If you have the opportunity to visit the picturesque city of Juneau, Alaska, do not miss your chance. This is one of the few places in the world where one can still see real natural glaciers and breathtaking views of the Alaskan Rocky mountains. At the same time, you can witness the city of Juneau, itself a relic of the Last Frontier, sprinkled with modern multicolored homes, museums, and historic bars. We’ve put together a list of interesting things you can do while in Juneau Alaska.
First of all, if you stay at any of the Juneau hotels downtown, the front desk will generally suggest taking an unforgettable journey to the summit of Mount Roberts. This journey starts at a tramway station in the city downtown and finishes up on the mountain peak at a height of 1,800 feet (550 meters) above sea level. Climbing up on the tramway provides a perfect opportunity to appreciate the magnificent beauty of the natural scenery: the rain forest, the waterway, and the Alaska state capital at the bottom of the mountain. On the summit, there is a Natural Center where people can learn a lot about Alaska wildlife and the natural environment of the mountain. You can observe wild eagles, hawks, falcons, and other local birds at the Juneau Raptor Center. If you still do not have a picture in an eagle’s nest, this is the place you can do it! No one can resist taking a picture in a life-sized replica of an eagle’s nest. The peak of Mount Roberts is also famous for hiking and taking pictures of wonderful surroundings. At a gift shop there is a possibility to buy traditional crafts made by Alaska Natives as well as other memorable souvenirs remarkable for this place.
If your interest in Alaskan culture is peaked, you can observe many fascinating artifacts displayed in the Alaska State Museum. Learn about Native American history, Russian settlers in Alaska, and the times of The Gold Rush. Displays include ceremonial and shamanic items of the ancient peoples who populated this area for thousands of years. The exhibits show the life of arctic peoples successfully surviving the hostility of northern climate. There is a big exposition devoted to the discovery of Alaska by Russians, and the circumstances leading to the Alaska purchase agreement with the US.
Juneau hotels downtown can offer you a variety of drinks and dishes in their restaurants and bars on premises, but if you want to have a truly unique experience of Alaskan Frontier culture, visit the Red Dog Saloon. Have you ever walked through a swinging door into a mysterious ambiance of a saloon that reflects the atmosphere of the illustrious gold-mining era of the 19th century? A taxidermied Grizzly bear, reindeer and fish, a whale oosik, old banknotes on the walls, the antique cash register, the original clothing items, authentic guns, and a renovated piano – these are the things that bring in thousands of Juneau tourists into this amazing city attraction every year. The drinks in the Red Dog Saloon have funny, and somewhat unusual names: try the shots called “Duck Fart” or “Glacier Margarita”. Or perhaps you may want to try the famous drinks called “Cheap Sh*t” or “Really Expensive Sh*t”. Get a taste of taste of “Nunivac” (Alaskan reindeer sausage), or share some “Pt. Retreat Smoked Salmon Spread” with your friend. In the Red Dog Saloon Mercantile, you can purchase apparel, glassware, hats, and novelties with the emblem of the saloon, the red dog.
If you are looking for a place to start your visit in Alaska, definitely start with the State capital city of Juneau, and you will not regret it. There are plenty of things to do in this town.
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