Cruising to Alaska? Lucky you, because many cruises stop in Juneau, one of our favorite places.
Alaska’s cruise season generally runs late-April to late-October. Five large ships dock in Juneau most days during those months. Alaska’s capital city has a population of about 32,000. Last year, the city welcomed a whopping 1.7 million cruise passengers, or 16,000 people on most days.
What are all these people to do during their port day in Juneau? We’ve visited Juneau multiple times over the past few years and suggest these activities:
Gawk at a Glacier
Juneau is bordered by the Juneau Icefield, made up of more than 30 glaciers. Just 20 minutes from downtown is the impressive Mendenhall Glacier.
We recommend getting there by the blue bus. M&M Tours offers the Glacier Express. It departs at scheduled times from downtown with a narrated journey to the glacier. You’ll hop off the bus and have two hours to walk around before catching the return blue bus.
You’ll want to make the walk to Nugget Falls. It’s an easy 1.5 mile walk down a flat gravel path. The roundtrip walk will take about an hour.
Then head inside to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to learn more about the glacier and the Tongass National Forest. From the huge window you’ll enjoy views of the 13 mile long river of ice. Kids have the opportunity to earn two Junior Ranger badges here – one for Mendenhall Glacier and the other for the Tongass National Forest.
KidTripster Tip: You can take a city bus to Mendenhall Glacier, but it’s a 1.5 mile walk from the bus stop to the visitor center If using a taxi or Uber, we recommend scheduling a return pick-up in advance. Cell service can be spotty in this area.
Catch Crabs
Our kids love to eat crabs, so it was only natural that they wanted to learn how to catch their own. What better place to do it than Alaska?
We had a great time chartering a crabbing boat with IntoAlaska. This is a private experience for up to six people. The captain and first mate will show you the ropes, quite literally. You’ll drop your own nets in Gastineau Channel. While your nets sit, you’ll enjoy a crab tasting on-board. Then it’s time to pull the nets up to see what you caught. We captured more than just crabs in our nets. The kids had the best time pulling up the nets to see what was inside.
IntoAlaska crab boats depart from Aurora Harbor. You’ll need to arrange a taxi or an Uber or Lyft to get there. The crabbing adventure is a three-hour experience.
You can keep the crabs, up to three Dungeness crabs per person, although if traveling on a cruise ship, that might not be super practical unless you ship them home.
KidTripster Tip: A fishing license is required for anyone over age 16. It’s a quick and easy process, but each 1-day license costs $15. The helpful folks at IntoAlaska will provide you with instructions on how to obtain this prior to your expedition.
Captain a Hot Tub Boat
Another way to see Juneau from the water is by hot tub boat. IntoAlaska offers private hot tub boat rentals. Picture a hot tub, floating in the open water. Bet you didn’t expect to be doing that in Alaska! You can keep it chill, or bring music, snacks, and beverages to turn it into a full-fledged party on the water.
The hot tub boat holds up to six people. One of you will need to steer the boat. You’ll get thorough instructions before leaving the dock. It’s easy to operate. Each session is 90 minutes.
KidTripster Tip: Don’t worry about bringing towels. There’s a private changing room at the dock. Towels are provided.
Take the Tram
Want a different perspective of Juneau? The Goldbelt Tram takes passengers 1,800 feet from sea level to the top of Mount Roberts in just six minutes.
On clear days the panoramic views from above are incredible, your big cruise ship will look tiny from that height. There are some family-friendly trails at the top that take you through the rain forest, as well as a restaurant and shop.
The tram is a popular thing to do on a port day in Juneau. The cruise lines sell this as an excursion, but you can easily do it on your own. Just buy a ticket at the lower terminal, located steps from your cruise ship.
The Goldbelt Tram operates May through September. Tram service was suspended during the 2026 season, but it is expected to reopen in 2027.
Fly on a Seaplane
When you arrive in Juneau you’ll notice seaplanes taking off right next to your cruise ship. You can book a seat on one of these planes. We recommend the Taku Glacier Lodge Alaska: Seaplane Adventure & Salmon Feast with Wings Airways. The seaplanes take off from Gastineau Channel, a very short walk from the cruise ships.
This is a flightseeing tour of the Juneau Icefield. It’s breathtaking. Every seat on the plane is a window seat. From above, you’ll get a sense of the scale of these glaciers as you fly over five of them on the way to the historic Taku Lodge.
Upon arriving at the lodge, you’ll smell the cedar-grilled salmon being prepared for your meal. Before you dine, you’ll have a time to explore the area which has an incredible view of the Hole-in-the-Wall Glacier. From across the Taku River, you can feel the cool air emanating off of the glacier, even in the summer. When the dinner bell rings, you’ll head to the lodge for a delicious meal. Expect salmon (or chicken, if you prefer), baked beans, coleslaw, a fruit compote, biscuits, and more.
The total time for this experience is 3.5 hours. If you don’t want to do the salmon feed, Wings Airways also offers the Five Glacier Seaplane Exploration which is a 40-minute aerial tour of the glaciers.
KidTripster Tip: We appreciate that Wings Airways offers a “Back-On-Time Guarantee” for cruise ship passengers. Its schedule is carefully timed with cruise ship departures ensuring you don’t miss your boat.
