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17 Small Towns in Alaska to Visit (By a Local)
While in Alaska, you may spot a bumper sticker reading, “Relax, it’s not the Lower 48.” Alaskans cherish their laid-back lifestyle. Nowhere is this more evident than in the small towns scattered throughout the state. Though lower in population and often lesser known than Alaskan cities, these destinations are bursting with character.
I was born and raised in Kodiak, one of the best small towns in Alaska. In this article, I’ll tell you about it and other spots you won’t want to miss!
Want to jump around?
17 Best Towns in Alaska
Palmer
Escape the “big city” of Anchorage in this laid-back little town.
📍 Google Maps | Website
Palmer lies about 45 miles north of Anchorage and offers a good glimpse of small-town life in Alaska. Here, you’ll find broad valleys hemmed in by lofty mountains and some of the best farm country in Alaska. The combination of rich soil and long summer daylight exposure makes for ideal growing conditions, so cabbages the size of beach balls are a common sight!
In August, the otherwise sleepy Palmer springs to life with the Alaska State Fair. Two more unique attractions in Palmer are the musk ox farm and the reindeer farm. Palmer is also the closest town to the Matanuska Glacier, one of the more popular attractions in the area.
In the winter, Hatcher Pass is a local favorite for skiing and sledding. In summer, it’s a popular place to hike. It’s also the location of the defunct Independence Mine, which now operates as a museum (in summer).
Kodiak
Kodiak is perfect for day hikes and wildlife viewing.
📍 Google Maps | Website | Best Places to Stay in Kodiak
The town of Kodiak shares its name with Kodiak Island, the second-largest island in America. The town is small and the local road system is quite limited by most people’s standards, but don’t let that fool you! There’s plenty of adventure to be had here.
Most of Kodiak’s scenic day hikes take 1-3 hours to traverse. One of the best ways to end a day on the trail is by catching a pint at the Kodiak Island Brewery. The shores and forests are also fantastic for bird watching. Spring and summer are ideal times for whale watching.
The rivers outside town are great for salmon fishing, but keep an eye out for Kodiak’s local brown bear population in summer and early fall. Fish is their main source of food and, while they tend to be more docile than their mainland cousins, it’s best to give them a wide berth!
For a Kodiak “road trip,” head out to Fossil Beach. Here, you can find fossilized remains of a variety of invertebrates. Surfer Beach, right before Fossil Beach, is a local favorite. Even at the height of summer, it’s nowhere near as crowded as the popular beaches of the Lower 48.
For more, check out my guide to all the best things to do in Kodiak.
Homer
Art galleries, halibut, and natural beauty abound in this town.
📍 Google Maps | Website
One of the most adventurous ways to get to and from Kodiak is aboard the ferry from Homer. Its ferry terminal sits at the end of the Homer Spit, a thin strip of land jutting out into the gorgeous Kachemak Bay.
Besides the ferry terminal, a shoal of restaurants, hotels, and bars call the Homer Spit home. One of the most popular establishments is the Salty Dawg Saloon. Meanwhile, the Land’s End Resort offers accommodations and the classy Chartroom restaurant. On summer days, the views from its patio are unbeatable!
Homer is one of the more artsy towns in Alaska and has several art galleries well worth a visit. If you prefer chasing fish to contemplating paintings, Homer is also one of the best places to fish for halibut. Kachemak Bay State Park, across the bay from town, is great for adventure tours.
I recommend traveling to Homer via an Alaskan road trip from Anchorage. The drive takes about 5 hours but is jam-packed with beautiful scenery.
Soldotna
Experience the beauty of South-Central Alaska.
📍 Google Maps | Website
Soldotna lies about 3 hours down the Sterling Highway from Anchorage. The nearby Kenai River offers some of the best inland sport fishing tours in the state. The river’s distinctive light blue hue comes from glacial run-off. Several campsites sit along the banks of the Kenai River if you’d rather rough it than book a hotel.
The mountains and forests of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge are ideal for hiking and taking in the serene majesty of South-Central Alaska. Brown bears, black bears, moose, and many other creatures call this place home. You may even spy Alaska’s only wild cat, the lynx, here!
Soldotna Progress Day, towards the end of June, offers concerts, food, and craft beverages. The festivities also include car races and a rodeo!
👉 Pro Tip: It’s always a good idea to include bug spray on your Alaska packing list, especially if you plan on hiking. Alaska’s “unofficial state bird,” the mosquito, thrives near bodies of water. Expect to encounter more of them in the swampier lowland areas!
Whittier
This unique town is your gateway to Prince William Sound.
📍 Google Maps | Website
This town, though small, has a one-of-a-kind quirk: All its residents live in one apartment building! Whittier is a great hub for exploring Prince William Sound and private glacier cruises also depart from the port here. For a more adventurous experience, book a kayak or jet ski tour.
