Aleutian Islands

If the wilds of coastal Alaska seem a little tame for you, head west to Unalaska. Set in the heart of the 1,000-mile-long Aleutian chain, this rugged outpost was a Russian fur trade outpost in the 18th century and a U.S. military stronghold in WWII. Today it’s home to Alaska’s largest commercial fishing fleet.

Nearly all of the island’s residents are tied to the fishing industry in the town’s working port of Dutch Harbor, but visitors can hike amid fields of wildflowers, pick wild berries, go mountain biking, climb several volcanic peaks, kayak along wilderness coastlines (sea otters and whales are common), and explore a rugged, treeless landscape populated by millions of birds.

There are more than 200 islands in the Aleutians chain, but only a handful are inhabited. Unalaska is one of the few with scheduled air service (in summer, Kodiak Island is a three-day ferry ride away), and the climate is cool (at best), windy (always), and wet (more drizzle than rain). But it’s also a gateway to the vast Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge that encompasses virtually the entire archipelago.