Juneau is the state capital of Alaska, the only mainland state capital in the U.S. which cannot be accessed by road. The only way to reach Juneau is via sea or air (cars and trucks being transported by barge or ferry). It is Alaska's third-largest town in terms of population (after Anchorage and Fairbanks). Juneau is located on the Gastineau Channel, at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. The town was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau; the Tlingit name is Dzántik'i Héeni ("river where the flounders gather"). The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold 't'aakh wind' that blows down from the mountains. It's the source of some of Juneau's more unpleasant weather.
Today Juneau is a major cruise ship destination with approximately 900,000 visitors arriving by cruise ship each summer.