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Mendenhall Glacier
This 12-mile glacier is part of Tongass National Forest and its visitors’ center is just a half mile from the glacier’s face. Once dubbed the Auk Glacier by John Muir (after a member of the Tlingit tribe),
Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure
May - September
Tucked inside the lush Tongass National Forest, discover an Alaskan botanical garden unlike anywhere else in the world. A 2012 Reader's Digest poll chose Glacier Gardens out of thousands of entries as the Most Interesting Landmark in America! Vibrant hanging gardens spill from 15-foot-tall upside down tree “Flower Towers” and elegantly designed landscapes compliment the natural beauty of the rainforest. Explore these unique gardens on a guided tour in a covered vehicle, then travel through 50 acres of temperate rainforest.
Shrine of St. Therese
A highlight for many visitors, this chapel lies 22 miles north of Juneau off of the Glacier Highway. As Juneau’s expensive waterfront homes peter out, the Shrine of St. Therese appears on your left. It’s in a stunning setting, on an island with crashing surf, mountain views, and a rugged coastline, where you can look for humpback whales and sea lions. Take the trail from More...
Perseverance Theatre
Perseverance Theatre creates professional theatre by and for Alaskans. Founded in Juneau in 1979 by Molly Smith, the Theatre has since grown into Alaska’s flagship professional theatre, serving nearly 15,000 artists and audiences each year.
Despite being a community of only 30,000, and only accessible by boat or plane, Juneau has proven to be an ideal home for the Theatre. More...
Sheldon Jackson Museum
Dr. Sheldon Jackson, museum founder, had the distinction of serving in three pioneer fields during the late 1800s, founding Protestant missions and schools, establishing the public school system, and introducing domestic reindeer. In his travels he reached many sections of Alaska, as well as the coast of Siberia, gathering the majority of the artifacts now seen in the museum. Located More...
Sitka WhaleFest
Summer is not the only time to embrace Sitka’s connection to our vast oceans and the inhabitants. November’s annual Sitka WhaleFest, hosted by the Sitka Sound Science Center, celebrates marine life through a science symposium, art, wildlife cruises and so much more!
Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway
May - September
Take a five-minute ride from the cruise ship pier to the Mountain House,1,800' up Mount Roberts, where the Chilkat Mountains, the Gastineau Channel, downtown Juneau, Douglas Island, and Admiralty Island spread out before you. Visit the gift shop, restaurant, live bald eagle display, and nature center. Check out the wildlife viewing platforms and follow the self-guided trail marked by Native totemic carvings for access to upper alpine hiking trails.The tram cars, and Mountain House are ADA compliant. The inner loop trail is an easy hike for most folks who wish to take a walk in the woods. Serious hikers can continue on up the mountain!
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Black Bear & Wildlife Exploration
Ketchikan is black bear country, and just outside town you can see them in their favorite summertime activity – fishing for protein-rich Alaska salmon. A walking tour through the lush foliage of the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary reveals prime salmon habitat, a certain attraction for hungry bears. Wait and watch for this apex species in action – pouncing on fish, teaching cubs, and chasing each other to the feasting grounds.
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Alaska State Capitol Building
Don’t look for a dome and don’t look for big grounds; Alaska’s capitol building is one of the few that have neither. That’s because the territory of Alaska had trouble securing funding and land for the building, relying on local residents to provide funding. Completed in 1931, it housed the federal government until statehood in 1959. Today, the large, boxy More...
Sitka Sound Science Center
In the coastal Southeast Alaskan town of Sitka, marine wildlife typically plays out on a big scenic backdrop. At Sitka’s unique Science Center, you’ll find a salmon hatchery and aquarium. Wildlife fans get an up-close look at the marine creatures that make this part of Alaska so special.
Juneau Douglas City Museum
Step back in time and learn about the history of this city through exhibits and videos of early Juneau life and local gold mining. You’ll find everything from a large relief map of Juneau to a basketry-style fish trap at least 500 years old. From October to April, there are changing exhibits featuring local artists, as well as a “hands-on history” children’s room; from October to May the museum hosts activities on some Fridays and Saturdays.
Totem Heritage Center
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this collection of 19th century totem poles is the biggest in the world. Salvaged from abandoned Haida and Tlingit villages, some are as old as 160 years—no small feat, since totem poles usually deteriorate in less than a century. You can take a quick, free tour, or check out the current exhibits of contemporary Tlingit art.
Southeast Alaska Discovery Center
Experience world-class exhibits and audiovisual programs. Discover Tsimshian, Haida and Tlingit totem poles, the rainforest room, a Native fish camp scene, and exhibits on Southeast Alaska's ecosystems, fishing, mining, timber and tourism. Located one block from the cruise ship dock in downtown Ketchikan. Accepts America-the-Beautiful passes.
Sitka National Historical Park
Alaska’s oldest National Park isn’t a big one—only 113 acres—but it’s rich with history and there’s plenty to do: hiking trails, ranger-led interpretive walks, carving demonstrations, ethnographic displays, and more. The park’s main attractions are the roughly 20 totem poles and the beautiful coastal rainforest, which you can explore on your More...
