A Local's Perspective to Alaska

• Historical Gems: Did you know Alaska only became a US state in 1959? Original Totem Poles are still standing in Sitka’s Totem Square. You can head over to Soapy Smith’s headstone in Skagway to reflect off the Gold Rush timeline. Are you looking for WWII artifacts? We have those, too! Juneau, Yakutat and even Nome are all homes to abandoned military fortifications that are still in pristine shape.

• Festivals & Fairs: Events like the Haines Beerfest, the World Ice Art Championships and the Alaska State Fair are parties you don’t want to miss. People from all over the Yukon, Alaska and Washington travel here to celebrate their favorite communities. If you book far enough in advance, you can even catch early-bird tickets to arrive before the crowd!

• Performing Arts Entertainment: As you may find, Alaska doesn’t have a lot of standard amenities. We don’t have amusement parks, we don’t have tropical outdoor pools and most towns lack luxurious shopping centers. How do we stay busy? We perform! All throughout the state, we are substantially driven by The Arts. From plays, fashion shows, live music and dancing — to drag, burlesque, poetry and aerial arts. There’s something for everyone to either watch or participate in!

• Speaking of Art…: Whether it’s a totem pole carved and designed by a local — or a life-sized whale fountain, built down in the states. You can find special artifacts around Alaska that please your artistic eyes. Handcrafted artwork in the city's museums and local galleries are abundant — or you can take an adventure outside and find old petroglyphs and local murals. How far are you willing to go?

• Berry Picking: Take a walk in any direction in Southeast Alaska at the right time of the year, and you will find yourself with a substantial amount of native berries to pick right off the sidewalk. Enjoy a quick snack of blueberries as you step off the cruise ship, or find a patch of salmonberries in the woods to spend an hour berry picking!

• Winter Wonderland: Are you traveling during the winter? You’ll find it’s much different here, with snow. With a lack of daylight, a lack of warmth and a lack of available businesses that are open — It almost seems like there’s nothing to do. But maybe you haven’t looked in the right places! We have a continuously growing list of activities. Not only is there skiing/snowboarding, but we have fully curated Christmas towns, The Iditarod, massive multi-day indoor markets and of course, let’s not forget the Aurora Borealis (or “Northern Lights”)

• Hiking and walks: Now what is Alaska without a good old-fashioned adventure? Did you know Alaska has more trails and foot paths, than we have roads? You can take a short 15-minute walk along the ruins of a gold mine, or hike four hours to the summit of a glacier-carved mountain! Just be sure to tell somebody where you’re going, and be prepared for unexpected terrain, and emergencies. Some walks will take you along a flat paved sidewalk, and others will place you in an Alaskan wilderness. Know before you go!

• Boats, kayaks and surfing - oh my!: Southeast Alaska is almost completely surrounded by water, so why not take advantage of it? You can surf the Far North Shore of Yakutat or at Lena Point in Juneau. Not ready for the cold? No worries! You can take private boat trips into the oceans, lakes or rivers. You can even add Fishing, Whale Watching or Island Camping as a perk to your adventure. Maybe you’re wanting a more intimate endeavor with your partner — Kayaking in Alaska waters provides 1-on-1 experiences, with rentals available in virtually every town.

Breakfast: What better way to enjoy Alaska than to wake up and eat breakfast with a mountain in your view? Chilkat Restaurant & Bakery (Haines) is not only walkable distance from — anywhere. But they are one of the best bakeries I’ve ever been to. You should also check out The Rookery (Juneau) with awesome coffee, and The Salty Pantry (Petersburg) with amazing pastries

Coffee: Have you noticed the lack of Starbucks in Alaska? And wait — where’s Dunkin Donuts? That’s right, most Alaskan communities don’t have them! So, how do you get our fill of caffeine for a dragging Monday morning? Treat yourself to locally made, house-brewed coffee in any town! Flying Squirrel (Juneau), Fireweed Gallery (Gustavus) and Fisherman’s Daughter (Hoonah) are just the beginning in trying a new coffee, mocha or cappuccino of your choosing. Just be careful — you’ll want to come back!

“Top of the Mountain”: There are an abundance of bars and restaurants that provide epic sightseeing views at the top of an Alaska mountain, while you sit and enjoy a meal. And most are handicap-accessible! Take the Mount Roberts Tram (Juneau) and enjoy a meal next to the edge of the Tongass National Rainforest. Or check out Seven Glaciers at the Alyeska Resort (Girdwood) for an amazing view of surrounding glaciers and mountains. Take lots of pictures and bring back memories to brag about!

Bars: From antique dive bars, sports bar or even a luxurious cocktail/wine bar. Places like The Fogcutter (Haines), Ernie’s Saloon (Sitka) and The Narrows (Juneau) are just the place to get acquainted at a local level. We offer a variety of different niches for the dedicated traveler, with specialized homebrews, cocktails and mixes. There are plenty of alcoholic beverages to go around! Don’t forget to also drop in to Humpy’s (Anchorage) or The Pump House (Fairbanks) that serve awesome snack foods, and even better burgers

LGBTQ: While we lack specific bars or restaurants for the community, almost every bar/restaurant is LGBTQ+ friendly and accepts all visitors. Though with that said, you’ll want to visit Mad Myrnas (Anchorage), and Mean Queen (Sitka) which are the best year-round places to go. And if you arrive at just the right time, you can find yourself watching a local drag show! They can be found at places like TK Maguires & Red Dog Saloon (Juneau), Red Onion Saloon (Skagway) and even further north: Roundup Steakhouse (Fairbanks).

Craft Breweries: Alaska is no stranger to the craft brew industry. My personal favorites are Harbor Mountain (Sitka), Matanuska Brewing (Palmer) and a nation-wide favorite: Alaskan Brewing (Juneau). All three breweries offer a variety of beer, seltzers and even non-alcoholic sodas, for the kids! I’d also like to highlight Three Northmen, located in Haines, Alaska, who (in my opinion) brew and sell the best Meads!

Seafood: If you’d like to taste some fresh Alaskan salmon, I would highly recommend checking out the town of Ketchikan, who are known as the Salmon Capital of the World! Places like Alaska Fish House are worth visiting. If you’re looking for something a little more shelly, get a taste of fresh-caught king and dungenous crab at Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau. They catch and cook crab and bring it directly to your plate.

Mexican: Yes! There's Mexican food! From fusion cuisine at V’s Cellar Door (Juneau) to homemade street tacos at El Senor Moose (Eagle River), true Hispanic menus are available across the state with house-made sauces, tortillas, meats and toppings. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll even find special local sauces you can purchase at the grocery store!