Beautiful Juneau

Juneau, Alaska is a small capital city with a big dramatic setting. During the summer, there can be as many as four cruise ships in the tiny port, and the place is hopping! My husband and I enjoy spending time downtown with fellow tourists, but we also like to go with my folks to see the beautiful local spots where tourists don't go. Despite the rain, we're always up for an outing!

Intrepid hiker on Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach Recreational Area

One day we spent the afternoon out by Eagle Beach. The tide was out so we hiked out to the sand bars, and saw flocks of Canadian geese and sea gulls, and tons of dead fish, spent from spawning (in one dried slough, we counted over 80). My husband had a chance to fly his drone, and practiced maneuvering, and tracking us from the air. He got some great shots of the area, and our little group.

Something's going on!

A young bear eating a salmon

Then we headed over to the Eagle River State Park and watched a two-year-old bear delicately eat a salmon by the river side. A woman at the Park who studies bears reported that the bear was on her own, and had stood her ground when a bigger bear approached her. We took a few snapshots before she disappeared into the woods.

New end of the road (a.k.a, "out the road")

Twin islands at Sunshine Cove (and some sun)!

Filtered sunlight in the forest at Sunshine Cove

Another day we drove out to the end of the road to see the three-mile section that was added (Juneau is landlocked except by plane or boat, so any addition to the highway is an exciting advent). We stopped at Echo Cove and walked around, and then at Sunshine Cove, where the sun broke through the clouds. My husband got another chance to fly the drone, and got some great shots of the twin islands and the cove. Mom and I hiked down to the beach, and enjoyed the forest, filtered light, and a stroll on the beach.

Juneau cemetery in the rain

Mist over Juneau

Cruise ships docked in Juneau

I spent a couple of hours exploring Juneau to see some of the sights that I remembered while growing up. It was pouring rain, but I was undaunted in my fleece jacket, hooded rain jacket, and sturdy walking shoes. I took a quick tour of the cemetery, and saw some old gravestones with historical names. Then I spent some time down town in the tourist shops, peeked into the Alaska State Capitol building (where I was briefly a documentation clerk for the legislature), walked by the Governor's Mansion and the Federal Building, and along Gold Creek. I loved seeing the small gardens and containers that folks tend in the brief, but intense summer season.

The Juneau library where locals, and folks from the cruise ships gather

Alaska State Capitol building

Federal building

My aunt arrived for her visit with my folks, with a couple of days overlapping with our visit. It was great fun to all be together again (we live only 20 minutes apart in the Bay Area, and is the aunt I love to go on outings with to places like Filoli, Fenton's Ice Cream, and the San Francisco Gardening Show). We enjoyed an evening in downtown Juneau, eating at The Hangar on the Wharf restaurant, walking on the new boardwalk, and seeing the partially installed breaching whale sculpture by Skip Wallen. We had wonderful views of Juneau and the cruise ships.

View toward The Hangar on the Wharf (the blue building)

Whale Sculpture during its installation

New board walk with great views

Four cruise ships docked in Juneau

The last night of our overlap, we all met up with my brother at the popular Canton Asian Bistro for a delicious dinner and great conversation. Afterward, we drove out to the Mendenhall Glacier to see how far it has receded, and to look for bears on the streams. No bears, but lots of beautiful scenery under the drippy, Southeast Alaskan skies. They say you can't go home, but I sure love it when I do!

Family portrait via drone

Mendenhall Glacier in the rain