Juneau Alaska Travel

Vacation Adventures in the Inside Passage

Juneau, Alaska is truly one of the most beautiful cities you will ever visit.

I knew nothing of this small city when my ship first pulled into its port.

But it took just one look at the magnificent setting on the Gastineau Channel and breathtaking Alpine scenery for me to fall in love with Alaska's capitol city.

Yet the city also has the advantage of being on a pristine coast, where orcas and humpback whales can be spotted breaching in the waters right beside the quaint downtown

There is an incredible array of tours and activities available, making this picturesque city a favorite stop for luxury cruise ships as well as a longer term destination for people seeking adventure in Alaska's pristine Inside Passage.

Popular on-shore cruise expeditions include humpback whale watches, trips to the Mendenhall Glacier, bear viewing on nearby Admiralty Island, helicopter tours of the glacier and massive ice fields, dog sledding, sea kayaking, charter fishing, glacier trekking and ice climbing, and cruises to the majestic Tracy Arm Fjord.

But perhaps my favorite activity in this city was the ride up the Mt. Roberts Tramway, which takes you up 1800 feet from downtown to a forested peak from which you can get an absolutely breathtaking view of downtown, the surrounding islands, and snow capped peaks (the above picture was taken from atop the tramway).

There are wonderful hiking trails for people of all levels of physical fitness, allowing you to experience first hand the natural wonders and wildlife of this rain forest.

For those staying for longer than a day, the city makes a wonderful base of operations for exploring the northern and central portions of the Inside Passage. Click here to learn about Juneau hotel options, or click here to find out my pick for the best hotel and best hotel deal in town.

Juneau is surrounded by a massive ice field, which makes land travel to the interior impossible. Therefore, you can only get there by plane, cruise ship, and ferry.

Once you are in town, the system of ferries allows for easy access to the nearby towns and adventure destinations.

Skagway, Haines, and the Yukon Territory are all within a relatively short ferry ride.

Area fishing is excellent and diverse. And day cruises to Glacier Bay National Park offer opportunities to explore this majestic, awe-inspiring park via boat, kayak, and on foot.

Perhaps an even better choice for a day excursion from the city is the dramatic Tracy Arm Fjord and the Sawyer Glacier At half the distance from Juneau, yet with a beauty that has been comparede to that of Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm is a much easier day trip. It also costs about half as much, so you can save some money as well.

For information on the city's weather and precipitation averages, click here.

Juneau is one of my favorite places to visit, and I am sure you will love it too, whether you spend a day, a week, or longer on this section of the Inside Passage.

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