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Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
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This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
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The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
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Nai Mong Hoi Thod
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Kor Panich
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All the United States Alaska

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Alaska

108 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Alaska

Updated May 8, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
Juneau
Aurora Ice Museum
Fairbanks
Entrance
Anchorage
The Golden North Hotel
Skagway
Musk Ox Farm
Palmer
Whittier, Alaska
Whittier
All Cities
  1. Anchorage
  2. Chitina
  3. Eagle
  4. Fairbanks
  5. Haines
  6. Homer
  7. Juneau
  8. Ketchikan
  9. King Salmon
  10. North Pole
  11. Palmer
  12. Skagway
  13. Talkeetna
  14. Whittier
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Alaska

Dr. Seuss House

Talkeetna, Alaska

Dr. Seuss House aka The Goose Creek Tower

This whimsical stacked cabin looks like something out of a children's book.
Aurora Ice Museum

Fairbanks, Alaska

Aurora Ice Museum

Mind-blowing carvings and fantasy ice scenes grace the largest year-round ice environment in the world.
Mount Denali

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Denali

The king of U.S. high points towers over every other peak on the continent.
The Upside Forest of Glacier Gardens

Juneau, Alaska

The Upside-Down Forest of Glacier Gardens

Upside-down trees serve as natural flower pots in this hanging garden of Alaska.
Kennicott Ghost Town

Chitina, Alaska

Kennicott Ghost Town

The ghostly remains of what was once the world's richest copper mine.

Yakutat, Alaska

Guyot Glacier Ice Caves

Gorgeous cave resemble a winter wonderland.
The Tunnel

Fairbanks, Alaska

Permafrost Tunnel

This frozen tunnel in central Alaska is both an engineering feat and a valuable climate classroom.
Mendenhall Glacier and Lake, and Nugget Falls, Tongass National Forest

Juneau, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier

A rare chance to get up close and personal with a 13-mile ribbon of ice near downtown Juneau.
See All 108 Things To Do in Alaska

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Alaska

Entrance

Anchorage, Alaska

Worlds Largest Chocolate Waterfall

While not recognized by Guinness, this chocolate waterfall is likely to be the world's largest.
The Madam’s chamber.

Skagway, Alaska

Red Onion Saloon

Originally a brothel during the Klondike Gold Rush, this bar once used dolls to denote when ladies were working.
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

11 Places Where Alaska Bursts Into Color

Picture Alaska. You might see in your mind's eye the granite and stark white snowcaps of Denali National Park, or the dark seas that surround 6,000-plus miles of coastline, or the muted olive of its tundra in the summer. But as anyone who's been there knows, the country's largest, most sparsely populated state can absolutely burst with color, from the luminous green of the Northern Lights, to the deep aqua of its glaciers, to the flourish of wildflowers fed by its long summer days. Here are some places to see the full spectrum of The Last Frontier.

View Itinerary
At Glacier Gardens, the tree canopies are flowers in bloom.

Explore Alaska

66
31
3
3
3
Gold Rush 11
Architecture 11
Animals 10
History 10
Statues 9
Abandoned 8
Architectural Oddities 8
Roadside Attractions 7
Gold 7
Ghost Towns 7
Collections 6
Roads 6
Places To Stay 3

Alaska Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. nbj914
    9
  2. Pandoras Guard
    4
  3. bryanwoerner
    4
  4. jbartlett2000
    4
  5. Virginia Brown
    4
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Alaska.

Places Edited

  1. Collector of Experiences
    15
  2. Rachel
    10
  3. Martin
    9
  4. biodieselbarry
    9
  5. nbj914
    9
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. rebekahlight
    56
  2. Pandoras Guard
    51
  3. rcoghill2
    46
  4. deniseodat4me
    45
  5. jeffsTravels
    39

Recent Alaska Activity

  • emma63

    has been to Arctic Brotherhood Hall

    about 13 hours ago
  • emma63

    has been to Red Onion Saloon

    about 13 hours ago
  • emma63

    has been to White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

    about 13 hours ago
  • emma63

    has been to Skagway Centennial Statue

    about 13 hours ago
  • showmestateofmind

    wants to go to Creek Street District

    about 13 hours ago

Stories About Alaska

The Kutuk River in Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park is one of 75 orange-stained rivers found in the region.

Dozens of Alaska Rivers Are Turning an Eerie Orange

The cause is just as concerning as the color.
by Charis McGowan
June 28, 2024
Herds of glacier mice, which are actually moss balls, move in concert across the ice.

Herds of Mysterious ‘Glacier Mice’ Baffle Scientists

These moss balls move in unison, and researchers are okay with not knowing why.
by Roxanne Hoorn
December 7, 2023
By 1994, the seaweed had died back on Mearns Rock and mussels were elbowing in.

Alaskans Have Photographed This Boulder for 33 Years

In 1990, a scientist began visually documenting Prince William Sound’s recovery from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. When funding ran out, volunteers took over.
by J. Besl
June 12, 2023
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: A Number System of Their Own

by Alex Bellos
May 8, 2023
One of the Lomen brothers, standing amongst the family reindeer.

The Rise and Fall of Alaska's 'Reindeer King'

Carl J. Lomen used legal loopholes and Santa Claus to build his meat business.
by Kirstin Fawcett
December 23, 2022
At 10-times magnification, sand from Alaska’s Point Spencer resembles semiprecious stones.

These Tiny Jewels Come From One of Alaska's Most Unusual Beaches

This microscopic treasure was collected from a remote site near the Arctic Circle.
by Gemma Tarlach
November 15, 2022
Cheese, meat, peanut butter, salmon spread, and even Crisco are favorite toppings on pilot bread.

How a Centuries-Old Soldier Ration Found a Fanbase in Alaska

Known as "pilot bread," hardtack is ubiquitous across the state.
by Zeb Larson
August 3, 2022

This Remote, Active Volcano Is a Glassblowing Spider

Alaska’s Great Sitkin has been grumbling for nearly a year.
by Gemma Tarlach
April 28, 2022

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