I really enjoy visiting Juneau, and I’m not even a politician looking for a fun vacay. This Juneau itinerary is perfect for anyone looking to and both explore the outdoors AND enjoy learning about Alaska Native culture. One of the things that makes Juneau such a special place to visit is the combination of beautiful sights and Alaskan experiences all in one place.
If you have any questions about planning a trip to Juneau, either as its own singular destination or as part of a bigger Alaska trip, please let us know by leaving a comment or sending us a note. Planning an adventure to Alaska is a big undertaking and we’re happy to help on both the big and small travel tasks.
Why Visit Juneau, Alaska?
Juneau is a very special city. It is the capital of Alaska and a wonderful hub of Alaska Native culture. I love that you can easily explore on foot, but then there are lots of fun and beautiful things to do just beyond the town. Juneau is a great introduction to Alaska, especially if you’re traveling with kids. You’ll find plenty of parks as well as a fun local vibe that tourists are welcome to be a part of. The neighborhoods are built going up the steep hills, and the staircases and gardens make it feel like the San Francisco of the north. Careful though, you may fall in love with it and want to move here.
The capital of Alaska, Juneau has a few elements added such as the Capitol Building, Alaska State Museum and Governor’s Mansion that give it a little more both history and relevance in the story of Alaska. It’s very easy to wander through the city and fully understand why Juneau is the perfect example of AK and why it’s a special capital city. Our itinerary really does highly the coolness of the city.
Need to Know for Visiting Juneau
When you’re planning a trip to Juneau, keep in mind that despite being the capital of Alaska, it’s still a very small city. It’s beautiful, but small. You can easily explore the immediate town in two days and then explore the rest of the Juneau area over another two or three days. The more time you give yourself the most hiking you can do and more wildlife you’ll see.
One of the reasons Juneau is so beautiful is because it gets so much rain. Yes, visiting Juneau usually includes at least one rainy day, but that’s okay! Those are the days that you can plan to visit the museums and enjoy the downtown vibes. Be sure to pack a raincoat and umbrella so that you’re not discouraged from exploring if the weather isn’t cooperating.
Seeing the Northern Lights in Juneau
I love seeing the Northern Lights and photographing them. While I would love to say that you’ll for sure get to experience the Aurora Borealis during your visit, that’s probably not the case. The Northern Lights are most often seen in the winter months, with Juneau being treated to them a few times a month in fall and spring. While August 21 to April 21 is considered Aurora Season, that doesn’t mean it’s ever guaranteed.
The city is located quite a ways south of the Aurora Oval, the zone where the lights are the strongest and most often seen, but they can still be seen. For the best chance of good weather, great wildlife AND getting to see the Northern Lights, plan on visiting Juneau in late September when the humpback whales and orcas are still around and when the sun is setting much earlier. Shorter daylight is actually great for our Juneau itinerary because you sleep better and are more energized!
Getting to Juneau
Although Juneau is not an Island, you cannot drive there. To get to Juneau you either need to fly into JNU (the airport code) from Seattle or Anchorage. You can also arrive via boat on your own or come in on the Alaska Marine Highway, making port in Auke Bay. The most common way visitors come to Juneau is via cruise ship. If that’s how you’ll be visiting, your time will be quite limited, but you’ll still enjoy the city.
When it comes to cost, the least expensive way to travel to Juneau is on Alaska Airlines from Seattle or Anchorage. There are flights from other parts of Alaska, like Haines or Gustavus, but you’ll need to have already gotten there, which is a process in itself.
If you want to arrive via the Alaska Marine Highway, that’s a fun and beautiful adventure, coming from either another Inside Passage port or making the voyage all the way from Bellingham, Washington. While you might think that the Alaska Marine Highway is going to be a great, cost-effective way to travel to Alaska, it isn’t. A family of four can expect to pay over $2000 just for passage and a cabin, and that’s without bringing a vehicle. But what an adventure!!!
Where to Stay in Juneau
I like staying downtown Juneau because then you’re walking distance to everything. You’ve got the touristy area, the historic neighborhoods, parks and even the launch point for lots of types of tours. If you want to use points for a hotel in Juneau, there are a few national travel brand properties to use them at: Four Points Sheraton and BW Baranof Hotel. Between the airport and downtown you’ll find more options in the motel-style, but downtown is our pick. Besides the Sheraton and Baranof, there are also the Silver Bow Inn, Alaskan Hotel and Juneau Hotel.
Heading north towards Auke Bay, you’ll find quite a few small inns and vacation rentals. For longer stays in the area, this is a great call and is probably going to be less expensive than booking a downtown hotel for more than a couple nights. Consider what you’re including on your Juneau itinerary before completing your booking.
