Valdez, Alaska, is connected with two of the state's most famous disasters -- the 1964 earthquake and the 1989 oil spill -- but it's steeped in history much deeper than that.
Valdez area services
Click on a link to receive a directory of businesses that can help you make the most of your stay in the Valdez area.
Lodging
Charters and tours
The Good Friday earthquake in 1964 destroyed the town. Things were so bad after the 9.2 magnitude quake that the town picked up, moved about two miles and was re-established on more solid ground.
The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill was one of the most devastating disasters in Alaska's history. Miles of beach were spoiled and thousands of animals killed or injured.
Today, Valdez is a thriving community that looks back at its Gold Rush history and toward the future. Spend a little time in this city and you'll get a glimpse of true Alaska, although some have described the area as a "northern Hawaii" for its green-covered hills.
Because of that natural beauty, visitors flock to the area for all-Alaska activities such as fishing, kayaking, rafting, flightseeing and glacier cruises.
"It is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the Earth," said Pam Lunt, facility coordinator for the Valdez Civic Center and co-owner of Boomtown The Show. "The mountains and setting of this place is just so beautiful. It just takes your breath away."
The local chamber of commerce hosts three fishing derbies during the summer, giving away $10,000 first-place prizes in both the halibut and silver salmon derbies.
For the more studious, Valdez hosts the annual Last Frontier Theatre Conference at Prince William Sound Community College. The conference brings together aspiring playwrights for a workshop.
The Valdez Museum and the Museum Annex provide history buffs information about the city's past. Highlights include information about the oil spill, the earthquake and the town's connection to the gold rush. It was the starting point for the All-America route for gold seekers at the turn of the century.
Miners also discovered large deposits of copper and silver, leading to the founding of the Kennecott Mine near McCarthy. McCarthy, in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, is reachable by road from the Richardson Highway.
Valdez is a community of contrasts.
While some consider the summer beauty equal to Hawaii, others think winter is when the area really shines. Downtown Valdez often gets up to 30 feet of snow during the winter.
Snow is such a common companion that the city hosts a "snowbank drive-in movie" in early March. A movie is projected onto a huge snowbank, and residents show up in their vehicles to watch.
Valdez has hosted a number of extreme skiing competitions and there are several heli-skiing companies operating in the area. Helicopters fly skiers into the mountains surrounding Valdez where the skiers and snowboarders can carve their own trails.
But most visitors arrive during the summer months. And visitors won't be disappointed with the area.
"Whatever you want to do, you can do here," Lunt said.
That includes viewing Prince William Sound wildlife and glaciers from a number of tour ships. Many companies offer daylong or extended trips. Valdez is home to numerous charter boats providing plenty of fishing options.
Guided raft trips travel through Keystone Canyon and past huge waterfalls, while wilderness river journeys allow adventure-seekers to see the backcountry. Kayak rentals for the experienced paddler are available along with guided tours.
Hikers can enjoy several trails in the area, including one that runs up to the edge of Worthington Glacier.
Valdez is reached by plane from Anchorage, via the Richardson Highway and aboard Alaska Marine Highway System ferries.
