Car Rental in Juneau-What to See?

[teacherman]

We will be in Juneau for our second time in July aboard Celebrity Century. We are there for almost 12 hours. We have arranged to rent a car from National, somewhere near to the cruise docks. (Schedule says we are at CT, but I do not know where that dock is.) Anyway, we are going out to the glacier for a while, but was wondering what other places we might visit. If you have done this in Juneau, please give us some ideas of places we can drive to for a kind of "relaxing" day of touring. Last time, we took the bus to the glacier and looked from the visitor area. This time we plan to walk to the falls area. Any info is welcome. Thank you. (I also asked this on TripAdvisor)

[Budget Queen]

Get a Juneau visitor guide and map. Drive out to Eagle Beach, Alaska U and Chapel on the Lake, Auke Bay, St. Theresa's Shrine. Glacier Gardens, Hatchery, Alaska Brewery. Cemetery, Last Chance Mine- etc etc etc.

 

Head to your library and look at Frommer's and Fodor's Alaska both have Juneau details as well. I also do laundry and eat at Thane Ore House- but I'm "odd" in my port travels with a car.

[taminator911]

We're renting a car from Rent-a-Wreck. Plan to see Mendenhall Glacier, walk Perserverance Trail, visit the Last Chance Mining Museum, Macauley Salmon Hatchery and maybe the brewery.

 

Will now add Eagle beach, Chapel on the Lake and Glacier Gardens - thanks for the tip!

 

Also hadn't thought of doing laundry while in port...hhhmmmm. We're sailing on the HAL Oosterdam and I don't believe they have self-laundry facilities onboard.

[akfishergirl]

The Shrine of St Therese if a very serene stop... the views are amazing from there.

 

University of Alaska SE is a small college campus...

 

Auke Bay is just a small boat harbor, a nice view very limited parking.

 

Auke Rec (you will see signs from Glacier Highway beyond Auke Bay) is a wonderful place for a picnic and hike... be thoughtful tho you may also see bears....Eagle Beach again you may encounter bears... always keep your eyes open.

 

If you have a car go over to Douglas Island Savikko park and walk the trail to the old mine... again tho be thoughtful of bears...

 

The Brewery now has a tasting room downtown on Franklin......

 

There is also a very very very old cemetery on Douglas Island, you will see it from the main road... quite interesting....

 

Visit the Juneau Douglas city museum and the Alaska State museum in town, drive past the Governors Mansion and the House of Wickersham, stop at the State Capital building.

 

Go online to visitjuneau.com asked for a visitors guiide it will be mailed within a week or so and the guide is wonderful AND FREE!!

[mapleleaves]

This map is from the city's tourism web site. Click to enlarge.

http://www.traveljuneau.com/cms/d/juneau_area_map.php

Take a look at the web site for other ideas and suggestions.

[taminator911]

If you have a car go over to Douglas Island Savikko park and walk the trail to the old mine... again tho be thoughtful of bears...

 

There is also a very very very old cemetery on Douglas Island, you will see it from the main road... quite interesting....

 

Thank you, thank you! I think I'll put this ahead of doing Perserverance Trail. Love anything with old buildings or ruins.

[LMZinSC]

We rented a car from National last month. Drove up the coast the Eagle Beach and Mendenhall Glacier. One of my favorite stops though was the Shrine of St.Theresa. So make sure you stop there for sure. You could also stop for some really yummy halibut at the Sandbar. Very local place.

[DuncanHusky]

We did the exact same thing in Juneau last year. Here is a detailed review of our itinerary and experiences.

[idalia]

I also do laundry and eat at Thane Ore House- but I'm "odd" in my port travels with a car.

 

Where do you do your laundry in Juneau? Depending on how much (or little?) I pack, I might need to so some laundry in Seward or Juneau. :o

[Budget Queen]

Where do you do your laundry in Juneau? Depending on how much (or little?) I pack, I might need to so some laundry in Seward or Juneau. :o

 

I use the one at the Plaza on Mendenhall Loop Road. I also do laundry in Skagway- Services Unlimited 2nd and State.

[Tenn4ever]

We just returned this past weekend from the Celebrity Millennium cruise northbound out of Vancouver to Seward and rented a car from National Alamo which was about 3/4 miles from the docks. They came and picked us up when we called from the docks. They are only at the docks during the summer months.

 

We drove to the Auke Bay Recreation Area. down Glacier Highway (Highway 7 - I think). We went to Eagle Beach - no eagles, Shrine of Saint Theresa - very interesting and pretty, and we saw a black bear along the highway feasting on dandelions. The scenery was very pretty. We then did the back loop road to Mendenhall Glacier.

 

After that we returned the car and someone drove my husband back to the dock. He had dropped me and the other couple at the docks to do some shopping before he drove back to the rental office.

 

I wasn't crazy about the Juneau shopping area. It was too touristy and there were many what I call "junk" shops but we thoroughly enjoyed the sojourn into the surounding area. It was a wonderful day.