Valdez is one of the best hidden gems along Alaska’s southeastern coastline. Located within a deep fjord in the Prince William Sound, this small fishing village of just 4,000 residents offers a unique mix of seemingly countless glaciers, towering mountains, rainforests, and some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities the state has to offer.
If you’re planning a stop in this town on your road trip around the state (and you absolutely should!), here’s 11 incredible things to do in Valdez, Alaska.
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Things to do in Valdez, Alaska
1. Kayak on the Valdez Glacier Lake
The town is home to the Valdez Glacier, a 20 mile valley glacier that starts way up in the Chugach Mountains.
It terminates outside of town, with its runoff forming a glacial lake that’s over one square mile. The lake is surrounded by huge mountains, with waterfalls cascading down their peaks, and full of floating icebergs, some as large as city blocks.
There’s a park that overlooks the glacial lake where you can just take in the spectacular surrounding views. You once were able to see the glacier from this viewpoint, but, unfortunately, it’s receded to the point where it’s now hidden behind a bend in the lake. Accordingly, if you can swing it, I’d recommend kayaking here, gliding past the enormous hunks of ice and towards the toe of the glacier itself.
My husband, Justin, and I kayaked on our own in our inflatable kayak and had SO much fun paddling around the lake and taking in the epic views of the surrounding landscape.
If you opt to go kayaking by yourself, just be super careful, wear a life jacket, and give any icebergs and the glacier itself a very wide berth. Icebergs are EXTREMELY active and can calve, flip, or rotate at any time, which can cause you to flip over or even get pinned under the ice. Plus, the lake’s water is (as you might expect) glacially cold and super deep, measuring up to 640 feet, so flipping your kayak could lead to a very dangerous situation.
If you’re nervous about kayaking around the lake yourself, there are also a handful of outfitters in town, like Alaska Guide Co. and Anadyr Adventures, that can take you on a guided paddle.
2. Visit the Solomon Gulch Hatchery
I would have NEVER guessed that one of my favorite things that we did during our three months in Alaska was to visit a salmon hatchery—but visiting Solomon Gulch was easily one of the highlights and one of our favorite things to do in Valdez.
The Solomon Gulch Hatchery is the largest single species salmon hatchery in North America, producing 16 million adult pink salmon and 100 thousand adult coho salmon every year to ensure there’s a sufficient salmon population for recreational and commercial fishermen.
I’m all for ensuring that the salmon population stays good and healthy, but what REALLY makes this place fun to visit is the wildlife that flocks here to feed on the fish. You can see sea lions, seals, bald eagles, and even black and grizzly bears coming to feast on the salmon as they swim back to where they hatched. Obviously, stay alert to any wildlife in the area, especially bears, and observe them from a distance.
There’s also a self-guided tour of the hatchery walkway from May through October.
3. Explore Keystone Canyon
To enter Valdez, you’ll drive along the stunning Richardson Highway, which snakes alongside the Lowe River and passes glaciers, the snowcapped Chugash Mountains, and stunning rock formations.
The most breathtaking section of the roadway, though, is Keystone Canyon, where it’s surrounded on either side by towering, near vertical cliffs, with tons of waterfalls cascading down their slopes.
While there are several small cascades here, there are two MASSIVE waterfalls with pulloffs near their base to admire their curtains of water, falling down the cliffside 600 feet—Horsetail Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
When Justin and I drove through Keystone Canyon on our way into Valdez, it was, hands down, the most EPIC way I’ve ever entered a town—it seriously feels like you’re driving through a filmset for Lord of the Rings or something!
4. Go on a whale-watching and glacier boat tour
The Valdez Glacier is the most accessible one, but there are actually five glaciers surrounding Valdez.
The Columbia Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier (i.e., a glacier that terminated in the ocean) in the Prince William Sound, spanning a whopping 40 square miles and with sections that are up to 1,800 feet thick.
The best way to reach the Columbia Glacier is to join a boat tour from Valdez, like this option. While seeing the Columbia Glacier is obviously one of the highlights of this experience, you’ll also get to see a TON of the spectacular marine life that calls the Prince William Sound home, including orcas, humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins, bald eagles, and more.