3 Day Juneau Itinerary – Things to Do
With each day in Juneau, there is enough flexibility to add a tour to the itinerary. For example, after you’ve explored Juneau on foot, you can wrap the day’s activities with a whale watching tour or kayaking adventure. You could also start each day with a guided trip of some sort and then end with what we’ve got on the itinerary for you. Keep in mind though, when it comes to visiting museums and indoor spaces, the hours of operation need to be accounted for in your plans. Luckily in summer you have until 5:00 or 6:00 pm for most activities, but you still need to be thoughtful if you’re adding something at the start of the day.
REMEMBER: if you need to rearrange these days to suit the weather or to fit with any tours you have booked, you have the freedom to do so. You can also mix and match activities to fit the amount of time and energy level of your travel group.
Day 1 – Exploring Juneau on Foot
One of my favorite things about our Juneau itinerary is how much time you can spend exploring on foot. Juneau is a wonderfully walkable city and even if you wander off track into the hillside neighborhoods, you’ll still enjoy the walk. Here’s what we’ll do today:
- Waterfront totem poles and whale fountain
- Neighborhood walk w/ optional hiking trails
- Governor’s Mansion or Wickersham State Historic Site
- St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
- Alaska State Capitol Building and Juneau-Douglas City Museum
Walking Route through Juneau
Starting from your hotel or the cruise port, walk the full waterfront from end to end. You’ll get to see lots of beautiful totem poles and exhibits about Alaska Native culture. At the north end of the waterfront is the amazing humpback whale fountain, titled Tahku, the Whale Project. I think this is the coolest fountain I’ve ever seen, especially when it’s doing its full splashing spray.
From here, head up the hill along 12th Street towards admiring the gardens and your surroundings. Up in the neighborhood, you can either head toward the Gold Creek Flume trail or over to Cope Park. For the Flume trail, it’s to the left as you reach the top of the road.
- LEFT on Irvin which turns into Martin and then into Evergreen Ave
- Follow Evergreen with a HARD RIGHT and head to the end of this short street
- and now you’ll see the Gold Creek Flume trail. This is an easy path to follow for a little ways or the duration of the trail (1.5 miles total)
The other option here is Cope Park, which you’ll come to if you don’t head towards the Gold Creek Flume trail. I love Cope Park because you get a beautiful stream with turquoise water, trails, and space for kids to run and play. Form here, you can easily wander back through the neighborhood to the south, passing the Governor’s Mansion or over towards Wickersham State Historic Site. St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is right here as well, so stop by and respectfully visit if you’re interested.
Wrap up your day of Juneau on foot with a visit to the Capitol Building where all are welcome. Head to the top floor and work your way down, looking at all of the beautiful Alaskan art. I know it’s a government building, but the art collection is amazing! When you’re done, cross the street to the Juneau-Douglas City Museum to get a look into what it used to look like and read stories about the community and indigenous peoples of Southeast Alaska.
Day 2 – Culture and History
As you saw with day one of our Juneau itinerary, there are awesome Alaska Native cultural sites and art all around the city. You can’t miss it! With that though, you also need to get some context of the indigenous peoples that call Southeast Alaska home. Today’s plan includes museum time and hearing directly from the indigenous peoples of Southeast Alaska. Here’s what’s on the plan for today:
- Alaska State Museum and library
- Sealaska Heritage Institute
- Totem Pole and Mural walk
- Alaska Native arts shopping
Today’s Plan for Juneau Sightseeing
Today begins with some local coffee and enjoying the quiet of Juneau. Head to Sacred Grounds Cafe to support an indigenous owned, LGBTQ inclusive coffee shop. From the art to the drinks, this is a great way to start the day. Be ready for the Alaska State Museum when it opens at 10:00 am. Be sure to watch the videos about Alaska Native culture and history! When you’re done, check out the library connected to the museum, as they often have public events.
Next up, make your way back into the main downtown area for a visit to the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Here you’ll find art, antique pieces and even a full size recreated Tlingit clan house. There is usually an awesome host to chat with too, so get ALL the stories. There’s also a wonderful gallery store at Sealaska if you want to bring home some art.
As you head back out into the city to find lunch, take your time looking for murals and totem poles. The are all through town, not just the touristy areas. You’ll find very old totem poles with no color and you’ll find bronze cast poles. There are Alaska Native murals and history murals. Public art is an important part of downtown Juneau.
Visiting the different shops and galleries in downtown, pay attention to signs and placards stating which businesses are locally or indigenous owned and operated. Because Juneau is a cruise port, a fair number of shops and restaurants are owned or heavily invested in by the cruise lines. We always try to keep as much of our tourism dollars as possible directly in town with the locals.
