Juneau is a walkable city with most cruise ships docking near downtown, allowing visitors to walk off the ship and explore the area. Maps can be found on the official Juneau tourism Goldbelt tram. For an easy walk through the forest, take the Goldbelt tram (aka Mount Roberts tram) up from the cruise port and hike a trail through the forest. The Mount Roberts trailhead on Basin Road is around a 30 minute walk, or start at the Gold Creek Flume trailhead for a more challenging hike.
Juneau is a pedestrian-friendly city, with all recommended destinations within walking distance of the cruise ship docks. The Juneau Cruise Port sits alongside the historic downtown area, within walking distance of seafood restaurants and frontier-themed shops. The walk itself takes about an hour, and there are self-guided walking tours available that include museums and historic sites.
Juneau offers a diverse selection of bucket list tours, such as glacier dog sledding and wildlife tours. Downtown Juneau is very walkable, with shopping, the aerial tram, and popular restaurants within walking distance. The pier is flat, making it convenient for those who prefer not to walk. If you prefer not to walk, the Juneau cruise port shuttle service is an efficient and convenient option, along with taxis and ride-sharing services.
📹 Port Guide: Juneau, Alaska – What We Think You Should Know Before You Go! – ParoDeeJay
Looking to explore Juneau while on an Alaskan cruise? Welcome to our Port Guide series! Join us as we share our personal …
Is it safe to walk to the Queen’s Staircase?
Easy and safe to walk from the cruise ship port. The staircase is impressive with the surroundings. It leads right up to the fort.
How much is a taxi to Mendenhall Glacier from Cruise Port?
$35 – $45 The fastest way to get from Juneau to Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area is to taxi which takes 23 min and costs $35 – $45. Is there a direct bus between Juneau and Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area?
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What companies run services between Juneau, AK, USA and Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, AK, USA?. Capital Transit operates a bus from Glacier Avenue and 9th Street to Mendenhall Loop Road and Dredge Lake Road hourly. Tickets cost ₽173 and the journey takes 39 min.
Want to know more about travelling around the world?. Rome2Rio’s Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Read our range of informative guides on popular transport routes and companies – including How to get from Southend Airport into central London, Train travel in France: A guide to SNCF, and 5 incredible day trips from Florence by train – to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Is it easy to get an Uber in Juneau?
Yes. The Uber app gives you the power to request a ride to get around Juneau anytime, 24/7.
What’s the most affordable way to travel in Juneau?
With Uber, you can choose the ride option that works best for your budget when you travel in Juneau. To see the possible cost, open the app and input your destination in the “Where to?” box. The price estimate for each ride option will appear; scroll to see what’s currently available.
Yes. Open your Uber app to request Juneau car service, and let your driver take you where you want to go. (You might see other Juneau transportation options available in your app, too.)
Check the Uber app to see if car rentals are available in your city. If so, choose Rent and complete your reservation with a rental provider using the Uber app. Then travel in Juneau or wherever the road takes you.
Is Queens Staircase free?
Agree with what others have said – you can just walk by the locals trying to scam money from you. Unless you feel like giving them a handout. This is free (primarily why I gave it the 5 stars) and it is a really beautiful sight. The Queen’s Staircase in Nassau, Bahamas, was an incredible experience.
Can you visit Mendenhall Glacier on your own?
Yes, you can visit Mendenhall Glacier without a tour. You can drive to the glacier from southeast Alaska and enjoy the visitor center and extensive hiking trails.
Mendenhall Glacier is an iconic glacier in Juneau, Alaska. It’s a must-see when visiting the area – either by cruise or other means. It’s certainly worth a visit, regardless of whether you choose a guided tour or a self-led tour.
Located just 12 miles from downtown Juneau, which translates to a 20-30-minute drive. Learn your options for visiting this incredible landmark during your Juneau travels.
Ways to Reach Mendenhall Glacier. There are two main ways to reach Mendenhall Glacier when staying in Juneau. The first is to book a tour, which could involve hiking, kayaking or cruising your way to the glacier. Or you can take a shuttle to the area and enjoy self-exploration. Each has its pros and cons. Here’s how you can evaluate what’s best for you.
Can I walk on Mendenhall Glacier on my own?
Yes, you can visit Mendenhall Glacier without a tour.
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Yes, you can visit Mendenhall Glacier without a tour. You can drive to the glacier from southeast Alaska and enjoy the visitor center and extensive hiking trails.
Mendenhall Glacier is an iconic glacier in Juneau, Alaska. It’s a must-see when visiting the area – either by cruise or other means. It’s certainly worth a visit, regardless of whether you choose a guided tour or a self-led tour.
How do I get around Juneau from Cruise Port?
