VALDEZ: Summer Activity Center for Prince William Sound. Learn more >>
Valdez is home to 5 glaciers in the Valdez area that can be accessed by cruising, flying, walking or driving. Other summer activities include fishing, hiking, biking, and glacier trekking and rapelling. Watch the past come alive while visiting the local museums and collections displaying Alaska Native artifacts and area history from early to recent days of the previous century.

VALDEZ: The Clear Choice for Winter Adventures in Alaska. More >>
The surrounding Chugach mountains receive between 600-900 inches of fresh powder each year. Helicopter and snowcat skiing and snowboarding are the best in the world ranging from intermediate to extreme. Backcountry, telemark and cross country skiing provide more options. Snowmobiling near Valdez is also a world class experience with endless peaks, valleys, and glaciers to explore. Cold temperatures serve to freeze waterfalls around Valdez, providing unparalleled ice climbing opportunities.

VALDEZ: Easy to Get To. Learn more >>
Traveling to Valdez adds more fun to any Alaskan vacation. Several intermodal options are available. Drive the Richardson, Alaska's first highway, past the Wrangell/St. Elias and Chugach Mountains. Fly to Valdez on a state regional airline with regularly scheduled services. Or cruise to Valdez via private charter or on the Alaska Marine Highway from Whittier, Cordova, Seward, or across the Gulf of Alaska from Juneau.

VALDEZ: A Premier Alaska Fishing Destination. Learn more >>
Valdez offers all species of salmon and some of the most accessible big halibut in Alaska. Valdez is home to the oldest fish derbies in Alaska, awarding thousands of dollars in prize money every year. You can fish from shore or take a charter from the Valdez small boat harbor.

VALDEZ: A History-Filled Alaskan City. Learn more >>
The growth and settlement of Valdez was attributed to fur trading, salmon canning, and gold and copper mining. During the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98, prospectors came to Valdez believing the Copper River and valdez Glacier to be the entry to the interior gold fields. From 1910 to 1916, copper and gold mining flourished in the area. In the early 1970's, Valdez became the staging area for work on the lower portion of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. Today, Valdez hosts the Valdez Marine Terminal, which is the southernmost end of the 800-mile pipeline.

VALDEZ: Abundant in Marine and Land Wildlife. Learn more >>
The seawaters near Valdez abound with sea otters, Dall porpoise, harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, & Humpback and Orca whales. Coastal mountain cliffs are home to mountain goats, and the surrounding landscape boasts black and brown bears in addition to many other smaller animal species. Valdez takes flight with area bird viewing opportunities. Bald eagles are abundant and scores of ducks and shorebirds can be identified through most of summer and fall. Please be sure to observe wildlife and their dens, rookeries, and nests with respect.