{"id":4697,"date":"2016-08-24T16:05:29","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T16:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awaywego.carnival.com\/?p=4697"},"modified":"2017-10-05T15:33:01","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T15:33:01","slug":"medenhall-glacier-excursion-and-downtown-juneau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com\/awaywego\/cruising-fun\/shore-excursions\/medenhall-glacier-excursion-and-downtown-juneau","title":{"rendered":"Mendenhall Glacier Excursion And Downtown Juneau"},"content":{"rendered":"

During our cruise to Alaska onboard the Carnival Legend<\/a>, we were so exited to go on several glacier excursions, especially since one of the benefits of cruising Alaska is that you get to go places that are impossible to see by car.\u00a0 After cruising through the Tracy Arm Fjord to gaze at glaciers right from the balcony of the ship, and then seeing one up close during our Wilderness Safari in Skagway, we were excited to get one last peek at these majestic rivers of ice during our Mendenhall Glacier Excursion<\/a> in Juneau.<\/p>\n

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Now, speaking of places that are impossible to see by car, did you know that Juneau is the only U.S. capitol city that you can\u2019t actually drive to?\u00a0 You can only get there by plane or by boat as the frozen landscape of the Juneau Ice Field prevents cars from driving in.\u00a0 But once you\u2019re in Juneau, you can see the tip of this ice field at Mendenhall Glacier Park.<\/p>\n

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We started off our our morning in Juneau enjoying coffee and breakfast on our stateroom balcony, then met our tour on the docks for the Mendenhall Glacier excursion.\u00a0 Since it\u2019s just outside of downtown, we boarded a bus to make the short drive and got a little history lesson about Juneau along the way from our jovial driver.<\/p>\n

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Once we arrived at the Mendenhall Visitor Center, we set out on our own to explore the trails in the park.\u00a0 There are several hikes available, one to a scenic overlook, one to a large waterfall, and another to look at wildlife.\u00a0 After taking a look at a map, we decided to try and see them all during the three hour excursion.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Our first stop was at Photo Point Trail for an amazing panoramic view of the glacier and waterfall.\u00a0 There were a few kayakers out on the water which helped put the enormous size of Mendenhall Glacier into perspective, with it\u2019s vibrant blue ice contrasting against the white clouds in the sky.\u00a0 It was a bit more chilly out by the lake with the wind coming off the glacier, making the air feel brisk and refreshing.\u00a0 From Photo Point, we could see Nugget Falls out in the distance and decide to make that our next stop.<\/p>\n

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The Nugget Falls Trail is about a 45 minute walk round-trip, or if you\u2019re like us, a little longer when you stop to take photos.\u00a0 The trail was well maintained and easy to navigate, with a lot to see along the way including smaller waterfalls, wildflowers, and a sandy beach that provided a closer view of the glacier.<\/p>\n

After walking out to Nugget Falls, we still had a little bit of time left to explore Steep Creek Trail.\u00a0 This one is known for being the place to spot wildlife, and while we didn\u2019t see any bears, we did find quite a few bald eagles and watched the last of the season\u2019s salmon swimming up the creek.<\/p>\n

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Three hours at Mendenhall Glacier ended up being more than enough time to explore the park and enjoy the outdoors.\u00a0 Plus, since no food or drink are allowed in the park due to the bears, we had worked up quite an appetite for lunch and were happy to have plenty of time left over to see downtown Juneau too.<\/p>\n

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Mendenhall Glacier Excursion Tip:\u00a0 Pack a bottle of water and a wind breaker or light jacket.\u00a0 No hiking boots are needed as the trails are mostly flat and well maintained, so comfortable walkings shoes or sneakers are perfect.<\/p>\n

\"Zz0zOWY0OTMyMzE0NDZlZGFlZTcyNmFkZmU0ZGVhNDk1ZA==\"<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Our tour driver gave us a great tip for lunch as he dropped us off downtown.\u00a0 Right next to the seaplane flight deck is a place called the Alaska Fish & Chips Company.\u00a0 It\u2019s a terrific spot to watch the seaplanes take off and land while indulging in some great Alaskan seafood like King Crab or Halibut, and sipping on local craft beer from Alaska Brewing Co.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0Another great find in downtown Juneau was Kindred Post, a tiny post office that\u2019s also a cute gift shop of handmade crafts.\u00a0 My friend Julie told me about it and I\u2019m glad we stopped for a visit.\u00a0 Not only was it convenient for mailing our postcards, but we were also able to shop for a few locally made souvenirs.<\/p>\n

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One our walk back to the pier, we made one more stop as I couldn\u2019t leave the city without trying a cup of locally roasted coffee at Heritage Coffee Roasting Company.\u00a0 They\u2019re the city\u2019s local cafe and have been roasting coffee in Juneau for over 25 years.\u00a0 Not only is their coffee delicious, but the barista that whipped up our lattes told us the story of their logo, a cute bear holding a cup of coffee who\u2019s name is Bruno, a combination of \u201cbrew\u201d and \u201cJuneau.\u201d\u00a0 How clever is that?<\/p>\n

\"Zz1hNjUwOWIxODNmMjYyM2EzMTc1MTdjY2UwMWNmNTI3MQ==\"<\/p>\n

Between seeing the Mendenhall Glacier, to leisurely exploring downtown Juneau and discovering a few great eats along the way, our day in Juneau was simply perfect.<\/p>\n

\n

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival<\/a>, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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