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I am lucky enough to have a job that allows me to travel. Being a travel Occupational Therapist allowed me to spend 6 months living in Juneau Alaska and the Juneau adventures are ENDLESS.

Late July, I arrived in Juneau, Alaska. It has been such a pleasure exploring the outdoor space, downtown, and all 40 miles of road in this mountain-locked land. Did you know you can only get to Juneau by boat or plane? It definitely adds to the charm.

Here are some of my favorite spots for Juneau Alaska adventures.

1. The Whale Project

The Whale Sculpture is a good spot to check out rain or shine! It gives you a great view down the Gastineau Channel and the water fountain comes on every few minutes! Believe it or not, the sculpture is actually slightly smaller than the size of a real life humpback whale (*mind blown*).

2. Whale Watching

If that wasn’t enough whale for you, go whale watching in Juneau.

I had contacted Terry White from Juneau Adventures, and it was probably the best thing that happened to us. We met at the dock at 8 am and got back at 11 am.

Terry was born and raised in Juneau and has over 30 years of experience. We boarded his comfortable boat that offered 360 degree views. Since it was just the 5 of us for the tour, we did not have to fight tourists for the views. He knew exactly where to take us, because within 10 minutes we were seeing spouts of water from the Humpback whales!

For more information check out my detailed Juneau Itinerary!

3. Downtown Juneau

Downtown Juneau has a lot to offer. Check out local art, beer, cuisine and music! Juneau Artists Gallery features great local art and jewelry and is worth a stop in. For local beer, I highly recommend Barnaby Brewing and Devils Club Brewing! If you’re around for the night life, you should drop in to Alaskan Hotel Bar, as they have live music most nights.

4. Get Outside for some true Juneau Adventures

Juneau has many trails to choose from to get an easy or challenging hike in! I always make a point to take visitors to Nugget Falls. It is one of my favorite nature walks to do in the rain, as you get views of the waterfall and the Mendenhall glacier! Some other favorites include: Thunder Mountain, Salmon Creek, and Blueberry Trail.

If you’re and intermediate to advanced hiker and want a challenge I highly recommend hiking at least one of the “big 5 Juneau Peaks”

• Mount Juneau
• Mount Roberts
• Thunder Mountain
• Mount Jumbo
• Mount McGinnis

5. Go to the Beach in Juneau

There are a few beach areas in Juneau that I really enjoy – rain or shine.

Savikko Beach (Sandy Beach) is a drive up spot that gives you views of the towering Juneau mountains as well as the mountains out the channel. If it’s sunny, bring a blanket or have a bonfire! If it’s raining, make sure you have waterproof boots and trek out to see the water run off the mountains.

Douglas Boat Launch is another drive up spot. This spot has views of multiple glaciers and is one of my favorite spots for sunsets and bonfires.

Sunshine Cove is a bit of a drive near the end of the road, but it is so worth it! Camp out on the channel and hear whales, maybe catch the northern lights and enjoy views of the mountains across the water.

6. Fly to Sitka

One of my favorite excursions from Juneau was flying to Sitka for the weekend. The flight was about 45 minutes and incredibly scenic.

7 Sleep at a Backcountry Cabin in Juneau

There are 11 Backcountry cabins just in Juneau! My favorites were the John Muir Cabin, Eagle Glacier Cabin, and Blue Mussel Cabin. See the complete list of Backcountry Cabins HERE. The cabins are $75 per night.

8. Helicopter Glacier Tour Juneau Adventure

Want to get up close and personal with the Mendenhall Glacier?? If you are planning a visit between May-September, this could be the adventure for you.

• Tours under 3 hours

9. Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier

When living in Juneau, I was told that the Iditarod dog sled teams train in Juneau! Pretty neat right?

Experience dogsledding for the ultimate Alaskan experience.

10. Mount Roberts Tramway

The Mount Roberts Tram sits at 1800 feet high with shopping, art, a nature center and a theater. We watched an informative 20 minute video about the local tribe and learned some of the history of Juneau. $35 per person.

There is also the option to hike from the Tram to the Summit of Gastineau and Mount Roberts. See more information HERE

Check out my 5 Day Juneau Itinerary

If you’re looking for a planned out Itinerary, check out my guide