Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska: The Ultimate Travel Guide
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska is one of the best attractions in the Inside Passage (AK). Known for some of the longest and most impressive tidewater glaciers in the world, this park is a must-see for nature lovers!
In this guide, you will find all the information you need to plan your trip. I will start with some basic facts about Glacier Bay National Park, then give you a guide to the different lodges and hotels in the area as well as what to expect on the Glacier Bay National Park boat cruise.
Luxury under Budget aims at helping you get the best deals by maximizing the value of your time and money. My recommendations are based on first-hand experiences and a full analysis of costs vs. benefits. This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may get a small commission when you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps support my blog and enables me to provide more free and helpful content. Now, let’s go get you that luxury travel while staying under the budget!
Have You Got These Items For Your Trip Yet?
- Credit Card: I recommend Chase Sapphire Preferred®
- Flights & Accommodations: I recommend Expedia
- Car Rental: I recommend Discover Cars
- Travel Accessories: I recommend Amazon Coupons
- Tours/Experiences: I recommend Viator
Glacier Bay National Park Fun Facts
Many people get confused about these two parks because of their similar names. In fact, when I was researching Glacier Bay National Park, Google sometimes gave me results about Glacier National Park instead! I even found an article on Google that has the title “Glacier Bay National Park” but all the content is about Glacier National Park.
What Is Special About Glacier Bay National Park?
Glacier Bay National Park is known for spectacular snow-laden glaciers and an abundance of wildlife. There are seven tidewater glaciers that are born high in the mountains and flow all the way down into the ocean. They frequently “calve”, also known as shedding icebergs, into the sea.
You will hear a loud explosive sound and see a huge splash when the icebergs fall. During your visit, you may encounter wildlife such as bears, humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, otters, and more! You will also see the dramatic change in landscape, ranging from barren land just emerging from glacial retreat to the temperate rainforest of a few hundred years.
You can watch a video of two killer whales playing with each other by the side of our tour boat on Luxury under Budget Instagram!
Glacier Bay National Park (AK) vs. Glacier National Park (MT)
Here are a few facts about Glacier Bay National Park vs. Glacier National Park to help you differentiate between the two.
- Glacier Bay National Park is the highlight of Southeast Alaska while Glacier National Park is located in Montana, with its Canadian counterpart located in British Columbia, Canada. In other words, Glacier National Park houses the undefended border between the United States and Canada.
- Glacier Bay National Park has been a World Heritage site since 1979 while Glacier National Park has been recognized since 1995.
- Both of them have glaciers. However, it can be difficult to see glaciers at Glacier National Park because most of them are hidden by semi-permanent snowfields. On the other hand, you can take a boat tour at Glacier Bay National Park and have a close look (up to half a mile from the glaciers). It is also possible to visit Glacier Bay National Park on an Alaskan cruise although you will be a few miles further away.
Why visit Glacier Bay National Park?
Glacier Bay National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Alaska. The park is best known for its massive glaciers, which are some of the largest in the world. Visitors can witness the power of these glaciers as they calve, or break off into the water. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including whales, bears, and eagles. In addition to its natural beauty, Glacier Bay National Park also has a rich history.
What City is Glacier Bay National Park in?
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve can be accessed through the town of Gustavus, lying west of Juneau, Alaska.
How to get to Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska?
Fly to Gustavus – Every year, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) sends a few staff to Gustavus over the summer to open the seasonal airport. This is when Alaska Airlines offers one daily flight from Juneau to Gustavus. You can also take Alaska Seaplanes from Juneau. They have more scheduled flights throughout the day and you can actually take this opportunity to see the beautiful Southeast Alaskan landscape from above.
Take a ferry to Gustavus – Alaska Marine Highway System is an experience in itself. The ferry is often known as the “poor man cruise”. You may be able to spot wildlife on the way and the ticket fare is as low as $55 from Juneau.
Visit Glacier Bay on a cruise ship – This is probably not the best way to experience Alaska since you won’t get much time to actually explore Alaskan coastal towns. With that said, it is still possible for you to reach Glacier Bay on a cruise ship. However, not all cruise lines offer scenic cruising at Glacier Bay, so you will have to double-check your cruise itinerary.
Drive to Glacier Bay – You cannot drive to Glacier Bay unless you start from Gustavus, yet you can only get to Gustavus by plane, ferry, or cruise. In other words, it is impossible for you to visit Glacier Bay National Park on a road trip.
How to Visit Glacier Bay National Park & See Glaciers?
There is a boat tour provided by the National Park Service. You can take a day tour from Glacier Bay Lodge to visit three glaciers from the boat dock or get dropped off at a designated point to kayak and camp around the bay on your own.
When to visit Glacier Bay National Park
The best time to visit Glacier Bay National Park is from Memorial Day Weekend (May) to Labor Day weekend (September). That is when Glacier Bay Lodge (the only accommodation within the park), along with the Glacier Bay Visitor Center, and the Glacier Bay boat tour opens.
The weather in Glacier Bay
Ocean currents have a heavy impact on the weather in Glacier Bay. It has much less rainfall than Juneau and Ketchikan. The temperature can get as high as 50 to 60 degrees in the summer.
