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.