If you're visiting Juneau, the hike to Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls is an absolute must. The…read moreviews are breathtaking from start to finish, and seeing the glacier up close with Nugget Falls cascading beside it is something you won't forget. Money-saving tip: Skip the expensive excursions and take the Juneau Capital Transit bus from downtown to Dredge Lake Rd., which is the closest bus stop to Mendenhall. From there, it's about a 1.7-mile walk to the Visitor Center, followed by an easy 1.5-mile hike to Nugget Falls. The trail is well maintained and suitable for most people. The bus costs just $2 each way. Be sure to bring exact change or download the Token Transit app from the App Store to pay your fare. The bus system was easy to navigate, and we had no trouble figuring it out. In my opinion, this is one of the best values in Juneau. You get the same incredible glacier views and unforgettable experience that many people pay hundreds of dollars for on organized excursions. If you're comfortable walking a few miles, this is absolutely the way to do it!

Very accessible Visitor Center with views of the Glacier just a short distance from the bus and…read moreshuttle drop off location. Visitor center has an elevator to the 2nd floor that provides insight, views, and toilets. If in Juneau via a cruise ship you can access the park via both shore excursions and tour operators. No real complications on May 5, on that clear dry day, though 5 cruise ships were in port making the park entrance busy with both tourists and transports. It was a nice way to see a glacier, but the initial park area was crowded, so do not expect to escape from the bustle of tourists unless you explore deeper into the park.

We got 21 people visiting Juneau on 8-17-2010 by Princess Cruise…read more We pre-arranged a 4-hour tour with Juneau Sightseeing Tours. Mr. Bob Harris provided 3 vans with himself, his lovely wife and another gentleman as drivers/guides. The tour was wonderful and informative. At $55 per hour, the overall cost is cheaper than the bus tour provided by the cruise ships. Since we did not travel with other people, we got all the flexibility to go and stop any time. We visited Mendelhall Glacier (Hiked to the nearby waterfall), Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, Downtown Juneau and Shrine of St. Therese (just OK). The best thing of the tour was that they took us to a secret spot to see the salmons in the creek. It's so close that we actually picked up a couple salmons and took pictures. This would be the unforgettable memory for both the kids and adults. I highly recommend Juneau Sightseeing Tours. Check out their wonderful website @ http://www.juneausightseeingtours.com/main.html?src=%2F Thank you, Bob, Ginetta and the other gentleman.

Booked an excursion as came here for a cruise and really truly wanted to go to a lighthouse above…read moreall else. Was very saddened unable to go due to my ship running very late. That aside, and despite my utter disappointment, Alaska Galor Tours, or whatever of the three companies officially did this, knocked it out of the park, from the naturalists Coral and Nick, to Captain Anise or something, it was all ship shape and wonderful. We learned a number of facts and other information about sharks, whales, and local wildlife. On the trip we saw a pod of Orca's playing and frolicking for us then found pack of four humpback whales feeding in same area, not bubble feeding. Nick was able to identify three of the whales, one of them was a female whale that had 6 babies in last 7 years. Hats of to the crew and shore staff that coordinates all this. While I am very disappointed didn't get to the lighthouse am grateful they rescheduled us and refunded the price difference. When come back to Alaska will likely book another route with this group. Do recommend.

Very misleading excursion. We booked the Private Van Tour with Driver - 14 Passengers through…read morePrincess for $750, based on the description that it was a customizable private Juneau tour and that additional entrance fees might apply depending on destinations selected. What was not disclosed is that nearly every stop outside downtown Juneau came with an additional $4-$5 per person charge, even for locations that are free and have no admission fee. We didn't receive this information until after boarding the ship, just three days before the tour. For a group of ten, these extra charges added up quickly -- we were even told that stopping briefly to take a photo at the whale statue would cost an additional $50. That is not an "entrance fee." It's an undisclosed surcharge for basic sightseeing stops, and it fundamentally changes the value of the excursion. The $750 base price did not provide the kind of private, customizable tour the listing suggests -- it mostly covered the vehicle and driver while requiring additional payments for most destinations. When we raised concerns, the response from the operator was essentially "too bad." We cancelled the trip and booked with a tour operator that didn't charge bogus fees. I would not recommend this operator to anyone.

