Top 12 Things to Do in Juneau
The Best Attractions & Places to See in Juneau
Whether you want to take a spectacular seaplane journey to a historic restaurant or a view-filled tram up Mount Roberts, there’s plenty of adventure to fill a few days in Alaska’s capital city.
The city of Juneau is something to behold: A Gold Rush-era main street sits in the shadow of 3,819-foot Mount Roberts, surrounded by glaciers, temperate rainforests, and snow-capped peaks. The only way to reach Juneau is by ferry or ship via the Gastineau Channel, which we traverse on our popular Inside Passage cruise.
Three of WT’s Alaska ship-based journeys, including our Journey to Sitka and our Glacier Bay land tour and cruise, depart from Juneau. Because it’s worth spending an extra few days exploring the city’s pioneer-era architecture, Indigenous culture, and nearly endless wilderness, below are our experts’ suggestions for the best things to do in Juneau.
1. Take a Seaplane to a Remote Restaurant
Soar over the fjords and snow-capped mountains of Tongass National Forest before gliding over five glaciers that flow from Juneau Ice Field—all from the vantage of a classic floatplane. The breathtaking journey is just one part of this glacier seaplane adventure, which also brings travelers to lunch at Taku Glacier Lodge, a historic property that serves incredible seafood against the backdrop of its namesake glacier.
2. Learn About Human History at Alaska State Museum
For a fascinating look at Alaska’s human and natural history and contemporary life, explore this dynamic museum in downtown Juneau. Along with expansive collections of artifacts and permanent exhibits that tell the history of Western expansion and the plight of the Alaska Native Peoples, the museum hosts contemporary shows by local artists including installations and crafts-based works.
3. Stock up on Alaska-Made Products & Snacks at Rainbow Foods
Stopping by a specialty grocery store is one of the best ways to understand a place, and Rainbow Foods stocks a selection of Alaska-only products that offer a glimpse of life here. In addition to packaged snacks that make for great gifts, including healing products derived from Indigenous practices, the natural grocer sells premade deli items to-go.
4. Enjoy World-Famous Fish Tacos at Deckhand Dave’s
In Alaska’s first food truck park in central downtown Juneau is this eatery run by a former commercial fisherman. In the summers, locals and visitors alike flock here for its super-fresh seafood platters, fish and chips, and tacos, all served with a special homemade tartar sauce in an atmospheric outdoor setting.
5. Shop for a Gift by Local Makers at Kindred Post
Stop by Kindred Post, a post office turned local hangout and neighborhood institution. The downtown space doubles as one of Juneau’s best gift shops, carrying arts, crafts, and great souvenirs from some 200 makers, including jewelry, books, prints, and candles.
6. Visit Alaska’s Most Impressive & Accessible Glaciers
One of Alaska’s most spectacular sights is also the only glacier in the Southeast Alaska reachable by road. From the Juneau Ice Field, Mendenhall Glacier drops into Mendenhall Lake, making calving a regularity off its 100-foot face.
Start at Mendenhall Glacier’s visitor center, where excellent exhibits and spotting scopes put the scale of the glacier into context, before heading out on one of six trails. The paved 0.6-mile Photo Point Trail leads to an ideal view of the glacier from across the lake.
7. Enjoy a Cocktail with Alaskan Botanicals at Amalga Distillery
At Juneau’s only distillery, enjoy tastings of Amalga’s oak-aged whiskey and botanical gin, made with spruce tips, devil’s club, and Labrador tea. The lively tasting room abutting its production facility also serves a rotating menu of draft cocktails, craft mocktails, and to-go canned mixes, like the Matcha Libre, made with gin, green tea, lime, and honey.
8. Take a Tram up Mt. Roberts for Panoramic Views
Travel 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts in just five minutes via the Goldbelt Tram. The cable car starts at Juneau’s main pier and ends at a Native-owned and -operated park that offers incredible views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks, including those in the mighty Chilkat Range. The park also features hiking trails, wildlife-viewing platforms, a restaurant, a theater, and a gallery hosting works by Native artists.
9. Savor a Sophisticated Spin on Alaskan Cuisine
For an elevated take on Alaskan cuisine, book a table at Salt, a sleek restaurant in downtown Juneau. The menu changes according to what’s in season, but expect meat- and fish-focused dishes like roasted lamb and halibut dijonnaise, and a fantastic selection of wine and Scotch.
10. Experience the Gold Rush at the Alaskan Hotel & Bar
You can’t visit Juneau and not stop by Alaska’s oldest operating hotel. Built in 1913 during Alaska’s Gold Rush era, the 44-room Alaskan Hotel & Bar is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s famed for its storied history and well-preserved Victorian interiors, and includes a bar that feels like a stuck-in-time pioneer roadhouse and hosts live music.
11. Hike Juneau’s Trails for Scenery, Wildlife & Mining History
You’ll get your fill of epic hiking on our Alaska adventure, but if there’s time, why not explore some of Juneau’s 250 miles of trails? The paths around Juneau offer not only incredible wildlife-spotting opportunities, but also lessons in the region’s mining history.
For an easy option, head out on Perseverance Trail, a 3-mile round trip leading to a former namesake mine; continue on to the more strenuous 7-mile Granite Creek Trail to an amazing alpine basin. You can also tack on the 12-mile Mount Juneau Trail, more challenging with its 3,576-foot ascent up the mountain.
12. Eat Breakfast at the Rookery Cafe
There’s no better place for breakfast—and a slice of local life—than this downtown coffee shop. Alongside standard diner staples, they serve a popular BBQ pulled pork breakfast bowl and a Hawaiian-inspired Adobo Loco Moco. The homey space also serves lunch and dinner, and has an in-house bakery.
Pair your time in Juneau with incredible voyages to nearby destinations. Journey south along the Gastineau Channel to spot humpback whales on your way to Glacier Bay National Park, board an intimate 12-guest vessel to get close to glaciers and wildlife along the Inside Passage, or sail on a classic wooden vessel to discover the incredible bays, intertidal zones, and remote villages between Sitka, Petersburg, and Juneau.