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Rainforest Sanctuary, Totem Park, & Eagles
Just outside Ketchikan, the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary promises a close-up view of old-growth forest, salmon habitat, an historic lumber mill, totem carving, raptor exhibits, and chances to see black bear and other wildlife – all in under 3 hours! There’s no better introduction to Alaska’s Southeast than this showcase of ecology, wildlife, history and Native culture.
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Saxman Totem Park
The art of totem pole carving was a luxury that experienced its heyday in the mid-1700s to the late 1800s. The fur trade had provided the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples a newfound sense of wealth – and time to focus on the artistry of the totem
Totem Bight Park
As part of the New Deal during the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps came to this area and hired skilled Native artists who could recreate old crumbling poles and train apprentices, to keep the art form alive. You can wander the grounds at this state park, and learn about how to interpret the symbols on poles, or check out the large, carved tribal house. Was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. 10 miles out of town on N. Tongass Hwy.
Potlatch Totem Park
Built on the old fishing grounds of Tlingit Natives, the park hosts some of the finest native art in the world!
Keku Cannery
Arriving in Kake, you’ll see a large light-green warehouse built on pilings over the water. This is Kake’s historic salmon-packing cannery, which locals are working to restore as both a usable space for local businesses and an historic attraction for visitors.
Kake Day
The first few weeks of each year are a time of renewal. In Kake each January 8, residents and guests gather at the Community Hall to commemorate the anniversary of the city's 1912 incorporation (it was the first Native village to do so). Kake Day celebrates the city’s self-governance, as well as its Tlingit roots.
Alaska State Office Building
The highlight of this big downtown building is not the exterior, but rather the large atrium, which has great views of Douglas Island and a 1920’s pipe organ that was used in movie theaters before being moved here in 1976. Today it’s played every Friday at noon. Off the lobby, you’ll find historic photos and displays from the state library, which is located on the More...
Wearable Arts
With almost 30 years under its belt, the Ketchikan Wearable Arts Show is an event you don’t want to miss. Described as the “original runway performance,” this show has inspired imitations in neighboring communities and around the world. If you’d like to see a show that most clearly represents pure artistic talent, this is it.
Pelican Schools
Just off the boardwalk, Pelican Elementary School and Pelican Middle-High School are gathering places for the young people of the community. Children enjoy the playground, swings and green spaces, as well as the outdoor basketball court and school gym.
Tenakee Bus Stop
No buses come by the Tenakee Bus Stop, just folks looking to trade a book or some clothing at the “take one, leave one” trading shop. The Bus Stop name is an insider’s joke in this community, where it takes just a few minutes to walk wherever you need to go.
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
No visit to Juneau is complete without a close-up look at the Mendenhall Glacier. The Juneau Icefield's most visible ambassador, 13-mile long Mendenhall Glacier ends at Mendenhall Lake and is easily viewed from the Forest Service's historic visitor center. Here's what you'll find here:
Modern, accessible visitor center (nominal entry fee, federal rec passes accepted) More...
Russian Bishop’s House
Built in 1843, during the “Golden Age” of Russian North America, this spacious, two-story building was home to Bishop Innocent of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was the center of Russian North America’s cultural, educational, and business ventures, complete with a formal reception hall, dining room, chapel, school, and seminary.
Although it was a church More...
Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church
This Russian Orthodox church was built by and for Serbian miners and Tlingit Indians—not Russians. Tlingits were attracted to the religion because of the church’s acceptance of their language and culture; Protestant missionaries attempted to erase their customs. Now, more than 110 years later, the church continues to serve the community, with services sung in English, More...
Dermott OToole Memorial Library
Open for a few hours every day but Monday and Friday, the public library in Tenakee offers Internet access, children’s programming and many books and DVDs for check-out. It’s located conveniently on West Tenakee Avenue, above the community center.
Logging Roads of Kupreanof Island
More than 120 miles of logging roads wind through Kupreanof Island, offering access to trailheads and other remote parts of the island. You can drive on the frequently used roads, and explore others by bike or by foot.
Tenakee Hot Springs
No visit to Tenakee would be complete without a long soak in the hot springs, whose healing properties drew the Tlingit people to this area long ago. The springs, which include a beautifully-restored bathhouse and changing room, are right in the middle of town, across from Tenakee Springs Market.
Pelican Totem Poles
Tsimshian master carver Stan Marsden led the community of Pelican in designing, carving and raising totem poles to symbolize the spirit of Pelican – an independent, close-knit fishing community. You can see their handiwork in the Unity pole in front of City Hall and in the raven and bear poles in front of Pelican High School.
Art Council & Main Street Gallery
Ketchikan Arts & Humanities Council (KAAHC) is the powerhouse of Ketchikan’s arts community; if there’s an arts event in Ketchikan, this organization is on it! Located at the Main Street Gallery, KAAHC produces dozens of art events annually, such as summer’s Blueberry Arts Festival and February’s famous Wearable Arts Show.
