The number one thing that I will miss most about Juneau is being able to walk Millie off-leash on trails. Juneau is a very dog-friendly town and most people are used to dogs running around free. The entire town is practically a large dog park. It is heaven for dogs. Watching Millie running around having fun makes my walks and hikes more enjoyable. It also lets her release more of that energy in her so that she might be more calm at night.
2. Fresh Air
On my most recent trip home to Virginia, I distinctly noticed the smell of car exhaust and pollution when I tried to go for a jog and thought, "ugh". Breathing clean air is like drinking clean water. It's nice. I also had a lot less problems with allergies here, and I got sick less often. Not sure if it's related, but I bet the fresh air helps.
3. Numerous Trails
Over the course of the years my interest in hiking grew, and I've always dreamed of living somewhere where I can hike all the time. Well, this place let me tick that off of my bucket list. There are many trails here of varying lengths and difficulty, all within a 30-40 minute drive, most within 5 or walking distance. The trails can at times be muddy and weather isn't always cooperative, but I've had some of my best hikes here when conditions are good. (I will try to do post on my favorite trails soon.)
4. Low Population
There are about 30,000 people living in Juneau. This means that there's hardly any traffic, lines, or crowds to contend with on a regular basis. Having only ever lived in big cities, I appreciated this a whole lot. I will miss it when I move back to Virginia.
5. Glaciers
There aren't any glaciers on the East Coast, so having Mendenhall Glacier right in your town that you can drive up to see is really neat. I never tired of visiting it. There are also a number of hiking trails in the area such as the East Glacier Trail and West Glacier Trail. If you're up for a fairly long hike, there are also Herbert Glacier and Eagle glacier.
There aren't any glaciers on the East Coast, so having Mendenhall Glacier right in your town that you can drive up to see is really neat. I never tired of visiting it. There are also a number of hiking trails in the area such as the East Glacier Trail and West Glacier Trail. If you're up for a fairly long hike, there are also Herbert Glacier and Eagle glacier.
6. Waterfalls
Since Juneau sits in the middle of a rainforest, there is no shortage of waterfalls here. A lot of the trails in Juneau have some sort of a waterfall along the way. Probably the largest and most accessible is Nugget falls right next to Mendenhall Glacier. Granite Creek is also a great trail for lots of waterfalls. You will also see lots of waterfalls in the Tracy Arm Fjords, though you'll need a boat or go on a day tour.
7. Snow
Since Juneau sits in the middle of a rainforest, there is no shortage of waterfalls here. A lot of the trails in Juneau have some sort of a waterfall along the way. Probably the largest and most accessible is Nugget falls right next to Mendenhall Glacier. Granite Creek is also a great trail for lots of waterfalls. You will also see lots of waterfalls in the Tracy Arm Fjords, though you'll need a boat or go on a day tour.7. Snow
Alaska gets quite a bit of snow as you can imagine, and it's a winter wonderland here when it does. Walking in, driving in, and shoveling snow isn't fun, but snowshoe, skiing, and snowboarding is! If you're lucky enough to have a snowmobile you can do that here too. It also makes everything really beautiful.
8. Cabins
There are a lot of Forest Service and State cabins all over Alaska. Juneau has its fair share of them, and some accessible by hiking. These cabins let you stay out in the wilderness and relax. I only stayed in a cabin once (a Forest Service one), but I have visited a few on my hikes. All were really nice cabins and a great place to warm up or have lunch while on a hike.
There are a lot of Forest Service and State cabins all over Alaska. Juneau has its fair share of them, and some accessible by hiking. These cabins let you stay out in the wilderness and relax. I only stayed in a cabin once (a Forest Service one), but I have visited a few on my hikes. All were really nice cabins and a great place to warm up or have lunch while on a hike.
9. Long Summer Days
On the longest day of the year, Juneau gets about 18 hours of day light. There's no worrying about getting back from a hike before dark, and you can still do nice long walks in the evening after work. Another thing I like about the summers here is that it's not so hot. Not looking forward to 90 degrees summer in Virginia....
10. Ferries
On the longest day of the year, Juneau gets about 18 hours of day light. There's no worrying about getting back from a hike before dark, and you can still do nice long walks in the evening after work. Another thing I like about the summers here is that it's not so hot. Not looking forward to 90 degrees summer in Virginia....
10. Ferries
Honorable Mentions
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines became my favorite US airline after moving to Alaska. They're the only airline in and out of Juneau, but I didn't mind it so much. Yeah, the prices were slightly higher on the airline, but I thought some of the perks they offered were pretty good. If you're an Alaska resident, you can become a Club 49 member and not pay any baggage fee for the first two luggage. Since going anywhere from Alaska is a long ways away, you can also rack up mileage easily by sticking to the airline. You can earn even more miles by getting their credit card. The goal to MVP (first elite status) is only 20,000 miles so easily achievable. You can also fly one way within in Alaska for only 7,500 miles.
My Office
It's not a Juneau thing, but it is something I will miss. I had it pretty good in terms of my office here. My commute was a 3 block walk. I also had my own office with a beautiful view of the channel. (I saw several nice sunrises from office window.) I won't get either in my next job, and it's not likely I will in any future jobs.
Dressing Like a Bum
You don't see many (or any) people in Juneau trying to make a fashion statement. Given the wet, yucky weather here, people tend to dress practically. This usually means something waterproof with Extra Tufs (Alaskan wellies). Attire in the office can be described as "Alaskan casual", and I wore jeans & boots to work just about every day. With my primary activity here being walking or hiking, my weekend attire was always something comfortable too. I've never been one to dress too nicely, so it was nice not having to feel self-conscious. I could walk into a restaurant with hat hair and not worry about what other people think since there's bound to be someone else with the same.
Saving Money
Although the cost of living is high here, I didn't really have anything to spend it on here so I was able to save a bit. It's not like there's a lot of restaurants to go eat out at or bunch of places to shop. Money really only got spent on necessities here. Being able to dress very casually here also saved me money since I didn't have to buy any fancy clothes. Alaska also has a really high COLA, which I will miss dearly....
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