Welcome to Valdez!

September is the perfect time for spotting wildlife near Valdez! Just before winter they know they need to start packing on the weight if they are going to hang around for much longer. The Hatchery is basically an all you can eat buffet and the animals know it! Spot stellar sealions, harbor seals, otters, eagles, and ever black bears! See the water boil with fish during peak silver salmon season, as they race their way upstream and up the fish ladders. A gorgeous waterfall is also at the hatchery, so don't forget to turn around and take in that view too!

Visit the lake and see some floating icebergs. The rocks here are majorly slate which makes sooo many perfect skipping rocks! A great place for a picnic enjoying nature. This is a great location to try to catch a glimpse of the aurora if it a clear dark night. Keep an eye out for bears, this is there home not yours.

North Harbor Drive has most of the restaurants in town. The Fat Mermaid and many of the amazing food trucks including my favorite, Potato Head! But if your looking for a burger nothing beats Old Town Diner next to Captain Joe's!

The original location of Valdez before the '64 quake sent the town on a landslide.

Shoup Bay, Mineral Creek pt. 2, Highschool Hill, Goat Trails...

Dock Point Trail, Overlook Trail, Meals Hill, Mineral Creek pt. 1
 

Kayaking, fishing, and helicopters oh my!

Horsetail and Bridal Veil falls in Keystone Canyon are a must see! Mineral Creek Trail and Shoup Bay Trail are jeweled with many waterfalls! Valdez is know as the land of waterfalls, and you can obviously see why!

Ruth pond, small children's park, other parks, skate park, dog park, anywhere to get them to stretch their legs!

3 museums in town to explore and learn in. A great way to spend a rainy day in Valdez. 

Be sure to book a charter in advance if you wanna do sea fishing. But fear not! Allison Point across the water is a perfect place for shore fishing! A great place to catch salmon, rock fish, and even small halibut! But if you don't want to book any tours make sure you pack or bring a pole, we don't have rentals here for those!

Valdez is surrounded by lots of slate, which makes it a perfect place to find fossils. Gold, Copper, and Silver can also still be found panning in the mineral creek, but permit may be required.

Orca Bay Trading Company and Captain Joe's Gas station have amazing souvenirs. Everything from gold jewelry and local herbal teas to full coyote pelts, you can't forget your in Alaska. 

As space in luggage can get a little tight on a trip like this, we recommend shipping many/any souvenirs with flat rate boxes via USPS before leaving. The post office is only 1 block from the hotel, so it is easy to locate so you can ship off all your amazing finds! 

If you will be fishing, and need to bring it back with you, I recommend traveling light. The most affordable way to ship your fish home with you is as one of your checked bags. The fish must all be COMPLETELY frozen to fly, many places offer flash freezing. 

If you plan on travelling around and want to pack snacks to save some money, I recommend stocking up in Anchorage before coming to Valdez for the best prices.

Make sure to check out the gift shop located in Glennallen on your drive to Valdez! There are many shops to find amazing things while here, including native-made beaded Salmon leather or Seal fur earrings, how cool! 

We do have a Safeway in Valdez incase you need any everyday essentials while here, but the prices reflect our rural location. There is also a thrift shop incase you need an extra jacket, or forget to pack something.