Lunch in Juneau

[Scout515]

I've been reading for the past few months as I've been planning a family cruise to Alaska this May, but just started posting to the forum. We'll be on the Oosterdam Northbound trip from Vancouver on May 25. The forum has been a wonderful source of information, but now I'm getting down to the nitty gritty details. I'll probably have many more questions to come. :)

 

But for starters, I'm wondering about our plans for Juneau, and specifically lunch. I'm planning to book a Harv and Marv Whalewatching tour and am trying to figure out which time to book, and how we'll get lunch. We'd like to be dropped off at Mendenhall glacier on the way back from the tour and spend some time hiking/exploring. I'm assuming that the snacks on board won't be enough to tide us over and we'll want some lunch. Our ship arrives at 9 am and the first tour is at 10:30 am. Do you think we'll have time to get off the ship and pick up lunch to before the tour? Or should we wait until the 12:30 tour? I want to make the most of our day in Juneau and don't want to feel like we're wasting the morning.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Ashland]

Try Tracy's Crab Shack...amazing crab legs :D:D

[cruisin0218]

Im Not Sure When You Have To Be Back On Board. If There Is Enough Time After Your Harv & Marv Tour To Take The12:30 Trip Then That Is What Would Do. There Is Plenty Of Shopping And Sightseeing Just As You Walk Off The Ship To Enjoy Your Time From 9 Am Until 11 Am Which Would Then Allow You To Either Eat Lunch In Juneau At Traceys Or Other Restaurant Or Return To The Ship For Lunch & Meet Harv & marv At The Ship.

[SoCalKJ]

It's definitely on our "MUST DO" (again) list. :)

[slider728]

The closest restaurants I can think of near the cruise docks is the Twisted Fish and the Red Dog Saloon. The problem is that according to their websites, neither of them are open until 11AM which isn't going to help you on the early tour.

 

You could grab a crab bisque at Tracy's, but they don't open until about 10:30 AM.

 

There is a Subway restaurant up on Seward Street, a few blocks from the corner of Front St and Franklin St. You are looking at about a 1/2 mile walk from the Tram area to the Subway. I think they open early like most other Subways, but I'd check their website. If you guys have no mobility issues and you can walk a mile round trip, you could probably order some sandwiches to shove in a backpack for later if you really wanted to take the early tour. There are a lot more "local" restaurants up that direction, but I am largely unfamiliar with them to be honest.

 

Some people will caution about taking food up to the glacier due to bear activity. I will agree that there probably is a lot of merit to that, though I used to hike around there with McDonalds burgers in my backpack and never had an issue (not saying it was smart, just that I never had a bear try and take my burger from me). I'm not sure if the Rangers will say anything to you or not if you are eating your sandwiches up there.

 

Once you are at the glacier, there is no food for several miles. I don't even think there are vending machines up there. If you take a taxi back from the glacier instead of the bus, there is an area with a grocery store and some restaurants a few miles away.

 

That's the best I can think of off the top of my head. I hope this helps!