Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventures

This is a review of having our wedding ceremony at the Glacier Gardens. We didn’t do a tour.
My husband and I got married here on 6÷27÷15, and it was absolutely breath taking. All of it was organized through Princess cruises (we were on the Coral Princess doing the Northbound Voyage of the Glaciers). Our ceremony coordinator was Judith Hamanm, our officiant was Tom Stewart, and our photographer was Art Sutch. Everything went very smoothly even though it was very «on the fly» since this was our first time to see the gardens & we didn’t get a rehearsal.
The three of them greeted us right where the limos dropped us off. We decided that we wanted to be married in the more authentic, less manicured part of the gardens, so we did a little hike up the path to where they had a land bridge over a creek. It turns out that it was a service road connecting two tour roads, so carts went by on either side of the land bridge, but never drove through our ceremony. A few helicopters flew overhead too, but Tom would stop and wait for them to pass so everyone could hear. There was a little bit of a hill too so that everyone (17 people) could see. They didn’t set up chairs, but it wouldn’t be impossible if you asked for them to be set up. Our guests just stood on either side of our custom aisle runner. Judith said they had never held a ceremony there, but it was a great idea because it was gorgeous!
After the ceremony, we took a few pictures and then walked down to the gift shop area (where they hold the indoor wedding ceremonies) to sign the license, and then they escorted us back to the limos to go back to the ship. Easy peasy & beautiful!

Unique twist on traditional botanical gardens. Guided motorized tours up a steep mountain with good views and lessons on the local ecosystem.

Wow, I was told that I had to pay to enter the gift shop. It is the law. But I am an old man, are you denying né access to the toilet? No says them, you just can’t come inside the shop. I have no idea if the place is good or not, can’t enter without paying $ 25, guess who walked?

The Husband and I came to Glacier Gardens because it was one part of our two part excursion in Juneau for the day. We decided on Glacier Gardens based on the description on the cruise website and all the great 5 star reviews. We had such high hopes for the place, but quickly realized that maybe our hopes were a little too high.
Glacier Gardens is what it is, someone’s garden that they have built out in the middle of a rainforest (not your typical lush and green rainforest, just a bunch of trees) where you take a golf cart up from the visitors center and drive through the trees to almost the top of the hill and walk to a lookout point for some amazing views of Juneau before getting back on the cart for your journey back down to the visitors center.
Admittedly the views when you get to the lookout point ARE amazing. You can see almost all of Juneau from the air and it’s stunning! Definitely a great photo op. but everything else, is only OK.
Sure there are a few upside down trees with store bought plants planted in the roots, a small made made lake and some potted plants (Yes, just sitting on the ground in pots because they have to move them inside during the winter) which makes it look like you’re waking through a nicer Home Depot or garden store.
Unless you come from a place back home that doesn’t have forests or flowers, then I would skip this attraction and go somewhere else. But coming from California, it seemed like a big been here, done that kind of place. 1 hour max.

Absolutely beautiful! Small but well done. The couple that runs it knows their stuff and do a great job!

I went to the «Glacier Gardens» in Juneau, AK on 8÷17÷2010. It was my first time there. I was there with a tour group from my cruise ship the «Norwegian Star» which was in port that day. The golf carts here take you up over 500 feet in elevation and you have beautiful views along the way. The flowers provide a wide variety of color but it is the upside down trees that provide a uniqueness to the place.

This location was second (and last) on our cruise excursion. It is pretty, but not at all what we expected after reading the cruise excursion description. I think if there had been more walking and wandering… but you arrive, get an introduction, get on a tram, ride the tram, arrive at the top (580 feet up!), see the view, learn some more from the staff, ride the tram down, and walk into the gift shop/​café/​restroom area.
It just wasn’t what we expected…

I bet for a certain audience this is a wonderful experience. I found it to be a waste of money. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The gardens were nice but they weren’t extensive to wander around. You take a golf cart up to the top of the mountain, check out the view, and take a golf cart down. The staff provide a lot of entertaining and educational information about the local ecology. If you were coming in from a cruise ship, it’d probably be a great adventure. I am already familiar with the ecology of the area and do a lot of backpacking. So it wasn’t the best trip for me.

