A day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park is the most popular and best way for tourists to see this amazing national park. Of course, many cruise ships also ply the route as well. If you do it independently, you’ll have to get from Juneau to a small little outpost called Gustavus; which is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. Here is my experience from Gustavus and a day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park.
After visiting both Lake Clark National Park and Katmai National Park on this trip, my last stop and my 33rd American national Park visited was Glacier Bay National Park! I flew on Alaska Air from Anchorage to Juneau and then took an Alaska Seaplanes plane to Gustavus.
We stayed at the Gustavus Inn; by far the best place to stay in Gustavus. The proprietor, Joann, who is a lovely woman, picked us up. She has been in Gustavus for 40 years! She gave a quick tour of Gustavus proper. It was a very quick tour of town, the docks and some strawberry fields!
The Gustavus Inn does an amazing dinner each night. On our night, they did Dungeness Crabs, one of my favorite foods! They also have all the trimmings including organic vegetables from the garden in the backyard! The following morning the day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park began!
The park entrance is not far from the Gustavus Inn and the dock is about another 10-minutes drive. We boarded the pretty good-sized boat for what was to be an 8-hour day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park. This is sure to be a highlight of any trip to Alaska.
The day cruise in Glacier Bay National park goes through several areas that are stunning. The weather is rarely perfect but clouds and darkness can lead to fantastic photos.
On the journey we saw humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, wolves, brown bears, puffins, bald eagles and several other bird species that I can’t remember what they were called. Basically it was like a little Jumanji. But for me the highlights were the glaciers.
Margerie Glacier is the top draw for the day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park. It is the famous glacier that looks so pretty and sits right on the border with Canada. It calves right before your eyes, crackling like thunder, drawing oohs and aahs from cruise goers. It really is awesome.
I couldn’t help but take 1000 photos. Luckily, we got to spend some real time there staring at Margerie Glacier. This was nice because you got to watch and more importantly to listen to the crackling and the calving. Basically like tiny little landslides of ice. Then right before we left, we got one really big one. Sadly, I didn’t photograph or video it. But I won’t soon forget it!
On the way back the captain will cruise by some other glaciers in the area. You’ll also take a slightly different route back through the fjord seeing some new scenery. These fjords are pretty wide unlike many in Norway. They even have islands in them here in Alaska. This is cool because sea lions gather on the islands.
The ride back can take a while but the park rangers do a good job of entertaining you and providing you with fun facts about the park and wildlife. I was half asleep so I missed much of the educational session but I am told it was informative after I took an awkward selfie!
Regardless, you do a day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park to see the glaciers and wildlife. It is well worth it and it is now one of my favorite national parks. The memory of Margerie Glacier will stick with me for a while. The sound of the calving is spectacular and the setting couldn’t be better!
Disclaimer: My trip to Katmai National Park was done in partnership with the Alaskan Tourism Board.
Day Cruise in Glacier Bay National Park
July 15, 2016 by 11 Comments
Glacier Bay is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. We did a cruise there a few years ago and still talk about how amazing it was! Thanks for the photos!
This looks seriously amazing! I need to see this in person!
Born and raised in Juneau and still have not made it to this park — looks gorgeous. You had a great trip around AK this time around.
Thanks! That surprises me that you never went there but it’s not going anywhere and there’s always time! I loved Juneau, very cool little place that I knew nothing at all about.
Hi Lee! Can you share your budget transportation for your independent travel on this trip?
Is it also possible if we want to have our toddler in tow?
Great ! that place is looking amazing and i want to see glacier. it is my dream and amazing photos you shared of that beautiful place.
great, hope you make it soon and thanks!
wow! that place is looking so beautiful and it os best destination of world. Amazing photos you shared of that beautiful place.
So beautiful. Thank You for shared photos. I love it.
Very amazing posting. But I do get the chance to go to this place? I’m very excited.
Been reading through your blog and it seems you missed what we Alaskans consider \”Alaska\’s Playground\”, the Kenai Peninsula. You get there by driving Seward Hwy. south from Anchorage and if you do you\’ll experience one of the most gorgeous drives you\’ll ever encounter. It follows Turnagain Arm where you can experience the Bore Tide and if you\’re lucky see a pod of Beluga Whales. You can also catch sightings of mountain goats on the high cliffs beside the road. In the summer waterfalls gush from these cliffs and in the winter they turn to ice and people climb them. Further along you\’ll find Girdwood, a colorful ski town. If you forgot to gas up in Anchorage this is the last stop. Next gas is 65 miles away and you want to be well gassed up for the journey ahead. Drive up the valley to the resort and ride the tram up the top and have lunch and take in the views. If you\’re more adventurous you can para glide. Next is Portage Valley, which is the doorway to Whittier where you can catch the Alaska Ferry. Nestled in lush forest and magnificent mountains, Wittier can only be accessed by the longest highway/railway tunnel in N. America, the 2.5 mile long Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel or by boat. It\’s just the beginning of the adventure to Alaska\’s Playground. Back on the Seward Hwy. you pass land that dropped at least 4 feet during the 1964 earthquake which have become salt marshes. You can still see ghostly tree trunks as memorials. Soon after, you bend left and start climbing up to Turnagain Arm, now you\’re on the Kenai Peninsula! You\’ll be going through stunning Turnagain Pass and towering mountains. This is wild country. It\’s delicious eye candy. Expect to lose cell service. Stunning camp sites all along the way. Eventually you\’ll get to the Hope cut-off. Hope is an old gold mining town and if you drive the road you\’ll see that you\’re on the opposite side of Cook Inlet\’s Turnagain Arm which you drove past when you left Anchorage. I usually see Beluga Whales from there. Back on the Seward Hwy more beauty awaits. There\’s a point where the most gorgeous mountain comes into view. It\’s so hypnotic I often miss the cut-off for the Sterling Hwy. If you miss the cut-off and keep going you\’ll end up in Seward where the cruise ships come in and you can catch glacier or fishing tours. You can also go to the amazing Sea Life Center or hike to a glacier. Now, if you weren\’t completely hypnotized and you actually caught the Sterling Hwy. cut-off you\’ll drop down and and follow the idyllic turquoise Kenai River. You\’ll eventually make your way to the darling hamlet of Cooper Landing where you can catch a bite to eat and gas up. There\’s lodges, river floats and fishing. Keep going and eventually you\’ll hit Soldotna, our big town. If you need supplies this is where to get them. You\’ll cross the Kenai River as you head south.You\’ll pass lots of fishing areas and places to camp. You\’ll cross the Kasilof River, another world class fishing zone. You\’ll see Cook Inlet on your right along the way. Ninilchik, an old Russian settlement and Deep Creek are lovely spots with beaches with clamming and fishing. Back on the road heading south things just keep getting better. You\’re almost to Homer! Pull over at the top of the hill and take in the amazing views of glaciers across Kachemak Bay and the mountains across Cook Inlet. From here you can drive down the spit. Make sure you stop at the Salty Dog. You can catch the ferry or take a water taxi to the quaint villages of Seldovia or Halibut Cove or get dropped off to camp at one of the many parks and rec sites across the bay. There\’s so much more but I realize I\’ve probably gone on a little too long, lol. Just wanted you to realize you missed the stunning jewel of Alaska in your previous journeys. You haven\’t really seen Alaska unless you have. People from all over the state come down here to vacation and recreate which is why it got its nickname, Alaska\’s Playground.