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City and Borough of Juneau
—  City and Borough  —
Gastineau Channel with downtown Juneau
Flag Seal
Location in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska
City and Borough of Juneau Location of Juneau in the state of Alaska, USA
Coordinates: 58°23′00″N 134°11′00″W / 58.3833333°N 134.1833333°W / 58.3833333; -134.1833333Coordinates: 58°23′00″N 134°11′00″W / 58.3833333°N 134.1833333°W / 58.3833333; -134.1833333
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Founded	1881
Incorporated	1890
Government
- Mayor	Bruce Botelho
Area
- City and Borough	3,255.0 sq mi (8,430.4 km2)
- Land	2,715.7 sq mi (7,036.1 km2)
- Water	539.3 sq mi (1,394.3 km2)
- Urban	12 sq mi (31.1 km2)
Elevation	56 ft (17 m)
Population (2008)[1]
- City and Borough	30,988
- Density	11.3/sq mi (4.4/km2)
- Urban	17,311
Time zone	AKST (UTC-9)
- Summer (DST)	AKDT (UTC-8)
Area code(s)	907
FIPS code	02-36400
GNIS feature ID	1404263
Website	www.juneau.org

The City and Borough of Juneau (pronounced /ˈdʒuːnoʊ/) is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-Alaska Territory was moved from Sitka. The municipality unified in 1970 when the City of Juneau merged with the City of Douglas and the surrounding borough to form the current home rule municipality.

The area of Juneau is larger than that of Rhode Island and Delaware individually and almost as large as the two states combined. Downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2000 census, the City and Borough had a population of 30,711. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the City and Borough was 30,988.^[1]

Juneau is named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, though the place was for a time called Rockwell and then Harrisburg (after Juneau's co-prospector, Richard Harris — several books credit the Tlingit Chief Kowee with showing these prospectors where the gold was). The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni "river where the flounders gather", and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aak'w "little lake" in Tlingit. The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold t'aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains.

Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, with tides averaging 16 feet (4.9 m), below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Icefield, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; two of these, the Mendenhall Glacier and the Lemon Creek Glacier, are visible from the local road system; the Mendenhall glacier has been generally retreating; its front face is declining both in width and height.

The current Alaska State Capitol is an office building in downtown Juneau, originally built as the Federal and Territorial Building in 1931. Originally housing federal government offices, the federal courthouse, and a post office, it became the home of the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska. Through the years, there has been discussion on relocating the seat of state government and building a new capitol, without significant development.

History

Chief Anotklosh of the Taku tribe taken in 1913.

Long before European settlement in the Americas, the Gastineau Channel was a favorite fishing ground for local Tlingit Indians, known then as the Auke and Taku tribes, who had inhabited the surrounding area for thousands of years. The native cultures are rich with artistic traditions including carving, weaving, orating, singing and dancing, and Juneau has become a major social center for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian of Southeast Alaska.

In 1880, Sitka mining engineer George Pilz offered a reward to any local chief who could lead him to gold-bearing ore. Chief Kowee arrived with some ore and several prospectors were sent to investigate. On their first trip, to Gold Creek, they found deposits of little interest. However, at Chief Kowee's urging Pilz sent Joe Juneau and Richard Harris back to the Gastineau Channel, directing them to Snow Slide Gulch (the head of Gold Creek) where they found nuggets "as large as peas and beans," in Harris' words.

On October 18, 1880, the two men marked a 160-acre (0.65 km²) town site where soon a mining camp appeared. Within a year, the camp became a small town, the first to be founded after Alaska's purchase by the United States.

The town was originally called Harrisburg, after Richard Harris; some time later, its name was changed to Rockwell. In 1881, the miners met and renamed the town Juneau, after Joe Juneau. In 1906, after the diminution of the whaling and fur trade, Sitka, the original capital of Alaska, declined in importance and the seat of government was moved to Juneau. Juneau was the largest city in Alaska during the inter-war years, passing Fairbanks in the 1920 census and displaced by Anchorage in 1950.