This was a great cruise exurison. I was here in 2009, and I still look back on it fondly.
The story is that the family that owns this has owned the land for a long time, but one day there was a huge storm and landslide. Trees were down everywhere. So the owner went out there one day with some heavy equipment to clean up the fallen trees, and he noticed what the roots of the tree looked like when it was upside down… a basket!
Basically you get to ride in a tram car up and down a huge hill while your guide shares facts about Alaska with you, and the whole way you are treated to amazing scenery. The flowers are fantastic because Alaska gets so much sun in the summertime (almost 24 hours in some parts).
And it was in the gift shop that I learned what a Frito Pie is… apparently an Alaskan delicacy! I skipped it, but perhaps next time I find myself in Juneau I’ll be brave enough to try that!

What better way to experience nature than in a golf cart up 500 ft. above sea level?
Fresh, cool, crisp air with refreshing greenery and sweet flowers all at your fingertips. A wonderful place to sit back relax and get a full guided history tour the the rainforest grounds.
Our guide Kylie was very informative and there was never a dull moment. She made our short trip here to the Glacier Gardens a memorable one. We had so much fun that we even took pictures with her.
At the Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure you are taken up hundreds of feet to the top of their grounds. With winding curves and steep hills be sure to hang on for dear life. Ok, just kidding but you should always have safety in mind at all times, right? During your trek up the mountain, your guide will provide a history of the grounds. The original discoverer of this place used any dead trees as planters and actually flipped them upside down and buried them into the ground and planted beautiful flowers right into the root of the tree. Once you reach the top, you will be hit with a buffet of Alaskan scenery. Absolutely beautiful!
Gorgeous views, colorful scene, refreshing atmosphere and a good time was spent here while at the Glacier Garden Rainforest.
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⁵⁄₅ Ambiance — The mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere.
⁴⁄₅ Service — Helpful, accommodating, efficient, delivery and speed?
⁴⁄₅ Food /​Merchandise — Quality, taste, presentation.
⁴⁄₅ Price — Reasonable, inexpensive, high priced?
(Based on Irma’s review rating rubric —

How can riding up a mountain on a golf cart in a temperate rain forest in Alaska not be totally awesome? Answer: there is no possible way this cannot be totally awesome.
Glacier Gardens is certainly a unique place. Upon entering, your lungs are filled with fresh, sweet air and a variety of earthy, floral scents. It is absolutely beautiful. The guides, who were all in their early twenties, were very knowledgeable, but also laid-​back, easy-​going, and truly hilarious. The ride up the mountain was pleasant and engaging. Our guide took a moment to point out each of the plants, and drove at a reasonable speed (could have been slower) so we could enjoy the scenery. There are several stories about how it came to be, but Glacier Gardens, I believe, is the only place where you will see upside down trees, which now serve as a living, hanging basket.
The top of the mountain is fantastic. On clear days, a rarity in Juneau, you can see a large portion of the city. On the day I was there, the fog reminded me of my trip to San Francisco. No bother though; the air was so pure, I enjoyed standing up there and taking it in. I wish we had been permitted to stay at the top longer, though. Before I knew it, we were being filled back into the golf carts.
Our driver on the way down, Zach, was hilarious, and made the second half of the trip significantly more excellent than the first. He was informative, definitely knew a lot about nature and wildlife, and delivered the facts in an incredibly descriptive, humorous, and unforgettable manner. The staff, overall, was top-​notch; just very cool, relaxed people. This is the first place where anyone has offered me a bignonia, freshly plucked from a large plant, as a snack. It was delicious.
If you’re in Juneau and want a short but sweet adventure you’ll never forget, this is it.

I really liked this tour. It was amazing. The plants are beautiful, the forest is beautiful, and its a great place to take some pictures. Our driver was a young guy, who knew a lot about the park, and was super friendly. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but I was really happy we went here.

Nice views of Juneau and a rainforest full of crazy spruce or whatever. I don’t remember because our golf cart happened to be piloted by Ashton Kutcher. There’s nothing more distracting than riding up a bumpy mountain with some «dude» using «words» like «nawww» and «stoked,» especially when he’s talking to your dad… Weirdest. Conversation. Ever.