Juneau Touring By Car

Hello, We are planning our excursion for Juneau. We dock at 2pm and the ship leaves at 10pm, so we do have some time limitations. We will be renting a car and have these as options for our day:

1. Chapel-by-the-Lake at Auke Lake

Open 9am-5pm

2. Jensen-Olson Arboretum

The Arboretum is open year round to the public at no charge, Wednesday– Sunday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

3. Glacier gardens

We are available for walk-in tours starting May 8th and ending September 22nd, 2017, from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily.

Tickets are $25

4. National Shrine of St. Therese

April through September: 8:30 am - 10:00 pm

5. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

May through September open daily 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM.

6. Alaska Brewery and bottling company

Join us for a guided tasting! For $5, you get a tutored tasting with six total samples and a souvenir to take home. Tastings start on the hour and at our brewery. Last tasting is at 6 pm.

We definitely want to go to the Mendenhall Visitors Center and take a short hike. I’m thinking one church, not both…..any recommendations? We are Catholic, so I am leaning towards the National Shrine of St. Therese.

Can anyone comment on Glacier Gardens or the Jensen Olsen Arboretum?

I guess we won’t get to stop at the Alaska Brewery, but maybe the Red Dog Saloon instead?

Thanks for any suggestions.

We had the same time (2pm-10pm) when we stopped in Juneau last May. I rented a car from Avis that had the desk in the Goldbelt Hotel right in the center of town. Unfortunately we were at the AJ dock - a bus ride then a few blocks of walking. The lady at the Avis desk was not there when we arrived so we wasted about 20-30 minutes waiting on her. Our only two true stops was a Coastal Helicopters flight to Herbert Glacier then rode on from the airport to Mendenhall's visitor center. We also made a short stop at Fred Meyer for a few things (they had a lot of inexpensive Juneau/Alaska souvenirs) then ate supper back downtown. We only walked around a little bit downtown and it was time to get the car back and onto the ship. I think we were on by about 8:30-9:00.

Looking at your list, I'm thinking you'll be pressed for time.

From what I understand the Avis desk is closed at the hotel but there's another car rental near the AJ dock (Juneau Car Rental) - otherwise you'd have to go all the way to the airport...

Suggest you add Mt. Roberts tram to your list, for an overview of the area. EM

Head over to Douglas for good views back to the city and valley, also do a drive-by of the ski shrine.

Loved Shrine of St Theresa and the Jenson-Olson Arborterum. I love Alaska Brewing company, but visiting the brewery is pretty much a snooze. No real tour, just a tasting room/gift shop. You can look into the brewery through glass. Mendenhall is wonderful, try to schedule time to take the easy 1/2 mile walk to Nugget Falls. During the salmon run you can walk the Steep Creek boardwalks there and if you are lucky, may see bears. I'm attaching a link to my 2016 Juneau/Lynn Canal album, maybe it will help you choose.

https://www.facebook.com/gina.w.herndon/media_set?set=a.10153145539066818.577281817&type=3

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