Your driver-guide recounts the history of Juneau's gold rush as you depart downtown en route to monumental Mendenhall Glacier. This meandering river of compressed blue ice ranks as the largest glacier accessible by road in southeast Alaska. It runs a half-mile wide, hundreds of feet deep and is fed by the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Icefield. The U.S. Forest Service staff offers a wealth of information on glaciers during your 1.25-hour visit and the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center features exhibits, interactive videos and a panoramic view of the glacier. Don't forget your camera, as the center offers the perfect vantage point for photos of this world-famous sight. Explore the numerous self-guided walking trails to experience the special beauty of Tongass National Forest and allows ever-changing glimpses of the glacier.

Next, we'll travel on to Macaulay Hatchery, where you can see salmon spawning from late June through September or have an opportunity to feed salmon fry from May through early June. Learn all about the fascinating reproductive cycles of Pacific salmon through museum-quality exhibits that illustrate the hatchery's production of over 150 million salmon per year. There are also hundreds of native marine life on display in aquariums and touch tanks.

Finally, enjoy an all-you-can-eat feast. Savor wild Alaska salmon, chicken, potatoes, baked beans, salads, cornbread and dessert. Listen to music while you dine under translucent domes shielding you from the elements. After your meal, stroll through the woods or roast marshmallows over the campfire. Take the short walk along Salmon Creek and see a waterfall, view spawning salmon (in season) and the remains of the historic Wagner Mine. Buses depart regularly to the pier so you may return at your leisure.