We’ve visited Alaska’s state capital, Juneau, twice during a cruise ship stop and have always been impressed with its pristine beauty. Many visitors book shore excursions that range from zip lining, whale watching, helicopter rides over ice fields, glacier walking or a ride up the Mt. Roberts Tram. Most of these can get quite expensive. But, it’s also possible to enjoy the city with these free things to do in Juneau with kids.
Juneau is only accessible by boat or plane. Rental cars are available and these sights can be explored on your own. There are no roads that lead to Juneau so it’s hard to get lost. During our last visit, one of my friends who moved to Juneau picked us up at the port and showed us around her hometown and these are some of our favorite free attractions.
1. Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area
Juneau’s most popular attraction is the drive-in Mendenhall Glacier. This was the first glacier we ever saw and seeing it again 7 years later was still awe-inspiring. Located 13 miles north of the city, it’s easily accessible with plenty of parking. Mendenhall is part of an icefield but its face is 100 feet tall and is 1.5 miles wide.
If there was one place we would have loved to spend a few days in Juneau, this would be it. There were several hiking trails that ranged from a .3 mile Photo Point Trail which was perfect for kids to a 3.5 mile nature trail loop towards the glacier. We would have loved to kayak on Mendenhall Lake and have close-up views of the glacier, icebergs, waterfalls and the forests while surrounded by the mountains.
There’s also a wonderful visitor’s center overlooking the glacier. It has a minimal fee to enter ($3) but worth it for exhibits and ranger lectures on glaciers. My kids enjoyed seeing this glacier and is one of their favorite memories of Alaska. Who knows? You may even see black bears here.
2. Shrine of St. Therese
Located about 20-30 minutes from the downtown area, the Shrine of St. Therese is one of the most peaceful and beautiful places we visited in Alaska. It’s no wonder this area is continually used for retreats and spritual refuge with lodges and trails for self-reflections. It is surrounded with scenic views of the water and beyond.
Don’t miss the stone chapel among moss covered rocks and the trees that looks like it belongs in a fairy tale forest. The inside is fairly sparse and simple contributing to the overall ambience of the shrine. Keep walking towards the back where there are rocks looking out into the water and you may be rewarded with some wildlife sighting. It was a treat for all of us to see some salmon jump out from the water here.
There were plenty of green spaces for kids to run around with trails to explore. But, my kids enjoyed the Merciful Love Labyrinth the most. This was a concentric ring that my kids treated as a maze. The labyrinth is made up of stones from the nearby beach built lovingly by volunteers.
3. Hiking Trails
Juneau is blessed with 250 miles of hiking trails for all skill levels. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to go on these hikes other than the short one by the glacier. The fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery provide perfect backdrops for these hikes.
My friend drove us to a couple of her favorite hikes during the summer months. One was Auke Lake Trail by the University of Alaska Southeast campus. With lake views and a trail among the woods, this is a prime wildlife spotting area for birds, fish and otters. For maps and information on the popular and historic Perseverance Trail, please visit their website. This guide on Juneau’s Alaska Trails is also a great resource.
Mendenhall nature trail
4. Sandy Beach in Douglas Island
We were surprised to find out that Juneau had a couple of beaches frequented by the locals. We visited Sandy Beach on Douglas Island. The beach was well-equipped with firepits and picnic pavilions.
It was a great place to see the cruise ships pass by. While we were here, we spotted a few bald eagles flying to their nests high above the trees. It was a bit cloudy during our visit there but on a bright sunny day, I can see why this would be a popular area for families to enjoy, swim, have picnics or explore tidepools.
5. Downtown Walking Tour
Most of the tourists descend in the small downtown area. Go past the many jewelry stores and souvenir shops catering to the tourists and you’ll see a town with a rich history from its gold mining years to its Tlingin Indian origins. Get a walking tour map from the visitor’s bureau or use this downtown Juneau street tour map.
Sights include the beautiful St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (one of the 500 most notable US buildings), the State Capitol which offers free tours during the summer and the Governor’s House with a totem pole about the mosquito’s origins outside its doors.
Juneau had 30 saloons in 1914 and one of the most frequented was Red Dog Saloon. While this party atmosphere may not be the best place for kids, the saloon actually has stuffed wildlife on the wall and Alaska memorabilia which could be interesting for some older kids. Of course, my kids were more entertained by the many large animal plushes and wood carvings outside many of the stores.
*Have you been to Juneau? What other free attractions would you like to add?
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This is a part of a series called Five Free Family Friday. I hope this will grow into a collective guide of free family-friendly attractions of places all over the world. If you’d like to contribute with the free attractions in your home city, I would love your guest posts.
An island girl at heart who loves cruising, visiting National Parks & traveling the world with two kids in tow. 
Lucky you had a friend in Juneau, I love being shown around by a local. Pictures
and activities No. 1 and 2 are my favourites. Seeing the salmon jump would have
been wonderful.
budget jan recently posted..Fantastic Friday – Cordoba Spain has Mustard Coloured Walls
Thanks Jan! we were indeed lucky to be shown around by locals. The salmon jumping was such a pleasant surprise.
I’ve never though of Alaska as a family-friendly holiday destinations, so thanks for pointing out some great and free activities.
Italian Notes recently posted..Panoramic bed and breakfast Genova
No problem, Mette. It really is a beautiful area with plenty of activities for the young and old.
