JUNEAU’s Mendenhall Glacier and SITKA Port Tour 🧊❄️ Final Stops of Our ALASKA Cruise Adventure 🚢🗻🌲

JUNEAU’s Mendenhall Glacier and SITKA Port Tour 🧊❄️ Final Stops of Our ALASKA Cruise Adventure 🚢🗻🌲

Alrighty. Good morning. Good morning and welcome 
to Juneau. Oh, it’s a little chilly this morning, huh? It sure is. It is foggy. It is misty, 
moody. It looks beautiful. This is the Alaska, I also imagine. I knew we weren’t going to get 
sunny days all the time. We’re so excited to be here. This is going to be the biggest destination 
we visit, the capital city of Alaska. A lot of people don’t know that. Think it would be 
Anchorage, but no, it’s Juneau. And um yeah, we’re just pumped to be here. where we all had a 
good sleep. We’re all well rested. Today’s going to be a bit of a misty, moody day, but we’re 
going to make the most of it and get out here and explore, see all the things to do here 
in Juneau, Alaska. We’re really pumped. So, this is our third port of our Alaska cruise. And 
today, the plan is to try and reach the Mendenhal Glacier. That is the main attraction here. So, 
we’re going to go in search of the shuttle that takes us there. And then we just want to do some 
hiking, explore the town. Honestly, I love the the colorful buildings and the way they contrast 
against the the greenery of the forest and the fog. So, it’s going to be really fun to take some 
photos and bring you along for that. And yeah, just ready to explore. We’re starting off super 
early today. We docked at 6:00 a.m. Uh we’re just getting off now at 7:30, but we’ve got plenty of 
time ahead of us to to enjoy Juneau. So, we just got off the bus. We did. We are going to visit the 
glacier, the main attraction here in Juneau. And we were so impressed by the public bus service. 
You can take tours and all kinds of tour buses to get here. But we decided to go the local way. 
We took uh number eight, the express bus. Yeah, we had the nicest driver. I I wish I caught his 
name, but he was so kind. We didn’t have exact change. It’s $2 per adult ride for free. So, I 
only had a $20 bill. So, he’s like, “You know what? Just pay just pay double when you get back.” 
So, so kind of him. It was a really nice ride. We got to uh go through the downtown a little bit and 
then we went through some it seems like some some very scenic areas. We saw some bald eagles and 
then we also got to go through some industrial and residential areas. So, we really got to see 
how spread out Juneau is. And I think it’s an excellent way if you’re traveling on a budget, 
you want to save a little bit of money, take the local transportation. And we’re very happy we 
got dropped off. And now we have about a mile and a half to the visitor center. So, like Sam 
mentioned, the express bus is the number eight. That one runs every 30 minutes. But if you happen 
to miss it, you can also catch bus number three or bus number four. That one is going to take you 
a bit longer. anywhere between 50 minutes to an hour. But I mean, if you’ve got the time and you 
want to sightsee, you get to see more of Juneau. Heat. Heat. All righty, guys. So, that was the Mendenhall 
Glacier. We got to see it for ourselves. It was beautiful. so impressive and majestic. And I mean, 
you can really feel the the temperature shift the closer you get to the glacier. You know, the 
temperature starts to drop. It feels cooler. It feels icier. Uh baby’s a little bit fussy. So, 
we ended up doing a shorter trail. We did the the photo trail, which is only half a kilometer. 
It’s a little loop and it brings you to a nice photo spot. You’ve got a lookout where you can see 
the waterfall and the glacier as well. And yeah, it was quite nice. The only surprising thing for 
us was the amount of people that were there. It was almost a bit overwhelming. This has been the 
most uh I would say crowded tourist attraction we have been to out of every port of call we have 
visited during this cruise. So that’s something to keep in mind. I mean, of course, this is the 
main attraction here in Juneau, so it is to be expected, but we were still a little overwhelmed 
by the thousands of people there. So, yeah, just something to keep in mind. But overall, still very 
glad we went because the crowds do not take away from the beauty of the Mendenhall Glacier itself. 
So, yeah, we hope you enjoyed the the scenery and the footage we were able to capture. So, we 
just finished visiting the glacier and now we are making the trek back to the public bus. We’re 
going to be catching the number eight back there. We can officially count that. Well, after an action-packed morning visiting 
the glaciers, we came back, stuffed our beaks with pizza, and I’ve been tasked with exploring 
downtown Juneau, and I couldn’t be happier. I have the energy, the excitement, and I’m going to show 
