Juneau

About Juneau

Juneau, Alaska's capital, sits pressed between the Gastineau Channel and the ice-carved face of Mount Roberts, reachable only by sea or air. Most ships dock within walking distance of the old gold-rush downtown, where the Red Dog Saloon, Alaska State Museum, and the tramway to Mount Roberts are all within a few blocks of the terminal. The headline shore excursion is a visit to Mendenhall Glacier, a 12-mile river of ice a short bus ride north of town, often paired with a Tongass National Forest nature walk or a whale-watching charter out of Auke Bay. Rain is the rule rather than the exception — pack layers and waterproofs even in July.

• Juneau is the only U.S. state capital with no road connection to the rest of the state or the contiguous United States — all goods arrive by plane or boat.
• The city is the second-largest municipality in the United States by area, larger than both Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
• Between May and September, Juneau sees a daily influx of 16,000 or more visitors from cruise ships, often outnumbering the resident population of 32,255.
• The Juneau Icefield atop the surrounding mountains feeds about 30 glaciers, two of which — Mendenhall and Lemon Creek — are visible from local roads.
• Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau (from Quebec) and became Alaska's capital in 1906, when the government was moved from Sitka.