After much research on the biggest state in the US – It turns out you really can’t drive Alaska to see it all. You either take a cruise, or you fly to one town, explore, then fly or boat to the next town. I knew early on that I didn’t want to do a cruise but at the same time, I’d like to see the amazing glaciers that you would see on a cruise – without feeling like I’m limited on time. That is why I picked Juneau, it’s ALOT of Alaska in just one small town. There’s much to see in Juneau and I can’t wait to explore! Here is a sample 5 day itinerary and I’ll be sure to include prices. First, let me start off by saying the Airbnb rooms are pretty reasonable, I have seen $71 for private rooms to $120 for an entire home/apartment not to mention the awesome Hotel Tonight App has great prices!
Day 1: Explore Tracy Arm:
I had a BIG debate in my head between exploring Glacier Bay and/or Tracy Arm Fjord. I’ve read about 10 articles from those who have seen both, weighed out the options, and creeped all the #TracyArmFjord and #GlacierBay hashtags on Instagram – finally I just picked the one that stood out the most. It really just depends on you, and realistically you could see both if you wanted to! You can also compare the two parks by clicking here. The true ultimate determination for me was budget, because I feel like if you’re going to see Glacier Bay than you MUST also stay at the lodge at Gustavus – the gateway to Glacier Bay. It looks amazing and you’ll be one with Alaskan nature – but to do the tour and stay at the lodge, you’re looking at $400 at least! From the port of Juneau, you must take a boat over to either Gustavus for Glacier Bay, or take a charter and explore Tracy Arm Fjord to Sawyer Glacier. The Tracy Arm tour lasts about 12 hours – so yes, it’s an all day affair – and it’s going to be totally worth it. We are going to see whales, and moving glaciers and get an UP CLOSE view of Sawyer Glacier! The cruise ships by the way cannot get as close as we are going to get with our tour!