9 Whale Watching in Alaska to Build a Day Around

1.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7,379 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177Our pick

Join Alaska Tales for a 3.5-hour whale-watching trip from Juneau. Meet beneath the tent by the Mt. Roberts Tramway, ride to Auke Bay, and watch for humpbacks, calves, porpoises, and possible orcas from heated cabins or outdoor decks. Naturalists such as Kacie, Genevieve, Ashley, and Nate explain whale behavior along the way.

“What’s a whale watching adventure after the whales migrate out of the area? It’s a little boat ride out. It’s a little boat ride back. Fortunately for us, it was a beautiful day. And the crew was delightful.”

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2.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,236 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $249

Visit Mendenhall Glacier for about 45 to 50 minutes, then cruise Juneau’s coastal waters aboard a warm, wildlife-ready boat. Guides such as Captain Michelle, Nate, Taylor, and Ashley help spot humpbacks, orcas, seals, and eagles. Round-trip port transfers make this a useful cruise-day combo.

“Beautiful day. Knowledgeable guides. Great time. Boat very nice, covered and has a restroom. Would go again”

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3.Ultimate Juneau Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier View

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 915 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $156

Ride from downtown Juneau to Auke Bay, then spend two hours aboard a 24-passenger jet boat or 49-passenger catamaran seeking humpback whales, orcas, eagles, and sea lions. Naturalists such as Noah, Sarah, Chris, and Carrie explain what you see. A five-minute Mendenhall Glacier photo stop follows when weather allows.

“Great tour, the captain and mate got the boat in a spot to see 8 different humpback whales and a couple of killer whales. Then on the way back some eagles. They told us all about the whales and how to spot them.”

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4.Wildlife Viewing, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Quest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 812 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $178

Join Eagle One Enterprises for a 2.5-hour wildlife cruise from downtown Ketchikan. Captains Brad, Leanne, Jake, and Theo search the Tongass Narrows for humpbacks and orcas, with possible eagle, seal, and seabird sightings. The boat has indoor and outdoor seats, binoculars, blankets, hot drinks, and snacks.

“We had a great time. We were able to see some Orcas a few hundred feet away and a couple humpback whales as well as a bald eagle. The crew were nice and offered hot chocolate and had chips and other snacks and drinks available. They can't guarantee you will see anything, but I would recommend this tour as they made every effort to locate the whales and to see what we could.”

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5.Alaska Whale Watching Cruise w/ 3 HOURS on the water

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 801 reviews · 4 hours 5 minutes (approx.) · from $159

Ride from your Juneau cruise-ship dock to Auke Bay, then spend three hours on the water aboard Harv and Marv’s 49-passenger double-decker boat. A naturalist narrates the trip, and crews such as Dalton, Tess, and Cora have helped guests spot humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, and eagles.

“Harv & Marvs was an amazing experience. We went at the end of September and were lucky enough to see about 60 whales! They always answered the phone when I called with questions, they arrived after a short wait at the pier in a nice bus, great boat, knowledgeable guide - customer service was great! This tour lasts 3 hours which allowed us the time to go a bit farther out to find the pod of whales!!”

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6.Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and Ultimate Whale Watch Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 771 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $199

Meet under the Goldbelt Tram cables for a five-hour Juneau outing that pairs a two-hour whale cruise with Mendenhall Glacier. Guides such as Dustin, Haylee, Jason, and Mary add local stories, while heated boats, wide windows, and frequent glacier shuttles help you manage a busy cruise-day schedule.

“We had a great experience with both the captain Calvin and the naturalist Haylee. We spotted a orca right in the harbor and then about 6-8 additional whales during our 2 hour trip. I was hesitant about the cost but in the end we both said it was the best part of our Alaska trip. The Mendenhall glacier was very impressive including the falls. Recommend it highly.”

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7.Ultimate Whale Watch and Tracy’s Crab Shack Combo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 614 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $274

Meet near the Goldbelt Tram for port pickup, ride to Auke Bay, and spend about three hours watching humpbacks with guides such as Captain Ben, Jayden, or Dustin. Finish with Tracy's crab combo, including soup, crab cakes, and two king crab legs. Confirm the meal stop before booking, as the main shack is closed for the season.

“The whale watching was great. Tracy’s Crab Shavk was outstanding. Great food. After we got the prepaid for our lunch straighter our it was well worth it.”

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8.Whale Watching Cruise with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 427 reviews · 3 hours · from $154Best value

From downtown Juneau, ride 25 minutes to Auke Bay, then spend two hours on a small, enclosed jet boat with a captain and naturalist guide. Look for humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, porpoises, eagles, and bears while enjoying binoculars, hot drinks, water, and snacks.

“We had a great tour with Captain Perry and Derek. They were communicating with other guides about the best place to go to have a good chance of seeing whales. Derek provided great background info. There were plenty of snacks in individual paper bags which was nice. One thing to note is that we did have to walk up and down a steep ramp to get on and off the boat, and an elderly couple had to go slowly. Just something to consider if you have mobility issues.”

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9.Alaska Whale Watching with bonus Drone viewing of Whales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 387 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $249

Join Captain Josh and first mate Jamie in Icy Strait for a three-hour whale watch limited to 14 passengers. Expect indoor and outdoor viewing, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, live whale searches, and drone footage of the wildlife delivered on a USB drive or phone.

“Highly recommend this tour! Captain Josh and Jamie were fantastic guides. We saw everything we could’ve hoped and more. This was the highlight of our whole trip. We would do it again in a heartbeat.”

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