Once in your lifetime, be sure to do something adventurous! Do not make the mistake of waiting until you can afford it. I waited until my mid-forties to start my Alaska adventure. Fortunately, I and my family still had plenty of time to enjoy it. Most of us are still here; and we treasure every day.
I was born and raised in San Francisco, but (unlike Tony Bennett) my heart is here in Juneau, Alaska where I live and where I will someday be buried. There is no other town like Juneau. It is a place that should be visited at least once in one’s lifetime. A word of warning, though – be sure to bring along adequate clothing. It is known to rain here – some years more than 220 days of it.
Now, if you plan to seek a new adventure possibly not quite as exciting as moving to Alaska, at least go there for a week or two to see what the place is like. Talk to the locals. Ask them questions.
Let them tell you about how they feel about living there. If you contemplate someday pulling up stakes, like we did, be sure that employment in your field is available in the new location. Or, if not, that good enough paying jobs that you could handle are plentiful.
If your intent is only to visit Alaska, then be sure to do it right. If you would like to visit Juneau, and you know one or more locals, phone or email them and ask about some of the things that you can see or do here. If you don’t know a soul, then do a web search to learn about tourist attractions that might interest you. To my knowledge, we have more than 60 tour operators in our area. So, whether you arrive here by boat or air (there is no road in or out of Juneau) there are many things to see or do even if your stay is only for the one day. If all else fails, and I can possibly answer your question, go ahead and ask me. I’ll be glad to help if I can.