Tour the prettiest towns in Alaska

Here at Auto Europe, we’re happy to turn any dream vacation in Alaska into reality thanks to our wide selection of USA car rentals throughout the Last Frontier! While Alaska tends to attract wilderness enthusiasts ready to visit some of the national parks like Denali, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Glacier Bay, among others, a vehicle from our assorted car rental fleet in the USA will be essential in terms of experiencing some of the most gorgeous towns and villages in the northwest extremity of the country. Depending on whether you’re traveling from Anchorage or Juneau, many of the following locations are accessible by a reliable Alaska car rental while some may require boat or plane ride.

Gorgeous towns in Alaska

Seward

Seward is an idyllic port city serving as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park with an abundance of boat cruises as well as glaciers and peaks to admire. This city of around 2,700 people can be found on Resurrection Bay and about 120 miles from Anchorage. Around here there are natural habitats for whales, porpoises, seals and puffins, all of which tend to congregate at the Seward Harbor full of vessels. Nearby is Mount Marathon to summit if you’re looking for a challenge. Drive your Anchorage car rental to Seward in less than 2.5 hours via AK-1 S and State Hwy 9.

Sitka

Although you can't drive your discount Juneau car rental to Sitka due to the mountainous geography, the Alaska Marine Highway ferries can get you and your vehicle there safe and sound to this city of around 8.8 thousand! By far the largest hub on this list, Sitka was the former territorial capital of Alaska until 1906 and founded on Baranof Island on the Alaskan Panhandle. Back in the day Sitka was called Novo-Arkhangelsk when Alaska was part of Russia, which is made evident by the amount of Russian Orthodox churches in town. Come to admire intricate totem poles at Sitka National Historical Park or visit the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary.

Homer

About 90 miles south of Anchorage on the Sterling Highway lies the rustic community of Homer on the Kachemak Bay and southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. Full of nicknames, Homer is also known as "the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World," in addition to "the End of the Road" and "the Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea." Part of Homer is called the Homer Spit, a 4.5 mile long thin piece of land jutting out into the water where you will locate the Homer Boat Harbor. Local landmarks include the Salty Dawg Saloon with accompanying lighthouse, a local winery plus brewery, not to mention stunning views of Kachemak Bay.

Skagway

Also geographically located on the Alaska Panhandle, the village of Skagway will also require taking a boat or plane from the capital city of Juneau. Matter of fact, this town may only have a 1,000 residents but it welcomes about 1 million annual tourists eager to absorb the incredible scenery, take a few train rides for some astounding views, or maybe even learn some Klondike Gold Rush history. Around here are many artifacts of the Klondike Gold Rush period, in addition to the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.

Gustavus

With merely 442 residents as of the 2010 census, Gustavus still brings in many visitors en route to Glacier Bay National Park, not to mention being a primetime location for the Northern Lights. Most visitors travel to Gustavus by jet, bush plane, or ferry ride from Juneau. Back in 1940 when it first appeared on the US Census it was known as Strawberry Point. In town, travelers will come across plenty of cafes, art galleries and coffee shops, in addition to some world-class fishing in both fresh and salt water.