After seeing so much of Alaska, we are often asked where our favorite place is to visit. While there are many places that have brought us back multiple times, the one place that we just can't seem to get enough of is Palmer, Alaska! To the average tourist, this may be surprising, since Palmer isn't necessarily a big tourist destination that you'll hear about, especially in comparison to surrounding areas. But, in our opinion, Palmer is one of the most underrated, best kept secrets in Alaska and here are 5 reasons why you should visit Palmer: 1 - DowntownI love Palmer because is a quiet, little farm town at the edge of the Mat-Su Valley, surrounded by gorgeous peaks of the Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges. The scenery is unique and the town is not without it's interesting history. Honestly, who doesn't love roaming a charming and historic downtown? A great way to explore Palmer's historic downtown is by starting at the Palmer Museum and taking a self-guided tour through the historic district! You can pick up a map from the museum there, or download one here. 2 - Reindeer FarmIf you've been here awhile, you know our love for reindeer! These calm, sweet animals are so fun to hang out with and one of the best places to do that is at the Reindeer Farm! The Farm is family owned and does guided tours and teaches about a lot of different animals. It's a very interactive farm, almost a petting zoo on steroids! And we love it. The reindeer are for sure a highlight but don't pass up the opportunity to get a kiss from Rocky, the moose! 3 - Hatcher Pass / Independence MineHatcher Pass is a mountain pass about a half hours drive from downtown Palmer. The drive is beautiful. We went in the summer and, even though we've never been to Ireland or Scotland, the rolling green hillsides gave us the feeling of being there. And the peaks and waterfalls were just breathtaking. Historically, the third largest gold producing district in Alaska, up Hatcher Pass, you'll find the abandoned Independence Mine that is now a state historic park. The road to the mine opens at 9, but we walked up the road before the gate was opened and had the park almost to ourselves. It was so interesting to imagine it in it's heyday. There are guided tours available at the park or you can opt for a self-guided tour, like we did. Fun fact, you can bring your own gold pans or rent some by the hour or by the day from the gift shop to try your hand at gold panning in the creek at the park! 4 - Matanuska GlacierMatanuska Glacier (pronounced Mat-tan-ooska) is the largest glacier in the US accessible by car. It is 27 miles long and 4 miles wide and can be seen from different viewing areas, but the best way to see it and get up close and personal is through a guided tour. You can read all about our experience in this blog post. We went when everything was still frozen and technically in the winter season and have had friends take the tour in the summer and have a completely different, yet still incredible, time. 5 - Knik GlacierTouring Knik Glacier (pronounced with the K) is an entirely different experience than Matanuska. We took this tour in a helicopter which you can read a little about in this blog post. It was a breathtaking experience and one of our top favorite Alaskan memories. Other ActivitiesIf these activities don't talk you into visiting Palmer, we have a few more to list. The Musk Ox Farm is definitely worth a visit. Learning about these fascinating animals on this tour was so fun! Musk Oxen are farmed for their undercoat, which is shed every summer and is 8x warmer than wool by weight- which you're definitely gonna need if you're gonna make it in one of the most extreme climates there is! It's also one of the softest fibers in the world. We definitely recommend a visit to this farm, but if you do, go before you go to the reindeer farm. This farm isn't as interactive (for good reason!) but it may pale in comparison to a highly interactive farm tour like the reindeer farm.
Another attraction of note is the State Fair, held in Palmer at the end of every summer. Music festivals, rides, fair food...but the most intriguing for us is the giant vegetables on display. With it's fertile soil and summer days of almost 20 hours of sunlight, Palmer is a prime spot for breaking records of giant produce, including a 138 lb cabbage, a 2,051 lb pumpkin, and a 64 lb carrot. We obviously believe that Palmer is a hidden gem. It serves as a charming town and a jumping off point for some epic Alaskan adventures. If you've been to Palmer and we missed some of your favorite activities, let us know in the comments! If you're interested in a one-on-one chat to help plan a custom trip to Alaska, check out our options here! Make sure to pin so you can come back to this post. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for some of our day-to-day adventures and until next time, get out and explore where you live!
1 Comment
Sarah
4/11/2024 01:23:15 am
Love your ideas! I live in Wasilla Alaska ... it's about 10 minutes from Palmer. Thanks for your great post!!
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AuthorWe're just a military family enjoying where we live, one PCS at a time. Follow us as we explore our current home, South Carolina, and beyond. The world is our backyard. Archives
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