Juneau, AK

Summer is here! Well, maybe not quite, but the summer tourist season is just around the corner. I took some time to walk around downtown Juneau and there is definitely a feeling of something taking place. After living in Juneau for several years it is very exciting awaiting the first cruise ship of the season. It is a sign that long, dark winters are behind us and the days full of sunshine, BBQ’s, fishing are among us.

Downtown Juneau is a relatively quiet place during the fall and winter. However, last week while walking up and down the streets I noticed a large number of people walking the streets, cleaning store fronts and hauling boxes into their place of business. Yay! Soon Juneau will have more restaurants and shops open for business!

One of my favorite restaurants in Juneau is the Twisted Fish. It is a seafood inspired restaurant that sits at the end of Franklin Road. It is only open during the summer months, however, they opened up for local business on Friday, April 18. Of course, it was busy, but Juneau locals are always looking for a few extra places to dine since options are fairly limited during the rest of the year. My husband always orders a steak and I always order salmon…we are pretty boring with the number of choices on the dining menu, but the restaurant does have a great selection of meals and they are all very good. My only problem with this restaurant since day one is that the acoustics are not the best and it is so loud! It is a great place for a date, special occasion or really any event. (On a side note, in the winter if you make arrangements you can rent out the whole restaurant for special events like birthday parties & wedding receptions).

After leaving dinner we viewed the Mt. Roberts Trams being tested. This is something that is really enjoyable for all ages, and even after being to the top of Mt. Roberts numerous times, I always look forward to the trip. At the top of Mt. Roberts there is a Tlingit Cultural Center, restaurant, gift shop, hiking trails and magnificent views that stretch all along Gastineau Channel towards Glacier Bay at the North and South to Taku Inlet. If nothing else, the views make the trip up the mountain. There are a couple of ways to get up to the top of Mt. Roberts and I have done both. First, you can pay the $19.95 fee to use the tram car to take you up to the top. It lasts maybe two minutes and it is a very smooth ride. The second is to hike to the top of Mt. Roberts, which is approximately 1500 feet. Once you have hiked to the top you can enjoy all of the same benefits as those who paid. My only advice…do not hike without water, good shoes and a rain jacket. You never know when it will start raining, it’s fairly muddy and you always need water to rehydrate! When you are ready to leave you don’t have to worry about hiking back down, you can take the tram. There have been times in the past where there has been about a dollar charge to get back down and other times when there hasn’t been a charge at all. I would recommend having a couple bucks on hand just in case.

For now, Juneau is getting ready for another exciting summer season. Soon the docks will be home to several cruise ships per day and thousands of tourists. I personally enjoy the months that are filled with tourists wandering through the streets. It gives me a chance to people watch (which I really enjoy) and lots of opportunities to take notes for writing. You’ll see a lot more from me downtown this summer as I explore individual shops and restaurants, but wanted to give you an introduction to all that is in store.