A Guide to Girdwood, Alaska

​** Updated : September, 2022 **
​Use the map to see a visual of all our recommendations - click the arrow next to our photo to have a pop up list! This post may also contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase a product via these links, with no extra cost to you!

Getting There

There are two ways to get to Girdwood, you can either drive or take the Alaska Railroad! We would recommend you drive, since it's only about 36 miles away, and the railroad can be a bit pricey. Plus, while you're driving along Turnagain Arm you'll have the chance to see Moose, Bears, Mountain Goats, and Belugas!

If you're interested in reading a review of our full experience on the Alaska Railroad, you can read about it here!

If you're interested in booking the Alaska Railroad, you can do that here!

Places to Stay

Although the city of Girdwood is on the smaller side, you still have a few options if you're looking for somewhere to stay! The only place we've stayed is Alyeska Resort, but we highly recommend! It can be a little pricier, but you won't regret it with the onsite dining, amenities, and endless hiking, biking, and skiing trails! (Not to mention their new Alyeska Nordic Spa has started opening up!)

If you're looking for someplace a little more local, we recommend checking out :

• Ski Inn
• Carriage Inn Bed & Breakfast
• Airbnb! 

Places to Eat

Our favorite place to stop in Girdwood is the local brewery, Girdwood Brewing - they have great beer options plus they have rotating food trucks on site. Our favorite is Crepes de Paris - they have the best sweet and savory crepes - but you can find their full food truck schedule on their website!

Other local options in Girdwood include :

• Hightower Pub
• Spoon Line Bistro
• The Grind Coffeehouse

Alyeska Resort also has a coffee shop and restaurants on site (you do not need to be staying onsite to take advantage of these) :

• Tramway Cafe
• Aurora Bar
• Bore Tide Deli & Bar
• Forte Alaska
• Sakura Asian Bistro
• Seven Glaciers
• Sitzmark Bar & Grill

​(a link to all Alyeska dining options)

Things to Do

For Girdwood's size there is surprisingly SO MUCH to do! Truth be told we haven't participated in too many of these, but we've heard great reviews!

• ​Gold Mining at the Crow Creek Mine
• Take a trip on the Alaska Railroad
• Relax at the newly opened Alyeska Nordic Spa
• Take the Alyeska Aerial Tram to the top for some epic views of Turnagain Arm!
• Rent Electric Bikes from Powder Hound
• Take a flight seeing or glacier dog sledding tour with Alpine Air Alaska
• Go rafting or kayaking with Chugach Adventures
• Shopping - there are a few local galleries in town like Slack Tide Gallery and the Girdwood Center for Visual Arts

There are also some great hiking trails in the area! My personal favorite is Virgin Creek Falls only because it's so short and easy with such a big pay off (the falls are stunning!), however at the top of our list is to complete the Crow Pass Trail to the rentable cabin there (which books out way ahead of time!). Here's a list of these and some other hikes in the area :

• Virgin Creek Falls - 0.5 mile easy loop (make sure to head to the top of the falls too!)
• Moose Meadow - 1.6 mile easy/moderate loop
• Mount Alyeska - 4.2 mile moderate/hard loop (you can also take the Alyeska Aerial Tram!)
• Crow Pass - the entire trail is 21 miles and goes all the way to the Eagle River Nature Center, however many people do just the first few miles for some incredible views!

(Around mile 3 of the Crow Pass Trail there is also a cabin that is available only by reservation, however this tends to book out months ahead of time. You can check to see if there are any openings here.)

Fun Facts

• Every summer Girdwood hosts the Forest Fair event! It's a wonderful event with many local artists and vendors, and you can check most recent updates here. 
• The original town of Girdwood was right near the coast, however when the 1964 earthquake dropped the coast's edges they decided to move the town two miles up the road, where it now is!

Watch our adventure at Virgin Creek Falls!

Check out our other Alaska posts here!

• Ultimate Alaska Packing List
• 25 Bucketlist Stays in Alaska
• The Alaska Highway
• The Alaska Railroad
• Top 7 Tours in Alaska
• Anchorage
• Barrow
• Bucketlist Stays in Alaska
• Denali National Park
• Denali Backcountry Adventures
• Flow AK Rafting
• Girdwood
• Homer
• Hope
• Juneau

• Kodiak
• Major Marine Wildlife Tour
• Matanuska Glacier Tour
• Palmer
• Seldovia
• Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife 
• Seward
• Talkeetna
• Utqiagvik
• Valdez
• Wasilla
• Where to Rent Bear Spray
• Where to See Wildlife in Alaska
• Whittier​

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