About Whittier Alaska

A Little Town Called Whittier

Whittier, AK is situated at the head of Passage Canal on the western edge of Prince William Sound, approximately 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska.

It is the closest saltwater fishing port to Anchorage by about 1.5 hrs of driving time. Access to Whittier is gained by traveling from Anchorage to Portage Valley and then through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whittier.

The tunnel is a one-way rail line and road that goes 2.5 miles through Maynard Mountain and on into Whittier. (see below for tunnel schedule) Once you arrive in Whittier, you will instantly be in Western Prince William Sound. Huge mountains and valleys surround passage canal where the city of Whittier, Alaska is located. Whittier has been known as a, quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem. All jokes aside though, it is one of the strangest yet neatest places in Alaska.

Whittier is not a very big town, however there are a few things to do while you are there.

Hiking in Whittier

One of the coolest hikes you can do in Whittier is the hike up to Portage Pass trail.

It is 800’ in elevation. The hike is not very aggressive but it does go up through a mountain valley and then at the summit you can look down over Portage Glacier. It makes for a pretty fun time and it is kid friendly.

There are black bears in the area however so take the necessary precautions as you see fit. Another hike that is available is the trail up to Horsetail falls. The trail head is located up by the Buckner building.

This is a fairly mild hike and it is also kid friendly. At the top of the trail there is a rest area that overlooks all of Whittier and Passage Canal.

There is also another trail located behind the Begich Towers that leads up to a big waterfall.

Berry Picking in the Summer

Horsetail Falls and Portage pass both offer berry picking opportunities however Horsetail falls tends to be much better.

Blueberry picking is made easy with custom berry pickers that can usually be found at local stores.

Bring lots of gallon sized Ziploc bags as you will need them. Late July and August are the best times for berry picking.

Don’t forget to use your Whittier Alaska BlueBerries to make the most delicious pancakes ever.

You can even find some of Alaska’s famous Salmon Berries if you look hard enough.

Lodging in Whittier

There is a hotel located at the head of the small boat harbor and it is called the Inn at Whittier (907) 472-3200.

The hotel has a restaurant and sports bar located inside of it.

There is also lodging available at June’s Whittier Condos (888) 472-6001.

The condos are more geared for people that would like to do a more do it yourself type of stay as opposed to dining out as they are equipped with full kitchens and more bedding areas typically.

We have stayed at both places and have found that they are both great and offer there own unique features.

Where to Eat in Whittier

There are many area’s to eat in Whittier but our favorites are Swiftwater Seafood Café (seafood), China Sea (chinese food), Wild Catch Café (burgers and breakfast), and The Anchor (steaks and breakfast).

If you choose to eat at the Swiftwater Seafood Cafe, we recommend you try the Cod Fish and Chips basket as it is on our opinion to be the best fish and chips in Alaska.

China Sea offers our favorite 103 on the menu which in Mongolian Beef however the Chicken soup is a favorite as well.

The burgers at the Wildcatch cafe are phenomenal if you choose to go there.

The Anchor Inn has a great ribeye steak and the captains platter is great also.

Coffee in Whittier

You can grab a coffee before your charter at The Lazy Otter or Wild Catch Café. The Lazy Otter also offer’s pre-arranged boxed lunches for your charter.

Grocery Store

Anchor store is the only grocery store in Whittier and they have the basics there plus some other stuff that you might find yourself needing. For the most part they have what you will need to get by comfortably while in Whittier.

The Harbor Store

The harbor store is located right above the harbor in Whittier and they have snack food, boating parts and gear, hardware, and fishing tackle. They are also the only licensed liquor store in Whittier.

Gift Shops

There are a few stores that have gift items in Whittier located right in the Whittier triangle.

Parking in Whittier

The primary parking area for our clients is located right in front of the Harbormasters building.
There is a kiosk there that accepts cash or credit card for payment. There is also parking at the Whittier parking lot located across the tracks.

Fourth of July Celebration

There is a huge fourth of July celebration that the city puts on July 4th 12:00am located in the Whittier triangle.