Any Travels

Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is located in the Alaskan Panhandle. The State Legislature meets in the Territorial Building. Juneau is the only mainland state capital in the U.S. which cannot be accessed by road. It is not easily accessible from most of the rest of the state, a feature it shares with Honolulu, Hawaii. The only way to reach Juneau is via sea or air—a car or truck brought to Juneau must be put on a barge or ferry first. Currently the State of Alaska is considering a number of ways to improve transportation to and from Juneau, with a connecting road to Skagway being the preferred alternative.

Juneau was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau. The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni "flounder creek", and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aakh'w "little lake" in Tlingit. The Taku River just south of Juneau was named after the cold t'aakh wind that blows down from the mountains, and is the source of some of Juneau's more unpleasant weather.