Memorial to Patsy Ann, a famous Bull Terrier that lived on the streets of Juneau during the 1930s. Although completely deaf, she was always aware of arriving ships before they could be seen or their horn heard.^[2]

In 1954, Alaskans passed a measure to move the capital north.^{[citation needed]} Robert Atwood, then publisher of the Anchorage Times and an Anchorage 'booster,' was an early leader in capital move efforts—efforts which many in Juneau and Fairbanks resisted. One provision required the new capital to be at least 30 miles (48 km) from Anchorage and Fairbanks, to prevent either city from having undue influence; in the end Juneau remained the capital. In the 1970s, voters passed a plan to move the capital to Willow, a town 70 miles (110 km) north of Anchorage. But pro-Juneau people there and in Fairbanks got voters to also approve a measure (the FRANK Initiative) requiring voter approval of all bondable construction costs before building could begin. Alaskans later voted against spending the estimated $900 million. A 1984 "ultimate" capital-move vote also failed, as did a 1996 vote.

Alaskans thus several times voted on moving their capital, but Juneau remains the capital.^[3] Once Alaska was granted statehood in 1959, Juneau grew with the growth of state government. Growth accelerated remarkably after the construction of the Alaska Pipeline in 1977, the state budget being flush with oil revenues; Juneau expanded for a time due to growth in state government jobs, but that growth slowed considerably in the 1980s.^[4] The state demographer expects the borough to grow very slowly over the next twenty years.^[5] Cruise ship tourism rocketed upward from about 230,000 passengers in 1990 to nearly 1,000,000 in 2006 as cruise lines built more and larger ships—even 'mega-ships', sailing to Juneau seven days a week instead of six, over a longer season, but this primarily summer industry provides few year-round jobs. Its population rank in 2000 was second in the state, closely ahead of Fairbanks; recent estimates have Juneau falling back to third, as it was in the 1960-90 counts.

Juneau is larger in area than the state of Delaware and was, for many years, the country's largest city by area. Juneau continues to be the only U.S. state capital located on an international border: it is bordered on the east by Canada. It is the U.S. state capital whose namesake was most recently alive: Joe Juneau died in 1899, a year after Otto von Bismarck (North Dakota).

Geography and climate

Mendenhall Glacier, 2009

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3,255.0 square miles (8,430 km²), making it the second-largest municipality in the United States by area (the largest is Sitka, Alaska). 2,716.7 square miles (7,036 km²) of it is land and 538.3 square miles (1,394 km²) of it (16.54%) is water.

Central (downtown) Juneau is located at 58°18′07″N 134°25′11″W / 58.30194°N 134.41972°W / 58.30194; -134.41972.^[6] According to the Köppen Classification, Juneau has a humid continental climate despite its coastal location, though it is influenced by the Pacific Ocean. Average annual rainfall ranges from 55 inches (1,400 mm) to over 90 inches (2,300 mm) depending on location^[7]; annual average snowfall at Juneau International Airport is 93 inches (240 cm). The average high temperature in July is 65 °F (18 °C), and the average low temperature in January is 20 °F (−7 °C).

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Haines Borough, Alaska - northwest, west
• Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska - south, southwest

Border area

Juneau, Alaska, shares its eastern border with the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the only U.S. state capital to border another country. Carson City, Nevada and Trenton, New Jersey are the only state capitals which border another state.

• Stikine Region, British Columbia - northeast, east

	Haines Borough	Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada	Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada
	Haines Borough		Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada
		Juneau, Alaska
	Hoonah-Angoon Census Area	Hoonah-Angoon Census Area

National protected areas

• Tongass National Forest (part)
  • Admiralty Island National Monument (part)
    • Kootznoowoo Wilderness (part)
  • Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (part)

Demographics

As of the census^[9] of 2000, there were 30,700 people, 11,500 households, and 7,600 families residing in the city/borough. The population density was 11.3/square mile (4.4/km²). There were 12,300 housing units at an average density of 4.5/sq mi (1.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city/borough was 74.79% White, 0.81% African American, 11.38% Native American, 4.68% Asian, 0.38% Pacific Islander, and 1.05% from other races, and 6.91% from two or more races. 3.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 15.1% reported speaking Tlingit at home, 5.07% Inupiag, 2.61% Tagalog, and 2.38% Spanish.^[10]

There were 11,543 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city/borough the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city/borough was $62,034, and the median income for a family was $70,284. Males had a median income of $46,744 versus $33,168 for females. The per capita income for the city/borough was $26,719. 6.0% of the population and 3.7% of families were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older.

Economy

As the capital of Alaska, the primary employer in Juneau, by a large margin, is government. This includes the federal government, state government, municipal government (which does include the local airport, the local hospital, harbors, and the school district), and the University of Alaska Southeast. State government offices and their indirect economic impact compose approximately one-quarter of Juneau's economy.^[11]

A salmon-themed stained glass window in the Juneau Public Library illustrates some of the city's heritage.

