Juneau sightseeing?

[CalGal254]

Can anyone tell me about the availability of transportation in Juneau? I'd like to go out to the Mendenhall visitor's center, but I don't want to combine that with any shore excursions. I also might want to go to Glacier Gardens, depending on the weather. Again, I don't want to book an excursion in case it's raining cats and dogs like it was last time we were there.

 

Any suggestions? Are there vendors at the dock anxious to transport you to these places? Any ballpark of the taxi fare to either? Should I try to rent a car?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[vegs1]

Can anyone tell me about the availability of transportation in Juneau? I'd like to go out to the Mendenhall visitor's center, but I don't want to combine that with any shore excursions. I also might want to go to Glacier Gardens, depending on the weather. Again, I don't want to book an excursion in case it's raining cats and dogs like it was last time we were there.

 

Any suggestions? Are there vendors at the dock anxious to transport you to these places? Any ballpark of the taxi fare to either? Should I try to rent a car?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

There are various shuttles available to take you to Mendenhall Glacier. I would only purchase a one way and then, when you are ready to leave, you can take whatever one is available instead of having booked round trip and having to wait for that specific company. Fares were $14.00 round trip.

 

We had all of our tours booked in advance. I hate wasting time on the dock figuring out what we're going to do but that's just me.

 

Have a fun time and happy planning.

[msd360]

We took the city bus to Walmart and it was quite a cultural experience. It is a bit of a walk to the bus stop, but it is very easy to solicit help in finding it. The city bus also goes to Mendenhall, but not to Glacier Gardens. I second Vegs' recommendations and your decision not to commit until you arrive. There are tons of vendor booths at the pier selling cheap rides to Mendenhall and (I suspect) Glacier Gardens, but none can compete with $1.50 for the bus.

[tee_harbor]

We took the city bus to Walmart and it was quite a cultural experience. It is a bit of a walk to the bus stop, but it is very easy to solicit help in finding it.

 

From the cruise ships? Other than the furthest docks, the bus is within a block or two of the ships.

 

And it stops right at Walmart, naturally. The Walmart is also right across the street from Juneau's largest trailer park, so as the poster says, you'll have a cultural experience.

 

The city bus also goes to Mendenhall, but not to Glacier Gardens. I second Vegs' recommendations and your decision not to commit until you arrive. There are tons of vendor booths at the pier selling cheap rides to Mendenhall and (I suspect) Glacier Gardens, but none can compete with $1.50 for the bus.

 

I think you have that backwards. It's a mile walk from the bus stop to the glacier, and the bus stop is close to Glacier Gardens. It's just that the bus only comes every 1/2 hour, so planning is necessary.

 

IMO, it's worth the $7 to avoid the mile walk and wasted time, to get to the glacier in twenty minutes.

 

I would only purchase a one way and then, when you are ready to leave, you can take whatever one is available instead of having booked round trip and having to wait for that specific company. Fares were $14.00 round trip.

 

I'd check the other 1,000 threads about using the shuttles to Mendenhall--there's one on about every page of this thread--to check on this, because I believe the different companies honor each others tickets.