ALASKA PLACES
Travel information on destinations, places, cities and towns in Alaska and things to do in there.
Afognak
The unique thing about Afognak as an Alaskan travel destination is that many visitors do not come simply to relax or to play - they come to work. Afognak is a destination about both travel and learning. more
Anchorage
It is a modern city .... but located as it is in the heart of the great wilderness and surrounded by six breathtaking mountain ranges, Anchorage is the ultimate base camp for Alaska adventure. more
Barrow
Located at the tip of the Far North region of Alaska, right on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, Barrow is the northernmost community in North America. more
Chena Hot Springs
Chena Hot Springs is is a privately owned resort at the centre of a 40 square mile geothermal area found at the end of the Chena Hot Springs Road that winds along the Chena River in the Chena River Recreation Area. more
Dutch Harbor
Unalaska lies in the Aleutian Islands south west of mainland Alaska. Dutch Harbor is located within the city limits and is connected to Unalaska by a bridge. more
Eklutna
The native village of Eklutna has been inhabited by Athabascans for at least 400 years and is located just 25 miles northeast of Anchorage. It is the oldest inhabited place in the Anchorage area. more
Fairbanks
Originally a trading post for gold prospectors and sternwheeler river boats, Fairbanks, is now a popular tourist destination and gateway for national parks and tours further north across the Arctic circle. more
Girdwood
The old town site of Girdwood, located 38 miles southeast of Anchorage was in fact flooded by the Turnagain Arm during the historic 1964 earthquake. The land sank eight feet and the town had to be relocated to its present location two miles up the valley. more
Haines
Located on the shores of the Lynn Canal, Haines is known for outdoor recreation, from mountain hiking and rafting in the Chilkat River during the summer months to a wealth of winter activities at and around Chilkat Pass. more
Homer
Situated on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula, overlooking Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains, the seaside community of Homer is known as the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World. more
Juneau
At the base of grand mountain peaks and at the pristine waterfront of the Gastineau Channel, Juneau, Alaska's capital city lies on a small strip of land between sea level and 3800 feet peaks with a “back yard” of a 1,500 square mile glacial icefield bordering Canada. more
Kenai
Located on the edge of the the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge near Seward and Homer and surrounded by spectacular scenery, Kenai offers visitors a wealth of wildlife, outdoor opportunities and a rich history of native and Russian settlements and culture. more
Ketichikan
Undeniably, Ketchikan’s most notable feature is its annual rainfall of some 13 feet – feet, not inches. Yet, there is much more to this quintessential Alaskan town than a few thousand raindrops. more
Kodiak
In Alaska, words such as "spectacular" and "awe-inspiring" tumble easily and often from the mouths of travelers. But Kodiak Island earns more superlatives than just about any place in Alaska. more
Kotzebue
Located just above the Arctic Circle on Alaska’s northwest coast on a three-mile spit of land on the Chuckchi Sea, Kotzebue was originally a trading centre for many of the Arctic villages. Today it is still an important hub for Northwest Alaska. more
Nenana
The historic community and Athabascan Native Village of Nenana is 56 miles from Fairbanks and 75 miles north of Denali National Park. more
Ninilchik
Centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula, the small town of Ninilchik, whose name means "peaceful settlement by a river", is 100 miles southwest of Anchorage. more
Nome
The historic Gold Rush town of Nome may not be accessible by road, but the300 miles of byways that surround the community help visitors capture the feel and flavor that makes Nome unique. more
Palmer
Located in the Matanuska Valley of South Central Alaska, Palmer really began in 1935 when 203 families of the depression in the Midwest travelled to Alaska to start new lives in one of President Roosevelt's “new deal” projects. more
Petersburg
In 1897, instead of heading for gold like everyone else at the time, Norwegian Peter Buschmann set up a salmon cannery on Mitkof Island in Southeast Alaska and began what was to become a vibrant community steeped in Norwegian traditions. more
Pribilof Islands
Gerasim Pribilov was the first Russian to visit the area that is now named after him, the Pribilof Islands, in 1786. These four western Alaska islands are some of the most remote in the state, north of the Aleutian Chain in the Bering Sea. more
Seward
Seward is one of one of Alaska’s oldest and most picturesque communities complete with an historic downtown area, shops and art galleries. more
Sitka
Located on the west side of Baranof Island, and considered Alaska's most beautiful seaside town, Sitka displays a past unique in its blend of Tlingit culture and Russian history. more
Skagway
Known as the “Gateway to the Klondike”, and famous for the Gold Rush of 1898, Skagway is located in the Upper Lynn Canal in the northernmost part of Southeast Alaska. more
Soldotna
Located on the banks of the Kenai River at the heart of the Kenai Peninsula, 150 miles south of Anchorage, Soldotna offers a wide variety of year round attractions. more
Talkeetna
Less than a 3 hour drive northeast of Anchorage, Talkeetna is best known for its location near Mount McKinley (also known by its native name of Denali), the highest mountain peak in North America. more
Unalaska
Unalaska lies in the Aleutian Islands south west of mainland Alaska. Dutch Harbor is located within the city limits and is connected to Unalaska by a bridge. more
Valdez
Surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, Valdez (pronounced “val-deez”) is located on the north shore of a deep water fjord in Prince William Sound. more
Wasilla
Named after respected local Dena'ina Indian, Chief Wasilla, Wasilla lies an hours drive north of Anchorage between Lake Lucille and Wasilla Lake. The Dena'ina Indians called the area Benteh, meaning “Among the Lakes”. more
Whittier
Named for the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier, the town of Whittier is known as the western gateway to the dramatic Prince William Sound and the surrounding Chugach National Forest. more
Wrangell
Named after Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel, a Russian explorer and the administrator of the Russian-American Company in the mid 1800s, Wrangell is one of the oldest settlements in Alaska. more
Of the nation’s 20 highest peaks, 17 are in Alaska. That includes the legendary Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet. Mt. McKinley is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak.
Glaciers
Alaska has an estimated 100,000 glaciers, which cover almost five percent of the state. There are more active glaciers in Alaska than in the rest of the inhabited world.
Parklands
Alaska has 15 National Parks, Preserves and Monuments, and 3.2 million acres of State Park lands.
National Forests
The nation’s two largest national forests are located in Alaska. The Tongass in Southeast Alaska includes 16.8 million acres, and the Chugach in Southcentral has 4.8 million acres.
Lakes
There are more than three million lakes in Alaska. Lake Illiamna in Southwest Alaska is the second largest freshwater lake in the US.
Volcanoes
Alaska is home to 80 percent of all the active volcanoes in the US
Alaska Time Zone
Alaska has its own time zone, which is one hour earlier than Pacific Time.