Another large contibutor to the local economy, at least on a part-time basis, is the tourism industry. In 2005, the cruise ship industry was estimated to bring nearly one million visitors to Juneau^[12] for up to 11 hours at a time, between the months of May and September.

The fishing industry used to be a major part of the Juneau economy. Until recently, Juneau was the 49th most lucrative U.S. fisheries port by volume and 45th by value taking in 15 million pounds of fish and shellfish valued at 21.5 million dollars in 2004 according to the National Marine Fisheries Service. Tree-trunk exporting also has a fondly remembered place in Juneau's economic history.

Real estate agencies, federally-funded highway construction, and mining are apparently still viable non-government local industries. Local mines include Greens Creek, owned by Hecla Mining Company (Greens Creek Mine was a 70% Kennecott & 30% Hecla Joint Venture until Spring of 2008 when Hecla purchased the 70% Kennecott owned for approximately $750 Million) and (soon) the Kensington Gold Mine, owned by Couer Alaska.

Juneau's only power utility is Alaska Electric Light & Power (AEL&P). Most of the electricity in the borough is generated at the Snettisham Hydroelectric facility in the southern end of the borough, accessible only by boat or plane. In April 2008, an avalanche destroyed three transmission towers, forcing AEL&P to generate almost all of the borough's electricity with diesel-powered generators. A second hydroelectric generating facility, the Lake Dorothy Project, is scheduled to be online in 2009.

Arts and entertainment

Juneau is home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. The area hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals, and the Juneau Symphony performs regularly. Downtown Juneau boasts dozens of art galleries, which participate in the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk and the enormously popular December Gallery Walk held in the first week of December. The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council coordinates events while fund-raising, distributing some grant money, and operating a gallery at its office in the Juneau Arts & Culture Center, 350 Whittier Street. On summer Friday evenings open-air music and dance performances are held at Marine Park. The University of Alaska Southeast Campus also offers lectures, concerts, and theater performances.

The Juneau Lyric Opera and Opera to Go are the two local opera companies. JLO produces operas in English and Italian and sponsors two annual choral workshop festivals, as well as the touring group the "3 Tenors from Juneau."

Some Juneau artists include violinists Linda and Paul Rosenthal, soprano Kathleen Wayne, bass John d'Armand, baritones Philippe Damerval and David Miller, tenors Jay Query, Brett Crawford and Dan Wayne, Rory Merritt Stitt, pianist Mary Watson, folk musician Buddy Tabor, playwright Robert Bruce "Bo" Anderson, and painters Rie Muñoz, David Woodie, Barbara Craver, Rob Roys, Elise Tomlinson, and Herb Bonnet. Photographer Ron Klein is a past president of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers.

Government

Juneau City Hall.

Alaska State Capitol

Two districts have been defined by the Assembly of the City and Borough of Juneau:

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Juneau is served by the Juneau School District and includes the following schools:^[13]

In addition, the following private schools also serve Juneau:

• (Glacier) Valley Baptist Academy
• Faith Community School
• Thunder Mountain Learning Center (Formerly Thunder Mountain Academy)
• Juneau Seventh-day Adventist Christian School
• Juneau Montessori School

Colleges and universities

Juneau is the home of the following institutes of higher education:

• University of Alaska Southeast

Transportation

AMHS's flagship, the M/V Columbia.

Alaska Airlines flight moments after landing at Juneau International Airport.

Juneau is a popular cruise ship destination.

Juneau in the winter

Sea

Juneau is accessible only via sea or air. Cars and trucks are transported to and from Juneau by barge or ferry. The State-owned ferry is called the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). Juneau is one of only five state capitals not served by an interstate highway. Dover, Delaware; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carson City, Nevada; and Pierre, South Dakota, are the other four state capitals with this distinction. Approximately one million passengers arrive each summer on cruise ships. Juneau has fewer than 200 miles (320 km) of paved road^{[citation needed]}. There are more vehicles in the city than there are people^{[citation needed]}, as many citizens also own light planes, float planes, and boats. Local government operates a bus service under the name Capital Transit. There are also several taxicab companies, as well as tour buses, which are mainly used for cruise ship visitors.