Amazing photos and I have now added Alaska to the bucket list! Living in America for so long I always wanted to go to Europe, now that I am in Europe, I will “vacation” in my own country!
Dena Barrie recently posted..I Am Heading Down Under…
Thanks Dena! Alaska is one of my favorite states and we have gone back twice. I hope you and your family come back soon to vacation in the US.
Alaska is such a beautiful state! I actually spent the entire summer after 8th grade there with my parents. But more recently, my family did go on an Alaskan Cruise. We did two excursions with the cruise line: The floatplane over glaciers and a gold mine tour. http://happyhoyt.blogspot.com/search?q=juneau Love the free stuff though. If we go back, those are excellent options.
Sonja @ The {Happy} Travel Bug recently posted..Wild West Road Trip: Great Platte River Road Archway
Those are such great excursions, Sonja, especially the floatplane. How neat! Free is definitely awesome.
I absolutely love places where one can be in the midst of nature! The glacier and all those mountainous terrain is very inviting. Looks so much like the Himalayas!!
Thanks for sharing Mary
Arti recently posted..The Temple of the Golden Pavilion or Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan
Thanks Arti! I haven’t been to the Himalayas but I’m sure I’d love being there too.
I’d like to see Juneau some time – and I hadn’t appreciated how much hiking was available out of the city. It’s only the weather that makes me hesitate to go.
Leigh recently posted..This is My Canada – and It’s a Wild One
You would love all the hikes and outdoor activities here, Leigh. Go in July – we had sunny weather the first time and cloudy during the second time.
I haven’t been lucky enough to be in Juneau when it wasn’t pouring rain, but I’d like to go back. I’d add “tour the Alaska statehouse” to the list of free things to do as well.
EverywhereAmy recently posted..Photo of the Week : Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona
Thanks for the tip, Amy. I hope the weather will be much better when you return to Juneau.
Mary, thanks for sharing some good options for Juneau.
We are planning a family holiday to the USA and Canada (which may include an Inside Passage cruise) in a couple of years once our three children get older, so this is a good article to tuck away in preparation for that trip.
Coming from Australia we have to plan to spend at least $US7000 for airfares for five of us so when we visit it will hopefully be for at least 6-7 weeks.
Pretraveller recently posted..NEW! 3 Breathtaking Bridge Climbs of the World
That sounds like a wonderful trip, Anne! There are certainly many beautiful things to keep you busy here in North America for 6-7 weeks. I highly recommend the Inside Passage cruise and is one of the best ways to see Alaska. I’m glad this post can help. Yikes on the airfare! That’s how much we probably would spend to get to your part of the world too.
Wow, Alaska looks amazing. The Mendenhall nature trail with that amazing waterfall must be an incredible sight to behold
Johanna at ZigaZag recently posted..Have you been to Perth recently? You might get a surprise when you do.
Alaska is beautiful and one of our favorite places to visit. Yes, that Mendenhall waterfall was amazing in person. It was too bad we didn’t get to be one of those lucky people by the waterfalls.
Thanks for the post. Sweeney and I have never been to Juneau or Alaska. It has bee moving up on our list though and your photos and narrative are very compelling.
Thanks Randy! I hope you and Cathy get to visit Alaska soon.
It’s mindboggling to think that you can only access Juneau by boat or plane. How weird for a continental European! I’d totally visit that glacier – looks amazing!
Christina recently posted..Flightseeing in Vancouver: Grouse Mountain helicopter ride
The glacier is amazing and you’d love all the adventurous activities you can do near it. I guess that’s one of the appeals for Juneau is that it’s being remote make it less crowded without the cruise ship crowd.
Great pictures of the countryside! Love it!
Marysia @ My Travel Affairs recently posted..Bergen – Gateway to the Fjords
Thanks Marysia!
I always love checking out free things to do in cities before I travel! Much like in my home town, some of the best attractions can be enjoyed free of charge, so might as well take advantage! And love your photos…gorgeous!
Jess @UsedYorkCity recently posted..Howdy From The White Stallion Ranch!
Thanks Jess! Free is always a good thing wherever you’re going and it helps especially when traveling with kids.
I have been looking at possibilities regarding an Alaskan cruise and trying to work out budgets including the cost of shore excursions. Great to hear that Juneau has so much to explore free of cost.
Danielle (Bubs on the Move) recently posted..Heide Museum of Modern Art’s sculpture park. A Melbourne outdoor art space.
Those shore excursions on cruises can add up and free is always good with families. Glad to share them. I hope you get to do the Alaska cruise. We’ve done it twice and it’s simply amazing.
You were the first link-up once again to the Best of the USA! Two months running…:) I was disappointed and felt bad that the links weren’t showing up on the page. Kind of detracts from the purpose of a link-up. I was traveling during the day and unable to correct the problem until I got home. Sorry for that.
When we visited Juneau on a cruise it was the coldest, wettest day that almost tempted us to stay on the ship.
We ventured out along the pier and to the State Museum, which if not free was very inexpensive. We had ponchos and umbrellas and we were dripping (literally) wet as we approached the door to the museum. I remember wringing out the arms of my sweatshirt before entering. Miserable weather but we really enjoyed the museum that highlighted much of Alaska’s history and culture. Definitely a warm, dry place to hang out for a couple hours.
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