Go wild — literally — in Juneau

Juneau never hibernates. As state capital, and thus home away from home to dozens of state legislators and their staffs, it hosts visitors year-round and has niceties that many other tourist-oriented Alaskan destinations lack: pretty neighborhoods of Victorian homes, well-run hotels (as opposed to overpriced, rundown motels open only for the short summer season) and restaurants that need to be good enough to attract visitors year round.

Of course, no one comes to Alaska for fine dining, urban strolls or beds swathed in thousand-thread-count sheets. They come to experience nature at its wildest, and Juneau has that in abundance: camped in the suburbs is the world’s most accessible glacier, heading out from downtown are hiking trails that lead you into the heart of nature and a boat ride away are humpback whales, orcas, sea lions and even more glaciers, at both Tracy Arm-Ford’s Wilderness Terror and Glacier Bay National Park. You choose Juneau, therefore, if you crave the best of both worlds: civilized amenities and gloriously uncivilized landscapes, among the most beautiful on earth.

7 a.m. - 8 a.m.: Grab a post-it note, scribble down your order and make sure the cooks see it at Costa’s Diner, a waiter-free zone that just happens to have the heartiest, tastiest breakfasts in town.

8 a.m.-noon: Instead of going for the usual drive-up latte, head to the drive-up glacier, Mendenhall Glacier, just 12 miles from the heart of downtown Juneau. It’s not threatening the city—like most glaciers in this era of Global Warming it’s in retreat—but it sure looks monstrous and impressive. Tour the Visitors Center (its films and exhibits will make you a quick expert in glaciology) and then take the “Trail of Time” path, which traces the evolution of plant-life in the wake of the shrinking glacier (from lichen to full grown trees). If you have the time and stamina, hike the steep 3.5 mile trail to the chilly face of the glacier itself.

Entire day alternative
Glacier Bay is a bit far to do as a day trip, but you can get to and from Tracy Arm-Ford's Terror Wilderness in about 8 hours. Two narrow fjords, they boast as mighty if not as many glaciers as Glacier Bay, and the Sawyer Glacier here is known for the fierceness of its calving: it’s not uncommon to witness 747 plane-sized ice cracking off and hitting the water with a thunderous boom. Along with the icy spectacle are colonies of sea lions to ooh and ahh over, along with orcas, humpback whales and bald eagles swooping overhead. Book a trip on one of Goldbelt’s high-speed catamarans.

Complete Juneau Guide Hiking trails in Juneau, Alaska Shopping in Juneau, Alaska Attractions in Juneau, Alaska

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Follow the Filipino and Indonesian cruise ship crews to Eddie’s Fast Food, where the specialty is—you guessed it—Filipino and Indonesian fare. That means crisply fried fish, savory curries and mounds of rice, all expertly and yes, quickly prepared and served.

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: To get the skinny on all you’ve been seeing (and on the Native American culture in these parts), spend one hour indoors at the Alaska State Museum. You’ll learn all about Secretary of State William Henry Seward’s purchase of Alaska from the Russians, the Gold Rush, even how Native Alaskans diapered their babies (hint: moss was involved).

2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Lace up your hiking boots for a walk along the Perseverance Trail. An easy three mile loop, it leads to Silverbow Basin where the original gold strike was made, sparking the gold rush in these parts. Along the way, you’ll pass rusting mining equipment, a 1000-foot deep pit dug by the gold-hungry miners and other remnants of that heady era.

5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.: If the day’s a clear one, take the Mount Roberts Tramway up to the treeline for a view that takes in the entire Gastineau Channel. You can toast the spectacular vista with a fresh-pulled local beer (from the Alaskan Brewing Company) at the Timberline Bar and Grill, not far from the tram exit.

7 p.m.-9 p.m.: Escape Alaska and head to the continent of Europe at the elegant, sophisticated DiSopra Restaurant. Attached to the more casual Fiddlehead bakery and café downstairs, it features a changing roster of fresh fish dishes, creatively sauced and logger-sized, and exceedingly tender cuts of beef and venison.

9 p.m. - on: If there’s a good band playing, head to The Hangar, a local’s hang-out  right on the waterfront in a converted airplane hangar. If not, do the tourist thing and go to the pseudo-Gold Rush era Red Dog Saloon. Yes, it’s kitschy but it can really get hopping as the night progresses.

Pauline Frommer is the creator of the new Pauline Frommer guides in bookstores now. Her book, Pauline Frommer's New York, was named Best Guidebook of the Year by the North American Travel Journalists Association.

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