Air

The only airport in Juneau is Juneau International Airport. Alaska Airlines is as of 2009 the sole commercial jet passenger operator. MarkAir and Western Airlines and its successor, Delta previously served Juneau. Alaska Airlines provides service to Anchorage and Fairbanks as well as to many small communities in the state. Seattle is a common destination for Juneau residents.

Some air carriers provide U.S. mail service. Residents walk, hike, or ride bicycles recreationally. A study has been conducted to make Juneau a more walkable area. Trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and all terrain vehicles are popular.^{[citation needed]}

• List of airports in the City and Borough of Juneau

Roads

Avalanche hazards, steep slopes, cold weather and environmental protection concerns are factors that make road construction and maintenance difficult and costly.

Mendenhall Glacier

A very popular destination is Mendenhall Glacier. A bridge connects Douglas Island with the rest of Juneau, and there are about five places where roads end. Float planes and helicopters offer glacier tours in summer. Dog sled rides are often given to tourists landing on the glaciers or ice caps. Other companies offer boat rides. One of the signature places in Juneau is The Mount Roberts Tramway, an aerial tramway stretching from a station on the cruise ship docks to a point on the southwestern ridge of Mount Roberts.

Juneau Access Project

Juneau's roads remain separate from other roads in Alaska and in the Lower 48. Currently, fast car ferries connect Juneau with Haines and Skagway.^[14] There are plans to connect Juneau to Haines and Skagway by road, but the State of Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced in 2005 that the connection was to be provided partly by road, and partly by fast ferry.^[15] A 51-mile road would be built on east side of Lynn Canal to a new ferry terminal at the Katzehin River estuary.^[14] A ferry would take cars from the terminal to Haines and Skagway, where the cars could then drive over 300 miles to Anchorage.^[14] In 2006, the project was estimated to cost $258 million, and in 2007, the estimate was increased to $350 million.^[14] The Western Federal Lands Center estimates the project will cost $491 million.^[14] As of 2009, $25 million has been spent on the project.^[14]

Local opinions on constructing a road link to the outside world are mixed. Some see such a road as a much-needed link between Juneau and the rest of Alaska. Others are concerned about environmental, social, and economic impacts.

Media

Print

Juneau's only daily newspaper, the Juneau Empire, is published Sunday through Friday, no Saturday edition. There is also a regional weekly newspaper, the Capital City Weekly. Juneau-Douglas High School has The Ego and the Alterego, a monthly magazine, and the University of Alaska Southeast has The Whalesong, a college newspaper.

Radio

AM Stations: KJNO 630 and KINY 800.

FM Stations: KTKU 105.1 , KSUP 106.3, and the freeform LPFM station KBJZ-LP 94.1. Recently expanded public radio station KTOO 104.3, KXLL "Excellent Radio" 100.7 and KRNN "Rain Country Radio" 102.7 (both operated by KTOO).

Additionally the offices of CoastAlaska, a regional public radio station consortium, are located in Juneau. AP (the Associated Press), Anchorage news outlets, and other Alaska media entities send reporters to Juneau during the annual Legislative session.

Television

Juneau's major television affiliates are KTOO (PBS), KATH-LP (NBC), KJUD (ABC)/The CW on DT2 and KXLJ-LP (CBS). Fox and MyNetworkTV are only available on cable via their Anchorage affiliates^{[citation needed]}. The Juneau-Douglas High School also has a program with KTOO airing one hour a week during the school year produced entirely by students with the help of Ryan Conarro, "the DL (Down Low)"

Sister cities

Juneau has 5 official sister cities.^[16]

• Camiling, Philippines
• Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
• Chiayi, Taiwan, Republic of China
• Vladivostok, Russia
• Mishan, Heilongjiang Province, People's Republic of China

See also

Alaska portal

• Out the road (Juneau), a region of Juneau
• Douglas, Alaska
• Auke Bay, Alaska
• Thane, Alaska
• Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park
• Evergreen Cemetery

Notes

References

• Andrews, C.L. (1944). The Story of Alaska. The Caxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell, OH. 
• Naske, Claus-M and Herman E. Slotnick (1987). Alaska: A History of the 49th State. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK. ISBN 0-8061-2099-1. 