Day 3 – Auke Bay and Mendenhall Glacier
If you don’t have a car yet, today is a great day to rent a car. You can rent one in town if you like, but you’ll have a better selection and better prices renting from one of the JNU Airport rentals. Due to the scarcity of rental cars, you should expect to pay between $100-$200 per day if you’re booking last minute or close to your car dates. In general, visiting Juneau doesn’t require a car, but if you want to explore anything beyond downtown on your own, it’s very helpful. Here are the suggested activities for today’s Juneau itinerary:
- hiking at Mendenhall Glacier
- whale watching in Auke Bay
- birdwatching in the Mendenhall Valley
- scenic drive and sled dogs on Douglas Island
Driving Day for a Juneau Itinerary
I love getting an early start when I have a full day planned, and for this part of the Juneau itinerary an early start is perfect. You’ll notice that we’ve got whale watching on the schedule today. That can occur out of downtown Juneau or from Auke Bay to the north. Whale watching trips can be half day or all day, they can be on a big boat or include kayaking. Take a look at the suggestions below to see which sort of whale watching trip is right for you. If you’re not beginning your day with whale watching, head to Mendenhall Glacier for some hiking.
At Mendenhall Glacier there are a few ways to visit and see everything. The easiest thing to do is to park at the Tongass National Forest visitor center, check out the exhibits and then do the mostly paved trail to Nugget Falls. This is the closest viewpoint to the glacier without doing a huge hike. If you’re up for the challenge, the West Glacier Trail goes out from across the lake (drive to the trailhead) and will be a completely different experience than the busy trails from the visitor center. At 6 miles round trip, it’s a half day adventure and worth the hike.
On the drive back into Juneau, you’ll have several opportunities for birdwatching. You can stop along the river or when you get to the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge area to watch bald eagles, osprey, trumpeter swans (fall/spring) and more. This is also a good area to keep an eye out for moose and bears.
End your adventures with a drive over to Douglas Island. Located across the bridge from Juneau proper, this is a fun but optional addition to your Juneau itinerary. Douglas Island is beautiful and you can get some great views of the town and mountains across the way. There are lots of bald eagles here. For an added fun stop, visit the Sled Dog Discovery Musher’s Camp to meet the pups and have your own dogsled experience in Southeast Alaska.
Tours in Juneau, Alaska
It’s very easy to visit Juneau and have a great time without a car. If that’s how you want to roll, you can do our on-foot Juneau itinerary days mixed with guided tours. Tours tend to provide transportation from wherever you’re staying, so just be sure when you’re planning and booking that you clarify a pickup location. And now, for our top Juneau tour picks!
Kayaking & Whale Watching – I think the most epic of all adventures out of Juneau is the chance to go kayaking with whales. Above & Beyond Alaska takes visitors out on the water where humpback and orca whales frequent. While wildlife is never 100% guaranteed, this is THE chance to get to see whales up close on the water. The tour starts with a boat trip away from Juneau and then you’ll start your kayak adventure. Book this tour here!
Whale Watching Cruise – I love getting on the water, even if I’ve been on the sea every day for a month. Whale watching from Juneau and all throughout Southeast Alaska is amazing. Watch for humpback whales, orcas, minke whales and more! Book this tour here!
Guided Mendenhall Glacier Visit – For those not wanting to drive themselves or just wanting to keep things mellow, a guided tour to Mendenhall Glacier is always an option. It’s not as cost effective as driving yourself, but the narrated tour side of it adds the the learning and is good with kids. Book this tour here!
For a really fun way to experience Mendenhall Glacier, here are some tour options that include getting up close to the glacier, paddling on the lake or adding whale watching to a glacier visit (Mendenhall Glaciers is NOT a tidewater glacier). Here are our top tour picks for experiencing Mendenhall Glacier differently:
- Mendenhall Lake kayak tour and salmon bake
- Canoeing with guided ice hiking
- Mendenhall Glacial Lake paddleboarding
- Guided canoeing with transportation and rain gear
Goldbelt Tram Tour – a lot of visitors enjoy riding the Goldbelt Tram up the mountain from the cruise port. You’ll see some beautiful views and have opportunities for wildlife as well. Add to this an Alaska Native storyteller to guide you and it’s a unique way to learn about the area and the peoples who’ve called Southeast Alaska home for millenia. Book this tour here!
Dining in Juneau
I think Juneau is one of the better towns in Alaska for good food. Whether you’re sticking around downtown or you’re heading up to Auke Bay, there are lots of good places to eat in Juneau. We’ve picked some of our favorites for meals and drinks, but there are MANY more options around town for a great meal. One of the coolest places to find food in Juneau is actually the food truck park. You’ll find salmon tacos, burgers, oysters and Alaskan beverages. There is often live music and it’s a good combination of tourist and locals.
- Hangar on the Wharf – mellow, pub fare
- El Sombrero – good Mexican food
- Sacred Grounds Cafe – indigenous owned, LGBTQ+ inclusive for drinks and grab-n-go breakfast or simple lunch
- Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos (in the food truck park)
- SALT – a bit fancier
- Devil’s Club Brewing Co – brewery with pub food
I hope you’re inspired to plan a visit to Alaska’s capital city. Our Juneau itinerary really is flexible to your interests and can be added to or trimmed up. If you have any questions about visiting Southeast Alaska or need recommendations for putting together a bigger Alaska trip, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re happy to help!
