9 Offbeat Alaska Towns To Visit In 2025
Alaska, famous for its glaciers, grizzlies, and gold, is one of the most beautiful areas in the United States. And while the views are quite spectacular, there are friendly, offbeat cities hidden throughout the vast wilderness with a few surprises. There’s the cat mayor in Talkeetna, or an entire village dedicated to celebrating all things chicken! When you’re ready to unwind and relax in The Last Frontier, be sure to swing by these slightly unorthodox towns to discover what makes Alaska so wild and wonderful.
Chicken
In Eastern Alaska near the Canadian border is the former gold rush town of Chicken. Chicken earned its quite unusual name due to the local bird that early residents ate, the Ptarmigan. However, not only is Ptarmigan hard to pronounce, but it’s also hard to spell. So, they settled on the name Chicken! The residents of Chicken lean into its unconventional name and hold an annual festival called Chickenstock that celebrates the community with live music, and great food (including chicken).
There are plenty of kitschy souvenir shops in town selling chicken-themed treasures, like the Chicken Mercantile Emporium, or cute cafes like the Chicken Creek Cafe. The souvenir shops have indoor bathrooms, but no trip to Chicken is complete without skipping its indoor plumbing and opting for the strange Chicken Poop outhouse instead! If you want to learn more about Chicken’s early gold mining days, be sure to stop by the Chicken Gold Camp and Outpost. It offers gold mining tours and even recreational mining and gold panning.
Petersburg
Located on the Alexander Archipelago is the small community of Petersburg (population 2,948, 2020 census), the de facto borough seat of Petersburg Borough, Alaska. Visiting Petersburg provides some of Alaska’s best scenery: sweeping views of the Frederick Sound, and snow-kissed Seward Mountains in the distance. While the scenery is breathtaking, the downtown area is just as dreamy. Affectionately known as “Little Norway”, every inch of Petersburg reflects its rich heritage in its Scandinavian architecture. It even has a replica of a Viking ship along the tranquil shores of Bojer Wikan Fishermen's Memorial Park.
To truly take in the picturesque view in Petersburg, be sure to check out Eagle Roost Park! It’s not too far from the downtown area and offers scenic overlooks and picnic tables where you can watch native Bald Eagles roosting in neighboring trees. Or, you can grab a hot cup of coffee at Glacier Express Cafe and take a stroll down the Petersburg Boat Harbor to watch fishing ships dock at the port.
The town of Wrangell
As one of Alaska’s oldest towns, Wrangell is a small community with a rich history that dates back at least 8,000 years! One of the most interesting attractions in Wrangell is the Petroglyph Beach State Historic Site, home to 40 ancient petroglyphs. Visitors can freely walk up to the site (which isn’t too far from downtown) to admire these unique historical art carvings in the rocks along the shoreline. If you want a better view of the area, the Mt. Dewey Trail offers fantastic views of the mountains and waters below.
Another interesting spot worth checking out in Wrangell is the Chief Shakes Tribal House. It’s home to one of the original settlers of the area and operated as a Tlingit clan house. The house was restored in 2013, with close attention to keeping it as accurate as possible to the original structure. Many of the posts were replaced, but you can still see some of the original posts to the structure at the Wrangell Museum.
Homer
When you think of remote villages tucked away in the Alaskan wilderness, small hamlets like Homer likely come to mind. Known by locals as the “end of the road” because it is the very last stop along Alaska’s iconic Sterling Highway. Homer may be a remote fishing village nestled along the shores of Kachemak Bay, but it boasts a lively community of artists and even better food! One of the best places to stop for a bite to eat in Homer is The Kannery, which serves up classic comfort food with breathtaking views of the water on its outdoor patio.
Peppered throughout the rickety fishing shacks you’ll find unique and unexpected surprises, like the many art galleries nestled in central Homer. Galleries like Ptarmigan Arts, Firewood Gallery, and Bunnell Street Arts Center weave the tale of Homer’s past through local artists. If you want to take in the natural beauty of the lonely village at the end of the road, Kachemak Bay State Park delivers over 40,000 acres of untouched Alaskan wilderness just waiting to be explored.
Talkeetna
If you want to understand the quirky vibes of Talkeetna, look no further than their honorary mayor: Stubbs the Cat. Stubbs was elected when the residents of Talkeetna were unimpressed with their human options during election season, and nominated the friendly feline (who earned local fame as the Nagley's General Store cat) for mayor… and won!
