roselind

I love to travel and have yet to visit alaska. I want to stay there this summer. I am looking for jobs and have found many possibilities. The only problem is I don't know enough about Alaska to pick a location. Never having been there I can not decide which part to try and get a job in. I enjoy the outdoors, but do also need to have my social time. I do not want somewhere super touristy but might not have much of a choice as most of the jobs I am qualified are in the tourist industry. I have no worries that any place will be beautiful but I also need a place I can stay active (things such as good hikes, pilates classes, or cute shops or restaurants.) Thanks!

NewPlaces

Anywhere you go in Alaska you should have endless outdoor activities around every corner. To combine this type of location with pilates classes, cute shops, restaurants I suggest Fairbanks, Anchorage, Homer, Juneau

dwooddon

I'd recommend Anchorage, Eagle, Seward, Homer, or Girdwood. Fairbanks just isn't my kind of town and Juneau and the other SE towns are in the largest rain forest in North America. Not surprisingly, that means lots and lots of rain.

Valdez is another town similar to Homer and Seward but it is too remote for my tastes. It's great for a visit but I would not want to spend the entire summer there.

Seward or Homer would be my first choices. Eagle would also be good but I'm not sure about the availability of jobs.

Also, if you do not already have a job lined up, I'd start now. A lot of the summer season jobs are filled now or earlier because there are many, many people who want to do the same thing you are doing.

jetset1

I think Valdez could work for you.. I have friends from Seattle who spend their summers there and love it.. weather is usually nice,(we are ignoring last summer's anomaly)and plenty of organized programs in that town..

if you had a chance to work in Petersburg, it is nice as well, big Norwegian influence, but smaller.. my husband loves traveling there for his business.

Kenai/Soldotna is another option: gyms, enough night life for the 20-30 somethings, the beaches, lakes, and whole peninsula for camping hiking and biking.. etc.

The housing in Girdwood is a stickler, not enough by far..

good luck, hope you make it up to enjoy a summer, and no bear -vs. -me-movie magazine dramas.. J.

NewPlaces

Valdez and things such as good hikes? Yes. Valdez and pilates classes? Maybe. Valdez and cute shops or restaurants? No way!Petersburg, Kenai/Soldotna for a whole summer? It doesn't sound too exciting.
Anchorage, Eagle, Seward, Homer, or Girdwood? Add my vote for these great suggestions.