Like many Alaskan towns, Juneau was born because of gold. When Joe Juneau and Richard Harris found a treasure trove of gold here in 1880.

This gorgeous city is a centerpiece of an Inside Passage cruise and a great jumping-off point for independent travel within Southeast Alaska.

Hemmed in by water and soaring mountains, this town of 30,000 residents doesn’t even have a road linking it with the outside world—airplanes and boats are the only ways to get here and away.

Juneau makes for a great jumping-off point for outdoor activities all over the northern Panhandle, as well as an excellent home base to explore Southeast Alaska.