External links

• Juneau Webcams
• City and Borough of Juneau
• Visit Juneau
• Picture of Juneau and Douglas Island, 1914
• Juneau Public Libraries
• Juneau Wiki: Help your Local Wiki Grow
• National Weather Service Juneau office
• JuneauWiki.org
• Juneau, Alaska at the Open Directory Project

State of Alaska Juneau (capital) Topics Geography | Climate | Wildlife | History | People | Demographics | Transportation | Government | Music | Economy | Culture | Visitor Attractions Regions Aleutian Islands | Arctic Alaska | Bush Alaska | Inside Passage | Interior | Kenai Peninsula | Mat‑Su Valley | North Slope | Southeast | Seward Peninsula | Southcentral | Southwest | Tanana Valley | Yukon‑Kuskokwim Delta Largest cities Anchorage | Barrow | Bethel | Dillingham | Fairbanks | Homer | Juneau | Kenai | Ketchikan | Kodiak | Kotzebue | Nome | Palmer | Petersburg | Seward | Sitka | Soldotna | Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) | Valdez | Wasilla Boroughs Aleutians East | Anchorage | Bristol Bay | Denali | Fairbanks North Star | Haines | Juneau | Kenai Peninsula | Ketchikan Gateway | Kodiak Island | Lake and Peninsula | Matanuska‑Susitna | North Slope | Northwest Arctic | Sitka | Skagway | Wrangell | Yakutat | Unorganized Census Areas Aleutians West | Bethel | Dillingham | Hoonah‑Angoon | Nome | Petersburg | Prince of Wales‑Hyder | Southeast Fairbanks | Valdez‑Cordova | Wade Hampton | Yukon‑Koyukuk

From Wikitravel

Juneau ("JOO-noh") [1] is the capital city of Alaska, located in the state's Southeastern region, with a population of about 30,000 and an area bigger than Rhode Island or Delaware. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-Alaska Territory was moved from Sitka.

Understand

One of the interesting things about Juneau and Alaska is the effect on public life of being such a geographically large state. The state legislature, for instance, takes telephone testimony during its committee hearings. They have a state-wide video conferencing system to facilitate government meetings and deliberations.

Harbor view, Juneau

Geography and Climate

The climate in Juneau and the southeast panhandle is best described as a "cooler wetter version of Seattle." It is a mid-latitude oceanic climate in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate in the northern parts. On an annual basis, this is both the wettest and warmest part of Alaska with milder temperatures in the winter and high precipitation throughout the year. Juneau averages over 50 inches (1,270 mm) of precipitation a year, while other areas receive over 275 inches (6,990 mm).[7] This is also the only region in Alaska in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter months.

Juneau is located at 58°21′5″N, 134°30′42″W (58.351422, -134.511579).GR1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 8,430.4 km² (3,255.0 mi²). 7,036.1 km² (2,716.7 mi²) of it is land and 1,394.3 km² (538.3 mi²) of it (16.54%) is water.

Average annual rainfall ranges from 55 inches to over 90 inches (1400 to over 2300 mm) depending on location.[1]; annual average snowfall is 101 inches (257 cm).

The average high temperature in July is 65°F (18°C), and the average low temperature in January is 20°F (-4°C)

Get in

Juneau is Alaska's capital, however you can't get there by road. Southeast Alaska is sandwiched between the rugged coastal mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. Constructing roads between many of the towns and cities of SE Alaska is prohibitively expensive and sometimes impossible. Only three towns (Haines, Skagway, and Hyder) in the SE Panhandle are connected to a roadway to the lower 48 states (often called "down south"). Access to the rest (including Juneau) is only by air or by sea.

By air

Juneau International Airport (JNU) is a public airport located seven miles (11 km) northwest of downtown Juneau. The airport serves as a regional hub for all air travel, both bush carriers and the regional airline, Alaska Airlines [2], which provides daily jet service to Anchorage and Seattle. Alaska Airlines also has regularly scheduled flights to Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangell, and Petersburg -- with summer service to Gustavus. Smaller airlines that operate regularly scheduled and chartered flights out of Juneau to nearby communities have offices at the airport. The most trusted are Wings of Alaska and Haines Air. Many locals avoid LAB Flying Service.

By sea

Juneau is a main port for the Alaska Marine Highway [3], Alaska's ferry system. The ferry runs regularly throughout Southeast Alaska with regular stops in Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangel, Sitka, Haines, and Skagway. Small communities, such as Angoon, Hoonah, Tenakee Springs, Pelican, and Kake, get occasion AMHS service. The closest port with a road connection is Haines, about a five-hour ride away from Juneau by regular ferry or a two-hour ride on one of the state's new catamaran ferries. The ferry system is the only way to transport a car to Juneau, short of shipping it up on a barge.

