1. Meet Stubbs, A Cat That Also Happens To Be Mayor
Mayor Stubbs has held the honorary title of mayor in a small town in Alaska since 1997 (and still going!). There are some who claim it to be nothing but an urban legend, so it looks like you’ll have to travel to Talkeetna, Alaska to find out for yourself.
2. People Even Crazier Than The Temperatures Are Cold
You don’t really know “cold” until you visit some parts of Alaska. But if you think that stops Alaskans from having a good time, you’re sorely mistaken.
3. An Igloo Worth More Than Most Houses
Alaska does have igloos, it’s just that most people don’t live in them. This one in particular was supposed to be a hotel but was never finished.
Now the 80-foot-tall structure sits abandoned and can be yours for a cool $300,000. Super villain hideout, anyone?
4. The House Straight Out Of A Dr. Seuss House Book
How tall can one house be? Could there be more floors than three? Could it be taller than a tree? Find the “Dr. Seuss House,” between Willow and Talkeetna, and you’ll see!
5. Take A Walk Through The Mendenhall Ice Caves
There must be magic in the Mendenhall Ice Caves, as it boasts all the stages of the water cycle in one place, making a pretty spectacular sight.
Again, super villain hideout, anyone?
6. Make Sure To Bring Cookies When You Visit Santa Claus’ House
That’s right. You can visit the big guy himself at his house in North Pole, Alaska. Bring your list of Grinches with you to ensure they end up with underwear in the stockings.
7. A Costumed Race With Rudolph Makes You A True Alaskan
The annual Running of the Reindeer event takes place in Anchorage during the much beloved Fur Rendezvous event (Fur Rondy to the locals.)
People come from all over to race with Rudolph and his crew in their craziest apparel.
8. The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Outhouses
If running with reindeer isn’t your thing, maybe you’d prefer running with outhouses. The annual Outhouse Races take place during Fur Rondy, too, bringing out all that is wonderfully weird about Alaskans.
9. Human Slushies: A Great Way To Kiss Winter Goodbye
What better way to welcome spring than watching fully costumed and perhaps slightly insane participants ski and flip their way into the icy melting slush from the Alaskan winter? Spring Carnival and Slush Cup are just another fantastic Alaskan quirk.
10. Take A Bite Out Of Rudolph
And while you’re in Anchorage enjoying Fur Rondy or Slush cup, why not grab yourself a famous reindeer sausage from M.A.s? And yes, before you ask, it really is reindeer.
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11. Or Eat From A Party Tray Like This
Because, ummm, why not?
12. A Town Where Everyone Lives Together
Well, almost everyone. The tiny town of Whittier only has two buildings. One is apartments where the majority of the residents live, the other is abandoned and only lived in by bears.
13. The World’s Largest Chocolate Waterfall
Come to Anchorage to find a chocolate fountain so big, you’ll be wondering when the Oompa Loompas will appear.
The state’s new motto should be “Alaska: Pumping over 3,000 pounds of chocolate from 20 feet in the air just because we can.”
14. Upside Down Tree Gardens
When you think of Alaska, glaciers probably come to mind. But Mendenhall Valley is an upside down tree garden of sorts that will have you rethinking everything you know about the state.
15. A Peek Of The “Lady Of The Lake”
You can find the rickety old remains of a WB-29 Superfortress weather reconnaissance aircraft found partially submerged in a lake by Eielson Air Force Base.
The Lady was put there for parts until the water of the lake rose too high and no one has bothered to retrieve her, creating an eerie scene you might find in a ghost movie.
16. Ever Wonder Where The Name King Crabs Comes From?
Sure, everyone knows about Alaskan King Crabs. But now you know why they get the name KING.
17. A Mountainside Village On Stilts
Ukivok is essentially a village on stilts built on the steep slope of a mountainside. When you see it, you’ll wonder how it’s still possibly standing over half a century after it was abandoned.
18. Potlatch Totem Park
Potlatch isn’t the only place where you can find genuine totem poles. But with five tribal homes located on the property and the tallest of the totems reaching 42 feet high, it’s definitely one of the most interesting.
19. Some Moose Poop Jewelry
And yes, it’s actually made from moose poop.
20. A Junk Yard Turned Theme Park
With attractions like a giant Mukluk book and Santa’s rocket ship in this quirky theme park in the tiny town of Tok, Mukluk Land has been called “The most Alaskan place in Alaska.”
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21. HAARP: The Stuff Conspiracies Are Made Of
HAARP is the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program the government created to focus on physical and electrical properties of the Earth’s ionosphere. But according to conspiracy theorists, it’s everything from a death ray to a weather control device to a machine that drops cell calls at the most inopportune times.
22. Annabelle The Painting Elephant
If your state had an elephant who painted better than you, there’s no doubt you’d have a memorial to her, too, no? Her grave can be found where she lived, at the Alaskan Zoo.
23. The Aurora Ice Museum
If you’re thinking to yourself “A museum of ice? I have that stuff in my freezer?” you’re not alone. But trust me, you don’t have anything like this in your entire state, let alone your freezer. Sit on the ice stool at the ice bar and order yourself an ice cold appletini in a martini glass carved from ice to see for yourself.
24. The World’s Most Amazing Night Lights
Okay, everyone knows about the Northern Lights. But they’re so magnificent, it’s something that you have to see firsthand to truly believe.
25. The Most Epic Of All Snow Sculptures
So, you built a two story sandcastle at the beach last summer? That’s cute. Alaskans don’t get much in the way of sand, but they do get plenty of snow and the conditions in the state are perfect for building ice and snow sculptures. The best of the best can be found during the Crystal Gallery of Ice competition and Fur Rondy.
26. A Place Where You Can Feel The Earth Move Under Your Feet
Earthquake Park in Anchorage was once a high society neighborhood before a 9.2 magnitude earthquake crumbled it in 1964. The damage was devastating and the park stands now to memorialize the neighborhood lost.
27. Go From Sand Dunes To Tundra In Kobuk Valley National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park is unique in that it spans from tundra conditions to boreal forest. The sand dunes are a popular destination point – bring some cardboard and go sledding!
28. See How The Dead Live In Eklunta Village Historical Park
Eklunta Village Historical Park has one of the most unique cemeteries around showcasing burial spirit houses. The bright colored houses are a combination of Athabascan and Russian influences and are said to be homes of the dead.
29. Follow The Regular Road To The Wizard of Oz Statues In Juneau
Some sheet metal business in Juneau decided the best way to get attention to their business would be to make a ton of Wizard of Oz statues out of sheet metal and put them on display over their building, proving once again why Alaska is winning.
30. Bringing New Meaning To “Hammer Time”
Yes, there is an entire museum dedicated to the art of the hammer. It’s in Haines and there are more hammers in there than you could possibly ever imagine even existed.
Did we miss anything? Tell us the craziest thing in Alaska in the comments below!
