10 Must-Visit Small Towns in Alaska

Sitka was established as a Russian settlement in 1799, with traces of the history and culture of the Tlingit tribe. The Alaskan town is great for exploring on foot – a must-see is the 19^th-century St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral, which features Italian Rococo design and Russian religious art.

Sitka National Historical Park is where you can see Tlingit and Haida totem poles set along the park’s coastal trail. There’s also a restored Russian Bishop’s house dating back to the 1840s. You can get to Sitka from the mainland by taking the Alaska Marine Highway ferry.

Valdez lies at the head of a deep fjord in Prince William Sound. While the town is an important commercial fishing port, its relatively remote location makes it a great place to appreciate Alaska’s natural scenery.

Surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, Valdez has miles of hiking trails to tackle, some with campgrounds. The moderate Meals Hill Trail overlooks the town and port, while the Mineral Creek Trail takes you to Horsetail Creek Falls and an abandoned stamp mill dating back to the Gold Rush.

Ketchikan is a seaside town that stretches 31 miles along Revillagigedo Island’s southwest. It’s known for its many reconstructed Haida and Tlingit totem poles, which you can see at the Saxman Totem Park, Potlatch Park, and Totem Bight State Park. There’s also the Totem Heritage Center, which has a collection of 19th-century totem poles.

Ketchikan’s downtown can get quite busy as the town has 2 main harbours and several docks for cruise ships. Explore Tongass Avenue to see shops and houses built on stilts and out over the water. Another must-see is the historic Creek Street, a boardwalk mounted on stilts over Ketchikan Creek.

Skagway is easy to get to, thanks to the Klondike Highway and Alaska Marine Highway. Located in the Alaska panhandle, the town is known for its wooden boardwalks and restored period-style buildings. Part of its downtown is the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, which commemorates Alaska’s Gold Rush in the late 1890s.

Skagway makes a great base for hikers exploring the 33-mile-long Chilkoot Trail, which takes you to historic sites like Bennett Lake and the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. If you want to relax by the water, boat tours to Lynn Canal, Fraser Lake, and Lower Dewey Lake are popular activities.

Homer is only accessible via the Sterling Highway – which earned the town its nickname, "the end of the road". Located on the shore of Kachemak Bay, it’s a gateway to prominent reserves such as Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Preserve.

A water taxi can take you to Kachemak Bay State Park, where there’s ample hiking, cycling, kayaking, and wildlife watching opportunities. Designated trails can take you to the Grewingk Glacier Lake, China Poot Bay, and Halibut Cove Lagoon. The town itself is great for shopping, thanks to art galleries and craft shops around Pioneer Avenue. You can learn about Homer’s natural surroundings at The Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center.

Talkeetna lies at the confluence of 3 glacier rivers, namely Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna. Flightseeing and river tours are among the best ways to see the town’s many natural landmarks, including Ruth Glacier, Denali, and the Alaskan Range. 

The town itself is full of history, with most of its buildings built in the early 1900s. Families often visit Talkeetna Riverfront Park and Wild Woods Park for picnics and leisurely activities. At the Denali National Park & Preserve, seasoned hikers can scale over 20,000 ft to the summit of Mount Denali, the highest in North America.

Petersburg houses a small community on the northern end of Mitkof Island. Founded by Norwegian fishermen in the late 19^th century, the town is nicknamed Alaska’s “Little Norway”. To this day, you can see Norwegian flags and rosemaling (decorative folk art) on many buildings and streets. There’s also a mini replica of a Viking ship at Bojer Wikan Fishermen's Memorial Park.

Petersburg makes a great base for whale watching in the nearby Frederick Sound. Over 1,000 humpback whales migrate here from Hawaii in the summer, usually between mid-May and September. You can also spot orcas, sea lions, white-sided dolphins and harbour seals in the waters surrounding Petersburg.

The resort town of Girdwood is surrounded by the Chugach Mountain Range in Anchorage. It’s also within a short distance of 7 glaciers, so it’s also called Alaska’s “Glacier City”. Summer is when the town is at its busiest, when you can enjoy outdoor activities like white-water rafting, hiking, flightseeing, and kayaking.

Alyeska Resort Girdwood is excellent for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. For the best view of Girdwood, take a ride on the Alyeska Aerial Tram to Mount Alyeska’s observation deck, which stands at 2,300 ft above sea level.

Gustavus is less than 5 miles east of the Glacier Bay National Park, which boasts 3.3 million acres of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and fjords. The town enjoys a moderate climate, making it popular for camping, kayaking, and whale watching.

Take a boat tour of the Icy Strait to spot seals, humpback whales, orcas, and sea otters. Despite its modest size, Gustavus has a fair amount of lodging options, including campgrounds, B&Bs, cottages, and guesthouses. There are also many galleries and studios showcasing local artwork and woodcarvings.

Wrangell is a great place to learn about Alaska’s native heritage, thanks to the Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park. It has the highest concentration of petroglyphs in Southeast Alaska, with over 40 of them carved on rocks and bedrock outcrops. Don't forget to head over to Chief Shakes Tribal House on Shakes Island, a life-sized replica of a 19th-century Tlingit home.

Wrangell is also great for enjoying the wilderness, with many companies offering tours of the Stikine River and LeConte Glacier. The Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory is an observation platform overlooking the cascading falls of Anan Creek. Black and brown bears are commonly seen hunting pink salmon in July and August.