I always love stopping by Kindred Post while visiting Juneau! It's such a cute, locally owned shop…read morewith so many fun little finds. They have the sweetest selection of postcards, stationery, handmade gifts, Alaska-themed items, and all kinds of unique treasures that are fun to browse through. This is where you want to go for unique and fun gifts. The shop has such a warm, welcoming feel, and you can really tell it's a place built around supporting local artists and the community. It's the perfect spot to pick up a special souvenir or just wander around and enjoy all the charming little details.

Service has improved at this shop, I no longer feel rushed. Location is busy and parking is scarce…read morebut that's not the fault of this business.

If you time your visit correctly, there are free guided tours during the work week at 1:30 PM and…read more3PM from June 1 to September 24. They last about an hour, and you sign up the day of in the lobby. The docent we had was very interested in the art and paintings hanging in the hallways of the capitol building, and so the tour was mostly art focused, fine by me. If you can't make the guided tour times or can't spare the full 60 minutes, there are self guided audio tours as well as printed brochures to help point out areas of interest. If you're a free spirit, you can just wander the halls as you please. While there are people working in the building, the staff don't mind as long as you aren't disturbing anyone. There are metal detectors and X-ray tunnels for your personal belongings at the entrance, but they weren't being used the day I visited. Neat stop.

June, 2025. Alaska State Capitol in Juneau. *Quick. How long does it take to drive from Anchorage…read moreto the Capitol in Juneau? That was actually a trick question. The Capitol city can only be reached by plane or sea (cruise ship, ferry). *How tall is the Capitol dome? That was another trick question. Completed in 1931, the Capitol was originally constructed as a territorial and federal building. Upon becoming the 49th state in 1959, building ownership was transferred to Alaska to serve as the state Capitol. It currently houses the state legislature as well as offices of the governor and lieutenant governor. Due to its original purpose, the building lacks the traditional dome of most other state capitols. Juneau was a port stop on our recent Alaska cruise. My husband and I walked (uphill ) from the cruise terminal to visit the state Capitol building. (Note that there are no public parking lots in the area, and street parking is very limited). In addition to admiring its original (restored) 1931 art deco design, visitors can venture inside to explore historic displays, artworks, photographs, and cultural artifacts celebrating Alaska's rich heritage. Entry to the Capitol was easy, and admission was free. After being screened by security, we were given a Visitor's Guide, with the recommendation to start our self-guided tour on the top (5th) floor. Points of interest there are both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Finance Cmte rooms, as well as historical photographs showcasing the state's judicial divisions. The fourth floor houses Lawmaker's offices. The hallways are lined with historical newspapers highlighting important historic events in Alaska. The 3rd floor houses the offices of the governor and lt. governor. Of note on this floor is a unique map of Alaska crafted from a section of the 48" pipe used to construct the Trans--Alaska pipeline. The Hall of Governor's honors past leadership. The second floor is the central location for legislative activity. There are also artistic tributes that honor Alaska's history and leaders. The first floor accommodates the offices of the Senate President and the Senate Rules Chair. Finally, the ground floor is the unassuming entrance to the Capitol. See a replica of the Liberty Bell, stone-fired murals, ceiling accents, and a bust of Elizabeth Peratrovich, a champion for civil rights. Note that the legislature was not in session on the day that we visited so we had access to all of the committee rooms and non-private spaces. We were pretty much left alone to wander to enjoy the building and its historic and cultural contents. The building is air-conditioned and has plentiful restrooms.

The Mendenhall branch is the crown jewel of it's three branches overtaking their downtown location…read moreof the Juneau Public Library. It's architecture by North Wind Architects is impressive set against a beautiful mountain backdrop, next to Thunder Mountain High School, giving it's students access to the library very close by.

Nice little library in the downtown area of Juneau. There is free wifi which is great if you do not…read morehave data. There is a section for kids and it's cordoned off. Adults can only enter if they are bringing children to the area. That's really good for safety measures and peace of mind for other parents or guardians. There are tables and chairs lining the windows which offer a view of the mountains and downtown. There's also an "Internet cafe" which is a room where you can make calls or talk in it. It was pretty quiet when we were there so I'm not sure if anyone would actually want strangers to overhear your private conversations in there. Washroom is also clean here.

