Juneau, Alaska (Monday 8/23) 11:00 am - 9:30 pm:
Juneau is a center of natural splendor, and one of the key attractions is Mendenhall Glacier, an easy day trip from the dock. The area also offers many whale-watching, fishing, and hiking opportunities (including glacier hiking, which combines a helicopter ride with a two-hour glacier hike). Those looking for indoor activities can visit the Alaska State Museum, do some shopping, take a tram ride to the 1,800-foot-high Mt. Roberts station, or just hang out at the Red Dog Saloon.
An Overview of Juneau:
Juneau is one of the largest cities in the United States, in terms of acreage. The city covers 3,108 square miles. Some of the most majestic beauty that can be found in America is located here. The climate is moderately cool and wet throughout the year. Though cosmopolitan by Alaska's standards, Juneau is still full of small town frontier, atmosphere. Today, the population of approximately 30,000 includes artists, writers, scientists, and scholars.
The history of Juneau dates back to 1880 when Richard Harris and Joe Juneau, led by a Tlingit Indian named Kowee, discovered gold at the mouth of Gold Creek. This discovery led to the founding of a new town in 1906. The gold mining industry was halted in 1944, but continues to play an important part in Juneau's economy, as does fishing and tourism.
Juneau is located in the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in North America. The rainforest in North America. The rainforest does give Juneau its fair share of rain, however it also keeps the temperatures fairly mild with highs in the mid 30s in the winter, and high 60s in the summer. Juneau also enjoys very long summer days with nearly 18 hours of daylight during early summer.
Juneau at a Glance:
Juneau is located on the Mainland of Southeast Alaska. All taxi cabs are meter rates. The time zone is Alaska Daylight Time, a four hour difference from Eastern Standard Time. The currency is the U.S. Dollar and the population is 30,000
