21 Things to Do in Juneau, Alaska (By a Local)

Only accessible by flight or boat, Alaska’s capital may look small upon your arrival. But there are so many things to do in Juneau that you’ll wish your trip to this magical city was longer.

As a born and raised local, I can confirm that many who have come for a visit have stayed for a lifetime. Juneau is full of opportunities that will satisfy all types of travelers. Whether you’re looking for outdoor activities, culture, food, or an all-around adventure, I’ve got you covered.

Be sure to also bookmark our guide on where to stay in Juneau for the best areas and hotels! Let’s get into it.

21 Things to Do in Juneau, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier

Juneau’s #1 attraction and a stunning place for outdoor adventure.

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Mendenhall Glacier Tours on Viator

The Mendenhall Glacier is the most popular place to visit in Juneau. Despite the crowds, you won’t want to skip it. For many, this may be the closest they’ll ever get to the face of a glacier.

Besides supplying the most quintessentially Alaskan photography opportunity, the area features hiking trails, wildlife viewing, and souvenir shopping. The available outdoor activities accommodate all levels of travelers.

During the late summer and early fall, the viewing platforms off the parking area provide a safe, yet close place to observe black bears feeding on spawning salmon. For those interested in a short walk, the Trail of Time travels through the forest near the parking lot. The three-mile East Glacier Loop trail is available to more active travelers.

Both hiking trails along the shore will end at the visitor center. Inside, you’ll find a small shop full of locally made goods, a short video, and displays about glacial rebound and some of the wildlife you may see during your visit. The Forest Service rangers are also happy to answer any questions you might have.

Unique Tours to Mendenhall Glacier:

• 🧊 Ice Adventure Tour – One of the few ways to actually get yourself a photo on the glacier itself. This highly rated tour isn’t cheap but is worth it.
• 🛶 Canoe Paddle & Trekking Tour – Get up close and personal with the glacier, and get your exercise in as well!
• 🚤 Glacier Rafting Tour – Rafts are a popular and unique way to experience the glacier.

Juneau Ice Field

Experience Juneau and its extraordinary nature with a unique walk on an ice field.

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a helicopter Tour and Guided Icefield Walk

If seeing the glacier from the other shore of a lake isn’t close enough for you, you might consider taking a helicopter tour which will land you on the glacier itself!

You’ll find all levels of adventure available. Some tours will supply you with gear and take you ice climbing in crevasses. Other tours will take you to a dog sled camp where you can ride on a sled behind a team of huskies.

Visit Local Museums

Learn about Juneau’s storied past as a gold mining town and appreciate Alaskan history.

📍 Google Maps (Alaska State Museum) | Phone: (907) 465-2920 | Website | Hours: 1 pm – 4:30 pm Mon; 9 am – 4:30 pm Tues – Sun | Entrance (summer rates): $14 adults, $13 seniors, free under 18

Juneau has a history of boom-to-bust industries, starting as a lawless gold mining town. It’s also been home to people of all different cultures, many of which still call it home. See some of the old tools of Alaskan trades and learn the stories of the early Alaskans by visiting any of the three museums in town.

The Juneau City Museum and Alaska State Museum offer family-friendly fun for all ages, with hands-on displays and easily accessible locations. The City Museum runs walking tours through historic downtown Juneau (Tues – Thurs from 1:45 pm – 3 pm between May and Sept).

The collections on display will tell the stories of Alaskan mining, fishing, logging, and politics, as well as introduce various artifacts from Alaska’s Russian occupation and Alaska Native culture.

The Last Chance Mining Museum in Last Chance Basin is housed in one of the few remaining historic buildings of the Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company. Here, you’ll learn about Juneau’s history of hard rock mining and see some of the old tools.

This museum is farther from downtown and requires the ability to hike uphill, but if you can make it, you should also check out the old mining train cars behind the building.

Pan for Gold

Become a prospector for the day and learn about Juneau’s history while you pan for flecks of gold.

📍 Google Maps (Meeting Point) | 👉 Book a gold mining tour from Juneau

Juneau’s namesake, Joe Juneau, found gold while panning in Last Chance Basin in what is now called Gold Creek.