The Juneau Public Libraries are a department of the City and Borough of Juneau. The Juneau Public…read moreLibraries have three branches: the downtown Juneau Public Library (located atop the Marine Parking Garage on the waterfront), the Mendenhall Valley Public Library (located in Dimond Park) and the Douglas Public Library (located in the Douglas Community Building, a shared facility with the Fire Department). Library staff offices are located at the downtown branch. The Juneau Public Libraries are members of the Alaska Library Catalog, a consortium of 87 public, academic, special, and school libraries that serves 92% of the population of Alaska and shares 3.2 million library materials.  A card obtained at any of these facilities will allow you to check out materials at all facilities.  Several, such as the Sealaska Heritage Institute and Alaska State Historical Collections, are non-circulating research libraries.

It's a very touching tribute to a very special English bull terrier. She was even given the title…read moreof "Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska" by the Mayor for her knack of knowing when a steamship was approaching. The interesting thing is that she was born deaf. Did she feel the vibrations? No one knows for sure. She even knew exactly where the ship would dock. What an amazing story! The community loved her so much that they chipped in to buy her a county license and collar. You'll see her collar displayed over her left paw. Read all about it online. She preferred being in the company of longshoremen towards the end of her life. She passed away in the Lonshoremen's Hall, and was given a funeral in the very same area where she greeted a lifetimes worth of steamships. It also happens to be her burial place which is pretty cool. She continues to greet cruise ships and their passengers from the Juneau Seawalk. Her spirit lives on.

Cool statue honoring Patsy Ann, who used to greet ships and passengers as they pulled into the Port…read moreof Juneau. The statue was put up in 1992 so that she could once again be the Official Greeter of Juneau

I love reading so I stopped in at the library while in town on a cruise. They have a great…read moreselection of books both new and older. Wi-Fi is free, one hour duration. There are several computers available for use if you don't have one. There's a nice children's section. They also have a table in the lobby/foyer with used books and other items you can purchase to support the library. Books are only $0.50. Librarian was nice, friendly, and helpful. The bus stops in front of the library. Very smart planning by the city. So if you don't have a car you can take it here.

Go visit Tahku! This beautiful whale statue is located in Overstreet Park. There are other…read moreamenities offered in the park, including a rent-able covered shelter, seating area & courtyard, interpretive displays, washrooms, and stairs down to the beach/intertidal zone. There were a bunch of gulls congregating on the beach, and so I'm sure there was a lot of food for them down there. I was too intimidated to go investigate further. There's a seawalk too, where you can bring binoculars to look for wildlife, including real whales when they migrate down Gastineau channel. The seawalk also features totem poles and signs explaining what the significance of each are. It's walkable from downtown and the cruise ship docks, so if you want to stretch your legs, this would be a worthy destination to visit.

During a recent Alaskan cruise, my wife & I walked here from our ship. It's about a mile from the…read moredock, along the water, so it's a very scenic saunter. When you get here, you will want to wait for the fountains to sprout. Then, when you take your picture in front of the fountain, it looks like the whale is breaching behind you. Fool your friends and family! Seriously, the fountains will go for a while, so all the tourists will have their chance to take the photo.

What can I say about Juneau that hasn't already been said? We know that it's Alaska's state…read morecapital. That's a given. What I thought was interesting is that you can't actually get to it by roadway. You can drive to Alaska, but at some point you will need to drive your car onto a ferry. Juneau is only accessible by air, or by water. With that said, it's a great city to visit by cruise ship. There's so much to do here for nature lovers and outdoorsy people. There are lots of shops, restaurants, bars, and museums that don't require a tour. The Goldbelt Tram tickets can be purchased in town if you want to explore Mount Roberts. Otherwise, there are tours that can be booked for glaciers, hatcheries, whale watching, dog sledding, fishing, and hiking. There are seaplane tours. We personally had a great time just watching them take off and land in the channel. We didn't get to stay too long. We had a whole morning to explore the city before heading to Dawes Glacier that afternoon. I was shocked that we didn't experience any rain that day. It was a beautiful and sunny day in Juneau. It's a very walkable town that I'd love to visit again.

3.5 stars I came in…read morevia the cruise port. Since my ship was the first of the season (too early by some peoples' opinions), the downtown area wasn't too crowded. I thought downtown is really cute and easy to walk around. There's plenty of gift shops & a ton of jewelry stores. There's a museum nearby that I didn't get to go in. It closes at 4pm. The views are stunning no matter where I looked. Definitely a city worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.