There are micro-climates. As you travel deep into the park on a boat, you will find the weather shifting from having light rain to pouring rain, then sunny all of a sudden. Make sure you wear layers with a good rain jacket to feel comfortable throughout the day.
Where to stay during your Glacier Bay visit
Accommodation within Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay Lodge is the only accommodation located within the national park at Barlett Cove. As I mentioned earlier, the lodge is only open from May to September. The Glacier Bay Visitor Center is located on the second floor of the lodge. Almost all of the activities you can find will originate surrounding this glacier bay national park lodge so you will find it very convenient to stay here.
There is a small path that takes you right up to the dock for the boat tour in the morning and there are several hiking trails within walking distance.
Accommodation in Gustavus
You can consider staying at Annie Mae Lodge, Bear Track Inn, or Glacier Bay Country Inn. However, keep in mind that the cost of transportation can be expensive. As of summer 2021, there is only one taxi company in Gustavus.
It costs $15 per seat per trip. Let me repeat this: $15 per seat per trip! For example, if you have four people, it would cost $120 ($15 x 4 people x 2 trips) for a round-trip taxi from the airport to the inn and another $120 for a round-trip taxi from the inn to the Glacier Bay National Park. Taxi alone would cost you $240!
Book the Bed, Breakfast & Boat Package from Glacier Bay Lodge for the Best Value! Choose the option “Hotel Direct Offer” for the seasonal combo package!
Those who seek adventure can stay at the campground in Bartlett Cove with a maximum stay of 14 days. The walk-in campground is free and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Others who are brave enough and want to truly experience camping in the wilderness can arrange the plan with Glacier Bay’s staff. You can rent a kayak and the park’s tour boat will drop you off at one of the designated points within the park. Let the staff know your exact itinerary and the tour boat will pick you up at the designated point for return.
Where to eat in Glacier Bay
Gustavus is such a small town that there is barely any standalone restaurant. All dining options will be attached to a lodge or an inn. I doubt that you would want to travel to another inn for a meal due to the expensive taxi rate, so you most likely will eat at the lodge or inn that you stay at. You should expect that food pricing will be higher in the Glacier Bay area due to the high cost of transporting supplies to this remote area.
How many days do you need at Glacier Bay National Park?
It really depends on what you want to do! If you want to do a multiday kayak outing deep in the park, you will need 4 to 7 days. If you’re here for fishing trips, you can stay here for 3-4 days.
However, for others, I would recommend only spend 2 days 1 night here.
My flight to Juneau got canceled due to bad weather, so I had to stay in Glacier Bay one more day, along with all the other guests at Glacier Bay Lodge. Being “stranded on this remote island” together, we started chatting in the main hall. I asked people for opinions on what to do in the area. And they all agreed that the boat tour was the best thing to do in Glacier Bay. Those that stayed for more than two days felt that it was too long because there was not much more to do for them.
You can see my recommended Glacier Bay National Park’s 2-day itinerary below.
2-day itinerary for Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Day 1 in Glacier Bay
Fly seaplane from Juneau. Spend some time viewing the exhibits in the Glacier Bay Visitor Center. You can rent a kayak and do it on your own or register for a guided tour. Some guests told me that they saw moose during their kayak trip. You can also do the below trails on your own or get guided hikes with park rangers. They will be able to give you an interpretation of the trail, plants, and wildlife.
- Forest Trail (0.7-mile one way) – leisure walk through the forest with two viewing decks that overlook the Blackwater Pond.
- Tlingit Trail (0.5-mile one way) – easy stroll along the shoreline. It will take you to a huge whale skeleton and the Huna Tribal House
- Barlett River Trail (4-mile round trip) – a denser rain forest that is often muddy. You may be able to see bears during salmon spawning season
- Barlett Lake Trail (10-mile round trip) – a rugged trek branching from the River Trail. It will take you to a tranquil lake.
Day 2 in Glacier Bay
Take the boat tour from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. There are some snacks available for purchase while lunch, tea, and coffee are included. You will also be able to purchase the signature cocktail “Glacierita” onboard after the first glacier visit.
The day tour boat gives you a close-up look at two massive glaciers — Margerie and Grand Pacific. Each glacier towers nearly 80 meters above the ocean and constantly calves so get your cameras ready. Be on the lookout for wildlife as well! During our tour, we saw two brown bears, two black bears, several whales, orcas, bald eagles, and sea lions.
Glacier Bay Lodge Facts I wish I knew before
- Glacier Bay Lodge is the only accomodation in Glacier Bay National Park
- Breakfast costs $18 per person (included if you buy the hotel package)
- Glacier Bay Lodge’s convenience store closes at 9 pm.
- There is wifi in the main hall but it will be closed at 10 pm.
- There is no wifi in your room.
- Cell service is minimal, so prepare to disconnect!
- There is a free shuttle to and from the airport/ferry for hotel guests
The Wrap Up – Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska
Glacier Bay is one of the best U.S National Parks that I have visited in the past few years. I didn’t find much information about it so I felt that I didn’t prepare well for my trip. That’s why I wanted to create this thorough guide to help you enjoy your trip to the fullest.
I’m not affiliated with Glacier Bay National Park Lodge but I honestly think that you would get your money’s worth. I personally did the math to see if it would be cheaper to stay at a lodge in Gustavus instead of in Glacier Bay National Park but the taxi cost ruled it out.