Good River B&B - Agent services for your visit to Glacier Bay National Park Alaska
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What makes Good River B&B a good place to stay?
A: Good River B&B offers a perfect home base for your visit to Glacier Bay National Park and Gustavus. The classic Alaskan log house is warm and inviting, the beds comfortable, the food healthy and delicious, and custom packages are arranged for each guest. Breakfast is made from scratch using the purest ingredients - muffins, breads, delicious scones - served with local berry jams, homemade granola, fresh fruit and fresh ground coffee. Enjoy breakfast at whatever time fits your plan for the day. The breakfast nook has picture windows that show the hummingbirds visiting our feeder. We sometime catch site of moose feeding on willows in the meadow. This picture was taken looking out the B&B window toward the cabin.

B&B @ Glacier Bay

Everyone takes the cruise into the National Park at Glacier Bay. Is it worth it, or is this just a tourist activity?
A: Two hundred years ago, ice covered the fjord that is now Glacier Bay to a thickness of more than a thousand feet. Bartlett Cove is heavily forested. You can almost see the ice receding as you travel up the bay. The land in front of the glaciers (65 miles upbay) just emereged from under the ice. On the boat cruise you will see a profusion of wildlife as well as a textbook example of the evolution of the rainforest. Don’t come all this way and fail to take this spectacular cruise. I do it every once in a while myself, and I’ve lived here for 28 years. See Glacier Bay page for more information.

Grand Pacific Glacier

In addition to the cruise into Glacier Bay National Park, are there things to do in the area?
A: Give some thought to the following activities that happen outside the national park:
  • WHALE WATCHING - Humpbacks and sometimes orcas are very active feeding during the summer. It's a thrill to see the humpbacks feeding and breaching as they prepare for their trip to Hawaii in the winter. You’ll also see a variety of birds, seals, eagles, perhaps a deer, a bear, or other wildlife.
  • SEA KAYAKING - An easy day paddle in protected waters - you can either rent a kayak or be guided by an experienced naturalist.
  • CHARTER FISHING - I've got a line on the best captain in the neighborhood..and he's the most reasonably priced too. Check out the halibut on the guest page.
  • FLIGHTSEEING - Glacier Bay is so vast, there’s no other way to take in the total grandeur, and the flight in a small charter plane is an experience in itself. The east arm of Glacier Bay is closed to motorized vessels, so unless you want to spend a week paddling up the bay, this is the best way to see all of Glacier Bay.
  • GOLF - Hard to believe, but we have a great course. Clubs are available for rent at a very reasonable price. You'll meet some of the locals residents who go out and knock a few balls around every day.
  • BICYCLING - I have a fleet to fit any size and age. They are a lovely mode of transportation, quiet and versatile. You can wander off the beaten track. Everything in Gustavus is within 3 or 4 miles; and the land is flat for easy peddling.
  • DOG SLEDDING - New in 2005. Local folk are offering this to visitors this year.
  • CAR RENTAL - A reasonable and economical alternative.
Glacier Bay tour boat Glacier Bay Cruise catamaran
I’m a vegetarian; what can I find on the breakfast table for my requirements?
A: When Good River B&B opened, I assumed that everyone wanted eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Not so! On the breakfast table you will always find fresh baked breads, scones, or muffins; jams and jellies from local berries; granola, and special treats. We were the only B&B included in an article about Gustavus in Saveur Magazine. If you have a special diet, please tell us in advance so we are prepare for your visit.
Alaska Pacific halibut What can I expect to see and do in Gustavus, your little frontier town?
A: It’s only the greatest place on earth; beautiful setting, wonderful people, great walks, interesting artwork, delicious berries, wildlife and bird watching, good food, interesting natural history ... I could go on and on and on (perhaps I already have).
Gustavus treasures local artists, writers, potters, musicians, storytellers. Be sure to leave time to visit the local galleries, cafe, store...to look at the gardens and the wildflowers... to pick berries and photograph birds... to meet some of the people who call Gustavus home.
We have bikes for you to peddle around the community. The area is flat - no hills - and the bike is the best way to navigate around. You don't have to stay on the paved roads, so you can get off the beaten track and discover new places.
It's also a fine place to hike. We have a book describing some of the more popular walks - everything from a short quarter of a mile 'saunter' to an expedition through the forest to the beach.
Alaskan king crab
What clothes should I bring?
A: Layered clothing and comfortable walking shoes are a good idea. Summer temperatures range from 40F to 70F. If it goes above 70F we think we are having a heat wave, and the kids (and even some adults) swim in the ocean to cool off. Also, we live in a rainforest, so expect to see some precipitation. The B&B has a collection of raingear and rubber boots for guests to borrow if necessary.
Bald Eagle
How do I get to Gustavus?

A: You get to soar among the eagles on your way from Juneau to Gustavus. The small air taxis - like the one pictured to the right - go back and forth all day. This makes it easy for us to schedule a flight that fits your itinerary and maximizes your time here. And you won't have to go through TSA screening; just show up 30 minutes before your scheduled departure and you're on your way.

There is also one Alaska Airlines jet that comes from Juneau to Gustavus daily - in late afternoon.
Caravan
Can I bring my pet dog, or cat or ferret?
A: No, that's one thing that cannot be accommodated. I am severely allergic to most household pets, and have never allowed any in the house or cabin. Children, on the other hand, are welcome.

More questions? You'll have to come and see for yourself. But don't just zip in and out. Plan to spend a more than one day to see the glaciers, the orcas and humpback whales, the national park and see the town. I'll help you put together a custom package including only the things you want to do. It not only saves you time and trouble, we often save you money.

Good River Bed and Breakfast near Glacier Bay
P.O. Box 37
Gustavus, Alaska 99826