Mendenhall Timing Question

Hey Everyone - Super excited to be making my maiden voyage out to Alaska next Saturday. We'll be in Juneau on the 21st for just a day. Right now we have a chartered flight going to pack creek in the morning and will be arriving back around 5:00 / 5:30 in the evening.

My question, we are departing at about 10:00 and I'm curious if timing wise We'd be able to go over to Mendenhall between that 5:30 - 10:00 time frame. I know the Visitors Center is open until 7:30 but wanted to get peoples take on visiting around that time frame.

Being that we are going to glacier bay for a day would it be more practical use of time to explore Juneau itself and even possibly "relax" for a bit.

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome!

This is the Asia board. Last I checked, the Mendenhall Glacier is in Alaska, so this post may be better asked on the Alaska ports of call board!!

And sorry, although we've been to visit the glacier a couple of times, have never done it that late, so can't help. :( I don't know how late the shuttles or buses run out there.

Hey Everyone - Super excited to be making my maiden voyage out to Alaska next Saturday. We'll be in Juneau on the 21st for just a day. Right now we have a chartered flight going to pack creek in the morning and will be arriving back around 5:00 / 5:30 in the evening.

 

My question, we are departing at about 10:00 and I'm curious if timing wise We'd be able to go over to Mendenhall between that 5:30 - 10:00 time frame. I know the Visitors Center is open until 7:30 but wanted to get peoples take on visiting around that time frame.

 

Being that we are going to glacier bay for a day would it be more practical use of time to explore Juneau itself and even possibly "relax" for a bit.

 

Any thoughts and opinions are welcome!

I'm surprised this hasn't been moved on to the Alaska forum yet. On the chance you still don't have an answer - I think that sounds too late unless you can do a ships excursion that works with those hours. If memory serves, the buses you buy passes for like the Glacier Express had a last return time ( pick up from Mendenhall that takes you back to near the cruise ship) of 5pm or so. The ride takes 35 minutes or so. Even if it were running later hours, you don't want to push the time frame. I wouldn't even want to gamble on catching the last bus back.

Mendenhall glacier is definitely worthwhile in my opinion. I wouldn't want to rush the visit, you could do the trip in 3 hours but it would be rushed. I had about this amount of time & had to choose between the walk to the waterfall lookout or waiting to see the movie at the visitors center.

If you decide you want to stick closer to the cruise ship, you could shop. Do a search to see how late the tram runs. I am not sure how late the shops stay open but I would guess they cater to the cruise ships presence. Tracy's crab shack is worth a stop, it is pricey but the crab legs were very good I thought.