you as much as I can in just about 2 hours time. One thing I can say so far is that I’m loving the 
frontier vibe here in Juneau. Reminds me quite a bit of where we’re living in a in a rural area in 
southern Alberta. This place has a lot of history, a lot of character. Some bars have been open 
since the late 1800s as well, so there’s plenty of historical buildings worth checking out. And 
yeah, it’s just been fun to pound the pavement so far. Friends, if you want to get off the beaten 
path a little bit, I recommend going down Gold Street. It’s a fascinating kind of hilly street 
with a lot of residential homes. You get a you get a much better idea of how people live here in the 
downtown part of Juneau. What’s also fascinating is that as you get closer to the mountains and 
the hills, you have these steep steps that lead all the way up to certain properties. This is 
exactly what I’m talking about. These apparently lead up to homes. So, let’s walk up a bit, see 
what we can find. Check this out. For instance, this staircase leads up to the home. And you can 
see that the home itself connects with the side staircase. Fascinating. Friends, I took a little 
bit more effort to find, but that’s exactly the kind of experiences that I love to have. It’s 
nice to get away from all of the tourist crowds and to actually walk around and feel like you’re 
exploring, seeing how locals live. And if you want to do exactly what I just did, just head 
to Harris and Fourth Street and then head up the stairs. I’m having a blast wandering through 
the residential areas here of Juneau. And guys, look how high up I got. Check that out. Got a long 
way to go back down. I’m going down Fifth Street. I’m going down Fifth Street. And friends, this 
is a path that I randomly found going down Fifth Street. Heading down the hill, trying to get back 
to the cruise ship. Woohoo. This is awesome. Well, friends, that concludes my brief walking 
tour of Juneau, Alaska. As they say, it’s never crowded along the extra mile. And by 
that, I mean my favorite experience here by far was just getting off the bean path a little bit, 
walking up the hills and visiting the residential area. That is a very, very fascinating place to 
check out because a lot of the homes are located on the on the on the mountains, on the hills. 
So, I really enjoyed getting the time to do this. I didn’t have a lot of time. So, that’s 
what you can do with uh a couple hours here of free time. And I highly recommend doing it. So, my 
biggest tip would be if you can head up the hills, if you can head up the mountain to check out 
the residential area, I think you’re going to find that it’s the most charming and the most 
fascinating place to visit here in Juneau. So, while Sam went out for the walking tour of 
Juneau, Baby and I had a little nap. Little Monte Carlo had a nap. waking up. Are you feeling 
well rested, baby? Are you feeling well rested? Did you sleep like a princess? Like Sleeping 
Beauty? Yeah, I think you did. Yes, I did. So, the plan, we’re going to go upstairs. 
Today’s a bit of a shorter day in Juneau. So, 3:30 was all aboard. Mhm. 400 p.m. We are sailing 
off to our next destination. Off to Sitka. Off to Sitka. Yeah. So, we want to go watch that unfold. 
Yeah. We’re going to watch that. Get some of the shots from the port. Let’s get you dressed and 
let’s go on up to the deck. All righty. 4:00 p.m. and we are setting off. Goodbye Juneau. 
Wham! Bam! Shazam! Goodbye Juneau. these quick uh day trips are are forcing us to really see 
and do as much as we can in a in a limited amount of time. And uh Juneau is a big place. It’s 
like not a huge city in terms of population, but it’s very spread out. Um I got the impression 
that if you really wanted to do a lot, if you wanted to do more hiking, if you wanted to do more 
of the outdoor adventure type activities, you’d want to give yourself a couple more days here 
for sure. But this was a great introduction. Um, as fun as it was to to see the Mendenhall Glacier, 
and it’s it’s just a feast for the eyes, it’s it’s an incredible sight to behold. My favorite 
thing to do was to wander around town. And I just thought Juneau was was a really interesting city 
in terms of like it has that mountain backdrop, but a lot of other cities that have a mountain 
backdrop, it’s off in the distance. Juneau is just like right in your face. It’s like bam, here’s 
your mountain right up against the coast. So, I had a really good time here. wasn’t my favorite 
place on the Alaska trip, but I’m glad we had a chance to come and visit. And um if I ever do 
come back to Juneau, I’d like to have a little bit more time to really delve into the nature 
activities. But that’s it for us from Juneau. Next up is Sitka. So, we hope you’ll stay tuned for 
that. Thanks so much for watching. Ciao for now. All righty. Good morning. Good morning and welcome 
