were at this spot, I wanted the world to stop for a few months to soak in all the glory and beauty around.
Once you arrive at the viewing area, there is a nice little area to hang out. While we were standing there soaking in the views, we saw several helicopters land on top of the glacier. I imagine the experience is priceless, but being right there in the spot we were at was also priceless. And a little on the safer side, I had both feet on solid ground.
I could have stayed here longer. To the right side of the glacier, snuggled up next to the viewing area, was a rushing waterfall. The noise was so peaceful. I think the sound from the waterfall is the reason I wanted to stay there for so long. The sound of water running is always calming to my nervous system.
If you decided to make this journey, I would recommend that you dress warmly, wear rain or water shoes (you will get wet). Take a rain jacket or even better umbrella, that can double as a walking stick when not in use. We used ponchos, and they were ok, but if I had to do over again, it would be the rain jacket or umbrella.
I am thrilled that we made this trip. If you are trying to save money while still seeing what Juneau offers, I would highly recommend taking an Uber. Just remember you are on your own, and need to be back on the ship by the time the captain tells you. He will leave you behind! You will be responsible for catching up with the ship in the next port, or planning to get back home.
Occasionally, we live on the wild side. Our captain told us to be back on the ship by 1:00 pm. All my years of traveling, I can honestly say that is the closest we have ever cut it.
Don’t be like us and wait until you get in the city to have a plan. We wasted a good hour trying to figure out how we were going to get to the Glacier. That is why we were cutting it close on time.
Stay curious and ask questions. We looked in depth at the excursions available while in port. We never saw an option for just going to Mendenhall Park. You do not need to pay hundreds of dollars to have a guided tour.
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