Juneau is also a main port of call for cruise ships plying the Inside Passage, which bring several thousand visitors almost every day between May and September. The cruise ships typically dock just south of downtown Juneau in the following docking facilities, listed in order of distance from downtown Juneau:

• Sea Drome Dock (SD)
• Alaska Steamship Dock (AS) -- large ship
• Cruiseship Terminal (CT) -- large ship
• Intermediate Vessel Float (IVF)
• South Franklin Street Dock (FKL) -- large ship
• A J Dock (AJD) -- large ship

A typical summer day may have four or five cruise ships calling on Juneau, which could bring up to ten thousand visitors for the day. To plan your day, check the cruise ship schedule for Juneau[4].

Get around

Downtown Juneau is compact and highly walkable, though above 4th Street it gets very hilly. Watch for the 20 signs that detail the fascinating history of Juneau.

The public Capital Transit[5] provides daily bus service for downtown Juneau and vicinity and charges $1.50 for travel in one direction. Route 3/4 serves the Mendenhall Valley, but can get you no closer than about a mile to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

Car rentals are available at the airport and are necessary if you wish to explore far on your own.

At the cruise ship docks, several bus services offer low-cost rides ($14 round trip) to the Mendenhall Glacier during the summer visitors season.

• Mighty Great Trips' "Blue Glacier Express" is a blue schoolbus that departs every 30 minutes, 9am to 6:30pm on most summer days.
• Juneau Tours Glacier Shuttle [6]

• Alaska State Museum, 395 Whittier Street, ☎ +1-907-465-2901 (fax: +1-907-465-2976), [7].  edit One of Alaska's best exhibits covering the breadth of the State's history, native cultures, wildlife, industry, and art. Approximately a ten-minute walk from the Cruise ship Terminal. Open year round: daily mid-May through mid-September ($5), Tue-Sat rest of the year ($3).

• Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, 5th St. and Gold St., ☎ +1-907-586-1023 (fax: +1-907-465-2976), [8]. $ 2.00 entrance donation.  edit Tiny ornate octagonal structure was originally built by the Tlingits in 1893. When the Russians were still in Sitka 50 years earlier, Father Ivan Veniaminov of the Russian Orthodox Church translated the Bible into Tlingit. Thus this building became southeast Alaska's oldest continuously operating church.

• Alaska State Capitol, 4th Street and Main Street. Completed in 1931 as the territorial Capitol, this building does not have the typical imposing architecture of a State capitol. Today this Capitol building, remodeled in 2006, houses the State Legislature, the Governor, and the Lieutenant Governor. Free 30-minute tours, mid-May through mid-September [9].

helicopter on Mendenhall Glacier

• Mendenhall Glacier - When in Juneau take a bus from the center of town, where the boats dock, to the Mendenhall Glacier park. You can pay the driver in cash or buy two tickets at one of the many kiosks on the dock. Although you can't get right up to the glacier, you get a great view of it, and the visitors center [10] is very informative. For another low fee, you can purchase a daypass, which no one seems to ever check (but buy it anyway) and then hike on the trails. If you want a moderate hike through some beautiful forest, try the East Glacier trail which loops around east of the visitors' center. Follow the trail clockwise to avoid having to climb many steps -- you'll come down those steps at the end of your hike and to keep the best views of the glacier ahead of you, instead of over your shoulder. Several businesses offer helicopter rides which will take you from the city to Mendenhall Glacier, giving you a bird's eye view of the surrounding terrain, and some time on the ice itself. They're fairly expensive (about $200 per person and up, depending on the length of the excursion), but a remarkable experience that many consider well worth the price.

• Mendenhall Glacier Western Glacier Trail - For the more adventurous, the Western Glacier trail which leads directly to the glacier (you can walk on it) and also to a look out. Get off the bus just past the Mendenhall Glacier park stop. The stop is called Montana Creek. Walk up the road till the car park at the end (around 2km) and you will see the trail-head. Stick to the path, maybe dropping down to the lake side to checkout the icebergs and grab some photos. Continue along the path, across several bridges and up some switchbacks with fixed cables. Soon you will come to fork in the path, the left is steep and heads to the lookout, the right goes downhill into some dense vegetation. Shortly into the right-hand trail you will come across a shelter slightly off the track. Continue for several miles along the track, taking care on the slippery rock areas. Eventually you will come to a break in the cliff where it is possible to scramble/climb to the top. Recommend taking crampons if you want to walk on the glacier, stay away from crevasses and don't fall in. There are usually guides walking people out there so watch where they walk. Return the way you arrived, the whole thing should take about 5 hours. Don't forget to sign out when you leave the area.