In my opinion, this is an absolute must do while you’re in Valdez!
5. Sea kayak at the Columbia Glacier
If seeing the Columbia Glacier and the surrounding wildlife from a boat isn’t adrenaline-pumping enough, you can also opt to hop in a sea kayak and paddle near its 230-feet tall face.
For example, on this nine hour tour, you’ll cruise out on a motorboat to the Columbia Glacier, spotting wildlife, like bald eagles and sea otters, along the way. Once you reach Columbia Bay, you’ll have the opportunity to paddle around in sea kayaks past newly formed beaches, icebergs, and, if you’re super lucky, even marine life!
Along the way, your knowledgeable guides will share interesting information about the glaciers, wildlife, and the surrounding Prince William Sound. Definitely an immersive way to experience Valdez!
6. Stop by the Worthington Glacier State Recreational Site
As you drive along the Richardson Highway, you’ll see yet another one of Valdez’s glaciers, the Worthington Glacier. There’s a state-managed recreation site here, with pit toilets and a covered pavilion with educational signage and a model of the glacier.
Additionally, there’s a short wheelchair-accessible loop trail that you can take along the lake at the base of the glacier, which provides up-close-and-personal views of the ancient sheet of ice and, in the summertime, lots of good berry picking opportunities.
7. Hike around Thompson Pass
Yet another notable stop along the Richardson Highway, Thompson Pass is a 2,678-foot high pass in the Chugach Mountains, recognized for being one of the snowiest places in North America, recording an average of over 41 feet of snow per year. In the summertime, though, it provides panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, glaciers, and tundra for miles and miles in every direction.
There are pull-offs along the roadside if you just want to take in the surrounding vistas.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something more adventurous, there are a handful of hikes, like the challenging Thompson Pass Loop Trail, that will lead you away from the highway and into the pristine wilderness of the Chugach Mountains.
8. Go to the Valdez Harbor
If you’re looking for a lazy way to pass a couple of hours, head to the Valdez Harbor.
It looks like something you’d see on a postcard, with colorful boats bobbing peacefully by the docks, with enormous snow-capped mountains in the background.
Beyond being beautiful, it’s a fun place to peoplewatch—for example, you can see fishermen bringing in their haul of pink and silver salmon, rockfish, or tilapia, which can weigh up to three HUNDRED pounds! Plus, it’s also a great area to spot creatures that might benefit from all of those fishermen’s scraps, like bald eagles and sea lions.
If you’ve got no chill and can’t sit still (like me), there’s also a short and easy hike near the harbor, called the Dock Point Trail. The trail meanders through a rainforest and offers stunning views of the harbor and the Duck Flats wetland, a great place to spot birds and, if you’re lucky, other wildlife.
9. Go whitewater rafting
Valdez is home to the Lowe River, which stretches almost thirty miles from a glacier up in the Chugach Mountains down to the Prince William Sound. The river snakes through some of the town’s most stunning scenery, including through Keystone Canyon and past Bridal Veil Falls.
One of the most adventurous things to do in Valdez is to try your hand at whitewater rafting on the Lowe River, like on this three hour tour.
It’s honestly the perfect place for beginners to get their feet wet (pun intended!) with rafting. The river starts quite wide, with gentle Class I-II rapids, and later, as you’ve gained a bit of experience, narrows as it passes through Keystone Canyon, creating bigger Class III rapids to tackle. The river eventually mellows out, so that you can get out to enjoy the view of Bridal Veil Falls, before you raft the rest of the way down the canyon.
10. Enjoy Valdez’s food and drink scene
With a population of around four thousand, you might not guess that Valdez has a buzzing food and drink scene, but we were pleasantly surprised by the choices there!
Here are a few of our favorites:
- The Nat Shack: A food truck that serves up a fusion of California and Mexican flair. We got a banh mi and vegan crunchwrap and enjoyed soaking up the sun at their outdoor tables, drinking in the views of the nearby harbor.
