Summer - 21 Things to Do!
1. Trolley & Shuttle Tours – great way to view the city when you have less time and don’t want to miss anything.
2. Glacier & Wildlife Cruises – for the best ocean views and wildlife experience - land and sea!
3. Kayak or Paddle Board – either with rented equipment, your own, or one of our local guide companies, it’s a great way to experience the sound.
4. Bunny Watch – Valdez is home to many wild bunnies that vary in color and size. Don’t touch or feed them even though they looked like household pets, they are still very much part of the Valdez wildlife ecosystem.
5. Eagle Viewing – we have a lot of bald eagles love to take advantage of the fishing industry, so they are easy to spot down at the harbor.
6. Easy Trails – Dock Point Trail, Overlook Trail, Homestead Trail, Wagon Trail
7. Med Trails – Bike Path, John Hunter Memorial Trail, Mineral Creek Trail, Shoup Bay Trail Section A, Keystone Canyon Pack Trail, Goat Trail
8. Hard Trails – Shoup Bay Trail Section B
9. The Hatchery & Dayville Road – see the fish climb the ladder and take a self-guided tour of the Hatchery, also view sealions, sea otters, various birds, and bears.
10. Valdez Glacier – you can drive out to the base of it to view it, in summer the lake is melted so it can only be viewed closer by kayak or paddle board - we recommend a guide, so you don’t get lost or trapped by an iceberg.
11. Old Town or Valdez Pioneer Cemetery – check the city website for a walking tour booklet to get all the knowledge about this historical site. Pay homage to those that traveled far distances to live in the last frontier.
12. Festivals, Fairs, Events – make sure to check our website for all the wonderful events that we have going on.
13. Fishing – halibut, rockfish, pink salmon, silver salmon, and more. Make sure to get that derby ticket!
14. Shopping – lots of different options, from name brand items to handmade local artisans. There are so many different things to buy to remember your time in Valdez.
15. Waterfalls – the ‘land of waterfalls’. We have another waterfall to enjoy every time you turn around. Make sure to check out the big ones in Keystone Canyon.
16. Dining – from food trucks to long standing restaurants and breweries, Valdez has several options when it comes to food and beverage.
17. Museums – Valdez has 3 different museums to experience all things Valdez and about Alaska too!
18. Fish Spawning – in August, you can see the pink salmon spawn up streams throughout Valdez.
19. Worthington Glacier- on top of the pass, you can check out this glacier.
20. Helicopter tour – check with one of the local companies to get full access to real up close and personal glacier views.
21. ATV Tour - ride an ATV to view the backcountry of Valdez and Thompson Pass.