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Juneau

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Juneau from Mt. Roberts with tramway.

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Overview

Juneau is a capital of contrasts and conflicts. It borders a waterway that never freezes but lies beneath an ice field that never melts. It was the first community in the Southeast to slap a head tax on cruise-ship passengers but still draws more than a million a year. It’s the state capital but since the 1980s Alaskans have been trying to move it. It doesn’t have any roads that go anywhere, but half its residents and its mayor opposed a plan to build one that would.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Four people walking on Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, USA

    Mendenhall Glacier

    Juneau

    Going to Juneau and not seeing the Mendenhall is like visiting Rome and skipping the Colosseum. The most famous of Juneau’s ice floes, and the city’s most…

  • Old pump station at the beach in the Treadwell mine historic park in Juneau, Alaska.

    Treadwell Mine Historical Trail

    Juneau

    It's hard to envisage today, but the Treadwell mine on Douglas Island was once the largest gold mine in the world, set up like a minitown with its own…

  • Juneau Alaska from Mt. Roberts with tramway.; Shutterstock ID 37133203; Your name (First / Last): Alexander Howard; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Destination Next Pages

    Mt Roberts Tramway

    Juneau

    As far as cable cars go, this tramway is rather expensive for a five-minute ride. But from a marketing point of view its location couldn’t be better. It…

  • The Shrine of St Thérèse church near Juneau, Alaska.

    Shrine of St Thérèse

    Juneau

    Get ready for some spiritual enlightenment. The Shrine of St Thérèse is a natural stone chapel on a beautifully wooded island connected to the shore by a…

  • Nugget Creek falls cascade into Mendenhall Lake, close to Juneau, Alaska.

    Nugget Falls

    Juneau

    A spectacular sight at Mendenhall Glacier is this waterfall, a mini-Niagara (in season) caused by Nugget Creek diving off a hanging valley into Mendenhall…

  • View of the glacier from the inside of the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

    Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

    Juneau

    This mini-museum holds ranger talks, shows an 11-minute film and displays exhibits relating to the glacier and its formation. There are huge panoramic…

  • Last Chance Mining Museum

    Juneau

    Amble out to the end of Basin Rd, a beautiful 1-mile walk from the north end of Gastineau Ave, to the former Alaska-Juneau Gold Mining Company complex. It…

  • Point Bridget State Park

    Juneau

    Juneau’s only state park overlooks Berners Bay and Lynn Canal; salmon fishing is excellent off the Berners Bay beaches and in Cowee Creek. Hiking trails…

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Best Things to Do

Adventure comes in many forms in Juneau, the spectacularly located capital of Alaska. Here are the best things to do in this unique Alaskan city.

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