Juneau – Port of call on Holland America’s Alaska Cruise

For this post, we’ll focus on Juneau, Alaska’s capital city and the second stop on Holland America’s 7-Day Alaska Inside Passage Cruise.  Nestled between towering mountains and the picturesque waters of the Gastineau Channel, Juneau offers an unforgettable experience for adventurers, nature lovers and history buffs alike. Juneau is a unique blend of small town charm and untamed wilderness. 

Juneau is surrounded by some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. On our ride to the whale watching destination, our driver stopped off to catch a view of the Mendenhall Glacier. If you get the chance, don’t miss this majestic glacier, a 20 km river of ice located just 19 km from downtown. Visitors can explore hiking trails or take guided glacier tours for a closer look.

Whale Watching and Wildlife Encounters

The waters around Juneau are teeming with marine life. Because most wildlife would be hard to spot this late in the season, we selected instead to go on a private Whale Watching tour. We booked a six-person tour through Holland America for US $1,699 and had an incredible experience. The tour was run by Alaska Galore Tours.

Our guide, Captain Charles was mazing! We got to see multiple orcas and the famous whale named Flame. Charles informed us that the best times to see whales are between April and November so our trip in September was at the tail end of the season, but turns out to be excellent. We witnessed an endless number of whales, and most special, orcas!

If you’re going to Juneau, I would highly commend reaching out to Alaska Galore Tours and asking for Captain Charles to be your host. His humour and knowledge of the whales was truly impressive. He makes this very well timed joke on the tour, which I won’t give away, but his ability to deliver that punchline is epic! I hope you get to experience it.

Adventure Activities

For thrill-seekers, Juneau offers a wide range of outdoor activities. We saw people kayaking in the serene waters, some cruisers had booked zip-line tours (although it was so cold I wonder how that worked out for them!) and some tried their hand at fishing. Some of our group decided to hike through Juneau’s rugged terrain and reported there were a variety of hikes to choose from. 

Charming Downtown

Juneau’s downtown area is a charming mix of historic buildings, unique shops and great restaurants. We walked around the streets and found artisanal crafts, local art and several restaurants touting seafood. Be sure to stop by the iconic Red Dog Saloon for a taste of local history and a lively atmosphere.

We had lunch at the perfectly located Hangar on the Wharf, and found the food to be very good, with hefty portions. This was something we experienced across Alaska, the food portions were much bigger than we get in Canada or Asia. In every restaurant we visited except Beak in Sitka, we couldn’t finish all the food, so it may be best to order light at first.

We visited the Juneau-Douglas City Museum and enjoyed learning about the city’s history. While we didn’t get the chance, other cruisers recommended checking out the Alaska State Museum. These museums showcase the history of Alaska’s native peoples, the gold rush era and the state’s natural history. It’s a beautiful city with a small-town vibe, nestled in the mountains. 

Scenic Cruising Near Juneau

In a coming post, I’ll share images from the Inside Passage but I have so many that I’d like to share with you that I’ll sneak a few in here.

Conclusion

With only half of one day spent in Juneau, it’s difficult to draw any conclusions, but the time we had there was fantastic, even with the intense cold rain. There’s a charm to the city that captures your soul the minute you set foot in it. The mountains with glacier water streaming down as the backdrop just adds to the drama and charm.

I would love to go back again to explore more of the city and to see more of the wildlife. The whale watching tour we did introduced me to a whole new love; I now want to go whale watching around the world. This is a bit silly for a Vancouver-born Canadian to have fallen in love with whales in Alaska. The waters around Vancouver and Vancouver Island are after all famous for whale watching!