The 7 Friendliest Little Towns In Alaska

Alaska has earned the nickname The Last Frontier, as it is roughly 663,000 square miles of primarily untamed wilderness and natural beauty. Among this remarkable landscape, you will find some of Alaska's small towns that genuinely showcase the warmth and generosity of its people. These tight-knit communities welcome all travelers to experience the beauty and majesty of the great outdoors and the tundra climate. Still, a few of the state's friendliest smaller towns stand out as the brightest stars when visitors venture out from the travel hubs of Juneau and Anchorage.

Seward

Much of the region’s most popular areas are accentuated by Alaska's natural wonders, and one of the best examples is Seward on the shores of Resurrection Bay. This town is regularly hailed as the gateway of the Kenai Fjords National Park. Its stunning beauty also attracts visitors on the Fourth of July to try their hand at the annual Mount Marathon Race. This footrace scaling the 3,000-foot mountain pushes the limits of the competitors while the community comes alive with events, entertainment, and close-knit fellowship.

The friendly environment of Seward shines with places like the Alaska SeaLife Center, where the staff here looks to educate everyone on the diverse marine life around Resurrection Bay, like puffins, octopi, and sea lions. Even the businesses have a welcoming draw for travelers passing through, where popular stops like The Cookery can fill your stomach, and you can swing by locally praised boutiques like The Ranting Raven for souvenirs, artwork, and gifts for your vacation.

Petersburg

Many small towns throughout Alaska continually pay homage to their roots; Petersburg is a prime example. With strong Norwegian ties, everything about the community, including its scenic surroundings of the Tongass National Forest, seems to point to the rugged and independent spirit the Vikings and early Norwegian settlers exhibited. In May, the community draws in hundreds of new visitors for the Little Norway Festival, alongside Norwegian Constitution Day. The townsfolk dress in traditional Scandinavian garb, enjoy parades, and express pride in their roots through song, entertainment, crafts, and food.

Few communities are as dependent on a single trade as Petersburg and its fishing industry, making most of the town somehow involved in the catching or processing of the wealth of marine life in the Frederick Sound. For example, you can find the freshest catches in the community by stopping at Inga's Galley. If you would instead prefer a charming gift or a nice book to settle in for your port town excursion, the popular place to go is Sing Lee Alley Books and Gifts.

Homer

Homer is another small town with a big and welcoming nature, positioned on Kachemak Bay. Beyond its stunning ocean views and mountains as a dramatic backdrop to the village, Homer is best known for halibut fishing. To accentuate its reliance on the bay, a community focal point is the Homer Spit, a narrow stretch of land that moves out into the bay but has some of the town's most popular eateries and shops, like Lulu’s by the Sea.

Heritage is a big part of what makes Homer so friendly to all visitors, which is why locations like the Pratt Museum are among the area’s best venues for learning the rich marine history of Homer. Historic locations do not end with this frequented museum, however, as an even more popular destination for telling tales is the iconic Salty Dawg Saloon. When you are ready to explore the halibut Homer is best known for, grab a bite at The Harbor Grill for fresh seafood dishes.

Wrangell

Wrangell is one of the small towns in Alaska that lean the most into its heritage, being so deeply intertwined with Tlingit culture. Those traveling to the southeast portion of the state can discover this wild yet welcoming community with a history that dates back thousands of years. For a deeper look at this heritage, explore the Chief Shakes Longhouse.

Like other friendly small towns throughout the state, Wrangell is a gateway to the Inside Passage, one of Alaska's natural wonders. Similarly, the Anan Wildlife Observatory offers nature enthusiasts in your group a once-in-a-lifetime encounter viewing bears. When you have a sufficient appetite for the culture and beauty surrounding Wrangell, stop by its most popular dining establishment and accommodation at the Stikine Inn and Restaurant.

Valdez

Valdez is another town where you can discover the welcoming environment of the people while you explore the abundance of natural wonders in the form of towering peaks and waterfalls. It is majestic enough to have garnered the nickname the Switzerland of Alaska. These dramatic landscape features attract thousands to the area for the annual Valdez Ice Climbing Festival.

The community is big despite its smaller population, and locals are eager to showcase the region's culture and impressive attractions, such as the Valdez Museum. This site offers a glimpse into the town's rich history, even documenting the famous earthquake disaster in the 1960s and the area’s profitable pipeline connections.

Eateries in Valdez have personalities, like The Fat Mermaid, a beloved establishment on the waterfront. This place is known for pub fare, such as pizza and fried seafood.

Sitka

Sitka is a unique community in terms of its location and heritage. First, the town on Baranof Island offers visitors a remarkable coastal landscape. Sitka is also culturally rich, blending the traditions and ways of the Tlingit people with influences from Russian and American settlers that have rooted here. You can see examples of this, as well as the friendly nature of multiple cultures and backgrounds, in the Sitka National Historical Park and the town. This park offers a look at authentic Tlingit totem poles and battle sites while the town itself showcases Russian Orthodox history with buildings like St. Michael’s Cathedral.

Sitka is the sight of a migration of humpback whales, making it a popular tourist destination in November. The village even has an entire event coordinated around this natural wonder with WhaleFest. This is when the town’s welcoming spirit is on full display through guided boat tours like the Premier Whale Watching and Wildlife Tour departing from Harrigan Centennial Hall. Also, the town’s businesses experience higher traffic during this time of the year, including popular eateries like Bayview Restaurant for fresh seafood.

Girdwood

When adventure takes you to the Chugach Mountains, chances are you are off to visit the quaint yet popular mountain town of Girdwood. Once known as a gold-mining site, the modern version of the community has a warm and friendly vibe because its economy relies heavily on tourism. A good example is the Alyeska Resort, where thousands come every year to experience incredible skiing and snowboarding slopes or explore the bounty of the blossoming foliage and flora through the spring and summer months.

To experience the inviting nature of the residents in town, stop by some of the most popular dining destinations, such as The Bake Shop. You can also get a good finger on the pulse of the locals by hitting the most beloved of the watering holes, the Girdwood Brewing Company. However, there is no better time to fully experience Girdwood in all its welcoming spirit than during its annual Blueberry Festival. The event draws in countless tourists for live music, vendors, entertainment, and blueberry-based foods.

Small towns of Alaska are often small gateways to new places to explore and see. The friendly communities you find in The Last Frontier are inviting and warm, helping you find a stable and enjoyable home base for the natural wonders the state has to offer. They beckon visitors to learn the history of the people there, join in with their traditions, and make the time memorable. Whether you are looking to experience the Kenai Fjords National Park from Seward or the migration of humpback whales in Sitka, there is always something new to find and discover about the wildest terrain in the United States.