On a gold panning tour, your guide will take you to this historic spot and teach you to locate gold like a prospector. You may not find large nuggets anymore, but you’ll still find tiny flecks of gold. Your tour guide will dress like a gruff old miner—suspenders and all—so you can get the full experience on this unique adventure.

Juneau’s Historic Downtown

Shop, eat, drink, and feel like you’re walking through an old Gold Rush mining town… because you are!

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Join a Juneau Brewery Tour

Juneau’s downtown shopping district has kept many of the facades that make you feel like you’re walking into an 1898 Gold Rush mining town. Today, however, you’ll find souvenir shops and eateries that cater to the summer cruise ship tourists.

When strolling downtown, you’ll want to keep an eye out for shops with signs in their windows alerting you to local owners and local merchandise. Rather than shelves stocked with gold rush supplies, you’ll find shops carrying Alaskan books, art, Native crafts, jewelry, and other souvenirs.

While the Red Dog is the closest and only replica of a gold rush era saloon that exists today, there are several other bars, new brewing and distillery tasting rooms, and an up-and-coming food scene. If you’re looking for a quick bite so you can keep exploring, Juneau’s food cart row is the place to go.

Juneau Food Tour

Sample locally sourced foods like king crab and other unique dishes.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 723-8478 | Website | Hours: Tour times vary, available daily | Entrance: $145 – $345 per person

You might not think a place that has to have a lot of food shipped in would have a great food scene. But Alaskans have learned to fish, hunt, and forage, and turn these local resources into amazing dishes. If you’re a foodie, you’ll want to take the Juneau Food Tour, run by a local food blogger.

Along your walk, you may try fresh seafood like king crab, fish tacos, and kelp salsa. Your meal will be paired with locally made beer. And for dessert, you’ll have a hard time passing up Alaskan-made fudge.

Tracy’s Crab Shack

The place to try Alaskan king crab in downtown Juneau.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 790-2722 | Website | Hours: varies hourly, see website | 👉 Whale Watching and Tracy’s Crab Shack Combo

If trying Alaskan king crab is on your bucket list, you’ll want to visit Tracy’s Crab Shack.

You can order crab by the leg, try the delicious crab bisque, or go all in with an entire bucket. This restaurant was also featured in an episode of Top Chef, so it’s a popular stop for fans of cooking shows.

Take a Bike Tour of Juneau

Witness beautiful scenery and attractions while exploring Juneau on wheels.

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Bikes, Glacier Views, and Microbrews Tour

Work off the calories by exploring Juneau by wheel with a Cycle Alaska bike tour. As Juneau is situated in the Tongass Rain Forest, you’ll be biking on tree-lined roads.

Depending on the tour, you may see the Mendenhall Glacier, beaches, and fields of flowers. One of the tours will even take you uphill to where the downhill ski area runs during the winter!

Ride the Mount Roberts Tram

Get a bird’s eye view of downtown Juneau and its beautiful mountains (without having to hike!).

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 463-3412 | Website | 👉 Alaska Native Tour & Tram Combo

A ride up the Mount Roberts Tram is a great way to see downtown Juneau from the top of one of its surrounding mountains. You’ll even find a restaurant, souvenir shop, and a couple of trails both above and below tree line.

There’s also the option to combine the tram, the trail, and local taps with a fantastic guided tour. This tour can’t be topped on a sunny summer day!

The visitor center at the top of Mount Roberts also offers short videos about Alaska Native culture and Juneau history. Many of the souvenirs include Alaska Native designs. You will even be able to see a real bald eagle up close, which is a very important bird in Alaska Native tribal culture.

Celebration

This bi-annual event is a beautiful opportunity to immerse yourself in Alaskan Native culture.

🌐 Website

The bi-annual Celebration is a week-long festival during which members of all the different Alaska Native tribes arrive in Juneau. They perform dances, show off their traditional regalia, and sell handmade crafts.

The week starts with the arrival of Tlingit war canoes, and then the Celebration participants parade in regalia to the convention center where they perform throughout the festival. There are few opportunities besides Celebration to fully immerse yourself in so many tribal cultures at once.