to Sikka, Alaska. This is our fourth and final port of this cruise. And well, as you can see, the 
Alaskan weather is out in full force today. It was raining earlier this morning. Now it has stopped. 
but it’s quite gray and misty and moody. And today we are going to be exploring independently. So 
in some of the previous destinations we’ve been doing tours. We’ve been running around getting on 
the bus to go see glaciers. Today we’re going to go at a slower pace. We’re here in the marina and 
our plan is to do the sea walk. I’m just excited to be here. It looked like we were going to have 
like horrendous weather. So, I’m so so thankful that it’s just misty and overcast. No rain at the 
moment. We’re going to pound the pavement and see if we can explore nature. It’s uh like I think you 
were saying, not a not a very serious itinerary today. Just let’s see what we can get up to. One 
reason why we’re doing this lighter itinerary today is because we only have a few hours in 
Sitka. All aboard time is 100 p.m. So, yes, just a few hours here. and we figured, okay, let’s enjoy 
on foot instead of feeling rushed with tours. So, that’s the plan. All righty. So, we have begun our 
little walking tour. We’re next to the harbor at the moment. Yeah. Uh final port of call, Sitka, 
Alaska. And uh yeah, we’re here at the port and I was taking a look at the fishing uh boats. And 
what uh what is uh strange is that uh most of these uh fishing uh boats, these ones, they seem 
to be all made out of u metal. I don’t know if it is aluminum, stainless steel, or whatever, but it 
reminds me of the uh Cyber Truck, the Tesla. Oh, yes. Yeah. You know, that shiny thing. Well, this 
these boats, they they look the same. The more uh modern ones, the the older ones, they still 
look uh like, you know, traditional with the white holes and stuff like that, but the the new 
ones, they they all look like cyber boats. No, cyber boats. That’s a good name for that. And 
another thing is that u how high and low the tide is. The amount of difference between low 
tide and high tide is just amazing. I mean, what four or five meters at least yesterday when 
we got off the the uh cruiser we were at low tide in Juneau and you could see the pylons the the 
barnacles all the way up there. You know, I said, “Audrey, look at the difference.” You know, I 
never thought that uh uh that was going to be eventually underwater. And then when we came 
back from the tour of the of the city, it was uh high tide and all the barnacles had disappeared 
and everything was underwater again. And I go, “Wow, you know what a big difference.” And also 
here um uh it’s a lot of uh halibut fishing, you know, halibut uh that that that fish that is 
very strange looking, kind of flat with a white belly like uh some of those specimens that you can 
catch here, they are huge. There are monsters of the deep. So a lot of people come here to do um 
you know recreational fishing like sports fishing stuff like that. So if you like to fish I would 
suggest uh this is a good destination because you you see advertise everywhere. The tours are uh 
you know all day fishing. They take you out and uh it is not cheap because uh what I was looking 
at the prices uh roughly for an all day uh fishing uh excursion is around $7 $800 US. So it’s it’s 
not that uh you know that cheap. But if you’re into fishing and you want to see if you can catch 
some of the big ones, I think these are the places to be. Now it started raining. Yes, we’re going 
to get wet and uh there is no other way to do it. Let’s do it. Into the rain we go. Let’s jump in 
the water. Let’s go. Hey, I went and visited the National Historic Park. That is the lungs of the 
city. The most beautiful place to go if you’re seeking nature. And guys, I’m drenched. Look at 
me. But it was worth it. Totally worth it. That I think might be one of the most beautiful trails 
we’ve been on during our entire trip to Alaska on this cruise. And um you know what? This weather 
reminds me so much of my my hometown, Cold River, Vancouver Island. So just felt natural and 
appropriate that that I was out getting getting blasted by rain in all directions. I should 
say the rain was like not just coming down hor or vertically. It was also like horizontally 
blowing in my face. But what you’ll appreciate the most if you take the time to visit that 
park, not just the extensive trail system, it’s beautiful, but also you get a chance to 
see a lot of different totem poles. In fact, I think it’s the most totem poles we’ve seen 
at at any particular trail that we’ve been on. Beautifully carved, beautifully preserved, and um 
you get to walk right along the coast as well. So, you get some stunning views of of the coastline. 
Um the forest itself is just so dense, so lush. those giant big trees, you’ve got moss, you’ve 
