Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Typically you'll find your cheapest option is to use a rental truck and drive up. But it'll depend on how much stuff you have. For the drive up I recommend research on this forum and having a copy of the Milepost. The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner .
For a car, any all wheel drive or 4 wheel drive will work.
What do I look for in a car? What do I look for in tires?
Any car works in the non-winter seasons. Most all cars work in the winter. I would suggest an all-wheel drive or front wheel drive vehicle. For tires, I run on the all-seasons tires that come stock on new cars. Of course, I have an AWD vehicle and 30+ years driving in winter conditions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pshquilts
Where should we stay until we find the right apartment?
There are several extended stay hotels in Juneau. I'd just google extended stays Juneau to find them. Depending on where your job is, look at Google Maps to find the closest to work.
Rentals will be tight and the Legislature will have entered session in January. While you won't have to compete with their staff, they arrived a month earlier, so you won't find much. If you have pets, you've just eliminated 75% of what you will find available. Do not trust Craigslist. There are always multiple scams where they'll post a house for sale as a rental for a great rental price. Do not send them money. Do check with Realtors and they do manage rentals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pshquilts
Shoes? What do we look for?
Rain Gear? What do we look for?
You'll need a pair of boots for the winter. Currently, it's raining on snow and ice. Plenty of big puddles (pond/lake size), on the residential streets. ExtraTufs are common year-round, as are Sorrels for winter. Rain gear depends on what you're doing. If it's just for commuting, about anything is good. Just plan on wearing layers depending on the weather. Outside work requires heavier rain gear. Helly Hansen is popular.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pshquilts
I'm personally not planning to drive until after the thaw. How is the bus system?
How important or difficult is it to get close to the line?
You can get to about anywhere in Juneau on the bus lines. Many people use it as their main form of transportation. However, I do advise you drive in winter. How else will you learn to winter drive? Right now, we have snow and ice on the side streets. The main roads are for the most part, bare and wet.
If I had to guess, most cars that end up in the ditch because they rapidly approached a slower car, losing control when they hit their brakes. The second most cause is changing lanes. There often is a snow/ice build up between the lanes. Some drivers hit it and over correct, causing them to lose control. It sometimes has taken me a half mile to change lanes in order to maintain control.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pshquilts
Ship our stuff or use a rental truck?
If you're not willing to drive in winter, you'd better ship your stuff. Both will be expensive, so it's best to cull your stuff before you move. If your employer is paying, I'd still examine your stuff and sell/donate things you haven't used in years.
Other things to aware of. If you go through Canada, you'll need a passport. This is a U.S. Customs requirement to get back into the U.S., so Canada requires it to cross their borders. Pet need a health certificate done within 30 days of entering Alaska. If you have a felony conviction or DUI, Canada will likely not let you cross the border. If you fly or take the ferry from Washington, you won't need a passport, but I'd still get one as you might want to travel through Canada later.
We are moving from Atlanta to Juneau in February, I need acres of advice please.
What do I look for in a car? What do I look for in tires?
Where should we stay until we find the right apartment?
Shoes? What do we look for?
Rain Gear? What do we look for?
I'm personally not planning to drive until after the thaw. How is the bus system?
How important or difficult is it to get close to the line?
Ship our stuff or use a rental truck?
Thanks heaps. Juneau looks beautiful and we can't wait to get there.
Feb will be a tough housing gig, but I'd start looking on Craigslist for an apartment. There are several real estate companies that handle rentals, that may be your best bet.
Feb will be a slushy mess as it usually is. The good news, March starts the sunny time of year. It will not be real cold, expect temps from 24-40 in Feb/March.
Douglas seems to always have some nice apartments/condos available. It's across the channel from downtown and a nice little community. Subaru seems to be the car of choice, anything with AWD is a plus. The bus system has gone downhill, don't recommend depending on it. Where are you working? If downtown, many folks dont have cars and walk as most of downtown is walkable, but hilly.
Thank all of you for your help. I fell less stressed about the move now. After living all my life in a major metro area and the south, I'm really looking forward to a new way of living.
Make sure you have lots of things you enjoy doing inside.
I only spent a year in SE Alaska, but I personally think it's harder to live down there despite the relative warmth. The sunny days are rare, so when you get one, just drop everything and go outside.
Thank all of you for your help. I fell less stressed about the move now. After living all my life in a major metro area and the south, I'm really looking forward to a new way of living.
I moved from Louisiana. I love the lifestyle here. Do a lot a lot of research and and you will find the the transition fairly seamless. It's a great community to call home
Make sure you have lots of things you enjoy doing inside.
I only spent a year in SE Alaska, but I personally think it's harder to live down there despite the relative warmth. The sunny days are rare, so when you get one, just drop everything and go outside.
What's wrong with being out in the rain? Rain doesn't stop me from doing things outside where I am at, unless it is lightning out.
What's wrong with being out in the rain? Rain doesn't stop me from doing things outside where I am at, unless it is lightning out.
Ice storms and blizzards are a different story...
Rain in SE Alaska isn't quite like the rain elsewhere; it's more than rain on steroids. It's going sideways much of the time, and it blows your glasses off your face and your hat flies away.
I agree with bortstc37 about the winters in SE being tougher to take. There's sometimes some clear, cold weather in Feb., but most of the time, it's nothing but gloom. The summers can be just as bad, though.
The weather didn't bother me there for a long time, and then one day, I just couldn't stand the gloom anymore. I remember flying out from a job site where none of us had seen the sun for weeks; we got up aways and all of a sudden there was sun and blue sky, and I figured I was dead and gone to Heaven.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
