The city of Juneau may have a population of just 30,000 people, but the state capital of Alaska has plenty to talk about. Juneau welcomes thousands of visitors each year, many as passengers on one of the hundreds of cruise ships that drop anchor in the inside passage. The cruise ship industry is a major economic contributor to the area, with natural resources like mining, logging, and fishing adding their fair share. Most everyone is looking for adventure at the hands of the Northern wilderness of Alaska. Glacier walks, hiking, and sea kayaking are just some of the ways to get outside.
Start with a six-minute ride up Mount Roberts. The Mount Roberts Tramway leaves directly from the harbor front of Juneau, and takes passengers 1,800 feet in the air for truly magnificent vistas of snow-capped peaks, rivers of ice, and cool blue waters.
Don a pair of crampons for tractions on ice as you roam the Taku Glacier on foot. ...More information below photos...
...Continue gallery information: Crawl inside an ice cave of the Mendenhall Glacier and feel the cold emanating from ancient ice. Paddle the Mendenhall Lake in a sea kayak, but steer clear of the dangerous wake of the roaring Nugget Creek Falls pouring into the glacial lake.
For a bit of culture, take in some traditional celebrations of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people, those that came before you to the vast wilderness of Alaska.