To get here, you’ll need to pass through North America’s longest tunnel. The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel carves its way through 2.7 miles of mountain before opening on Whittier. Traffic flow is regulated, alternating between car traffic and the Alaska Railroad. Don’t even think about trying to hold your breath when driving through this tunnel!
Seward
A world-class aquarium and scenic setting make Seward unforgettable.
📍 Google Maps | Website
You can get to Seward via the Alaska Railroad or the Old Seward Highway. This cozy Alaska town on the shores of Resurrection Bay is home to the state’s premier aquarium. The Alaska Sealife Center houses a wide variety of Alaskan coastal species. Seward also serves as one of the best jumping-off points for exploring Kenai Fjords National Park.
The town also has a small collection of murals that depict different aspects of life in Alaska. It can be fun to go on a “treasure hunt” to find them all. Seward has plenty of cozy restaurants to sample local fare and world cuisine in between adventures.
👉 Planning an Alaska Trip? Use my guide on the best times to visit Alaska to figure out when to visit these amazing towns.
Valdez
A cozy town that is great for aquatic and alpine adventures!
📍 Google Maps | Website
The port town of Valdez lies nestled between the mountains and the sea. Although small, the town plays a critical role in Alaska’s oil industry. It’s the terminal of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The mountains surrounding the town offer all kinds of adventures, from hiking to heli-skiing.
Boat and helicopter tours from Valdez give up-close looks at glaciers and local wildlife ranging from humpback whales to a wide variety of seabirds. Further inland, local white-water rafting tours brave the canyons of the Chugach Mountains. The Keystone Canyon is a great place for scenic drives and hikes.
The Valdez Museum houses an exhibit about earthquakes and the events that unfolded in the aftermath of the notorious 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
Cordova
Come see the Sea Otter Capital of the World!
Cordova is another small town in South-Central Alaska, one of the state’s best areas to stay. Here, you can explore over 100 miles of hiking trails in the emerald-green Chugach National Forest. Cordova sits on the Prince William Sound at the mouth of the Copper River Delta — and as such, is fantastic for salmon fishing.
The salmon also draw bald eagles and bears, so it’s a great place for wildlife viewing. In Cordova, the “Sea Otter Capital of the World,” it’s quite common to see shoals of otters chilling in the local harbor.
Learn more about the local native culture at the Ilanka Cultural Center. Gift shops here also sell the unique Copper River Fleece products decorated with traditional Native motifs.
Talkeetna
This small town is big on rustic charm and is the gateway to Denali National Park.
Talkeetna is the perfect homebase while exploring Denali National Park, a must on any Alaska itinerary. Travel to Talkeetna by either the George Parks Highway or the Alaska Railroad. For an unforgettable experience (and the best views of Denali), book a flight-seeing trip out of Talkeetna. Or, swap the altitude for adrenaline and visit the Denali Park Zipline.
If you’re up for hiking and camping, you can access Denali State Park, the wilder side of the Denali area, from here. The local rivers and lakes are great for fishing, floating, and camping. You can also take the Hurricane Turn Train to tour the local backcountry in summer.
Bethel
This tiny town on the tundra is the main hub of Alaska’s Kuskokwim region.
This town in western Alaska is a major hub for the remote villages of southwestern Alaska and is a great place for a taste of life on the tundra. No roads lead to Bethel, but Alaska Airlines flights depart daily from Anchorage.
In the darker months, Bethel can be a good place to see the northern lights. In January, Bethel hosts the Kuskokwim 300 dog sledding race. The race lasts less than 19 hours, but other festivities fill the week around the race.
Bethel is also a good place to learn more about Alaska’s Yupik Native culture. The Cama’i Dance Festival on the last weekend of March is an unmissable opportunity to see Native dances from across the state.
👉 Pro Tip: Everyday grocery items are often much more expensive in Alaska’s remote villages! If you plan on visiting, make sure you factor this into your expenses.
Nome
The end of the Iditarod trail and the beginning of Arctic adventures!
📍 Google Maps | Website
Looking for an adventure off the beaten path? Then make your way to Nome! This remote town on Alaska’s Seward Peninsula stands at the end of the famous Iditarod trail, but you’ll have to take an airplane to get here. The easiest connection is aboard Alaska Airlines out of Anchorage.
Local museums preserve the relics of frontier history and Native Alaskan cultures. One of the main draws in the frontier days was gold, and you can try your hand at panning for gold at the beach.
The local road system spans 350 miles of the surrounding area, connecting Nome with several outlying villages. At first, it may seem like there’s “nothing” out there, but the austere vastness of this region is what gives it its unique beauty. Nome has a limited number of rental options, but you can also book tours to explore this wild land.
