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Territory capital · United States

Juneau

Give Juneau 2 nights (3 if you add a whale-watch or the ferry to Haines). No road in: fly or ferry, and book Mendenhall transport before you land.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep (long days, most tours running); late May–Jun and Sep for fewer ships
avoid Nov–Feb (dark, wet, many tours closed)
Airport
JNU
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Juneau is the US state capital you cannot drive to: mountains, water and ice on every side, reachable only by air or sea. Downtown is compact and walkable, but the glacier, the ferry terminal and the trails sit 13–14 miles out on Glacier Highway, so plan transport, not just sights. Cruise ships land thousands of day visitors from May to September; go early or go in the shoulder months.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Juneau, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • BeerDraft beer$7–10
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, downtown to Mendenhall Valley$30–45 (check)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40
  • Museum or sight ticketAlaska State Museum entry$12 May–Sep, $7 Oct–Apr (check)
  • Budget bedHostel or budget bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$220
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$380

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$170 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mendenhall GlacierAlaska State MuseumMount Roberts TramwayGold rush and Tlingit historyWhale watching in Auke Bay
Airports
JNU Juneau International Airport (7 mi northwest of downtown; Alaska Airlines and Delta connect Seattle and Anchorage, with regional flights across Southeast Alaska.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Juneau: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−1°C

−3°C

18 rd

Feb

3°C

−2°C

15 rd

Mar

4°C

−1°C

17 rd

Apr

9°C

2°C

15 rd

May

14°C

6°C

15 rd

Jun

17°C

9°C

14 rd

Jul

17°C

11°C

17 rd

Aug

17°C

11°C

18 rd

Sep

13°C

8°C

19 rd

Oct

9°C

4°C

21 rd

Nov

4°C

0°C

19 rd

Dec

2°C

−2°C

20 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Downtown is walkable, though streets above 4th are steep. Capital Transit buses run downtown and the Mendenhall Valley; the route stops about a mile from the glacier visitor centre, so most visitors take a shuttle or taxi from the docks. Taxis and rental cars cover the out-of-town sights; the ferry terminal at Auke Bay is 13.8 mi from downtown.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mendenhall Glacier

go

Door to door: About 30–45 min each way

Shuttle or taxi from the cruise docks, or Capital Transit plus about a mile on foot

Visitor centre charges a small summer fee; trails outside the building are free. Go before the ship crowds.

Auke Bay and the Shrine of St Therese

go

Door to door: About 30 min each way

Car or taxi along Glacier Highway, past the ferry terminal

Combine with a whale-watch departure from Auke Bay.

Haines

overnight

Door to door: Half a day each way

Alaska Marine Highway ferry, about 5 h conventional or 2 h on the fast catamaran

Haines is the nearest port with a road out; sleep there rather than day-returning.

Sitka

overnight

Door to door: About 3 h with airport time

Alaska Airlines flight, about 45 min

Ferry is slower and weather-dependent; fly if time is short.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown (Franklin, Seward, Main)

Walk to the capitol, museum, docks and tram; priciest and noisiest when ships are in.

Mendenhall Valley / Auke Bay

Near the airport, ferry terminal and glacier; cheaper, but you need a car or bus.

Douglas Island

Across the bridge: quiet residential base, 10–15 min drive to downtown.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–150 excl. bed
Mid
$150–260 excl. bed
High
$260+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$220US$440
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$170US$680
Mendenhall Glacier shuttle, round trip2 × US$30 · checkUS$60
Mount Roberts tram, adult round trip2 × US$27 · checkUS$54
Whale-watch tour from Auke Bay2 × US$160 · checkUS$320
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$25US$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$160
Trip total≈ US$441 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,764

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights and ferry fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Diner or pub main$16–28
Draft beer$7–10
Capital Transit single ride$2 (check)
Taxi, downtown to Mendenhall Valley$30–45 (check)
Alaska State Museum entry$12 May–Sep, $7 Oct–Apr (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Juneau is a small, safe capital; the real risks are weather, slippery trails and wildlife. Tell someone your route on glacier and ridge hikes, keep food sealed against bears, and treat boat and flight schedules as weather-dependent.
  • No road or rail access: you arrive by plane or ferry, and cars come by ferry or barge only.
  • Rain is normal in any month: bring a waterproof shell, not an umbrella that turns inside out.
  • Black bears feed on salmon at Steep Creek in Aug–Sep; some trails close and food is banned in the recreation area.
  • Cruise days flood downtown and the glacier shuttles: check the ship schedule and go early.
  • Summer accommodation and tours sell out; book beds and Mendenhall transport ahead.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

JuneauJuneau

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Juneau; consulates sit in Anchorage and Seattle. US visitors: 911 and local numbers above.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • JNU airport → downtown, taxi: about $30–40, 15–20 min (check)
  • Downtown → Mendenhall Glacier, shuttle: about $30 round trip, 30 min (check)
  • Capital Transit single ride: $2 (check)

Say or show

  • Gunalchéesh — Thank you (goo-nul-CHEESH)

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Juneau. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep (long days, most tours running); late May–Jun and Sep for fewer ships · avoid Nov–Feb (dark, wet, many tours closed) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for JNU: last flights from Seattle, taxi and shuttle fallbacks, and a downtown bed held for late arrivals.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: docks and Franklin, capitol and museum hill, Basin Road trailheads, Mendenhall Valley.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Alaska State Museum, Mendenhall visitor centre, Mount Roberts tram, Sealaska Heritage) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Weather and cruise-ship fixtures so gates A–D can go green on wet days.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources