Steps from the port in Juneau, you’ll find numerous shops, museums and a surprisingly diverse culinary scene, featuring innovative food trucks, local breweries, fusion restaurants and Alaska’s famously delicious Dungeness crab. Just beyond the city, the towering mountains of Tongass National Forest and a vast icefield comprising multiple glaciers surround this capital that is only accessible by air or sea.

The harbor of Icy Strait Point was purpose-built by Alaska Natives to welcome visitors to Chichagof Island, and you can learn about the indigenous Tlingit culture through traditional music and dance performances in the nearby village of Hoonah. On the waterfront, a restored cannery now houses a museum, local shops, and restaurants serving freshly caught crab and other delicious seafood, or you might go fishing for your own fresh salmon or halibut.

Nestled on an inlet surrounded by snowcapped mountains, Haines is a picturesque town embraced by immense natural beauty. A great place to begin exploring is the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, home to the world's largest concentration of bald eagles. Watch for these majestic birds as well as brown bears, moose and other wildlife while rafting or boating along the gentle current of Chilkat River. Adventure seekers might ascend a rugged trail in an ATV for spectacular views from Takshanuk Mountain or paddle a kayak along Lynn