got it’s just teeming with nature and um yeah, definitely check it out. It’s not that 
far from the downtown and it’s worth it if you think you’ve got the legs to to 
head out on there. So, highly recommend. All righty, we are indoors in a little corner 
here in the visitor center. It is crowded because it is really wet out there. So, we’re 
all trying to stay dry. And there’s a museum in the visitor center. So, we’ve all had the same 
idea and kind of gone in there. It’s nice and small. It’s cozy. Admission is $5 per person. 
Um, but it covers the history of Sitka pretty well. The important the highlights, I would 
say. It really hits off the highlights. So, it starts with, you know, its first 
nations, its indigenous history, then goes to its Russian history. Yes. 
Which is super fascinating. you know, even though it’s raining, I may go around and 
try to film some of the Orthodox churches that are in town. Okay, good for you. Yeah. Um, 
and then, of course, it’s American history. And what’s really interesting is that here in 
Sikka, this was the first capital of Alaska. Yeah. A lot of the people don’t even know it’s 
Juneau now. They probably think it’s Anchorage, but Sitka was the former capital of 
Alaska. Yeah. And just to mention quickly, they also cover the history of like the transfer 
of the land from Russia to the United States. And they talk about like what what kind of emotions 
were running through the the residents through the town. Apparently, people were very sad 
because even though they were Russians, like Sitka for many residents was the only home 
they had ever known. Like this is my home. This is my country and all of a sudden it belongs to a 
different nation. Yeah, it was quite the transfer ceremony was just like crying as they lowered the 
Russian flag for the last time. So, yeah, it’s it’s interesting to take the time and and read the 
descriptions of of what that event was like. Yeah, absolutely. I would say it’s a great rainy day 
activity and uh very informative if you take the time to there’s really good information aside has 
very thoughtful displays but lots of text, lots of information. So yeah, you could spend a good half 
an hour, an hour in there if if you if you have the time to do that. So recommend it for sure. 
All righty. So we are back on board with a little baby hanging out in in one of the bars because 
it’s where we were able to find a quiet little spot. That’s true. Everybody’s on board, so it’s 
busy, busy, busy. All aboard means every there aren’t too many uh hidden gems. This being one 
of them. What can you tell us about today’s walk? What an interesting day. This was the one 
day where weather kind of defeated us, I would say. And you guys ended up seeking shelter 
and going back to the to the cruise ship early, which I totally understand. What I ended up 
doing was doing a a self-guided walking tour of Sitka in the rain. So, there were a lot of 
really interesting places to visit. Um, I got to check out sort of the the Russian heritage side 
of the city, which included like the church, the cathedral. So, yeah, it was just an interesting 
kind of way to to spend the day. I got soaked. Um, walked around. I checked out the the downtown area 
and I think the most interesting store I ended up finding was uh a Russian Christmas store and Oh, 
the Christmas ornaments. Yes. They had really, really high quality stuff. I was thinking like 
if you and your mom were in there, you would have absolutely loved it. Yeah. But um yeah, it 
was neat checking out Sitka. Kind of reminded me a little bit of of some places that again I 
keep going back to my Vancouver Island days, but kind of reminded me a little bit of like 
Campbell River and Port McNeil and Port Hardy, these port towns that are small, compact, they 
have their own little unique charms and quirks. And um I I I also understand why we were only 
there for half a day. it it was a very small place and and can be covered easily on foot. So, 
you know, it would have been nice to have a little bit better weather to to go on some longer hikes 
together as a family. But, you know, it is what it is. And um yeah, I’m back on board with my 
my Chong Mong and we’re we’re we had a overall had a decent day. We just shows you like you know 
when you come out to this part of the world, when you come out to Alaska, if you’re on Vancouver 
Island, you have to be prepared for rain. In fact, like if you went on a trip and didn’t have at 
least one rainy day, that would be weird. That was basically our our final day sightseeing out 
here on our Alaska cruise. And uh I thought we made the most of it. What do you think, Rey? 
Wow. Action. I want action. Action. Yes. So, with that, we’ll say goodbye. Rey’s ready to 
go. So, I suppose I am, too. So, that’s for now. Oh no. Oh,