[ Related: 48 Hours in Juneau, Alaska ]
Take a Food Tour
If you want to experience the city’s food highlights during your port day in Juneau, book a spot on a Juneau Food Tour. We loved our tour, it was both informative and filling. This is a great tour for the foodies in your family.
The tour lasts about 2.5 hours. You’ll meet your guide at the dock and walk to each location, about 1.5 miles of walking. There will be plenty of stops along the way, typically 8 food tastings plus 3 beers (for the 21+ crowd).
Eat Up
Tired of boat food by now? Get yourself a good meal on your port day in Juneau. There are several delicious restaurants within walking distance of your ship.
Tracy’s King Crab Shack is our must-do. It is social media famous for good reason. Tracy’s serves up giant crab legs, served with butter and soft rolls. Half the fun is cracking the crabs. The crab meat pull is so satisfying. Other popular menu items are the crab cakes and crab bisque. There are two locations, one on the cruise dock, and the other about a 15 minute walk. Both locations get busy when the cruise ships arrive.
Another favorite is Alaskan Brewing Public House. You’ll find fish and chips, crab legs, and pub food here. There’s a large gift shop with great souvenirs. Alaskan Brewing also has a tasting room a few miles outside of downtown with brews not available anywhere else. During the summer months they offer a round-trip shuttle from the cruise docks.
We recommend walking to the Franklin Food Court, a food truck pod about five minutes from the docks. Deckhand Dave’s fish tacos are so good. Consider trying a reindeer dog from Pucker Wilson’s. Another tasty food truck is The Spotted Prawn located at the Griz Bar. Go for the prawns and order a long burger, too.
For a nice sit-down meal we highly recommend In Bocca al Luppo, open for lunch and dinner. It’s an Italian restaurant serving pasta and pizza with an Alaskan flair. If you plan to dine here, it’s best to make reservations. The food is so good, we eat here whenever we’re in Juneau.
Get a History Lesson
The weather changes quickly in Alaska. If your port day in Juneau is a wash out, duck into the Alaska State Museum. It covers a wide range of Alaskan history. You’ll learn about Native tribes and animals. When you enter the museum, you’ll step into a replica clan house. You’ll see many Native artifacts like canoes, whaling tools, intricately-woven baskets, and even a rare puffin skin parka from 1867.
Beyond the Native Alaska area, you’ll learn about Russian Alaska which explores the colonization of Alaska in the 18th and 19th centuries. Then there’s the American Alaska section which covers other topics like mining, oil and timber, religion, and tourism.
This is a gorgeous museum. It’s laid out in a beautiful and engaging way. There’s also a fun kids area. Kids can climb around in a play space shaped like a ship. It’s a scaled version of an 18th-century vessel. Kids also can do crafts in the art room.
Sealaska Heritage is also worth your time. It takes you into the world of the The Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people whose story dates back thousands of years. Interactive exhibits show how people survived and thrived in Alaska.
Upon entering the museum, you’ll see an enormous house that’s 40 feet wide and 15 feet high. The wood is carved and painted with a tiny door in the middle that leads into a clan house. It’s modeled after traditional clan houses in Southeast Alaska, modernized with a large glass screen. Take a seat and listen to a Native story playing over the speakers.
Both museums have gift shops that sell unique, locally made products, a great stop for souvenirs that support the local economy.
[ Related: The Perks of Sailing The Inside Passage with UnCruise ]
Book an Excursion
Do you need to book an excursion through the cruise line? It’s not necessary for a port day in Juneau as you can do the activities mentioned above on your own.
If you want to book a special activity upon arrival, there are several stands lining the dock offering options like whale watching or fishing tours. If you book an excursion independent of the cruise line, you must ensure that you give yourself plenty of time to get back to the ship. It will leave without you if you miss the all aboard time.
Your ship will offer a list of excursions for your port day in Juneau. There are several advantages to booking through the cruise line.
It’s Easy
You’ll have a menu of excursions to choose from at a variety of costs. Your cruise line will offer curated activities, including ones you might not discover on your own. You can reserve them in advance either on the app or the website. Popular excursions sell out early.
Financial Protection
If the port stop is canceled last minute, the cost of your canceled excursion will be refunded. This occasionally happens when cruising ,for reasons like adverse weather, medical emergencies or a mechanical issue.
You Won’t Get Stranded
Ever seen those videos of people running down the dock trying to catch their cruise ship as it departs? The biggest reason to book through the cruise line is that you’re protected. If your excursion returns late, the boat waits.
[ Related: Family Sailings with UnCruise ]
We hope you enjoy your port day in Juneau. There’s a lot to do in this small town so get off the ship and make the most of your time.
Interested in a cruise to Alaska? You can book directly with me. I’m a Travel Advisor and cruise expert. Why use a travel advisor? I can help you find the right cruise for your family. Price is only one important consideration. The cruise line, the ship, the ports-of-call, the cabin location all matter. I may also have access to special perks and credits not available if you book yourself. My services are free to you, although I may receive a commission from the cruise line. Reach out for a complimentary quote. Let me handle the logistics so that you can focus on the fun stuff, like planning the best port day in Juneau.
[ Related: What It’s Like to Spend a Week Sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage ]
