3 Best Sights in Bethel, The Bush

Due west of Bethel and separated from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta by the Etolin Strait, Nunivak Island is part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The terrain includes interior craters and deep lakes from the island's volcanic origins, plus over 40 rivers and a tundra that gives way to shorelines and lagoons. The island sustains a large herd of reindeer managed by residents of the only permanent settlement on the island, the Cup'ik village of Mekoryuk. There's also a transplanted herd of musk ox, along with vast seabird colonies, migratory birds, and an array of sea mammals. For information on the island and travel options, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bethel.

Named after Thomas "Pinky" Sekanoff, who walked across the Bering Strait to escape the Russian Revolution in the early 1900s, the 22-acre Pinky's Park remembers his life in Bethel and constant goodwill toward the kids in the community. Take a stroll on the park's nearly 2 miles of wooden boardwalks, decks, and trails. These structures are engineered to hold up to the often harsh climate while not damaging the tundra underneath. There's also a nice community garden, along with a playground and multiuse sports field that acts as a hub for all of Bethel's July 4 festivities.

The cultural center hosts a range of community and art events, including classes, movie screenings, summer camps, concerts, and summer Saturday markets. The center also has a library and a museum, founded in 1965 as the Bethel Museum, with more than 2,500 artifacts, photographs, and art pieces from the Athabascan, Cup'ik, and Yup'ik cultures, including masks, statues, and intricate carvings in ivory, baleen, and whalebone. The Kuskokwim Art Guild also runs a gift shop on the site.