THE 10 BEST Juneau Adventure Activities
Best Adventurous Things to Do in Juneau
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Travelers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travelers across the globe.
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- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Recommended Adventurous Experiences (38)
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National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Boat Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching
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What travelers are saying
- Cris HPittsburgh, PA993 contributionsAbsolutely stunning to visit, everywhere you look is something new that you can see. There are mountains, glaciers, ravines, snow capped peaks and wildlife everywhere. highly recommend everyone take time to visit here it's well worth it!Written September 17, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- CNViHouston, TX3 contributionsWe had such a great whale watching experience from the beginning of pick up and after drop off. To start off, our bus driver Garrett was nice and funny. He gave us some interesting tidbits about Juneau and Alaska.
The actual whale tour exceeded expectations. The scenery was beautiful, our crew kept us informed about everything we were seeing or anticipating seeing. We felt safe on the boat and everyone had a chance to get a great view of the wildlife and take pictures. We saw 7 humpback whales and 3 killer whales! We got really lucky with the perfect weather and a wonderful crew. Thank you to Dale, Coral & Anies for a memorable day.Written October 22, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Alaska O6 contributionsPack Creek is AMAZING. A real slice of Alaskan wilderness paradise. The bears there are "habituated" to a consistent human presence and they see us as part of the landscape if we follow the area rules. I'm a Juneau local who has been visiting regularly for 10+ years and there are several things potential visitors need to know.
1) GO! This is something every family member who visits us in Alaska does at least once. Admiralty Island has more brown (grizzly) bears than the entire "lower 48" states combined. There are no black bears on Admiralty (and neighboring Baranof and Chichagof), they are all brown bears.
2) There are two worthwhile seasons over the summer at Pack Creek. May to mid-June when bears are roaming the beach, foraging in the open, and mating, and the "peak" season late July through early September when the salmon are spawning. I really don't recommend late June through mid July if you want to see bears.
In the peak season there are also other opportunities in SE Alaska for bear viewing, however in May and June, Pack Creek likely offers the only reliable opportunity to see brown bears in the region. This is partly due to the area being closed to bear hunting, which is rare in Alaska.
3) Hire a guide. These folks will enrich your trip, keep you safe, and handle the logistics. There are three guiding companies in Juneau who all seem to do a great job for the same price. Two of them will take groups as small as two people. I believe the other requires four people. Weather in SE Alaska can be dangerous and move quickly and I've never seen an unguided group who was genuinely prepared to be stranded or seriously delayed.
4) The rangers are amazing and have incredible local knowledge of the bears. They work really well with guided and unguided groups alike. They strictly enforce the rules of the area. The rangers are only guaranteed to be there during the peak season so unless you are coming during those week, DO NOT COUNT ON THEM BEING THERE. Especially now with the cuts to their budget.
5) Permit prices went up this year. Flights costs go up every year. Prices mentioned in older reviews are outdated.
6) If you go unguided, bring rubber boots, rubber rain gear, food for longer than you intend to be there, a way to purify water if needed, extra warm layers, and an inreach or something very similar (there's no service for cells or radios, and no nearby boat traffic). Keep in touch with your aviation provider (we like Ward Air), during the day about weather or schedule changes via the inreach. Be prepared to leave early if the weather changes. Be prepared to stay overnight.
Also read the rules of the area and print and sign your permit. If the rangers are there, they require a hard copy of the permit when you arrive. If they are not there, it is up to you to follow the rules to create a consistent experience for the bears. Wandering out of the designated areas has an immediate impact on the bear viewing and puts everyone in danger.
7) Bring a big zoom lens. Even when they're "close" they're not that close.Written February 14, 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Matt Berry7 contributionsI had the privilage to experience a full day of heliskiing with Alaska Powder Descents in March of 2019. Besides the day I received my discharge from the Army, I am having a hard time thinking of a better, happier and overall more stoke-filled day.
Kevin and Sam were absolutely outstanding guides that helped provide one of the best days of my life. They helped to provide an insanely ridiculous experience. The day ran smoothly from the get-go, where Kevin and Sam helped outfit myself with the necessary gear that I did not have personally, such as an inflatable avalanche backpack and other assorted pieces. We flew through Temsco helicopters, right smack on the summit of a peak I had been eyeballing here in Juneau for months. The mid-March skiing was chattery at first, but warmed up into absolutely incredible spring corn. We were able to ski a ridiculous amount of runs on the Juneau Icefield, a massive sea of snow and ice that looks like Antartica or Hoth from Star Wars! We finished off the day on a gorgeous line through a couloir which dropped into an open bowl where the speed gained in the steep line opened up into wide arching, delicious corn harvesting.
