Juneau, Alaska
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Details
Juneau — the capital you can't drive to
Alaska's capital city
Here's the quirk that tells you everything about Juneau: it's the only state capital in the country you can't reach by road. Hemmed in by mountains on one side and the Gastineau Channel on the other, the only way in is by air or water — which means you'll arrive the way almost everyone does, by sea, stepping off the ship right into downtown. Behind the waterfront saloons and gold-rush storefronts rise 3,000-foot peaks and, just up the valley, a glacier you can walk right up to.
Why stop here
Juneau packs more into a port day than just about anywhere on the route. It's the jumping-off point for the Mendenhall Glacier — a 13-mile river of ice with a visitor center, easy trails, and Nugget Falls thundering down beside it — and it sits on some of the best whale water in Alaska. Everything launches from the dock, so you're not burning your day in transit.
Potential activities
- Whale watching in Auke Bay — humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, and eagles, with sightings all but guaranteed in summer. Smaller local boats get you closer to the water.
- Mendenhall Glacier — walk the trails, hike out to Nugget Falls, or go bigger with a guided glacier trek or a helicopter tour that lands you on the ice.
- Mount Roberts Tramway — a quick ride from downtown to alpine trails and long views over the channel.
- Dog sledding on the icefield — helicopter up to a summer musher camp and drive a real team across the snow.
- Downtown on foot —the historic Red Dog Saloon, local galleries, and the state museum, all walkable from the pier.
Port Info
Schedule
Start Time
Jun 14 6:30AM AKDT
to
End Time
Jun 14 4:15PM AKDT