• Mount Roberts Tramway [11]. There is a tram that runs from the docks in downtown Juneau up Mount Roberts, one of the peaks overlooking the city, $27 for an all-day pass. At the top is the Mount Roberts Nature Center which features a captive eagle (not as impressive as seeing them from a distance in the wild) and some not-too-difficult scenic hiking trails with interpretive information. The more adventurous hiker can branch off from these trails and continue upward to the summit, where snowfields can be found even in the warmth of summer. It's difficult going in places, but provides some stunning views of the channel and city far below. If you don't want to pay $24 to ride up the tram, you can also hike the whole mountain. The trailhead starts at the end of 6th street and takes about an hour to climb up to the top of the tram. A one way tram ride down the mountain costs $5.

• Alaskan Brewing Company Brewery Tour, [12]. If you head down to the Alaskan Brewing Company headquarters they will give you a tour/talk and free tasting of some great beer. A good way to end a day of hiking. To get there, jump on the bus and ask the driver which stop to get off at. Walk across the road and turn at the second right.

Do

The most popular activities in Juneau for visitors are shopping, flight seeing, charter fishing, visiting the Mendendhall Glacier, and hiking. Be aware the Juneau is very spread-out. It is broken into sections. There is "Downtown", and "The Valley" (where the Mendenhall Glacier, Mendenhall Mall, a skate park, as well as most of the residential is located). The distance between the two is a good 15 minutes.

Of the cruiseship tour options, an air tour leaves the biggest impression—especially if the weather is clear. Behind Juneau lies the Juneau Icefield. Helicopter and floatplane tours are available. The most popular floatplane tour is with Wings Airways [13] to the Taku Lodge [14]. Most of the helicopter tours include a stop landing on the glacier. Alternatively, get a group together and charter an small airplane tour. These will generally be less expensive (you pay by the hour) and allows you to customize your experience. Ward Air [15] is highly regarded, but Wings of Alaska and other carriers offer charter flights.

Be sure to go for a hike while in Juneau. There are over 90 hiking trails in the area (many very steep). A few lead to rental cabins available from the US Forest Service or State of Alaska parks. If you want a guide, Gastineau Guiding [16] offers guided hikes on many popular trails and combines some hikes with whale watching or kayaking.

Buy

Juneau, like many towns dominated by the cruiseship industry, is ripe with jewelery, t-shirt, and trinket shops. On busy cruiseship days you can watch as thousands of cruisers in matching track outfits ply the shopping district to get trinkets for their grandchildren and jewelry for themselves.

There are a few locally owned stores that attract locals and tourists. Check out William Spear Design [17] (Franklin Street above Heritage Coffee) for awesome pins.

The Alaskan Brewery [18] also has good Alaska based products that are popular with locals and tourists alike.

Look for a sign in shop windows that says "This store is owned by an Alaskan family."

• Rainbow Foods (4th and Franklin downtown). Juneau's natural food store. Good produce, awesome weekday deli, and Thursday night dinners. Prices are not so bad considering everything comes in by jet or boat.

• A&P Market (downtown)

• Fred Meyer's Grocery

• Super Bear (Mendenhall Valley)

• Safeway (Mendenhall Valley)

• Breakwater Inn, 1711 Glacier Avenue, ☎ 586.6303.  edit

• Canton House, 8585 Old Dairy Road, ☎ 789.5075.  edit

• Chan's Thai Kitchen

• Doc Water's Pub and Restaurant, 2 Marine Way Suite 125, ☎ 586.6327, [19]. Sun-Thurs 10:30A-1A, Fri & Sat 10:30A-3A.  edit

• Douglas Café, 913 3rd Street, Douglas, ☎ 364.3307. Tues 11A-2:30P, Wed-Fri 11A-9P, Sat 9A-9P, Sun 9A-12:30P.  edit

• El Sombrero, 157 S. Franklin Street, ☎ 586.6770. Mon-Thurs 11A-9P, Fri & Sat 11A-10P.  edit

• Fernando's, 116 N. Franklin Street, ☎ 463.3992, [20]. Mon-Sat 11A-9P.  edit

• Seongs Sushi is small and crowded but has good sushi and sashimi.