We’re continuing the adventure aboard our Alaska cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines, and first up, we’re visiting Alaska’s capital city, Juneau! The main attraction in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier, so that is what we focused on with our day in port. There are numerous options for visiting the glacier, ranging from guided excursions to private shuttle transportation; however, we opted to take the public bus. We rode bus 8, which got us to the entrance of Tongass National Forest. It was a 30-minute ride, followed by a 1.6-mile walk to reach the entrance to the glacier.

Mendenhall Glacier is currently in retreat, but it’s a spectacular site that gives way to Mendenhall Lake, where you can see icebergs bobbing in the water.

The following day, we continued onwards to Sitka, where we enjoyed some time in our final port of call. The weather really did not cooperate, but we did manage to visit Sitka National Historical Park, where you can see totems. There is also a small museum inside the visitor centre, where you can learn about the land transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. Sitka was the first capital of Alaska, so there’s quite a bit of history to enjoy!

#alaska #cruisenorwegian #alaskacruise

🐋🗻 Juneau & Sitka, Alaska Cruise Vlog | Mendenhall Glacier, Russian History & Rainy Day Adventures 🚢🌲

🌥️ Morning Arrival in Juneau
We start the day bright and early in Juneau, Alaska’s misty, moody capital city. Even though Anchorage often steals the spotlight, Juneau is actually Alaska’s capital—packed with colourful buildings contrasting the lush greenery and foggy mountains. Despite the chilly, foggy morning, we’re eager to explore this charming port!

🚌 Budget-Friendly Bus to Mendenhall Glacier
Opting for local transportation, we hop on the #8 Express bus ($2 per adult, kids ride free!). Our friendly bus driver goes above and beyond, letting us pay double on the return trip because we didn’t have exact change. This scenic bus route offers glimpses of bald eagles, downtown Juneau, and local neighbourhoods—a perfect introduction to Alaska’s vibrant capital.

❄️ Exploring the Mendenhall Glacier
Arriving at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre, we’re immediately awed by this magnificent glacier. The short half-kilometre Photo Trail loop delivers unbeatable views of both glacier and waterfall, though be warned: this is one of Alaska’s busiest tourist spots! Even with the crowds, it’s breathtaking—icy air and majestic scenery abound.

🏘️ Downtown Juneau Walking Tour & Hidden Gems
After filling up on pizza, Sam takes you on a lively walking tour of downtown Juneau. Exploring historic buildings dating back to the 1800s, Sam discovers Juneau’s rugged frontier charm, reminiscent of rural southern Alberta. Don’t miss Gold Street and the hidden staircases off Harris and Fourth—ideal for seeing local life, picturesque homes, and incredible views away from the crowds.

👶 Family Travel Tips & Cruise Reflections
Meanwhile, Audrey and Baby recharge on the cruise ship, highlighting Juneau’s accessibility and family-friendly vibe. The day concludes with reflections on this quick but rich visit: Juneau deserves a longer stay for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers.

🚢 Sailing to Sitka: Alaska’s Final Frontier
Our cruise continues to Sitka, the final port of call. Despite rainy forecasts, we embrace the misty coastal weather, ready for a slower-paced day exploring Sitka independently on foot.

🐟 Sitka Marina & “Cyber Boats”
Strolling along Sitka’s marina, we marvel at the modern metal fishing boats—dubbed “cyber boats”—which contrast with the older traditional vessels. The dramatic tidal shifts (up to five metres!) impress us as we discuss local fishing, particularly the popular halibut expeditions ($700-800/day).

🌧️ Rainy Day Hike & Totem Trails at Sitka National Historical Park
Sam braves the horizontal rain at Sitka National Historical Park, home to stunning coastal trails and a remarkable collection of beautifully preserved totem poles. Despite getting thoroughly drenched, this becomes one of our favourite hikes in Alaska, with lush rainforest and dramatic ocean views.

🏛️ Sitka’s Rich History at the Visitor Centre Museum
Escaping the rain, we dive into Sitka’s fascinating history at the Visitor Centre Museum ($5 admission). From Indigenous heritage and Russian colonization to becoming Alaska’s first capital and later transitioning to American territory, this small museum covers Sitka’s emotional and historical highlights—including the poignant story of residents during the transfer from Russia to the United States.

🌲 Sitka Walking Tour & Russian Christmas Store
Sam continues his rainy exploration, discovering historic Russian architecture and a charming Russian Christmas ornament store—a delightful find with beautifully handcrafted decorations. Sitka’s compact downtown charms us despite the wet weather.

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