Best of Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier, Whale Watching and Salmon Bake
Description
Come face-to-face with a glacier, marvel at huge humpback whales and top this excitement off with a scrumptious meal featuring wild Alaskan salmon grilled over an alder wood fire. You'll call this combination amazing; we call it the Best of Juneau®.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Enjoy a narrated transfer to the spectacular Mendenhall Glacier and its Visitor Center, where a ranger can satisfy your curiosity about the natural wonders there. Roam the grounds, snap photos, take in the interactive exhibits and have the chance to watch bears feast on salmon.
From Mendenhall Glacier, we’ll take you to Auke Bay where you’ll board our state-of-the-art, 48-passenger jet boat custom designed for Juneau whale watching. It has extra-large windows, and an outside viewing deck. Juneau has a healthy humpback whale population with some 65 whales returning each season to feed in the nutrient-rich waters, and our boat captains are experts at locating them. We guarantee whale sightings; if there are no whales during your cruise, we'll refund $100 to each adult and $50 for children. Your captain will let you know when whales are spotted, but it’s likely you'll first hear a collective chorus of "Oohhs!" and "Ahhs!" from your fellow adventurers as they witness a giant humpback suddenly breach. Binoculars are available for your use onboard. Venture out on the deck to enjoy a panoramic view of your surroundings or to take a photo, or settle into your warm, comfortable interior surroundings to enjoy the scenery and wildlife sightings through the oversized windows.
After your whale watching cruise, you're off to the Gold Creek Salmon Bake. In a beautiful setting nestled in the rainforest, you'll arrive with the aroma of wild Alaskan salmon grilling over an open alder wood fire. The all-you-can-eat buffet also includes Cheechako Chicken, Alyeska Au Gratin Potatoes, Chilkoot Baked Beans, Tongass Wild-Rice Pilaf, and other sides, salads, beverages, and blueberry cake for dessert! After your meal, roast marshmallows over a crackling campfire, visit the Salmon Creek Trading Post and stroll to the beautiful Salmon Creek waterfall. Take your time; you can return to the dock at your leisure.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please indicate your ship or hotel name when booking your tour
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
- Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
- Children 13-17 must have a signed parental consent form to participate in the absence of a parent or guardian
Reviews(161)
This was a nightmare experience! The excursion company left my wife and I stranded at the glacier and when we called the office they simply said "sorry, but there's nothing we can do". Apparently their drivers are independent contractors, so they can come and go as they see fit. We completely missed out on the salmon bake and whale watching. We ultimately had to pay another excursion company to give us a ride back to Juneau. Highly recommend going with a different excursion company!!!!
We had a fantastic whale watching tour with Joey and Claire! They took us right to a dozen humpbacks, which we watched for nearly an hour, and shared good information along the way. We also saw sea lions and harbor porpoises (which they said are usually elusive). They answered our questions and took the time to help my daughter identify the whales by name using the marks on their flukes. The hour we spent at the Mendenhall Glacier was unguided. Sadly, the trail to Nugget Falls was closed due to flood concerns. We enjoyed the views and visitors exhibits. The salmon bake lunch has such a cozy vibe in an idyllic setting. The food itself was good—not exceptional, but good. The sounds of the creek flowing, the sight of hanging flower baskets, the smell of salmon cooked over a wood fire, and the chance to toast marshmallows… these are the things I’ll remember!!
Glacier is breathtaking! Corrina was great on letting us know what was our options in the time we had at the glacier. She also was good about pointing out wildlife on the bus ride. Nia and Captain Jay took us out for whale watching and wow! We seen a pod of whales (at least 4)! Nia talked to us about the whales and was very knowledgeable! We seen other wildlife, as well. The salmon was very good! It is grilled and tasted great!
A little bit of everything! We enjoyed the time on our own to explore and hike the glacier area, including an amazing waterfall. And the whale watching was amazing. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable and the boat was very comfortable. Not a bad view from anywhere on the boat. And yes, we saw whales! And eagles! And Stellar Sea Lions. The salmon bake, along the Salmon Creek, was amazing food. There was also salmon in the salmon creek! And a waterfall. The musician playing while you ate and then explore was a nice touch and appreciated. There was even a marshmallow roasting station. The transportation drivers were friendly and knowledgeable and made us feel welcomed at every stop. We were fat and happy and tired out by the end of the excursion.
Not enough space to put how amazing, awe struck, scenic this trip was. From the bus driver to the naturalists everyone was top notch.
Great experience whale watching- make sure you wait on other side of cable car shop, or you might miss them! Bright red jackets and enthusiasm for conservation from tour guides who know their whales!
The best tour we had on our trip. First Mary the bus driver alone was worth the money. She was a great story teller and we laughed so much out sides hurt. Then the Whale tour the guide was very informative . He even knew the names of the wales, ages, history and etc. The time at the glacier could of been a little longer but still got to see it. The meal was delicious. Every thing was good and then after dinner the walk to the waterfall was great to digest all the food. We had an amazing day!!! The only thing that was an issue was finding our bus, the tour is listed as The best of Juneau on the signs so just something for others to be aware.
We spent an hour at Mendenhall Glacier. It’s a 1.9 mile in and out. We had to hike fast if we wanted to go to Nugget Falls and see the glacier up close. Wish we had a bit longer. Whale watching was very disappointing. I realize it is wildlife and they can’t be predicted but every other person I talked to on our cruise ship had a much better time. Our Naturalist said the law is to stay 100 yards from the whales (unless they swim to you) but they like to stay 150 yards away. She also made a fellow guest feel bad when she got excited about orca whales. I felt really bad for her. We spent an hour and 20 minutes of driving to see whales from a long distance for 20 minutes and drive by some sea otters. Very disappointing. Salmon bake was good. Not much for my gluten free/celiac husband besides all he can eat salmon.
Outstanding. Saw many whales including some Orcas
Whale Watching with Autumn and Captain Matt was very informative and exciting. We saw multiple whales and seals. The day was sun filled. The salmon bake was fun and tasty. Mendenhall Glacier is a wonderful sight to see.