- The Potato: Also located right near the harbor, this cozy restaurant serves up KILLER fries (don’t miss the rosemary garlic ones!) and stick-to-your-ribs sandwiches that are perfect after a day of outdoor adventures. We tried the original outpost of this restaurant, located in McCarthy, Alaska, and it was absolutely one of our favorite things to do in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park!
- Valdez Brewing: A laidback brewery with a solid mix of classic beers and funky brews, like a salted chocolate porter or a cherry kettle sour.
- The Fat Mermaid: A Valdez classic that has colorful nautical murals and a mix of pub fare, like burgers and pizza; local seafood; and lighter options, like Buddha bowls. Don’t miss the ube cake!
11. Take the ferry to Whittier, Alaska
Okay, this might be a bit of a copout, but I do think one of the coolest things to do in Valdez is to hop on a ferry through the Prince William Sound to the town of Whittier, Alaska, another beautiful coastal town that’s about an hour outside of Anchorage.
The ferry is operated by the Alaska Marine Highway and provides a way for locals to travel around the state’s coastline without having to drive.
It’s worth noting that it usually won’t save you that much time. Depending on the available sailings the day you’re planning on traveling, the ferry between the two cities takes between two hours and 15 minutes all the way up to thirteen hours. Still, along the way, you’ll get to see the stunning coastline of the Prince William Sound, with mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls, and, with any luck, lots of wildlife along the way.
Where to stay in Valdez, Alaska
There are plenty of accommodation options to choose from when you’re staying in Valdez, whether you’re camping or prefer a bit more formal accommodations.
Hotels in Valdez, Alaska
There aren’t a TON of hotels to choose from in Valdez, but there are a handful of options to rest your head at night:
- Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn: Conveniently located right by the harbor, this hotel offers oceanview rooms, complimentary breakfast, and an onsite bar to end the night.
- Glacier Hotel: This hotel is definitely on the simple and, to be honest, dated side, but it’s conveniently located within walking distance of downtown Valdez, offers a complimentary breakfast, and is immaculately clean.
- House on the Rock B&B: For something with a little bit more character, this locally-owned bed and breakfast is the best choice in Valdez, with warm and welcoming hosts, homemade breakfast, and beautiful views of the Chugach mountains.
Camping in Valdez, Alaska
We spent an entire summer RVing around Alaska, and camping in Valdez was one of the highlights of our stay.
If you’re looking for an established campground, consider the Bear Park RV Park on the Small Boat Harbor or Chena RV Park.
Alternatively, if you prefer boondocking like us, there are tons of cool spots around Valdez, like camping along side of the Lowe River or this site that we stayed at, with beautiful mountain views.
How to get to Valdez, Alaska
There are a few options of getting to Valdez.
Driving
The easiest way to get to Valdez is to drive. At least in our experience, the roads leading to Valdez were all paved and well-maintained.
Here’s how long it takes to get to Valdez from some of the most popular places in Alaska:
- Anchorage: five and a half hours
- Seward: seven hours and 45 minutes
- Homer: nine and a half hours
- Denali National Park: eight hours and 15 minutes
- Fairbanks: eight hours
- McCarthy: four hours
Regardless of which direction you’re coming from, you’ll need to reach the tiny town of Glennallen and then head south for 117 miles on the Richardson Highway. The entire stretch of this road is jaw-droppingly beautiful, although the landscape gets more and more otherworldly as you get closer to Valdez.
Taking the ferry
As mentioned above, you can take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Whittier, a little over an hour southeast of Anchorage.
We really liked our time in Whittier, hiking the Portage Pass Glacier and exploring some of the kitschy restaurants in its harbor, like Varly’s Swiftwater Seafood Cafe. I totally think it would be a fun couple of days checking out Whittier, taking the ferry to Valdez, and then maybe driving on to check out some of the cool things to do in McCarthy, Alaska and the surrounding Wrangell-St. Elias (i.e., the largest national park in the United States!).
I hope you have an awesome time in Valdez—it was one of our favorite towns we visited during our three months in Alaska. Do you have any questions about visiting this quirky corner of the state? Let us know in the comments below!