Catch the tram. The Mount Roberts Tramway runs from Juneau’s docks to the top of Mount Roberts, offering a sweet view of town and access to all the hiking trails that start at the top of the mountain. It’s a fun way to skip all the vertical feet you’d otherwise have to hike to get out of the city.
Juneau is popular with tourists for a reason—it’s scenic and historic. But it’s also a great place to live. The bike- and pedestrian-friendly city is easy to get around, and plenty of tourist infrastructure means you can spend a season working there and enjoying all the amazing sights without worrying about not having your car.
Can you walk to Queens Staircase from cruise port?
Frequently referred to as “The 66 Steps” and located a five-minute drive and 13-minute walk from The Port is The Queen’s Staircase. This staircase was chiseled out of solid limestone between 1793 and 1794 by slaves and connects Fort Fincastle to Downtown Nassau. The staircase has been named in honor of Queen Victoria who reigned in Britain from 1827 to 1901, a lengthy 64 years. If you count them, you will see that there are only 65 steps visible today. Asphalt paving of the pathway leading to The Queen’s Staircase has led to the bottom stair being buried. Beautiful foliage surrounds The Queen’s Staircase adding to the peaceful and enchanting atmosphere. The natural limestone rock creates a shaded, cool and serene environment worthy of photographing.
What is the best way to get around Juneau?
Getting Around Town Downtown Juneau is very walkable, and you can get to many landmarks within 15 minutes from the docks. You can also explore at your own pace by renting a car. Don’t want to worry about logistics so you can just sit back and enjoy the view? Bus tours, shuttles, and taxis are all options.
For lots of travelers, planning a trip is half the fun. In this section, you’ll discover lots of handy information to plan your Juneau trip – weather, packing tips, maps, and much more. One of the bigger decisions: your mode of transportation. Because Juneau is relatively remote and not completely accessible by car, plan your transportation early.This part of your adventure has several options!
The Mendenhall Glacier is just one of Juneau’s many attractions. To make sure we maintain the vibrant ecosystem while providing a quality visitor experience at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (MGVC),tour and commercial transportation capacity is limited. Travel Juneau highly recommends visitors book their transportation or tours to the glacier well in advance of their arrival in Juneau, as it’s probable thatday-of purchase will not be available. Right now, indications are thatexcursions and activities are up to 80% booked.
Capital Transit, the public transit system, is designed for resident transport and does.
Is there a trolley in Juneau, Alaska?
This tour is fully narrated and includes a scenic photo stop on Douglas Island, as well as the option to hop off and back on at the State Museum and Salmon Hatchery. (Hatchery entry fee is included in price of tour). The trolley runs once an hour and has a 2 passenger minimum.
How much does it cost to go to Mendenhall Glacier from cruise port?
Shuttle From Juneau To Mendenhall Glacier You can line up at any of the stands to buy a round-trip ticket to the glacier. During our visit (July 2022) the tickets cost USD$45 each. The journey from the cruise port to the glacier is about 15 minutes.
How far is it from cruise port to Mendenhall Glacier?
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is located approximately 13 miles from downtown Juneau and cruise ship docks. There are several transportation options from the Juneau cruise ship docks.
📹 FULL day in Juneau | Alaska Cruise Ship Port
We hope you enjoy coming along for a full day exploring Juneau, Alaska! Today we will tour the city, see the Alaska State Capitol …
TIP: there is a bus right at the main central area of the docking area and for $30 It will take you to Mendenhall Glacier round-trip! It runs every 15 minutes from both directions and you can stay as long as you want! The red dog saloon had fantastic crab sandwiches. I was lucky on Carnival Splendor last May we had a very sunny day and were right at the main center central dock. Absolutely loved the tram to the top, but there was snow on the ground so you couldn’t really hike at that time. It’s an awesome port 😊
When we did the Mt. Roberts tram it was a cold foggy day, completely overcast. About halfway up we were completely surrounded by clouds. Nothing but pure white out the windows, and then suddenly the sun came out! We had actually gotten above the clouds! We couldn’t see a thing below us, but it was pretty amazing. It was even much warmer. It was like an island in the sky.
So couple things About Juneau Alaska The sky tram is still pretty awesome even if you go during cloudy periods One of my favorite hikes It’s the mount Robert’s trail which starts where the road ends and you can hike all the way up To. Where The Tram Is at And then it’s usually like 10 or 15 bucks of buying anything there and the let you ride back down. Also if you want To do something relatively cheap. The park across the lake from the Mendenhall glacier visitor center, where they do a lot of the rafting trif you follow, that trail for about a mile. On your right. We’ll be a picnic area follow that, and then on your left will be the start of the trail to get to the glacier itself.
