Juneau: Whale Watching Cruise & Salmon Bake Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.77 (309 reviews) 88% rated it 5 stars

1/11

Duration5h

GroupUp to 90

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

What if you could see a humpback breach and eat wild salmon the same day?

You board a jet boat at Auke Bay with a naturalist guide and spend the morning hunting humpback and orca whales in nutrient-rich waters—sightings are guaranteed or you get $100 back. You'll also see sea lions, seals, eagles, and bears from the deck. After the cruise, you eat a wild salmon buffet with hot and cold drinks and live music. Transport from the pier and all meals are included; the whole day runs about eight hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Whale watching and salmon bake

Transfer from pier to Auke Bay
Board North Star jet boat
Whale watching cruise with naturalist
Spot humpback and orca whales
See sea lions, seals, porpoises, eagles
Enjoy Alaska Salmon Bake meal

The Experience

Juneau's waters hold about 65 humpback whales that return each season to feed, and the North Star—a 48-passenger jet boat with big windows and an outside deck—is built to find them. You board at Auke Bay after a narrated transfer from the pier, and the naturalist guide and captain work the waters methodically. Whale sightings are guaranteed; if you don't see one, they refund $100. Most people spot them within the first couple hours, though the real moment comes when the boat goes quiet and someone points—and there's a humpback breaching, water streaming off its back.

Between whale passes, you'll see Steller sea lions hauled out on rocks, harbor seals, Dall's porpoises cutting the surface, and bald eagles perched in the spruce. The scenery alone—steep forested slopes, glacial water, the sound of the engine cutting through quiet—is the kind of thing that makes you stop talking and just look. A naturalist is onboard the whole time, narrating what you're seeing and answering questions, so you're not just watching; you're learning why the whales are here, what they're eating, how the ecosystem works.

After the cruise winds down, you head to the Alaska Salmon Bake for a hot buffet of wild salmon, sides, and dessert, with live entertainment running while you eat. It's the second half of the day, and by then you're hungry and a little tired from the cold and the excitement, so the warm food and the chance to sit and process what you've seen lands differently than it would at the start. Beverages—hot and cold—are included, and the whole thing runs in all weather, which in Juneau means you dress in layers and accept that rain is part of the deal.

What’s included

Your day includes narrated transport from the pier to Auke Bay, a full whale-watching cruise aboard the North Star with a naturalist guide, guaranteed whale sightings (or $100 refund), viewing of sea lions, seals, eagles and other wildlife, a wild Alaska salmon buffet with hot and cold beverages, and live entertainment at the salmon bake.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Alaska Travel Adventures Inc.

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see whales and eat wild salmon without arranging two separate activities—the fixed schedule and included transport from the pier mean you show up and the day unfolds on its own.