If you are looking for an outfit with top-of-the-line guides, service, experience, and stoke, look no further than Alaska Powder Descents. Going heliskiing is a thrill in itself, but the awesome friends at APD made the experience one that I will tell my friends and family about for years to come. Kevin and Sam and everyone at APD, you guys are the best!Written May 12, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Kelsey G1 contributionWe were the last tour of the season and we honestly weren’t expecting much. However, we saw 5 separate whale sightings (plus 1 breach!)!! We also saw some seals and had absolute gorgeous weather. All these things are completely out of the crew’s control but they were also very excellent. We were on the chillcat with Dan & Dale. They were funny, informative, and made for an excellent tour. Overall, it far exceeded all of my expectations!Written October 21, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Joe O1 contributionLast June I had the pleasure of experiencing a whale sightseeing tour and a rainforest hike to the Mendenhall Glacier with Gastineau Guiding, and it was truly unforgettable! Our guide, Ernie, was exceptional—his passion for the natural environment and wealth of knowledge about the local ecosystem enriched the entire adventure. On the whale tour, we were fortunate to see several humpback whales breaching and feeding, and Ernie's insights made it even more fascinating. The hike through the rainforest was equally captivating, with breathtaking views and a chance to learn about the unique flora and fauna surrounding us. I highly recommend Gastineau Guiding for anyone seeking an immersive and informative Alaskan experience!Written December 31, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- SaltLife70Florida480 contributionsIt was truly a blessing to get this opportunity to see Nature at its best. I hope I can do this again in my lifetime. Some Trips you may not want to repeat, but this is a must!!!Written October 18, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Melanie G2 contributionsLarry, Steph, and Charlie were very informative, they have a lot of passion for their work. I felt very safe with them! They knew exactly where to take us. Their number one priority was our experience. I highly recommend using this crew to get you the whale experience that you are looking out for!Written August 31, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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- Randy B3 contributionsMy family visited Juneau on July 2nd and we wanted to do something other than whale watching or sight-seeing. This experience did not disappoint. My kids and I had too much fun here. We were nearly late for our cruise ship because we didn't want to leave. The staff is phenomenal. My kids' faces were beaming when we left. They asked me in the ride back if we could find a gun range back home and go shooting every week. They will remember this for a long time.Written July 10, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Andrew KPetaluma, CA2 contributionsThe helicopter ride and the views of the ice field were amazing. The huskies were so beautiful. And, Dobbs, the driver of our dog sled was very knowledgeable and friendly.Written January 31, 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Hannah D1 contributionAmazing people amazing dogs and a wonderful time!! Would fully recommend to anyone, we booked it as an excursion from Disney and had the best time.Written September 26, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Susan A.Bend, OR29 contributionsWe had seen a glacier before from a large boat and thought it was nice. So we had second thoughts about going on a helicopter & climbing. Seeing how large the glacier is was spectacular! The views were amazing, I literally had to hold my jaw closed. I was scared I would fall on the ice, but the guide stayed close by me and we took our time. Luckily I was with friends and they were understanding of my balance issues & just being clumsy. I would go again and I wouldn't be afraid. Do not miss this once in a life time opportunity.Written September 19, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Amanda SMelbourne, Australia18 contributionsNow this is a VERY expensive tour for 3 hours and I was charged an addition $250 USD for being over a certain weight, so total cost was over $1400 AUD. That aside this tour was in my top 2 tours I did via the Carnival cruise. Bucket list stuff, save up and just do it!
My experience was great, very professional setup and company. The views are incredible on the flight, 3 helicopters flying in tandem over glaciers to the dog sledding camp. I was lucky to get the front seat. There is a small side window you can open and poke your camera lens through, so you don't have to shoot through glass, a fast shutter speed is a must!
The dog-sledding was heaps of fun and such an amazing feeling to be so remote on top of the glacier with incredible views around. The dogs are sooo excited, they just love it. The guide was very passionate and informative about his dogs.
Only minor negatives beside cost, it was rather rushed back at the camp, not much time to pat the dogs and no puppies to hold. This was the last flight of the day and it felt like the staff/pilots were keen to wrap up the day.
We were presented 5x7"photography prints to buy from a local staff member taking photos of us on the dog sleds. Unfortunately they were very underexposed but were still asking USD $30.00.
I feel the prints should be included in the overall price.Written July 9, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Pam H1 contributionMy friends and family surprised me with a retirement party with Jayleen's Alaska, and it was an unforgettable experience. The intimate setting was perfect for our small group, making the occasion feel both special and personalized. Among the wildlife we encountered were humpback whales, 50+ sea lions and several eagles.
I have been fortunate to be able to go out on the water with this company over the past few years. The 6-passenger boats are always immaculate and well-maintained. The captains are dedicated to providing guests with the best possible experience while at the same time recognizing and respecting the needs of the wildlife.
Jayleen’s Alaska clearly takes immense pride in their operations and in showcasing the beauty of Juneau.Written December 27, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