We went there last year at this time and it was, by far, the best vacation we’ve ever been on. Juneau, as well as Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria were magnificent. We WILL be back but probably will fly into Juneau so we can tour at our own pace and not be subjected to the cruise ship schedule. What ever you choose to do you won’t be wrong. We did the gold panning, Gold Creek cookout, Tracy’s Crab Shack, Red Dog Saloon, and walking around. Can’t sing the praises enough.
I so want a do-over on the Alaska B2B!! We want to give the Gold Creek Salmon Bake a second try. Our first time there was a bit of a miss. May have been the amount of rain we had that day, but it was a case of reality not meeting expectations. Saw you two walking into town from the AJ Dock. We did the bus because of my ankle and knee issues last year. Still not sure why they made us dock at AJ when the Franklin Dock was completely open. We did Deckhand Dave’s for lunch. Awesome tacos!
I will put this out there about the AJ Dock, dont be fooled like I was! ha It is like a mile, uphill and away from town, before you loop back towards town! From the ship it looks like you are just right there and a very short walk. But there is all types of industrial buildings in the way, with no way to get around them. So you have to go out of the way the other direction to loop around those buildings. We started to just walk it, then figured out the path you have to take, and just got on the bus for $5 they offered. Which figured at the end of the day, would be better than walking back that long path.
Thank you so much for doing this series. We are going to Alaska this summer on a SAS group cruise ( also a first). I have been struggling to choose excursions. Juneau is our second port and I splurged on a helicopter flight seeing and glacier walk tour. Since we missed booking the glacier tour at Tracy Arm. It is supposed to be finished by 1pm assuming everything goes well and we are able to do it. The ship leaves at 3pm. Does that leave us anytime for something in town? What would you recommend?
Very good information, covered it all very well. There are new totem poles throughout the boardwalk and nice wood carvings on top of Mt. Roberts. I am not sure there were Aquillean sculptures when you visited. There is also salmon hatchery, but I have no info on that. Native culture is prominent and biannual native Celebration brings tribes from SE and farther Alaska to sing, dance and drum. Too bad cruise visitors don’t have time for that. My favorite port is Icy Strait Point and town of Hoonah. I visited 15x as independent traveler, flying to Juneau and then exploring small communities.
I love the inclusion of the maps but I wish you went into a little more detail a few time instead of saying, “there’s stuff to walk to.” You were so close to greatness. If I have to still go research somewhere else then you are not the guide I need. I know what the cruise line offers so what people need most are your port info and in-town guides. I do love the details you added about which places you booked independently. Well, you are still the best guide I’ve found but just a little encouragement to get even better.
I am hoping you guys can please help us. We are going to be disembarking from an Alaskan cruise in Vancouver. We are trying to find out where we will go through customs. In Vancouver? Or when we enter the United States on our flight into Denver? We are trying to figure out how much time we need to allow for a layover if we will be going through customs in Denver. We are new to this type of international travel. Thank you so much!
I would love info from someone who has done the dog mushing thing. I am a huge dog lover and I do a lot of dog rescue in my normal life. As silly as this may sound, I am afraid that I will be very judgy when I see dogs chained up. And/or sleeping in the snow. The rational part of me knows that they are not in any danger and probably used to this. Unfortunately it is the irrational part of me that takes over.
Just fyi, all those shops near the docks are mostly owned and ran by scumbags from down south going for cash grabs. Even selling things claiming to be Alaskan Native made. Tracy’s crab shack charges an arm and a leg for basic king crab, I refuse to go there. They fly in their crab cakes frozen. Red dog Saloon is another tourist trap that locals don’t go to. Only go on the tram if you want the views, the restaurant is not good/overpriced and the gift shop has the same crap you can get down below. Back when the tram was first built, we used to hike to the top and ride it for around a $1 down (I think now it’s around $10 or $15). The Salmon bake was where we shipped all the tourists off to while we had the best all you can eat salmon bbq place that was called the Thane Ore House. Unfortunately it closed down after the owner died. He used to catch the salmon right off the beach by his restaurant. It’s a shame that there is not much time in port, downtown Juneau is really overrated. Most of us live in the Valley and over on Douglas Island (which was the original main area people settled before they did landfill to expand downtown Juneau). Alaska Fudge company is a legit local family run business and Heritage coffee is our local coffee company. Alaska Brewing company has some good quality hoodies and merch. I like McGivney’s (sports bar and grill), it does have a downtown location inside a hotel. The Wharf (long blue building) has some good long standing restaurants. My recommendation is to actually ask locals if possible what they like to do here and where the legit Native Alaskan goods are.