What to Do in Juneau, Alaska with Kids

Families will love exploring Juneau, Alaska with kids. The area’s natural beauty and the city’s walkable downtown lure visitors here by the boatload…literally. Although technically you can drive to Juneau if you put your car on a ferry, most visitors arrive via cruise ship (or plane). Take a look at the top fun things to do in Juneau, Alaska with kids.

Travel Mamas and Grownup Getaways sometimes receive compensation and/or hosted travel and sample products related to blog posts. This story may include affiliate links for which we receive a small commission at no extra cost to consumers. As an Amazon Associate, we earn money from qualifying purchases.

About Juneau

Although Juneau is the second-largest city in the U.S. in terms of geographical size, it is home to just 32,000 residents. Upon arrival in Juneau, the first thing you will probably notice is the whir of seaplanes taking off and landing in the port waters. Propeller engines provided an exciting alarm clock aboard our Celebrity Cruise ship, Solstice.

This capital city is the official residence of Alaska’s Governor, including former Vice Presidential Candidate Sara Palin. You can see the Alaska Governor’s Mansion where Ms. Palin and other Alaskan governors are supposed to reside during their term of office at 120 4th St. (Apparently, however, Palin spent much of her time in office in her hometown of Wasilla.)

Mount Roberts Aerial Tramway

If you arrive via cruise ship, upon disembarking you will find the bright orange-red Mount Roberts Aerial Tramway. It whisks vacationers from the cruise ship dock to the 1,800-foot sub-alpine level of Mount Roberts via an enclosed gondola. On a clear day, you can take in one of the most expansive and breathtaking views in all of Alaska from here. It was foggy, however, the day I visited Mount Roberts with my then 5-year-old son. You can book the Mount Roberts Tramway excursion through Celebrity Cruises but you save a couple of bucks by just riding on your own. Children 5 and under ride for free.

Hike Mount Roberts

The mist blocked the view from Mount Roberts but gave our hike through the rainforest atop Mount Roberts an otherworldly feel. Well-marked trails are available for all levels of hikers, with one trail suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Serious hikers can climb another 300 feet to reach the true alpine forest level.

Be sure to look for the living tree carvings on the easy Alpine Loop Trail. These are modern-day examples of Tlingit carvings. Markings like these were once used by Canada’s native people as notices of different tribes and communication tools.

A live rescued bald eagle is on display at the Juneau Raptor Center on Mount Roberts. This will likely interest your kids, for a few minutes at least. The non-profit center rescues over 100 sick and injured birds every year.

The Timberline Bar & Grill at the top offers food and drinks to visitors. Of course, there’s a souvenir shop that’s willing and able to snag some of your dollars in exchange for a trinket or two on the mountain.

Juneau Cruise Excursions and Tours

Mendenhall Glacier is the main attraction in Juneau, drawing over 400,000 visitors each year. Numerous shore excursion options tantalize cruisers in Juneau, many of which include a visit to this vast glacier. There are lots of glacier tours available from TripAdvisor as well.

Other Juneau cruise excursion options include halibut fishing, lake kayaking, a salmon bake, and zip-lining. With Celebrity Cruises, a tempting option is Dog Sledding On The Mendenhall Glacier Via Helicopter. Since most visitors come to the state in the summertime, Alaskan dog-sledding excursions tend to be via wagons over dirt. With this excursion, however, you board a 30-minute flight over icefalls and jagged mountain peaks before landing on a glacier for a snowy dog-sledding adventure you won’t soon forget. Ever since I led a team of huskies through a Quebecois wintry wonderland a couple of years prior, I had been itching to share a dog-sledding adventure with my children. Alas, the hefty price tag kept us grounded in Juneau. Instead, we opted for a more affordable summer dog-sledding excursion in Skagway. While we had a blast, if you have deep pockets and an adventurous spirit, I’d go for the Mendenhall Glacier dog-sledding adventure!

