Juneau: Gray Skies and Grumpy Kids

I’ll be honest… Juneau wasn’t our favorite stop.

It was cold. It was rainy. The kids were tired and grumpy. And with a late port time, our whole schedule got thrown off. Not exactly the dream day we had imagined.

After a breathtaking morning cruising through Tracy Arm, we docked in Juneau around 2 PM. Fun fact about Alaska’s capital city: you can’t drive there! It’s only accessible by plane or boat—so arriving by cruise ship is actually one of the best ways to visit. 😉

Our excursion had two main highlights: Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching.

The bus ride to Mendenhall ended up being perfect for eagle spotting—and, thankfully, nap time. The kids caught a little rest, though probably not enough to turn the day around.

Once we arrived, our group split up. Some went on a quick hike to Nugget Falls, while we stuck closer to the visitor center and took the trail to the glacier viewpoint. I grabbed a few souvenirs and got my national parks passport stamped (a small but satisfying win!). Inside, there was a great exhibit on how the glacier was formed and how rapidly it’s been receding. It’s both fascinating and sobering to see the changes mapped out over such a short time.

Despite the less-than-ideal moods, we managed to snap a few nice photos.

Next up: whale watching. We hopped on another bus—this one took us over the scariest bridge I’ve ever been on. It was steep, narrow, and led straight onto a dock. My nerves did not appreciate it. And, of course, the rain started coming down harder.

The boat ride itself was… fine. Not bad, but not particularly memorable either. We didn’t get seats together, which made things tricky with the kids. There was a long line for snacks—much needed since it was nearing dinner time. Between the fogged-up windows and the rain, spotting wildlife wasn’t easy.

Eventually, we saw a few blowhole spouts, some humpbacks, and even a couple of whale tails. Later in the tour, we passed an island covered in sea lions. That part was actually pretty cool—they were tumbling off rocks into the water, and it was surprising how well they blended in with the shoreline.

We made it back to the ship just in time for a proper dinner. I was a little salty we didn’t get the crab legs I’d been dreaming about, but all in all, it wasn’t a bad day.

With better weather and fewer meltdowns (from both kids and adults), I think Juneau could have been a highlight. Maybe next time.