Juneau: See
1 Alaska State Museum, 395 Whittier St, ☏ +1-907-465-2901, fax: +1-907-465-2976. Tue-Sat. Summer: 9AM to 5PM, winter: 10AM to 4PM. One of Alaska's best exhibits covering the breadth of the state's history, native cultures, wildlife, industry, and art. Approximately a ten-minute walk from the cruise ship terminal. Adults: May-Sep $12, Oct-Apr $7; children 18 and under free; also free with military ID. (updated Nov 2023)
2 Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, 326 5th St, ☏ +1-907-586-1023. Tiny ornate octagonal structure that was built by the Tlingits in 1893. When the Russians were still in Sitka 50 years earlier, Father Ivan Veniaminov of the Russian Orthodox Church translated the Bible into Tlingit. Thus this building became southeast Alaska's oldest continuously operating church. (updated Oct 2020)
3 Alaska State Capitol, 4th Street and Main St. Mon-Fri 8:30AM-5PM, Sat Sun 9:30AM-4PM. Completed in 1931 as the territorial capitol, this building does not have the typical imposing architecture of a state capitol. This capitol building, remodeled in 2006, houses the State Legislature, the Governor, and the Lieutenant Governor. Extensive exhibit of historic photographs in the hallways. Complimentary 30-minute tours are available from mid-May through mid-September. Free.
Mendenhall Glacier. This is a massive 1.5-mile-wide glacier calving into its own lake about 13 miles north of downtown Juneau. To get there, you may take a bus or taxi from where the ships dock to the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. You can pay the driver in cash or buy two tickets at one of the many kiosks on the dock. A taxi ride is about the same cost as a bus if you have 5 or more passengers.
4 Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, 6000 Glacier Spur Rd, ☏ +1 907 789-0097, fax: +1 907 789-6643. May-Sep: daily 8AM-7:30PM; Oct-Apr: Thu-Sun 10AM-4PM. Although you can't get right up to the glacier without a long walk, you can get a great view of it from the visitors center, which is operated by the US Forest Service and is very informative. Photo Point Trail and the salmon, bear and Steep Creek Trail are easy and accessible trails. In August and September, black bears, often with cubs, visit Steep Creek to feed on spawning sockeye (red) salmon. Some trails may be closed then. A series of viewing platforms let the bears walk underneath the many folks watching them fish. No food or soft drinks are allowed in the recreation area, and dogs must be on leash.If you want a moderate hike through some beautiful forest, try the East Glacier trail which loops around east of the visitors' center. Follow the trail clockwise to avoid having to climb many steps -- you'll come down those steps at the end of your hike and to keep the best views of the glacier ahead of you, instead of over your shoulder. $3 fee for visitors center from May to September. …