Squeezed onto a narrow slip of land between the waters of Gastineau Channel and the base of 3,576-foot-tall Mount Juneau, Alaska’s capital city, is literally and figuratively overshadowed by the vast wilderness that surrounds it. Located in the middle of the Tongass National Forest two-thirds of the way up the Inside Passage, Juneau is a former gold rush town that has managed to strike it rich with tourists. Because no roads connect Juneau to the outside world, all visitors must arrive by air or sea. This is an enormous benefit for the city, as it is most striking when viewed against a backdrop of massive glaciers, dense forests, towering peaks, and meandering waterways: a sliver of civilization in the wild. In 2002, more than three-quarters of a million visitors came to this remote region of Alaska, most arriving by cruise ship.

The city was originally called Harrisburg, in recognition of Richard Harris, one of the first prospectors to stake a claim in the area. The town’s name was later changed to Rockwell for a short time, before being changed in 1881 to Juneau—in honor of Joe Juneau, Harris’s partner and cofounder of the settlement. In 1906, the government was moved from Sitka to Juneau, and it has remained the state capital ever since despite its geographic isolation from the rest of the state. Although Juneau’s population is about 31,000, making it the third-largest city in Alaska, it has managed to retain a small-town feel, due in large part to the preservation of the historic district around Front and Franklin streets and the casual, friendly attitude of its residents. It may be the capital, but it’s still Alaska. With an average of 222 days of rain each year, it’s not surprising that the city is brimming with bookstores, coffeehouses, restaurants, and bars.