In 2018, we spent a week chasing the northern lights around central Alaska. It was everything we hoped for, and had us itching to get back to the 49th state. When we were given the opportunity to head to Juneau, we were quick to recall that we’ve both been (separately) to the capital city. Our visits were short (the typical 8 hour cruise port stop) and were full of seafood, hiking (Alli), and whale watching (Bobby).
But as is usually the case with cruising, our knowledge of Juneau was minimal. We’d barely scratched the surface of all the food, adventure, and beauty this town had to offer! Whether you arrive by air or sea (the only way to get there - which is pretty cool) we’re here to say that you need more time… here’s why.
We loved walking around downtown Juneau!
Alaskan Cuisine
Having only previously been to Juneau on a cruise, we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of the cuisine in Juneau. Would there be plenty of options for our 4 nights in town? Would we find fresh local seafood? Was there Alaskan food that we haven’t heard of?
Yes. Yes. And YES!
On our first day in town, we got our bearings by going on a Juneau Food Tour with Midgi Moore. The highlights were obviously feasting on Alaskan King crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack, and then washing it down with an “Eagle Fart” (a shot of Bailey’s, Kahlua, and Vodka) at the Imperial Saloon. From Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos to Fish & Chips at the Alaska Fish & Chips Co., there was delicious fresh seafood everywhere.
Exploring the Juneau food scene with Midgi Moore
Deckhand Dave’s was the real deal
Reindeer corndog anybody?
Our absolute favorite meal may have been at In Bocca Al Lupo. Seasonally inspired Italian food that is so fresh and authentic that it has you questioning, “How is this here?” Well, the chef was a James Beard Foundation Semi-finalist and knows a thing or two about hand-made pasta and Italian pizza. We were in heaven! The only thing that could have made this dinner better was a babysitter. Noted for next time.
And Alaskan food we hadn’t heard of… how about Reindeer corn dogs? Sorry Santa, these are incredible! Think hot dog with the perfect touch of gameiness. We’d go back just for these.
While it doesn’t fit as truly Alaskan Cuisine, we have to mention Pel’ meni. One of our favorite parts about traveling is experiencing foods and flavors that we can’t even imagine… this is true of Pel’ meni and their Russian dumplings. A local staple that has long lines long after everything else is closed, this is the best late night snack in town. They tasted like a combination of curry, sriracha, and some flavors I can’t describe. So. Good. Sorry, you’ll just have to go to try it out.
Date night at In Bocca Al Lupo
Jude loves his pizza :)
Mountains and Glaciers at Your Doorstep
Coming from coastal California, this is pretty obvious. While you can explore many parts of Alaska and be surrounded by mountains, there is something special about the peaks surrounding Juneau. And there is plenty of hiking that you can do right from downtown. We left our room at the historic Baranof Hotel and could be meandering near a river in 15 minutes. If we didn’t have Jude we would have probably hiked the Mt. Roberts trail and taken the tram back down - again, noted for next time.
We were so busy that we didn’t even visit one of Juneau’s famous attractions… the Mendenhall Glacier. We drove by it multiple times, but will definitely be back to spend more time admiring the glacier.
Heading to Jude’s first tram ride!
He couldn’t see but he knew it was stunning!
Lively Locals and Downtown
When we arrived at our hotel late in the afternoon on a Thursday, it sounded like we had just arrived at a music festival. The Baranof Hotel is located downtown near Gunakadeit Park that is full of food trucks, and at the time live music and a ton of locals. We dropped our bags and hurried over, enjoying tacos at Deckhand Dave’s and meeting the local Juneau Crowd.
While we experienced a variety of the local watering holes, The Narrows Bar was a nightly routine during our time in Juneau. With an elaborate selection of spirits that would be impressive anywhere in the country (let alone Alaska!), Bobby was in heaven. There we met Juneau natives nightly and swapped stories of our adventures in town for some of their recommendations for our following day.
Along with the Narrows Bar, we also spent a few nights at the Alaska Griz Bar. This outdoor bar in downtown Juneau proudly serves all Alaskan beer and spirits. One of our favorites was the gin from Amalga Distillery - we even took some home!
We were here every. single. night.
Whale Watching
This may be a no-brainer, but you MUST go whale watching. Even if you are on a cruise and only have 8 hours in Juneau, do it. It’s magical, and depending on the time of year it is very likely you will come across incredible wildlife.
For all of you who don’t have your sea legs (like Bobby), we learned a sea sickness fighting remedy that Alaskan boat captains even use! Here’s the trick, take Bonine the night before. Or if you’re headed on really rough seas, the morning before (24 hours plus in advance). Having it in your system is a game changer!
Medicine aside, we went whale watching with Juneau Whale Watch and their boats are not very high off the water and have plenty of airflow. Sorry for all the seasick talk, it’s just part of how we do sea travel.
Back to whale watching - we saw more than 10 different humpback whales during our excursions. Tons of mystifying spray blowing up on the horizon and then chasing them down to see their tails before they dove into the depths... even Jude was obsessed!
We saw a ton of whales! Amazing!
Access to the Southeast
Aside from all that you have in Juneau, another huge draw is the access you have to the rest of Southeastern Alaska. Whether you hop on a seaplane and puddle-jump over to Ketchikan or take the slower route to Haines aboard a ferry on the Alaska Marine Highway, however you travel it’s going to be scenic and worth it.
On the ferry from Juneau to Haines, I lost count of how many bald eagles, waterfalls, and jaw-dropping landscapes I saw within the first hour. The trip is absolutely stunning and would be quite the peaceful adventure if you’re traveling without a toddler - regardless, it’s a must do!
The views!
Jude was having SO much fun!
While our food-gawking and seasick remedies have kept this from being brief, we hope we’ve started to convince you of some of what Juneau has to offer. That’s the best part… it’s only a snippet. We could dedicate blogs to all the hiking, the wildlife, or the food, but we wanted to share the macro view of why Juneau is special. We’ll be back in the future as both cruisers and non-cruisers… meet us there? We’ll save a seat for you at the Narrows Bar and end the night at Pel’ meni. :)