Activities Which Require a Bit of Planning

From May to late September, Juneau is flooded with tourists coming off of cruiseships by the thousands. This is actually a good thing, because that means there are a lot of established tours to keep all the tourists occupied while they are in port. If you are interested in any of the tours described below, you will need to make reservations ahead of time. Be sure to let us know what you'd like to do because we may be able to get you a better deal that you can get on your own.

Zipline Tour www.alaskacanopyadventures.com or www.alaskazip.com
Both of these tours are new to Juneau in 2006. Alaska Zipline Adventures starts at Eaglecrest Lodge, the location we hope to have our wedding and reception. I know they give a significant local discount if you can get a local resident to go with you. We might just be able to help you out there, since we've never done the tour before.










AJ Mine Tour (907) 463-5017
Juneau exists today because of gold mining. This tour visits one of the three large mines that operated in Juneau. We've taken both our sets of parents on this one and everyone seems to enjoy it.

Taku Lodge www.takulodge.com
One of the most awesome day trips you can take from Juneau. Fly over the Juneau Icefield and the Taku Glacier before landing on the Taku River right in front of the Lodge. Take some time to walk the trails and enjoy the sites and then feast on bbq'ed salmon. Often you'll get to see black bears clean the grill after the salmon's cooked.

Tracy Arm Cruise
Goldbelt Tours http://www.goldbelttours.com/travel/cruises/tracy_arm.html
Adults $147.89 Children $102.52, 9:00am to 5:00pm (2006 prices and times)
Adventure Bound Alaska http://www.adventureboundalaska.com
Adults $120 Children $80, 7:30am to 6pm
Although it takes an entire day, this tour is well worth the time and money. Goldbelt Tours runs a large catamaran which accommodates more people than Adventure Bound, but the smaller boats seem to have better customer service. Either way, the cruise will take you south of Juneau and up into Tracy Arm to see the face of the Sawyer Glaciers. Humpback and orca whales, sea lions, seals, eagles, deer, bears and goats are all likely to be seen on the trip.


Flightseeing
Juneau offers glacier flightseeing tours by both helicopter and airplane. Helicopter flights are generally more expensive, but can include stops on the glacier. Some companies off hiking once on the glacier and others offer dog sled tours on the glacier. For the most economical views of the Juneau Icefields, I recommend chartering a plane. I can help you work on the details. We may be able to get local discounts on a flight for you. If we can get 4 or 5 people to go together, a one hour flight may cost about $100 per person. Everyone we've ever taken flightseeing has a perma-grin for the rest of their trip.
Helicopter companies:
ERA Helicopters www.flightseeingtours.com
Temsco Tours www.temscoair.com
Airlines:
Wings of Alaska www.IChooseWings.com
Ward Air www.wardair.com

Pack Creek Bear Viewing http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/admiralty/packcreek/index.shtml
Known for brown bear viewing in the summer months, Pack Creek is located on Admiralty Island southwest of Juneau. Permits are required from June - September. Peak season is considered July 5 - August 25, during which time permits are $50 for adults, $25 for children 16 and over and seniors 62 and over. The US Forest Service issues peak season permits on a first come, first served basis, beginning March 23. The application is available online.
If you get a permit, you'll need to find a way to get there. The flightseeing companies listed above also fly charters to Pack Creek.
Several tour companies also have permits to take tours to Pack Creek. While they tend to be more expensive, there is less work involved as the company already has the permits. The Forest Service website listed above has a link, Getting to Pack Creek, which includes contact information for both charter planes and boats, as well as tour companies providing guided trips to Pack Creek, including permits.


Whale Watching
Several companies in Juneau offer whale watching tours. They generally run 3-4 hours and they almost all go to the same spots. In fact, when we're out fishing we can hear the different tour boats talking to each other to find out where the whales are. Usually they all go to North Pass which means you'll get a chance to see Herbert and Eagle glaciers in the distance, and either Sentinel Island lighthouse and/or Point Retreat Lighthouse. Often you'll be able to see the sea lion rookery on Benjamin Island or see the sea lions hanging out on one of the navigational buoys. Tours are in the neighborhood of $100 for adults.

We are hoping to charter a whale watching tour for our families and out of town friends in the few days either before or after the wedding. The cost will likely be around $40 each. Let us know if you're interested so we can gauge how many to expect.

If you don't think you can join us for the charter and still want to get out and see the whales, here are our preferred charter companies:
Allen Marine www.allenmarinetours.com Large catamarans
Four Seasons Marine www.4seasonsmarine.com Large catamarans
Four seasons also has a combined whale watching/salmon bake trip that takes you to a lodge on a small island outside of Juneau.
Orca Enterprises www.orcaenterprises.com Smaller jet boats
We recommend against Dolphin Jet Boat Tours. We have had many occasions on the water where this tour company is rude and obnoxious. They once nearly swamped John and a friend while they were fishing in the skiff.


Charter Fishing
Mid-July marks the beginning of silver salmon fishing in Juneau. While the run isn't generally at its peak until August, a few silvers can usually be found. Halibut fishing is in full swing too. The streams are starting to see fish as well, so flyfisherfolk should be able to satisfy their fishing needs too.
We have several friends who would be more than happy to take our guests fishing, depending on weather and work schedules. You would be expected to pay for fuel and your own food. If you are interested, please let us know as soon as possible.
There are also many charter fishing operations to choose from. We even know a few of the owners. Some offer fly-in fly fishing in addition to open water boat fishing.
If you'd like to book a trip, please let us know so we can help get you the best deal.
Start here for ideas:
Bear Creek Outfitters www.flyfishsoutheast.com Owned by some friends of ours.
And check out the Boating and Fishing link on www.traveljuneau.com

Other ideas to keep you busy:
Mendenhall River Float Trip www.alaskatraveladventures.com
Adults $99, Children $66; 3.5 hours

Gold Creek Salmon Bake www.alaskatraveladventures.com
Adults $32, Children $21

Guided Sea Kayaking www.alaskatraveladventures.com
Adults $85, Children $57, 3.5 hours

Gold Mine and Gold Panning Tour www.alaskatraveladventures.com
Adults $45, Children $30, 1.5 hours