• Silverbow Bakery Great fresh bagels; Tuesday is two for one! The Silverbow also has a movie theater where they show the occasional free movie. It is a meeting place for a diverse group of people. Free Wirelesss access with purchase. They host wine tastings, an independent film/video makers conference and the occasional LGBT event. A really great place.

• The Hangar (On the Wharf), 2 Marine Way, ☎ 586.5018, [21]. Great place to sit at the bar and gaze at the view. It also has a good selection of food. The Halibut Taco is good as are the burgers and soups. It hosts a mixture of locals and tourists.  edit

• The Hot Bite, Boat Harbor, Auke Bay, ☎ 790.2483.  edit

• The Island Pub, 1102 2nd Street, Douglas, ☎ 364.1595. Has good pizzas and sandwiches, a good vibe, and a stunning view of the channel looking back towards Juneau. Sometimes you can catch a local bluegrass or jazz band there.  edit

• The Twisted Fish is also a good bet for food but it caters to tourists (closed in the winter). Not cheap but not outrageous either. A bit loud for quiet conversation.

• Zen is in the Goldbelt Hotel across from the downtown waterfront. Rather pricey but has truly fantastic Asian fusion cuisine. Serene atmosphere, not too touristy.

• The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council offers TLC: A Taste of Local Culture for Visitors, an opportunity to enjoy a home-cooked meal with real Alaskans in their home, and support the arts at the same time. Contact them at [22] or call them at 907 586-2787 to arrange your dinner. $35/person.

Drink

By far the most popular with locals is The Alaskan Bar (South Franklin Street) to hang out with locals, listen to music (Thursday is open mic night) and drink an Alaskan (beer) with an Alaskan in the Alaskan. A bit rough looking but a great hangout.

• The Hangar which is also good for food. Sit and watch the float planes takeoff and the cruise ships come and go. During daylight hours in the tourist season, when the floatplanes are constantly arriving and taking off next door, either sit inside or plan to leave with a headache and a hoarse throat. When tourist season is over, sit outside and enjoy the relative solitude.

• The Triangle Bar. Looks like somewhere you wouldn't want to go, but sometimes it fills the bill, especially during legislative season when the lobbyists, lawyers and aides can be found there.

• Island Pub in Douglas (see the Eat section above)

• Squire's Rest out in Auke Bay for a rustic experience.

• Drop into the Alaskan Brewery to sample the brews.
• Pel Meni. Pel Meni serves authentic Russian Dumplings. There is no menu as Pel Meni dumplings are all they serve. it's small and not the fanciest place in the world, but it is a must visit while in Juneau.  edit

• Juneau International Hostel, 614 Harris Street, +1 907 586-9559, [23]. Beds priced at $10 per night, lockout during the day and guests are assigned a daily job. Walking distance to downtown.
• Goldbelt Hotel Juneau, 51 Egan Drive, ☎ 1+907-586-6900 (fax: +1-907-463-5861), [24]. $109 +.  edit
• Westmark Baranof Hotel, 127 North Franklin Street, ☎ 1+907-586-2660 (fax: +1-907-586-8315), [25]. $129 - $250.  edit
• Prospector Hotel, 375 Whittier Street, ☎ 1+907-789-5005 (fax: +1-907-789-2818), [26]. $109 - $179.  edit
• Best Western Country Lane Inn, 9300 Glacier Highway, ☎ 1+907-586-3737 (fax: +1-907-586-1204), [27]. $.  edit
• Best Western Grandma's Feather Bed, 2358 Mendenhall Loop Road, ☎ 1+907-789-5566 (fax: +1-907-789-2818), [28].  edit
• Extended Stay Deluxe, 1800 Shell Simmons Drive, ☎ 1+907-790-6435 (fax: +1-907-790-6621), [29].  edit
• Beachside Villa Luxury Inn, 3120 Douglas Hwy., ☎ 907-463-5531, [30]. checkin: 5 p.m.; checkout: 12 p.m.. This is one of Juneau's extremely rare waterfront Inns. Beachside Villa has views of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Robert's as well as the city lights and cruise ships, watercraft and Alaskan wildlife on the water. Sometimes you can see whales out in the harbor. The rooms are nice and have fresh nice coffee/tea/cocoa in the rooms.  edit

From LoveToKnow 1911

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English

Wikipedia has an article on:

Juneau

Wikipedia

Proper noun

Juneau

1. Capital of Alaska, a state of the United States of America.

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