Douglas Island Pink And Chum (DIPAC) Hatchery

Learn about the salmon industry and other Alaskan sea life at this local hatchery.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 463-5114 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Mon-Fri; 10 am – 5 pm Sat & Sun (May-Sept); by appointment only Mon-Fri (Oct-April) | Entrance (summer rates): $7 adults, $5 children, free under 2

DIPAC Hatchery brings the sealife of the Alaskan waters to you. Inside the hatchery, you’ll find a small aquarium where you can see halibut and other large Alaskan fish, as well as starfish, anemones, and the smaller creatures found at low tides on the local beaches. If you’re brave, you can stick your hands in the touch tanks.

Outside the hatchery, you’ll see fish runs where the salmon leave from and return to during spawning season. You’ll learn about the life cycle of the salmon and the part that the hatchery plays in keeping the salmon industry alive in Southeast Alaska.

Charter a Fishing Boat

Spend a day on the water and maybe catch an Alaskan salmon or halibut!

🌐Website | 👉 Browse Juneau Fishing Charters on Viator

What’s better than spending a calm day drifting on the open water trailing a line behind you? If you don’t have access to a boat and gear, several private charter fishing boats are available for hire. They’ll supply the captain and the gear, and take you out fishing for Alaskan salmon and maybe even halibut. 

Taste Alaskan Salmon at Gold Creek Salmon Bake

Indulge in a delicious wild Alaskan salmon buffet in a peaceful forest setting.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 796-2212 | Website | 👉 Juneau Whale Watching and Salmon Bake Tour

Wild Alaskan salmon tastes much better than farmed salmon, which is why you’ll want to have at least one meal at Gold Creek Salmon Bake. After having spent time at DIPAC watching fish, or spending the day on a boat hoping to catch your own, a meal here is the perfect way to cap off a day. 

At this restaurant, you’ll find an outdoor eating experience (with heaters and covers for cold, rainy days), tucked in a forest setting with a buffet-style meal. What could be more Alaskan than eating salmon outdoors in the Tongass National Forest?

Whale Watching Cruise

What’s cooler than seeing majestic whales up close? Take a local tour to experience sea creatures of all kinds and enjoy beautiful Alaskan scenery.

📍 Google Maps (Meeting Point) | 👉 Book a Juneau Whale Watching Tour

One of the more spectacular ways to spend an afternoon is watching whales play in Juneau’s surrounding waters.

Several tour companies run various types of whale watching boats from a local harbor, but I recommend this whale watching tour. Although, every tour is almost guaranteed to find whales, seals, and porpoises. The picturesque views and the antics of Alaskan sea creatures will keep your attention glued to the windows the entire trip.

Cruise into Tracy Arm Fjord

See bears, whales, and glaciers on this day-long catamaran tour of Alaska’s rugged nature.

🌐 Website | 👉 Tracy Arm Fjord Boat Tour

There are few options for day trips out of Juneau because they require either a boat or a plane. However, Allen Marine runs all-day tours that will take you into Tracy Arm Fjord on a shore tour and back.

The boats are two-story with a top deck and a small concessions area selling hot drinks and snacks. There are also tables and cushioned benches. You’ll be quite comfortable for an eight-hour sightseeing tour.

The on-board naturalist will point out wildlife such as whales, seals, bears, and eagles, and binoculars will be provided. You’ll also see glaciers calving and waterfalls running down the walls of the fjord. This trip is not to be missed if you’re looking for a photography outing. Plus, it’s one of Alaska’s best attractions!

Fly to Taku Lodge

Experience a day trip like no other on this small plane excursion to the lodge by Taku Glacier.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 586-6275 | Website | 👉 Glacier Flightseeing Tour to Taku Lodge

Another option for getting out of Juneau for a few hours is to fly out to Taku Lodge. Wings Airways provides transportation to the airplane-only accessible lodge by the Taku Glacier. On your way to the lodge, your pilot will point out several other glaciers. 

At the lodge, you’ll enjoy a two-hour meal. If you’re lucky, some of the local bears will show up on the lodge grounds, allowing you to watch safely from inside while you eat. The planes will then pick you up and return you to town, making this an incredible day trip from Juneau.

