8 Small Towns in Alaska with the Best Downtowns

Alaska's wilderness is what gets sold, but the downtowns of its tourist and port towns have held on to their own specific character. Gold-rush boardwalks, stilted cabins over salmon creeks, painted utility pipes, Russian onion domes, and log-cabin pubs all appear in different combinations across these eight towns. They're the places where you eat, sleep, and catch your breath between the big wilderness days.

Fairbanks

Downtown Fairbanks sits along the Chena River in a town nicknamed the "Golden Heart of Alaska." The University of Alaska is a short drive from the commercial core, but the student presence still shapes what's opened in the riverfront blocks: craft liquor, independent coffee, late hours. Humble Roots Beer Project, Fairbanks Distilling Company, and McCafferty's Coffee are three of the standouts along the water. One quirk you won't see elsewhere: Fairbanks has painted its utility pipe vents in bright colors to break up the long winter dark, and building-sized murals around downtown do the same work. A walk along the river takes you through Griffin Park, under the Moose Antler Arch, and on to the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center, which covers the region's Alaska Native history and Interior wilderness.

Ketchikan

Ketchikan sits at the south end of Alaska's 300-mile Alexander Archipelago, a cruise port and fishing base built around the Tongass Narrows and Ketchikan Creek. Creek Street is the downtown starting point: a boardwalk of stilted, brightly painted cabins built right over the waterway. Dolly's House, the old brothel turned museum, is the landmark stop. Further up, the Yelatzie Salmon statue and the Salmon Ladder Observation Platform give you a spot to watch salmon working their way upstream during the summer runs.

The Chief Johnson Totem Pole stands at the edge of downtown, close to the creek. From there, Mill Street runs to Main past the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, which covers the region's history and wildlife. Within a few blocks you can catch the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, a regular run of chainsaw, axe-throwing, and tree-climbing competitions.

Seward

Seward is the port town at the head of Resurrection Bay on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, with the Kenai Mountains wrapped around it. It handles cruise-ship traffic and serves as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. The downtown is worth a half-day on its own. Coffee is the surprise here: Summit Sips for the cozy interior, Coho Joe's Dockside for the water view, and Resurrect Art Coffee House for the crowd.

Afterward, head for the Mile-0 marker of the Iditarod National Historic Trail and the walking paths of Waterfront Park. If wildlife doesn't show up along the path, the Alaska SeaLife Center downtown has aquariums and aviaries covering the species of the bay.

Sitka

Sitka sits on the Pacific side of the Alexander Archipelago, a town where Tlingit, Russian, and American history sit within a few blocks of each other. St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Cathedral is the anchor in the middle of Lincoln Street, the downtown's main row of shops. The Russian Bishop's House, one block over, is one of the best-preserved buildings from the old fur-trading era. The Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall (a National Historic Landmark) and the Sitka History Museum both focus on the town's Tlingit and territorial past. Baranof Castle State Historic Site sits above downtown on Castle Hill. It's where Russia formally signed Alaska over to the United States in 1867, and where Sitka became Alaska's first American capital, a role it held until 1906.

Skagway

Skagway, near the Canadian border at the top of the Inside Passage, draws close to a million visitors a year. Most arrive by cruise ship. Others come down the Klondike Highway from British Columbia and the Yukon, or via commuter flight from Juneau. The town's Klondike Gold Rush history is on display in Historic Downtown Skagway, where false-front buildings and wooden boardwalks still line Broadway and State Street. Shopping is part of the draw: Wild Yukon Furs for handicrafts, A Fine Line Gifts for small goods, and dozens of boutiques carry the "Made in Skagway" stamp that marks locally-made work.

Valdez

Valdez is still associated with the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, but the harbor and the Chugach Mountains that frame it have long since recovered. The town's "Switzerland of Alaska" nickname still fits. Downtown sits on Port Valdez, where humpback whales surface against the backdrop of the range. Boat and paddle tours launch from the harbor, and the few downtown blocks hold enough to fill half a day. The Discover Valdez visitor center at Fairbanks and Tatitlek has regional tips. Across the street, the Valdez Museum covers the oil spill and the Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) people, who have used this coastline for over 7,500 years. The Old Town Valdez Museum down the block focuses on the earlier Gold Rush era. For a beer afterward, Valdez Brewing and Growler Bay Brewing Company sit about 500 feet apart.

Talkeetna

Talkeetna is roughly halfway between Anchorage and Denali National Park, and Denali itself is visible from town on clear days. It's the natural basecamp for expeditions onto the mountain, but the two-block main street and the riverfront park are worth a visit on their own. Conscious Coffee and Denali Brewpub both have log-cabin interiors. The Salmon Spot does seafood cakes and chowder, and West Rib Pub & Grill handles the burgers. Next door, Nagley's Store has been open since 1921 and is one of the state's best-known general stores.

Palmer

Palmer sits on the west bank of the Matanuska River, in a valley framed by the Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains. The town was founded in 1935 as the Matanuska Colony, one of the federal government's New Deal resettlement experiments that relocated more than 200 Midwestern farming families to the valley. The Colony House Museum covers that history inside an original colonist's home, and the Palmer Museum of History & Art rounds out the story. For food and drink, Palmer Alehouse, Bleeding Heart Brewery, and Matanuska Brewery and Tap Room are all within walking distance of the Palmer Water Tower. The Art Cafe, Vagabond Blues, and Alauda Coffeehouse handle the coffee.

Head Up to Alaska's Downtowns

These eight downtowns are where Alaska's wilderness meets a coffee shop, a boardwalk, a lumberjack show. Each one has its own anchor. Fairbanks has its painted pipes. Ketchikan has its stilted boardwalks. Palmer has its Colony history. Skagway has its gold-rush main street. The wilderness is still out the back door of every one of them.