What am amazing accommodating group. They nailed everything from flight changes to a Christmas…read morelight tour. Highly recommend.

We took a 2 hour tour last week with Mike. He arrived in a Lincoln Town Car punctually. He was very…read morepersonable and knowledgeable. He took us to several places including the old mine area, the Mendenhall Glacier and throughout town with historical sights. He was very flexible and his car was immaculate with water bottles waiting for us. It was a great way to see a snapshot of Juneau if you don't have much time. We totally recommend this company and driver.

Jason was the best guide! He had a ton of knowledge, stories, (and jokes of course!)…read more Absolutely recommend. The rapids were fun for a beginner like myself and the views speak for themselves.

Five star experience with Autumn and Captain Lee! Quite an informative and knowledgeable crew. The…read moresafety briefing was thorough and the boat was clean and organized. Autumn clearly has a passion for whales and gave us enough education to fuel our fire for the animals. We saw calves and Sasha and we were treated with the experience of a whale breaching right in front of the boat! Overall a wonderful experience and looking forward to another tour with ATA! Also to mention the wonderful salmon bake! Fresh fish and live music with covered seating and a creekside view. The short hike to the waterfall was fun too! Special shout out to our wonderful bus driver too! She drives the "sunshine" bus and while her name escapes me, her impression does not! She pointed out an eagle's nest, told stories of the legendary wolf Romeo, and gave us a quick but detailed history of the town. Bonus that she's from our neck of the woods!

Great whale watching tour, saw whales within minutes. Great instructors who gave lots of…read moreinformation and the ride to and from the the cruise ship was great. Would highly recommend!

I haven't even been on my August 6th tour yet and i am regretting my decision. After waiting two…read moreweeks for a confirmation, I received a text today (May 2019) stating that they missed us. My tour is on August 6th. I am beginning to think I may have wasted over 100 dollars on this tour.

Go big or go home was my thought process for my 50th birthday- we booked an Alaskan cruise over a…read moreyear out in anticipation! This was the excursion I wanted most- Seaplane over glaciers! Lunch at a lodge, fresh caught and smoked salmon, hiking a bit of that barely touched land. It's a bit of a walk to the Wings Airways check in and shop- not too bad, but longer thanks to construction. Check in was easy and they can hold bags for you to pick up when you return! Great since we had about 45 minutes to explore before boarding. We got Orange/Orcas group- they have a fleet and each plane seats about 10. I'm mad at myself for not paying attention to who our pilot was- June 22- 9:30am- he was excellent! Has been flying for 13 years, very smooth take off and landing! I knew that someone gets to ride up front with the pilot and my hand shot up so fast when the question was being asked! Birthday girl- me me, pick me. lol- yes, I got front seat- right next to the pilot! Prepare to be stunned. Simply, unequivocally, utterly in awe. I lost count of how many times I said wow. Five glaciers, plus tons of smaller glaciers, jagged mountain peaks and smoothed over mountains, the waterfalls!!! The rivers!!! I felt like my entire being couldn't comprehend the enormity of what I was seeing. Alaska made me feel so small in its vastness. Reminded me how little I've seen or done. Landing at the lodge, it is directly across from Hole in the Wall Glacier. The grounds are glorious- it was buggy outside- and the gracious hosts have bug spray on a barrel head right outside the front door. Our feast was incredible- smoked salmon, caught fresh right downstream from the lodge. A family owed property, they bring in 9 additional hands to work the summer and all stay on the property- self sustained. The food- my goodness. First, I have never been a fan of salmon- but there was no way I was eating chicken at an Alaskan Lodge! The salmon was delicious- cooked perfectly. Everything was delicious- the herbed biscuit- perfection. I tried the spruce tips oil in my iced tea and promptly bought a bottle to take home! And just when you are done your meal and enjoying the atmosphere, they bring out gingersnap cookies- freshly baked. Ginger is great for your stomach, even though I was stuffed, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire cookie. Next up, our naturalist took us on a short hike and talked about the flora and fauna, about the glacier, the local plants that they use daily. I broke from the group to check out the trickle of a waterfalls at the back of the property- enjoyed the quietness of the forest & was grateful for my hoodie to keep the mosquitos at bay. Return flight was just as spectacular. Alaska stole a piece of my heart for sure. Thank you to every staff member between the Wings and the Lodge! You were all fabulous!