Alaska Folk Festival

Enjoy music, dance, and exciting performances during this week-long festival.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 463-3316 | Website

Each April, Juneau hosts the week-long Alaska Folk Festival. Musicians from all over come to listen, play, dance, and teach. 

Every night of the event features several short sets from a range of performers. During the weekend, besides the main stage acts, workshops run by musicians and dancers are available during the day, and live bands play for dances in the evenings.

Besides the official events found on the printed schedule, musicians gather in coffee shops and bars and on street corners to jam together all week long. If you play, listen, or dance to music, this festival should be on your Alaska itinerary!

Jensen Olson Arboretum

Have a picnic or take a stroll along this serene and historic beachfront site.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 789-0139 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 5 pm Wed-Sun; Closed Mon & Tues (March-Oct); 9 am – 4 pm Fri-Sun; Closed Mon-Thurs (Oct-March) | Entrance: free

The Jensen Olson Arboretum is located on the beachfront site of one of the old homestead families of Juneau. If you’re looking for a picnic location without a lot of traffic, this is a beautiful spot. The arboretum is easiest reached by car, and not on the tourist bus routes.

One of the more recent descendants, and a master gardener, donated the property to the city. The garden landscape includes flowering trees, bushes, and local foliage among the flowers. A fenced garden also showcases the vegetables that grow well in Southeast Alaska.

The arboretum is a great place to either learn about Southeast Alaskan gardening or just enjoy a quiet picnic and stroll around a beachfront property.

Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure

Ride to a scenic overlook and greenhouse at the top of a mountain, learning about local flora along the way.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 790-3377 | Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily

Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure takes you on a cart ride up a mountain on a dirt road. The road winds through the rainforest while your driver points out the local flora and explains how the landscape changes due to the climate.

At the top of your ride, you’ll get out at an overlook for a view of Juneau down below. Also, don’t overlook the large greenhouse/convention space/gift shop at the parking lot.

Eaglecrest Ski Area

Go downhill skiing at this local ski area.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (907) 790-2000 | Website | Hours: 8:30 am – 4 pm Wed-Sun; Closed Mon & Tue (winter); 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Mon-Thurs; Closed Fri-Sun (summer)

While most of the activities in Juneau are only available during the summer, there is still plenty to do if you visit during the winter. 

Sure, Alaska has larger, more famous downhill ski resorts (like Alyeska, one of the state’s best places to stay). But Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area provides the locals with the opportunity to downhill ski without having to leave town during the colder months.

The ski area has three lifts, a lodge with a lunch cafeteria, and a gear rental shop, and recently moved the ski school facilities into a new building. The slopes range in difficulty from beginner to black diamonds.

Sleep Overnight in a Forest Service Cabin

Go off the beaten track and hike through the forest to stay overnight in a rustic dry cabin.

🌐 Website

If you’re looking for something off the beaten tourist track to do in Juneau, there are a few cabins available for overnight rental all year round.

You’ll need to plan ahead for this adventure, however, because the cabin rentals are available six months in advance and go quickly. You’ll also need a rental car or to find transportation to the cabins or trailsheads, because they are not on the local bus route.

There are a couple of cabins with drive-up access; however, most of the cabins require a hike through the forest on well-marked trails. You’ll also have to carry everything you need in and out with you.

These are dry cabins with no electricity or running water. Each cabin has an outhouse out back for your convenience, and a propane stove is available for heat.

Click here to check out the website for cabin reservations. It’s certainly a unique activity in Juneau! But if all of this sounds a bit too rustic for you, there are plenty of other cabins and accommodations.

👉 Looking for more? Check out these awesome tours you can take while in Juneau!

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Whether you’re in town for just a few hours with a cruise ship or visiting for longer, you won’t be at a loss for things to do in Juneau at any time of year, especially if you’re outdoorsy.

Make sure to include a good raincoat on your Alaska packing list — you’ll be visiting a rainforest, after all! But if you’re dressed for the weather, you’ll have a fantastic time exploring.

Next up, see Matthew’s guide to Alaska’s most epic destinations.

– Matthew Reppond contributed to this post