How I did Juneau.

One of the things I love most about cruising Alaska is that no two port days have to look the same. Some guests pack their days with helicopter flights, whale watching excursions, or dog sledding on a glacier. Others prefer to explore at a slower pace. That's the beauty of an Alaska cruise: you can create the experience that works best for your family.

For our Disney Wonder sailing, Juneau was the port I had been looking forward to the most. While many guests were headed out on organized excursions, I had a different plan. I wanted to visit Mendenhall Glacier, hike to Nugget Falls, and explore Juneau on our own schedule. Traveling with a multi-generational family that included some neurodivergent teens , flexibility was more important to us than checking off as many activities as possible. And, while a helicopter excursion would have been amazing, it's just not something that was realistic for our situation. 

Looking back, renting a car was one of the best decisions we made during the entire cruise.

Why We Chose to Rent a Car Instead of Booking an Excursion
When I started planning our day in Juneau, I quickly realized that most excursions followed a fixed schedule. While that works well for many travelers, I knew our family would appreciate having the freedom to move at our own pace.
After comparing our options, I rented a seven-passenger Subaru Ascent through Like a Local. The entire reservation process was completed online, including signing the paperwork electronically before our trip. On the morning of our visit, I simply received a text message with the lockbox code for the vehicle.

The rental cost was $389 for the entire day. When compared to purchasing excursions for six people, renting a vehicle wasn't just more convenient. It was also a surprisingly economical choice.

Having our own transportation allowed us to:

• Arrive at Mendenhall Glacier before most of the excursion groups.
• Spend as much time as we wanted hiking to Nugget Falls.
• Drive the incredibly scenic Glacier Highway.
• Stop wherever something caught our attention.
• Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant outside of the immediate port area.

Most importantly, it gave us the flexibility our family needed.

A Relaxed Start to the Morning
Disney Cruise Line guests were able to begin disembarking around 6:45 am, but there was no reason for us to rush since we didn't need to meet for an excursion. Instead, we eased into the morning exactly the way we've come to love on Disney cruises: with lattes and room service breakfast.

One of my favorite Disney Cruise Line traditions is filling out the breakfast door hanger the night before. Waking up to coffee, pastries, fruit, and breakfast delivered right to your stateroom never gets old, especially when you're looking out at the breathtaking scenery of Southeast Alaska. (Pro-Tip: Order a carafe of coffee. It stays hot for SO long, so don't worry if you can't drink it all at once.)

Disney's Juneau dock isn't quite as centrally located as their berths in Skagway or Ketchikan. It's about a 20-minute walk into town or a very short shuttle ride. Our Head Server had suggested taking the complimentary motor coach instead of walking because black bears are frequently spotted near the dock. As it turns out, he wasn't kidding. That morning, we spotted a black bear from our stateroom before we had even left the ship.

When we disembarked around 7:45 am, a shuttle was already waiting, and within minutes we were downtown.

Picking Up Our Rental Car
Our shuttle dropped us near downtown Juneau, and after about a seven-minute walk we arrived at the parking garage where our rental SUV was waiting.

The pickup process couldn't have been easier. The keys were secured in a lockbox attached to the driver's window. I entered the code I'd received by text message, unlocked the box, grabbed the keys, and we were on our way. No rental counter, paperwork, or waiting in line. It seriously has spoiled me for car rentals. 

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Visiting Mendenhall Glacier
We arrived at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center around 8:30 am. Parking was plentiful, and paying the admission fee couldn't have been easier. Visitors simply scan a QR code and pay online for each person over 15 before entering the grounds or visitor center.

The visitor center offers excellent exhibits explaining the history of the glacier, local wildlife, and the dramatic effects of climate change, but the real reason most visitors come is the view. The glacier is absolutely massive. Even after seeing countless photos over the years, standing there in person was something entirely different. The vivid blue ice stretching across the landscape is difficult to describe until you've seen it with your own eyes.

While you can't walk on Mendenhall Glacier itself without a guided adventure, there are several excellent viewpoints and walking trails that bring you remarkably close.

Don't Skip Nugget Falls
If I had booked a standard excursion, this is the part of our day I likely would have missed as we'd have been on a time crunch. From the visitor center, it's about a one-mile walk along a mostly flat trail to Nugget Falls.

The trail itself is beautiful, winding through lush forest with constant views of the glacier in the distance. Along the way, signs explain what to do if you encounter a bear, so naturally we reviewed the plan with our kids before starting our hike. We never crossed paths with a bear on the trail (something that we were both relieved and disappointed about). We did, however, find a bit of "evidence" in the middle of the pathway that they'd been there. 

