Juneau ("JOO-noh") is the capital city of Alaska, located in the states Southeastern region. The area of Juneau is larger than that of Rhode Island or Delaware and almost as large as the two states combined. It is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. Downtown Juneau is at sea level, with tides averaging 16 feet and below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet high. The Juneau Ice Cap sits atop the mountains and is a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow. The average high temperature in July is 65°F (18°C), and the average low temperature in January is 20°F (-7°C).
Juneau is only accessible by sea or air, so cars and trucks are transported to and from Juneau by barge or ferry. Float planes and helicopters offer glacier tours in the summer. Dog sled rides are often given to tourists landing on the glaciers or ice caps. Bus tours circle points of interest in Juneau and visit Mendenhall Glacier and the log Chapel-by-the-Lake at Auke Lake. Mendenhall Glacier is a glacier about 12 miles (19 km) long and is about 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Juneau. Take a charter boat sightseeing or fishing or enjoy flightseeing tours. One of the signature places in Juneau is The Mount Roberts Tramway, an aerial tramway stretching from a station on the cruise ship docks to a point on the southwestern ridge of Mount Roberts. There are a variety of hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulty, some lead to fishing spots, scenic mountain areas, or old mines.
Juneau is home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. The area hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz and Classics music festivals, along with performances by the Juneau Symphony. Friday evenings in the summer there are open-air music and dance performances held at Marine Park. There are many art galleries in downtown Juneau that participate in the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk and the popular December Gallery Walk held the first week of December. Salmon bakes are held in Salmon Creek and at Thane Ore House daily in the summer. Juneau is also home to Heritage Coffee and the Alaskan Brewing Company.
