Day 4 Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise - Sights of Downtown Juneau

Alaska Cruise (Juneau). 2012 . Sep 18

It seems to be a busy port day, for all four docks were full.  As with Ketchikan, the Diamond Princess was parked at one of the furthest dock.

It seems that Holland America’s Zaadam has followed us from Ketchikan to Juneau!

Even though we are parked furthest from downtown, at least it means that we get to walk the scenic coastal boardwalk to downtown!

The beautiful Norwegian Jewel parked just next to the heart of the city centre.  Lucky you.

Franklin square, crowed on port days.   The entryway to Mount Roberts Tramway is just next to Franklin Square.

Tip: Visit the Visitor Centre just next to the entrance of the Mount Roberts Tramway for free city maps.


We found this useful downtown Juneau area map online.  (Credits: http://www.traveljuneau.com)

Mount Roberts Tramway

One of the most popular tourist attraction in Juneau downtown, the Mount Roberts Tramway promises to bring you 1800 feet above sea level to the rainforest of Mount Roberts.  Enjoy panoramic views of the Mendenhall Valley from this advantage point.  Other attractions include wildflowers in season, a visitor centre, and a few nature trails.

For USD$31 per pax for a return tram ticket, the prices are too steep for travellers who are on a tight budget.  Alternatively, you can choose to take a hike up Mount Roberts.  The trail starts from the northeast end of 6th street.  Once you reach the tramway station at the top, you can either pay $5 to take the tram down to Franklin Square, or purchase $5 worth of food or drinks and get the tram ride free.

The various nature trails at the summit.

Juneau City Sights

One of the very first few things we noticed about Juneau (or any other ports of calls) is that there are hardly any traffic lights around!  Pedestrians simply cross the road when it is convenient to do so, and for areas with higher traffic, a traffic warden is sometimes deployed to oversee things.

Keep a lookout for this furry friend when you walk by the streets of Juneau. We thought this to be a gigantic plush toy for sale, and imagine our astonishment when he rears his sleepy head to look at us – it’s a huge doggy, very much alive!!

 Alaska State Capitol

If you have more time at Juneau, you might want to walk to the corner of East 4th Street and Main Street to visit the Alaska State Capitol. It houses the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska.

The administrative building of the University of Alaska and Alaskan Hotel

As with Ketchikan, there are lots of Totem Poles around the city area.

Next up, Shopping and Dining at Downtown Juneau.

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