Nestled in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Palmer is a charming small town with a rich agricultural history. Located just 45 miles northeast of Anchorage, it makes for an easy and rewarding day trip or weekend getaway.
Whether you love the outdoors, history, family fun, or just plain relaxation, Palmer has something for you. Here are 12 of the best things to do on your next visit to Palmer, Alaska.
Wander Around The Colony Farm
The centerpiece of Palmer’s history is the Colony Farm, part of the Depression-era Matanuska Colony project that resettled struggling Midwestern farming families in Alaska in the 1930s. Stroll along the network of tree-lined roads past restored original colony farmhouses and barns.
Inside the Visitor’s Center, informative exhibits tell the story of the difficult challenges as well as successes of farming in Alaska over past decades. The farm landscape is especially picturesque covered in fall foliage.
Hike Hatcher Pass
Trek through spectacular alpine scenery in Hatcher Pass Management Area, just a short drive from Palmer. Hike along Gold Mint Trail for gorgeous views of the valley framed by towering granite peaks. For a more challenging adventure take the route up to the old Independence Mine buildings, nestled dramatically into the mountainside.
Or explore the remains of the gold rush era mining operations at Fishhook Creek. With hikes ranging from easy to difficult, Hatcher Pass offers an ideal outdoor getaway right on Palmer’s doorstep.
Go Flightseeing Over Mount McKinley
Get a bird’s eye perspective of Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America, on an exhilarating flightseeing tour departing from Palmer Airport. Floatplanes whisk you over the amazing landscapes of the Alaska Range and its glaciers, lakes, and valleys.
See McKinley (also known as Denali) towering over the landscape, along with other giants such as Mount Foraker. Regularly scheduled tours run daily during summer months, while custom charters can be booked year-round.
Learn About Alaska At The Museum
Gain insight into Alaska’s rich cultures and history at the Palmer Museum of History and Art. Exhibits cover various eras such as early native tribes, Russian occupation, gold rush prospectors, and pioneer settlers. Kids can try on costumes, pan for gold, and explore hands-on activities in the children’s Discovery Room.
The museum also hosts rotating art exhibitions, special cultural events, classes, and lectures. Don’t miss the colorful midsummer Palmer Art Faire held on the grounds.
Relax At The Palmer Hay Flats
This wildlife viewing area just west of town offers phenomenal views across lush agricultural fields to the Chugach Mountain front. Migrating waterfowl stop to feed here by the tens of thousands, making it one of the prime birding spots in the state.
With a couple pairs of binoculars and some patience, you might spot tundra swans, sandhill cranes, ducks, and a variety of songbirds. Interpretive plaques describe the cycles of seasons on the flats. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at the tables while you gaze at the spectacular scenery and wildlife.
Pan For Gold On Fishhook Creek
Try your hand at prospecting for real gold at the Fishhook Recreational Mining Area, where Fishhook Creek spills out of the mountains. Purchase a recreational mining permit, grab your panning gear, and hunt for at the waters edge for glittering flakes and nuggets washed down from upstream claim sites.
With a little practice reading the river currents, you may uncover some golden treasures to take home. Just watch carefully for the flashes of refracted light that reveal real gold nestled amongst the black sand and gravel in your pan.
Explore Alaska State Fair
Don’t miss the iconic Alaska State Fair held every August through Labor Day on lush fairgrounds right in the heart of Palmer. This is Alaska’s biggest event of the year, with entertainers, amusement rides, concerts, livestock exhibits, craft booths, carnival games, contests, cooking demos, giant produce displays, and so much more spread over 300 acres.
Sample local dish favorites like reindeer sausage dogs or musk ox burgers. Young ‘uns will love the pig races and circus performers. With so much going on, you’ll want to visit more than once.
Shop & Dine Downtown
Downtown Palmer’s collection of shops, cafes, and restaurants centered on the intersecting Colony Way and South Valley Way makes an ideal home base during your stay. The Red Robbin Café is a longtime local favorite serving burgers, sandwiches, pies, and more in a cozy, rustic setting.
Taste coffee and house-made gelato at Black Bear Coffee House, or relax over craft beer and pub grub at Palmer City Alehouse. Find Alaska keepsakes and gifts at Winterdream gift shop, with two floors stuffed with local arts, food, jewelry, clothing, and décor.
See Fox Creek Farms
Get an inside look Alaska’s modern agricultural industry at Fox Creek Farms, one of the Mat-Su Valley’s pioneering full-scale production facilities. This family farm operates greenhouses, dairies, cattle ranching, vegetable and grain fields, irrigation, research plots, farm equipment, and processing facilities across 2500 acres.
Visitors can take comprehensive tours to learn about commercial Alaska agriculture while viewing barley fields, gardens sprouting the seasons freshest, baby calves frolicking in pastures, and the whole milk bottling operation.
Gaze At The Northern Lights
While summer boasts nearly round-the-clock daylight, Alaskan winter nights mean prime aurora borealis viewing opportunities. As solar winds collide with gases in the atmosphere, the night skies frequently erupt with spectacular curtains of green, purple, and red light dancing across the sky.
Multiple vantage points around Palmer offer front-row northern lights viewing when the forecast looks favorable. Simply find a dark spot, bundle up, aim your camera skyward, and enjoy nature’s mesmerizing light show.
Relax At The Musk Ox Farm
The Musk Ox Farm near Palmer offers the rare chance to observe these Ice Age survivors up-close in their natural habitat. A conservation and domestication project first established in 1954, today the farm landscape includes grazing pastures, handling facilities, and interpretive centers focused on protecting and researching this unique Arctic mammal.
Visitors can take guided walking tours to watch the shaggy oxen herd – including adorable calves during spring. The signature Qiviut fiber shed by the animals is combed and spun into knitting yarn at the farm store.
Conclusion
This collection of culture, history, scenery, wildlife, adventure and good old-fashioned family fun makes Palmer an unmissable stop on any Alaska itinerary.
With a frontier farming past and wide-open natural landscapes embracing the town, Palmer makes the perfect base to experience the best of Alaskan attractions and get a genuine taste of local life. Whether visiting for an afternoon or extended stay, Palmer offers plenty to fill your days with unique only-in Alaska experiences.