Time frame: Mendenhall Glacier and Glacier Gardens

[skrapngal]

Cruiseship offers a 3 hr 45 min tour including both stops.

 

My question: is 3 hr 45 min a reasonable/sufficient length for both those venues? Our party of 3 likely wouldn't be doing any of the Mendenhall hikes (maybe only the shortest one).

 

Price via cruiseship and via car rental is pretty even

[CCJack]

We have not been to the gardens.. However, we enjoyed the Glacier and really didn't need a lot of time there. There is a park building with glass lookout, a few nice outdoor lookout spots, a trail that goes up closer (but all the way) to the glacier, and a few boardwalk trails that don't go to the glacier but are in the woods by the parking lot.

 

All in all you could spend a few hours there walking, but also could spend one hour and probably not feel that you didn't see enough.

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• Glacier Gardens should be doable in 90 minutes from what I remember. When you get there.... you are put into golf cart or bus. It's like Universal Studios with stops at various points. You end at the gift shops.
  
• Mendenhall? Depends on the weather.... on a sunny dry day.... you want extra time to explore the trails.... especially the 2 mile round trip to Nugget Falls. On a rainy day.... a quick stop in the visitor center is enough.
  

 

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Edited January 28, 2017 by xlxo

[Sequim88]

Glacier Gardens depends a lot on what your level of interest is in the plants - both planted and the natural rainforest species. The ride up to the top of the ridge through the forest is interesting and if clear it's a nice view. A couple hours at GG would be plenty. We went on our own so were between cruise ship tours and for sure a lot less crowded than it could have been. Doing the car rental would open up some other options along the way such as Alaska Brewing (also often on ship tours) and the DIPAC hatchery and aquarium about 4 miles from the gardens back towards town.

[Budget Queen]

By far the best use of time would be with a car rental. There is no "standard" amount of time at each location and with any tour- it's going to be limited. Simple to just go on your own- if you are open to that option.