Situated in the largest national forest in the country, the Tongass, the City and Borough of Juneau stretches out along the shores of Alaska's Inside Passage, punctuated by glaciers, islands, waterfalls and wildlife. Sandwiched between spectacular mountains and accessible deepwater maritime routes, Juneau enjoys the best of all possible worlds.

A drive of a few minutes brings you to the Mendenhall Glacier or to one of dozens of trailheads available for free public use. Kayaking in Glacier Bay, diving the Shrine of St. Therese, and discovering the best local fishing holes are just a few of the everyday adventures available in Juneau.

And, if you are interested in learning more about the natural history of Juneau, there is no better way than to participate in the Juneau Hike Program (which turns into a cross-country ski program in the winter), where knowledgeable group leaders guide you along some of Juneau's many trails.

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) sponsors recreational activities throughout the year. Adult and children's leagues in soccer (indoors and out) and basketball offer fun all year long. For adults, there is also indoor volleyball.

The CBJ also maintains the Augustus G. Brown Swimming Pool, the Pipeline Skate Park and the Zach Gordon Youth Center - complete with a climbing wall available to the general public.

The Juneau-Douglas City Museum offers terrific, local history based exhibits year round; in the winter, they have limited hours for general viewing, but an expanded program of events. The Alaska State Museum's exhibits are never short of fascinating; they also provide docent training for those interested in spending more time with the collection! The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center complements their panoramic view of the Mendenhall Glacier with both educational programs and a maintained trail system. (The MGVC does not yet have a website, but one is under construction! A search for "mendenhall glacier" will find you many sites of interest.)

With more than 130,000 items in their collection, the public library sytem in Juneau provides ample opportunities for recreation. Their three facilities (including one boasting a water view from the top of the Juneau Parking Garage!) formed one of the first interlibrary loan consortiums utilizing computers in the United States: being on the "Last Frontier" encourages innovation!