My family had originally signed up for a whale-watching excursion to view wildlife like whales, sea lions, porpoises, seals, bald eagles, and other animals from a sea catamaran. After a few days at sea, however, my motion sickness was acting up. Thankfully, it was easy to cancel our reservations for a full refund and book another excursion at the Celebrity Cruises Excursion Desk aboard our ship. We wound up embarking on a Discover The Mendenhall Glacier tour instead, a simple 12-mile bus ride from downtown Juneau to the famed glacier where we could explore at our own pace.

Exploring Mendenhall Glacier On Your Own

When you arrive at Mendenhall Glacier, I suggest heading to the Visitor Center first to watch a short film on the glacier’s history. This will make viewing the glacier more meaningful. The film is especially helpful for children, who will learn about the enormity and importance of glaciers. The short movie teaches visitors how climate change is affecting the glacier and other key facts.

A small gift shop in the Visitor Center may help parents keep children engaged. I let my son pick out a bear-shaped key chain, with one condition. I told him he had to be on his best behavior during our hike to earn the tchotchke. It worked!

Distances at Mendenhall Glacier are deceptive. It appears as if it’s a short stroll from the Visitor Center to an accessible patch of the glacier. It would have, however, taken much longer to reach the ice than my son’s young legs or patience would have allowed during our 1.5-hour visit. Of course, you will have to go touch the water to see how chilly it is.

Mendenhall Glacier resides inside the Tongass National Forest and offers several hiking trails. The Photo Point Trail is an easy, stroller and a wheelchair-accessible 20-minute trail that affords the best sweeping views of the glacier. Another option for those with a limited schedule is the Trail of Time; pick up a self-guided walking brochure from the Visitor Center before embarking on this trail. It gives some history of the glacier and Mendenhall Valley and can be used almost like a scavenger hunt to keep kids engaged.

Where to Eat in Juneau with Kids

While exploring Juneau’s downtown, I asked three different locals where to go for great seafood with kids. Every one of them pointed me to Twisted Fish Co. Alaskan Grill. They warned me that this restaurant gets very popular at night with long waits. Therefore, before our bus ride to the Mendenhall Glacier, I stopped by the restaurant to make a reservation. I suggest you do the same thing the minute you arrive in Juneau.

That evening we bypassed crowds of hungry patrons waiting outside as we were whisked inside Twisted Fish’s homey, blond oak interior. Choose from local favorites like Alaskan wild salmon, halibut, and king crab legs. The Cedar Plank Salmon served with Bourbon Molasses Sauce on the side, while not fancy, was the best salmon I have ever eaten in my life. It was so fresh, so light, so flakey, just SO. There are fish n’ chips, burgers, and pastas available for kids and picky eaters too.

Located at the cruise port across from the Mount Roberts Tramway, the location can’t be beat. Ask for a table near the windows to watch the floatplanes whirring across the water. Then toast your good fortune, which brought you to this slice of northern paradise.

How to Burn Off Energy in Juneau

After a long day of touring Mendenhall Glacier, hiking the Tongass National Forest, and sitting still during a seafood dinner, don’t be surprised if young children become a little antsy. What can you do to get kids to burn off those extra wiggles? Click the image above to watch a short video of how we kept our little guy entertained while waiting for the bus to take us back to our Celebrity Cruise ship!

Learn More

Read reviews and book your Celebrity Alaskan cruise via CruiseDirect.

For more things to do in the 49th state, read this Alaska travel guide.

Outdoor lovers will enjoy this list of the best national parks in the U.S. for kids.

Thinking of booking a family cruise? Read our tips for cruising with kids.

Save these things to do in Juneau, Alaska

Considering a trip to Juneau, Alaska? Be sure to save this list of the top fun things to do with kids in Juneau, Alaska! Simpy pin the image above. Go ahead and follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it.

Have you been to Juneau, Alaska with kids? Add your comments or questions below!

A Note from The Travel Mama: Celebrity Cruises hosted my family during our 7-night Alaskan Cruise aboard Solstice. We paid for all shore excursions ourselves. All opinions are my own, as always. 

Sharing is caring!