Juneau

Alaska's state capital is also one of the state's most beautiful cities and one of its most visited communities. With so much to see and do in Juneau, there's bound to be something for everyone. Downtown Juneau is a maze of narrow streets running past a mix of new structures, old storefronts, and quaint houses featuring early 19th-century architecture from the town's gold-mining days, nestled between Mount Juneau, Mount Roberts, and the Gastineau Channel. Cruise ships, fishing boats, and floatplanes zip in and out of the harbor. Juneau is the only state capital in the United States that can only be reached by plane or boat, as there is no road access.

Juneau's vibrant downtown is compact, easy to navigate on foot, and a popular destination for visitors. Many of Juneau's main attractions, including the State Capitol Building, Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, several museums, and historic South Franklin Street, are within easy walking distance of the cruise ship docks. The Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau is also nearby, with visitor information, displays, and walking tour maps of the city. Historic South Franklin Street is a refurbished historical district just a block from the waterfront, with many buildings dating from the early 1900s that have since been converted into bars, gift shops, and restaurants.

A delightful Marine Park is nearby, with spotting scopes for visitors to look for mountain goats on Mount Juneau. Tahku, a life-size bronze humpback whale statue that appears to be leaping from an infinity pool near the Juneau-Douglass Bridge, is also not to be missed. Visitors can soar to new heights on the Mount Roberts Tramway, which departs from South Franklin Street. Gondolas transport visitors above the city, where they can enjoy spectacular scenery, Alaska Native culture and art, and even shopping and dining. Most importantly, the tramway provides easy access to spectacular views and excellent hiking above the tree line. Built in 1893 against the backdrop of Mount Juneau, the onion-domed Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is the oldest original and continuously-used church in the Inside Passage. The church houses a small gift shop filled with nesting dolls and other handcrafted items from Russia.