If you find yourself in Alaska's capital city, Juneau, consider yourself lucky. Accessible only by boat or plane, it takes some effort to get there. It also takes some effort to decide which incredible adventures you can experience in one day. You can't do it all—but you can try!
8 a.m. - Breakfast at the Sandpiper
Get up early and hit the Sandpiper Cafe (429 W Willoughby Ave) for breakfast. Everything they make in this downtown cafe is delicious. But pay attention to the "specials" board when you walk in. There's usually a special scramble with some exotic chorizo sausage. I always choose the home fries over the hash browns. There's an entire menu section reserved for pancakes and french toast. Nobody leaves hungry!
9 a.m. - Tram up the mountainside
From the parking lot at the Sandpiper on Willoughby St., you can see the Mount Roberts Tramway. Go over the terminal at the cruise ship dock and hop aboard. Have your camera ready, as the tram gains elevation quickly, affording some great snapshots of any ships in port, the Juneau-Douglas bridge and the downtown area.
Once at the top of the tram, head out on the trail. You can choose one of several routes, but all of them start on one trail that goes up, up, up! You can branch off to the quick 1-mile loop or keep going up to the peak of Mount Roberts. The views along all of the trails are nothing short of spectacular. We've taken a couple of Christmas card shots from various outlooks. Don't be surprised to see a 737 or a group of flight seeing helicopters flying by at eye level. You can see the airport looking north from any number of overlooks. Look south down Gastineau Channel and see the cruise ships coming and going.
11 a.m. - Take a hike
Back on the ground, head north from downtown past the airport to Mendenhall Glacier. The visitor center is just 12 miles away. You can take the one- to two-hour hike that goes out to the giant waterfall to the right of the glacier. Or you can just hike down to the lake shore for some great photos. If the fish are running up the Mendenhall River, you're likely to see some bears from the boardwalk that straddles the stream next to the parking lot.
For some great ocean views – and maybe even some whale sightings – take a right at Mendenhall Loop Road instead of coming back to town. Continue north for another 15 miles to the Shrine of St. Therese. This peaceful retreat center is open to the public and features a small chapel built on an island, connected by a causeway. The Shrine is operated by the Catholic Diocese of Juneau. Take your time to stroll along the beach on either side of the island. Then walk out to the island and see the rough-hewn stone chapel. It's beautiful. But the star attraction is the unobstructed view from the island of Lynn Canal. That view includes some of the best whale-watching in the area. I have seen humpback whales rolling 100 feet off the shore. The whales are more commonly seen farther out in the channel. Just look for all the whale-watching boats, which flock to the channel almost every day.
Afternoon - Lunch
If you're in the mood for a mid-day snack, stop in at my favorite Juneau bakery, the Silverbow Bakery at 120 Second St. Like all the best bakers, they're up early making bagels, breads and sweets. At first, I only ate their bagels—which they're happy to serve up with wild Alaska salmon, cream cheese and all the fixings. They make 16 different kinds of bagels, too. Lately, though, I'm partial to the Panini sandwiches, especially the smoked turkey. The key, of course, is their fresh-baked bread.
Options for adventure
The trails and the vistas around Juneau offer an outsized view of nature's splendor. If you want to take it up a notch, book one of several excursions available during cruise season, including:
A. Helicopter tour. Several companies, including TEMSCO and ERA offer helicopter tours up to the glaciers. TEMSCO typically flies from the Juneau airport up to the Mendenhall Glacier. It's a thrilling ride up and over the mountain as the chopper makes its way to the glacier camp. Once on the ice, a guide will lead you over to see some crevasses and you'll have the chance to fill your water bottle with super-clean glacier water! On the way back down to the airport, your pilot may follow the glacier down and then track the Mendenhall River back to the airport.
With ERA Helicopters, you leave from a base on Douglas Island, across from Juneau. Your route to the Taku Glacier takes you right past the downtown area. Oh, LOOK! There's the Mount Roberts Tramway! Also, you can look right down on top of the cruise ships as you pass overhead. Just south of Juneau, the Taku River flows into the sea. Your pilot takes a shortcut over the top of one of the mountains near the confluence and begins the flight up the Taku River valley. You cannot miss the glacier, since its exposed face just right out into the river. Depending on weather, the pilot may make a couple of passes (one for each side of the aircraft) so that everyone gets a great photo.
Then, it's up to the ice field —past the rugged crevasses of the lower glacier. Up on top, it's all ice and snow—and it's easy walking.
It rains a lot in Juneau, and I've been on both the Mendenhall and the Taku Glaciers in the pouring rain. If you're hiking around, you'll stay warm. Just make sure you bring a good raincoat.
B. Whale-watching tours. The whale-watching tours will give you an up-close and personal look at these giant sea mammals that you typically cannot get on the shore. Most tours leave from Auke Bay, just north of the airport. You can sail with several companies, including:
- Alaska Travel Adventures. The company operates a 48-passenger vessel with oversized windows and an outdoor viewing deck.
- Alaska Galore Tours. Sail on a smaller 12-passenger vessel with a comfy interior. The Kaytos often is chartered by a number of large mega-yachts for their passengers private excursions. Its a nice boat.
C. AJ Mine /Gastineau Mill Tour. Take an underground tour of the famous AJ Mine. Once the world's largest gold producing mine, the mill started processing up to 6,000 pounds of ore each day in 1915. The tour is operated by Jerry and Beverly Harmon—a real live mining family.
Dress warmly for the underground portion of the tour along a 360-foot boardwalk into the tunnels. You'll get a hardhat and you'll learn about the advanced engineering and technology used in the mines.
7 p.m. - Pizza with a view
If you're hungry after sightseeing, head across the Juneau-Douglas bridge to the Island Pub in Douglas (1102 2nd St). I think it's got the best wood-fired pizza in town, plus a great view of the water.
For more ideas on what to see and do in Juneau, check out TravelJuneau.com.
JUNEAU ATTRACTIONS
WHERE: 6000 Glacier Spur Rd
WHEN: May 1-Sept. 24, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Sept. 25-March 31, 10 a.m.-4p.m., Friday-Sunday
PHONE: N/A
WHERE: 1650 Maplesden Way
WHEN: Call for reservations.
PHONE: (907) 789-9501 or Toll Free: 1-877-789-9501
WHERE: 6910 North Douglas Highway
WHEN: Call for reservations.
PHONE: (907) 586-2030
WHERE: 500 Sheep Creek Mine Rd
WHEN: Call for reservations.
PHONE: (907) 463-5017
This story appeared in the 2015 Alaska Dispatch News Visitors' Guide to Alaska. Contact special sections editor Jamie Gonzales at jgonzales@alaskadispatch.com.