Juneau, Alaska —
There are no roads leading to Alaska’s capital, leaving just three ways to reach this northwestern Brigadoon by boat, plane or being born here. And you may wish you were born in Juneau because this is, by far, the most visually striking state capital in the US.
Located along the Inside Passage, Juneau is too beautiful, its culture and history too rich, to get cynical about its popularity with the cruisers. By land mass, it is the largest state capital in the nation, its tall peaks remain snow-capped well into summer, seaplanes buzz overhead, local residents include bears, mountain goats and whales. With its remote location and a terrain that’s worlds away from a typical American town experience, it feels like you need a passport. What you need, though, is an insulated rain jacket.
The whole region surrounding Juneau is located inside the incredibly biodiverse Tongass National Forest, the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. Juneau has around 230 rainy days a year, with June being the sunniest with about 50% wet days.
“It does rain a lot here,” admits Nathan Hickok, a local heavy equipment operator who’s lived in Juneau his whole life, “but one sunny day makes all the wet and cold days totally worth it.”