While Talkeetna may have earned national recognition for its unconventional mayor, it’s known worldwide by adventurous mountain climbers as the base camp for Mount Denali. Visitors can stock up on supplies at the charming Nagley's General Store, or a brew and a burger at Denali Brewpub. Even if you have no intention of scaling the highest peak in North America, you can still admire the amazing views by hiking easier trails in Denali State Park like the Mountain Vista Trail.
Cordova
Southeast of Anchorage is the charming waterside hamlet of Cordova, known for its scenery and unique local attractions. If you visit in February, you can catch the annual Iceworm Festival, which is one of Alaska’s oldest local festivals! It celebrates the mythical iceworm which is believed to reside within the local glaciers. While the iceworm may not be real, the festival is sure to deliver a fun time with oyster shucking contests, local food, and the crowning of Miss Iceworm.
To say that the community of Cordova is isolated is a bit of an understatement. Visitors can only access Cordova by flying in from Merle K. "Mudhole" Smith Airport, or by boat from a neighboring town. But the trek is well worth it! Known as the sea otter capital of the world, you can catch a glimpse of adorable sea otters in their natural habitat at places like One Eye Pond or 10 Mile Pavilion. And if you love natural history, be sure to check out Ilanka Cultural Center where you can see a rare Orca skeleton, as well as learn about the native people of Cordova.
Haines
In Southern Alaska, just outside of Juneau, is the unconventional community of Haines. It’s home to the Hammer Museum, which feels more like a kitschy stop along Route 66 than an attraction tucked deep in the Alaskan wilderness! The museum is the only museum dedicated solely to preserving the history of the hammer. There, you’ll find over 1,400 hundred hammers from ancient times all the way through the industrial era.
Even for the die-hard hammer enthusiasts, the small museum isn’t large enough to spend an entire afternoon. Luckily, there’s more to see in Haines than just thousands of hammers! Each November, the Chilkat Valley hosts the largest gathering of bald eagles in the United States, and you can catch a glimpse of these majestic birds at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. If you plan your trip in November, you can even attend the annual Bald Eagle Festival! It celebrates everything bald eagles with family-friendly activities, live raptor demonstrations, and guided hikes.
Valdez
East of Anchorage is the small community of Valdez, a city that has seen its fair share of struggles over the years. In 1964, there was an earthquake that shook the area and left the structures unsafe. Instead of giving up, the residents packed up and moved Valdez 4 miles down the road! Visitors can still roam the ruins of Old Valdez where the original town once stood. It’s a little eerie to see the land where the city once stood, but it’s a great place to take photos and explore the forgotten relics of the old city.
Aside from the old Valdez ruins, there’s so much more to see in the area. If you are looking to spend time in a winter wonderland, Valdez has you covered! Receiving over 300 inches of snowfall a year, it’s considered the snowiest city in the United States. The residents of Valdez embrace the snow and hold the annual Valdez Ice Climbing Festival where they celebrate with dancing, live music, and ice climbing. If you miss the festival, you can still check out Bridal Veil Falls, which is a stunning 600-foot waterfall that freezes every winter.
McCarthy
McCarthy sprang up in the 1900s entirely because of the booming mining operations in nearby Kennicott. Things were a little buttoned up in Kennicott, so residents established the nearby village of McCarthy to blow off a little steam in the form of bars and brothels (that were banned in Kennicott).
The bars and brothels may have closed for business in McCarthy, but it’s still a charming town to visit. Many of the original structures from its early days give the small village an eerie charm, and you can stop in quaint eateries like The Potato, which offers good old-fashioned comfort food in a fun and funky setting.
Be sure to fill up at the Potato, because there’s tons to discover in McCarthy!
Finally, hiking McCarthy's routes like the Jumbo mine Trail or the Bonanza Mine trail is sure to provide, "fantastic mountain and glacier views and access to fascinating mining relics" (Travelalaska.com).
Explore Alaska's Most Unique Towns in 2025
As the least populated state in the US, Alaska is truly the Last Frontier! Outside of larger cities like Anchorage and Juneau, much of Alaska consists of untouched villages with unique stories to tell. Only in Alaska can you marvel at a rare orca skeleton in Cordova, visit the chicken-themed town of Chicken, or swing through Talkeetna—where a real cat once served as honorary mayor! After visiting these offbeat towns, one thing’s for certain: Alaskans march to the beat of their own drum!