George Island
A short boat ride to George Island brings chances to see whales and marine life along the way, followed by invertebrates at low tide and a lovely walk through a beautiful temperate rainforest to an historic site that still has gun emplacements left over from World War II.
Old Sitka State Historic Site
You won’t find any old buildings here, but there are great interpretive signs and numerous hiking trails at this state park. And it’s an important place—the site of the first Russian settlement on Baranof Island. The Russians built a small fort in 1799, but Tlingits, unhappy with the Russian traders, attacked it in 1802. Nearly 100 Aleuts and 20 Russians were More...
Sitka Lutheran Church
After Finnish laborers completed St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, they asked Russian authorities if they could build a Lutheran church for themselves. The Russians allowed it, but only if the building didn’t look like a church. That building was torn down in 1888, but you can still see what it looked like: the current Lutheran church (which looks like a church) has More...
New Archangel Dancers
Clap your hands, hoot and holler, and tap your feet—it’s all encouraged when you attend a show by the New Archangel Dancers. Performing Russian folk dances in Sitka for over 40 years, this all-female group has been dedicated to preserving and celebrating the town’s Russian heritage since 1969. You’ll experience upbeat dances (with their emcee leading a clapping More...
Alaska State Museum
Newly renovated in 2016. Established in 1900, the Museum collects, exhibits, and interprets the human and natural history of Alaska. The Museum features a full-size bald eagle nesting tree and extensive ethnographic exhibits on the cultures of Alaska's Native people. Two galleries offer changing exhibits.
Sitka’s Russian History
Walking the streets of Sitka, you may find it hard to believe that this quiet coastal community was once the hub of the West Coast: a center for trade, diplomacy, and the arts. When San Francisco had less than 10 residents, Sitka was home to 800 Russians, Europeans, Tlingits, and Aleuts. The oldest town on the West Coast, it was the capital of Russian America—called New More...
Centennial Hall Convention Center
Located in downtown Juneau, the Centennial Hall Convention Center, is a great location to hold an event. Concerts, conventions, meetings, and trade shows are regularly held in this convenient location.
Pelican 4th of July Celebration
The biggest community party of the year in Pelican is the 4th of July celebration, which starts a day early with a big fireworks display late on July 3rd. Live music, quirky contests, a parade and a community picnic round out the festivities.
Pelican Public Library
Settle in with a book and a view of the harbor, or check your email at Pelican’s Public Library.
Shamrock Building
The Shamrock Building is a must-see spot in Tenakee Springs. Built in 1902, it is listed on the National Register of Historic places and has been everything from a jail, pool hall, dance hall, and senior center. These days it’s home to a local bakery that serves breakfast and lunch items. You can also browse a fine selection of local and regionally-made art.
Ketchikan Gateway Recreation & Aquatic Center
For a small island community 800 miles from any major metropolitan area, the Ketchikan Gateway Recreation & Aquatic center is exceptional. These facilities feature enough equipment and activities to please a wide range of interests.
Ketchikan Museum & Library
If you want a chance to sit back and enjoy an iconic view of Alaska, catch up on your work, or peruse a large collection of Alaskana, there’s no more perfect place than the new Ketchikan library.
Russian Cemetery - Observatory Street
Overgrown and unmarked, this 200-year-old Russian cemetery is still used for Russian Orthodox parishioners of St. Michael’s. You’ll find stone and wood headstones, some of which are made from the ballasts of old Russian ships. But unless you’re a history/cemetery buff, you’ll mainly find an overgrown plot. Caretakers clean up the site each Alaska Day, but the More...
Sitka Festivals
Alaskans love to get together. And since they’re hunkered down all winter and working all summer, festivals give them an excuse to socialize. So they’ve created parties for fish, for music, for light, for dark, for plants…you name it, there’s probably a festival for it up north. And Sitka, a historic town on the outer coast with lots of artists, has festivals More...
Castle Hill Trail
Once the administrative headquarters for an empire stretching from Asia to California and Hawaii, Castle Hill today is little more than a grassy hill with a few interpretive signs, a modest stonewall, several old cannons, and a few flagpoles. But when you visit the top of this hill, you’re standing on rich historic grounds. Archeological excavations have unearthed over 300,000 More...
Last Chance Mining Museum
Located in the historic compressor building associated with the former Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company which operated in Juneau from 1912 until 1944. The museum features one of the world's largest air compressors and other industrial artifacts associated with hard rock gold mining. The site also includes electric locomotives and rail cars which hauled men to the mine and ore to More...
Elfin Cove Museum
Open by Request
Elfin Cove Museum has preserved artifacts that illustrate how past residents lived and thrived in this remote community. A stroll through the collection turns up a treasure trove of memorabilia: from clothing and household items to fishing tools and old World War II field telephone.
Skagway Museum & Archives
Skagway's unique history as a vital transportation corridor and gateway to interior Alaska and the Yukon is portrayed in the artifacts, photographs and historical records of the past century. The Museum is located in the town's magnificent City Hall, this is the first stone building in Alaska, built with granite from Canada that was transported on the WP&YR More...