This is a really cool adventure. Seeing the many area glacier's from the air gives a completely…read moredifferent perspective than from a boat (both are great). From the air you can see how massive these sheets of ice are. It's also amazing to see the different patterns and colors they have. Flight was pretty much narrated by a recording, with the pilot jumping in every once in a while. Small planes, but seats were comfortable and it was really cool to take off and land on the water. (Much smoother than I would have expected). Everything was run very professional but it is a bit of a walk from the curse ship docks to the planes. Highly recommend!

One of few at airport yesterday. Personable. Beyond helpful with luggage. Taxi, shuttle, and tour…read moreaervice.

I highly recommend this taxi service Karla took us to the glacier while telling us about this…read morebeautiful places she was fun very knowledgeable of Alaska her vibe was contagious. She is amazing.

From booking to the drive back to town, perfect! Quite an adventure to ride in a float plane and…read moreland in the water, to seeing bears catch fish approx. 100yards away! All the employees we dealt with at Wild Coast were super knowledgeable, friendly and lots of fun!

I had such an amazing time with Wild Coast Excursions at Waterfall Creek. As soon as we got off the…read morefloatplane and walked around the corner -- there was a bear right at the waterfall! It was truly one of the coolest and most unforgettable experiences I've ever had with brown bears. I felt completely safe the entire time, and it was absolutely incredible to watch these majestic animals in their natural habitat. Watching them fish was surprisingly fast, sometimes even hilarious! Wild Coast made the whole experience feel both thrilling and respectful to the wildlife. Wild Coast Excursions is the best opportunity to see bears in Juneau and probably Alaska! I cannot wait to go again and check out Pack Creek next time -- already dreaming of it! Don't miss this if you're in Juneau -- it's pure magic.

Had an outstanding guided tour with this company in the Tongass national Forrest surrounding the…read moreMendenhall glacier. This was a strenuous 5 mile hike over uneven terrain and a steep elevation climb, but the trek was worth it. Multiple beautiful views along the way to include the glacier. The guide went out of her way to ensure the pace was something that all Trail participants could do, taking well-timed breaks , ensuring the group stayed together. She also provided a nice history of the national park and the glacier in particular, integrating that into the hike which added so much more to this excursion. Of note, She also went above and beyond what was advertised for this hike by taking us into side trails off of the main trail to make sure we saw extra landmarks and terrain that she deemed as beautiful and meaningful that added so much more to this excursion. Nice! The side detours included a beautiful waterfall and some nice elevated views that were just outstanding and made the hike that much more memorable. High marks not only for this guide but for this company for hiring such qualified and passionate guides. Highly recommend this company where I Will definitely use them the next time I am in Juneau.

Absolutely Outstanding! One of the Best Excursions We've Ever Taken!…read more If you're visiting Juneau, this is the excursion to book! Our Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier tour with Gastineau Guiding was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. It was easily one of the best shore excursions we've ever experienced. Our guide, Collin Taylor, was exceptional. He was friendly, knowledgeable, engaging, and made the entire day so much fun. Throughout the tour, he shared fascinating information about Juneau, Alaska's wildlife, humpback whales, the Mendenhall Glacier, and even photography. His passion for Alaska was contagious. Our captain, Ron, was equally outstanding. He and Collin knew exactly where to find the whales, and they delivered! We saw at least a dozen humpback whales, including adults and a calf. We watched countless whale blows, multiple tail flukes, and even witnessed a breach in the distance. As a bonus, we got incredibly close to a group of sea lions relaxing on a navigation buoy. The Mendenhall Glacier portion of the tour was just as impressive. The hike through the rainforest was beautiful, and Collin explained how the glacier has retreated over the years and how an entirely new forest has grown in its place. It gave us a whole new appreciation for the landscape. We came away with some incredible photos and unforgettable memories. The icing on the cake is that Collin is also a professional photographer and shares his photos with the group afterward. That allowed us to stay in the moment while knowing we'd still have amazing professional-quality memories to take home. Five stars without hesitation. Gastineau Guiding exceeded every expectation, and if you can, request Collin Taylor. You won't regret it!