Stuff To Do On Your Own in Juneau

We hope that you will all have time to enjoy some of Juneau's highlights while you are here. The following are some of attractions we recommend. More ideas can be found online at www.juneau.com or www.traveljuneau.com.

State Museum 395 Whittier Street www.museums.state.ak.us/asmhome.html
$5 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, May 14 (2006) through September 23

Juneau Douglas Museum Fourth and Main Streets http://www.juneau.org/parkrec/museum/
Adult $4, 18 and under free. Weekdays 9-5, Weekends 10-5.

Mount Roberts Tram 490 South Franklin www.goldbelttours.com
Adult: $23.95 Child 6-12: $12.50 Child 5 & Under: FREE (2006 prices)
A definite hit on a sunny day! The tram ride is short, but the pass is good all day. Once up top, there is a restaurant, bald eagle exhibit, nature center, gift shop (of course!) and cultural center including a movie about Tlingit culture. Oh yeah, and then there's the view....

DIPAC Hatchery 2697 Channel Dr www.dipac.net
$3.25 for adults, $1.75 for children, and $15.00 for a group pass good for 5 adults or 12 children.
Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday - Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Macaulay Salmon Hatchery provides amazing views of spectacular salmon sights and allows visitors to learn first-hand about Alaska's salmon. From the elevated entrance, visitors get a birds-eye view of outside operations as they listen to a 5 to 10 minute informative commentary. A knowledgeable tour guide explains the fascinating life of the Pacific salmon and the workings of our hatchery. Inside the facility visitors will find museum-like interpretive displays, beautiful saltwater aquariums, and a mini-market place featuring local salmon products and novelties.
During mid-July you should be able to see salmon returning to the hatchery.

Mendenhall Glacier and Visitor Center
$3 admission fee,8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Sunday through Saturday
A must see for anyone visiting Juneau. For those renting cars, it couldn't be easier to get to the glacier. For those without rental cars, taxi companies and tour buses from the docks make frequent trips to the glacier. The city bus gets you close, but its still a couple mile walk to the visitor center. There are several nice walks near the visitor center. For a nice stroll, we suggest the trail out to Nugget Falls. Also, keep an eye out for black bears. While we rarely have brown bears around town, this is one of the few places they can occasionally be found. Don't worry though - if they're in the area, the Forest Service staff will post signs to warn visitors. You may also be able to see goats on the mountain sides. The visitor center has a spotting scope inside to help you find them.


Glacier Gardens 7600 Glacier Highway www.glaciergardens.com
Open Daily 9am to 6pm, ~$20 per person
This is a terrific spot to check out! The owners, Steve and Cindy, own a local nursery and landscaping business. In 1984, a landslide wiped out a huge portion of the hillside of Thunder Mountain, near the airport in the Mendenhall Valley. Ten years later, Steve and Cindy bought 6.5 acres in the slide zone and started fixing it up. They now own over 50 acres. I won't ruin the whole story, but let me assure you, what they have created is amazing. The tour includes a ride in a golf cart up to a vantage point around 600'. Along the way the tour guide provides information about the temperate rainforest and the gardens Steve and Cindy have planted.


Alaskan Brewery 5429 Shaune Dr www.alaskanbeer.com
11:00 am - 5:00 pm, 7 days a week
Free beer tasting. Need I say more? I swear, the first thing I hear whenever I go in there is, "Would you like to try a beer?" As if anyone would say no to that! The brewery is quickly outgrowing its small space and the cruiseship companies bring tourists by the bus load, but it is worth stopping. They have a great gift shop and provide tours upon request. Remember to plan enough time to stay for a try of each of their beers (generally 5 or 6 on tap at a time), oh yeah, and maybe take the tour too (they'll let you take your sample on the tour with you!).


Shrine of St. Therese 23 Mile Glacier Hwy www.shrineofsttherese.org
Free. 8:30 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week.
The Shrine is a beautiful place to visit. Although it is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Juneau, you do not need to be Catholic to visit. The Shrine is located on the beach with awesome views of Lynn Canal. Often, Stellar sea lions can be seen playing in the cove in front of the lodge. Some of the highlights of the Shrine include a beautiful stone chapel, stations of the cross, a labrynth, and columbarium with flowers of biblical reference. The drive out to the Shrine itself is worth while.


Hiking, Biking or Kayaking
Juneau has terrific trails for hiking and biking. Check out www.Juneautrails.org for info on some of the more popular trails. I would recommend the Perserverance trail (great views, awesome waterfall, relatively easy but a bit uphill and right downtown). Once in town, you can pick up the book Juneau Trails, or give me a call and I can help you find a perfect trail. There are also several outfits in town who rent kayaks so you don't have to book a tour to get out on the water. Try www.juneaukayaks.com. Again, I'd be happy to help you set this up.