The hike ends at one of the most peaceful places I've ever visited. Nugget Falls crashes nearly 400 feet down a cliff into Mendenhall Lake, with the glacier rising behind it. Standing there, listening to the waterfall while looking across the lake at ancient blue ice, was one of those rare moments that makes you stop talking and simply take everything in. It was seriously life-affirming and I could have stayed there for hours. Nugget Falls was a port-highlight for everyone in our family.

Because we had arrived early and weren't tied to an excursion schedule, we were able to enjoy the area before most of the larger tour groups arrived. Eventually, a small group from a Seabourn ship joined us, but it remained wonderfully quiet.

A Sobering Reminder
After hiking back to the visitor center, we spent some time exploring the exhibits before returning to the parking lot. One sign stuck with me. Mendenhall Glacier has been retreating for approximately 200 years and has receded roughly one mile over the past 90 years alone. Seeing the historical photographs beside today's landscape was a powerful reminder that Alaska's glaciers are changing rapidly. It made me even more grateful that we had the opportunity to experience this incredible place.

Driving Glacier Highway
Instead of heading straight back to town, we decided to continue exploring. To be very honest, our goal was to find an area where we may spot some whales. We failed. It was okay, though, as we'd seen whales on glacier day. But even without whales, it was beautiful. 

Think towering evergreens, mountains, and water surrounded us for much of the drive, making the journey itself part of the experience. We eventually stopped at Eagle Beach.

As the name suggests, bald eagles are common here, but what surprised us most were the salmon. There were so many enormous salmon splashing and thrashing through the shallow water. It was fascinating to watch.

One thing to note: cell service becomes very limited in this area, so download maps before leaving Juneau.

As if the scenery wasn't memorable enough, we even spotted another black bear wandering alongside the road on our drive back toward town.

Lunch in Juneau
For lunch, we skipped the restaurants closest to the cruise ships and drove to The Sandpiper Cafe. From the outside, it's easy to overlook. Inside, however, we found generous portions, friendly service, and excellent food. Sometimes those unassuming local restaurants end up being the most memorable.

Don't Leave Without Trying a Salmon Donut
Before returning to the ship, there was one final stop I couldn't resist. Jellyfish Donuts has become famous for its Salmon Donut, and I knew I had to try it. Imagine a glazed donut topped with a smoked salmon and cream cheese mixture. It may not sound delicious, but it was fantastic. The donut was enormous and easily shareable. Even if you're skeptical, I'd recommend giving it a try simply because it's such a uniquely Alaskan treat. (Port snacks like this made me very glad for our late dinner seating. We wouldn't have been able to eat at 5:15 PM nightly, but 8:15 PM was absolutely perfect for us.)

Back on the Disney Wonder
We returned our SUV around 1:45 p.m., walked back through the port area, and boarded the Disney Wonder around 3:30.
With a little time before dinner, we explored the Oceaneer Lab during Open House, since our kids had long since aged out of the youth clubs but still wanted to see the spaces.

Because it was semi-formal night, many of the Disney characters were out meeting guests in elegant attire, making for some fun photo opportunities. That evening also featured one of my favorite Broadway-style productions of the entire sailing: Frozen, A Musical Spectacular. Even if you've seen Frozen countless times, don't skip this show. The creative puppetry, beautiful costumes, and incredible performances made it a standout.

Dinner was at Tiana's Place, where Mardi Gras was in full swing. Beads decorated the tables, Tiana and Louis made appearances throughout the restaurant, and the live jazz music created such a fun atmosphere. I had read so many warnings about the noise level in this restaurant, but didn't find it excessive at all. My favorite dish of the evening was the Northern Vegetable Turnover, which was every bit as delicious as it was beautiful.

After another incredible day, everyone in our family was happily exhausted and in bed by 10:30 pm.

The next morning, we'd wake up in Ketchikan for our final port day.

Would I Rent a Car Again?
Without hesitation, yes.

Renting a car gave us the flexibility to create exactly the day our family wanted. We avoided feeling rushed, experienced some of Juneau's most beautiful scenery, and enjoyed quiet moments at Nugget Falls before the crowds arrived.
If you're comfortable driving, especially with a larger family or group, I think it's one of the best ways to experience Juneau.
Mendenhall Glacier is absolutely worth visiting, but pairing it with Nugget Falls, Glacier Highway, and Eagle Beach transformed our port day from a quick excursion into one of the most memorable days of our entire Alaska cruise.

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