Charming Towns & Romantic Getaway Ideas in Alaska

Alaska is home to many charming, quiet, and lovely small towns that can provide peaceful seclusion while still offering the best in accommodations, dining and entertainment. Whether you're looking for small B&B's, hidden spas, antiques, nature watching, or just all day snoozing, Alaska offers a wide variety romantic small town opportunities.

Skagway Alaska is a romantic town located in the Upper Lynn Canal about 80 miles north of Juneau. It was Alaska’s first incorporated city (1900)and was the gateway of the Gold Rush in 1898. Although Skagways population is is under 1,000 residents, it is geographically considered the largest ciry in Alaska, boasting 455 square miles of land. The downtown area stretches a charming seven blocks and is part of the national park. Guided tours of the downtown are offered by the National Park Service Visitors Center, located in the old rail depot. Tours leave at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. Skagway’s harbor is a popluar stop for cruise ships and the town’s economy is heavily centered on tourism. So much so that the old White Pass and Yukon Route rail system no longer carry mining loads, but rather transport only passengers during the summer tourist season. For more general information about Skagway: www.skagway.org For Tourist information including sites and lodging contact: www.skagway.com

Girdwood is the skiers paradise. Home to gold and silver medal-winning skier Tommy Moe, this tiny little resort village began like most other Alaskan towns with its roots in mining. In a unique story the city itself was moved two miles further inland as a result of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Since then it has been snuggled into a beuatiful valley surrounded by seven permanent glaciers and in Alaska’s premier ski and snowboard area, Mt. Alyeska. This tiny town is the perfect spot for exploring the the Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula. Luxury accommodations and fine dining take the rough edges off the rugged landscape at the end of each day. Girdwood remained unincorporated until 1970 when it became part of the Municipality of Anchorage when the Greater Anchorage Area Borough unified with the City of Anchorage in 1975. For the romantic ski bunny Girdwood is heaven.

Seward: Just south of Anchorage lies the beautiful seaside village of Seward. Seward is internationally known as the starting point of the Historic Iditarod Trail. This small scenic town is located between Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Mountains. It is one of Alask’s oldest towns with a resident population of approximatley 3,000. This population experiences a significant boom twice each year. On the 4th of July nearly 25,000 runners and marathon enthusiasts gather to sprint to the summit of Mt. Marathon which stands magesticvally behind the town. Then again in August, thousands gather to cast their lines in the hopes of catching halibut and salmon which can exceed 100lbs and are rumoured to be so numerous in the water that they slap the boats. Most visitors agree however that the real event is the incredible beauty of the area. Small shops and galleries run by friendly locals are around every corner and the fresh seafood is unlike no other. All of this and emerald green fjords, snowcapped jagged cliffs, and bountiful wildlife… is there any place more romantic?

Wasilla

Ketchikan

Sitka

Homer

Kodiak

Kenai

Eagle River

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Alaska Charming Towns
Romantic Small Towns in AK