5 things that will surprise you about Skagway Alaska

This is me fishing. It doesn’t have much to do with this article but man, my dog is super cute.

Traveling to a new place is always exciting. You learn about their culture and history and you meet some locals in the process. Traveling to Skagway is no different but tourists are sometimes surprised about certain aspects of our local lifestyle. Today’s blog is all about 5 things about Skagway that will likely surprise you.

Alaska is remote and our life is probably not like yours

One of the reasons Alaska is so appealing is because it’s the last American frontier. That means nature is relatively unspoiled and beautiful, but it also means that we have fewer modern conveniences. This is especially true in Skagway because it’s a small town. When you learn about life in a small Alaska town, you shouldn’t say things like, “How do you live here?” That’s just rude. We live here because we like it. You paid a lot of money to come see it, so we must be doing something right!

Surprise #1 – There is no doctor in Skagway

That’s right. There is no doctor. There’s no doctor, dentist, or podiatrist. We do have a clinic with a couple of nurse practitioners but that’s about it. If you live in Skagway, your best bet is to not get sick. If you do get sick, you have to go somewhere else for treatment. That’s just the way it is.

Surprise #2 – There are no igloos

We live in houses, not igloos. Imagine living in an igloo. What would you do when summer rolled around? It would sure be awkward changing your pants. Nobody in Alaska lives in igloos anymore. You may find that surprising but I’m not sure why.

Surprise #3 – There are no fast food restaurants

If you like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or Arby’s, you are out of luck. There is no Taco Bell or Long John Silver’s either. No Dunking Donuts or Krispy Kreme. If you like KFC, then you’re going to be disappointed. You can eat that crap anywhere, so just get over it.

Surprise #4 – There is no pharmacy, Walmart, or Costco

There isn’t even a supermarket. Everything has to be barged into town, so it’s also expensive. There is a price to pay for living in paradise and it involves overpriced, marginally edible groceries. I have a garden and catch fish, so I’m not so worried about it. If you need prescription drugs, you just order them from Juneau and have them flown in. That’s how we do things.

Surprise #5 – The tap water is really good

No, really. Try it and tell me I’m lying. It’s the best water you will ever drink. I bet the tap water where you live totally sucks. If you live in Flint, Michigan it may also kill you. We may not have an Applebee’s but our water kicks butt and water is good for you. That’s just one reason why we are so healthy and attractive.

That’s all for today! Now you won’t be surprised about these things when you visit. That’s great!