Utqiagvik (aka Barrow)
America’s northernmost town makes for an unforgettable Arctic experience.
The remoteness of this Alaskan town and its extreme climate make it less accommodating to casual travelers. If you love adventure, though, Utqiagvik offers an opportunity like no other. The longest winter night here lasts from late November to late January, with weeks of uninterrupted darkness! The summer solstice sees 24 hours of daylight and the sun literally never sets.
Hike out to Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the United States. There, the lonely Whale Bone Arch stands as a symbol of the local people’s deep ties to the sea. The Iñupiat Heritage Center tells the story of the Iñupiat who have braved these austere lands above the Arctic Circle for centuries. Locals celebrate July 4th with traditional Native Alaskan games.
North Pole
It’s Christmas every day in this town outside Fairbanks.
📍 Google Maps | Website
This tiny town keeps the Christmas spirit alive, even at the height of summer. There’s an actual Santa Claus Lane here, as well as other festively-named streets. Shop for Christmas decorations and goodies year-round at the Santa Claus House.
North Pole is a perfect stop on a family trip to Fairbanks. While it is Christmas all year here, the best festivities happen in early December. Locals mark the first Sunday of December with a candlelight ceremony, Christmas caroling, and the lighting of the town’s official Christmas Tree.
North Pole is also a good place to see the northern lights. The nearby Chena River State Recreation Area offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and rafting. In the winter, enjoy cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing
Unalaska (aka Dutch Harbor)
Explore the wind-swept capital of Alaska’s fishing industry.
If you’ve watched Deadliest Catch, you’ll be familiar with Unalaska. Getting here can be expensive but if you love remote, beautiful places, Unalaska is the place to go! One good thing about being so remote is that there are no bears here, so you can hike the hills with an easier mind.
After a day of exploration, get a drink and some grub at the Harbor View Bar and Grill or the Norwegian Rat Saloon. As a lifelong Alaskan, I guarantee you’re likely to meet some memorable local characters, too! A walk along the docks here will give you an up-close look at the town’s famous fishing fleet.
If you like history, check out the Holy Ascension Cathedral. The church, one of Alaska’s oldest historic buildings, has stood since 1896 and preserves many antique religious icons from the early 1900s.
Wrangell
A hidden gem in southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage.
📍 Google Maps | Website
The islands of southeast Alaska have a milder, rainy climate, making them the ideal place for plant life to grow. Wrangell is a great place to take in the serene beauty of Alaska’s verdant rainforests.
Hike up Mt. Dewey Trail for a view of the surrounding area. Float down the Stikine River or kayak through the nearby coastal fjords. Visit in early spring to see massive flocks of migratory birds.
The replica tribal house on Chief Shakes Island is a local highlight. The building itself is a reconstruction, but experts believe the totem pillars are authentic. Another testament to local native culture is the petroglyphs carved on stones at Petroglyph Beach.
Skagway
Alaska’s gold rush days live on in this cozy town.
📍 Google Maps | Website
Skagway is one of the best places in Alaska to learn about the state’s gold rush history. This charming town on the Inside Passage has over 100 historic buildings and instantly transports you back to the town’s wild frontier days.
For a great through-hike, travel up the famous Chilkoot Trail that took prospectors over the mountains to the fabled goldfields of the Yukon. Or, for a less grueling trek, take a ride on the scenic White Pass Railroad, but be sure to bring your passport. The route crosses into Canada.
In addition to the above, there’s no shortage of tours and hikes in and around Skagway. Olivia’s at the Historic Skagway Inn is an excellent choice for distinctively Alaskan dishes. The Klondike Doughboy bakery makes delicious pastries and is a great start to any day in Skagway.
Yakutat
A unique combination of glaciers, forests, and surfing.
Many Alaska cruise ship tours stop in Yakutat. Like other places in coastal Alaska, Yakutat is great for wildlife viewing. Yakutat is also the best jumping-off point for seeing the Hubbard Glacier and touring Glacier Bay National Park. The oceans and rivers around Yakutat make for memorable fishing trips.
Yakutat is also one of the best towns in Alaska for surfing! The best waves roll in from mid-April to mid-June and again from mid-August through September. Rent a board at Icy Waves Surf Shop and hit the waves.
Take to the skies for a fly-by tour of Mt. St. Elias. For more land-based adventures, hit the trails around Yakutat for an enchanting trek through the lush Tongass National Forest. The Yakutat Lodge combines cozy rooms and hearty grub for visitors to this tiny town.
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I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the state’s best towns! For more incredible travel ideas, check out my guide to all the best things to do in Alaska.
Hello!!!! What about Juneau????
Hey!
I covered Juneau in some of my other articles: Things to Do in Juneau and Where to Stay in Juneau.