Best Things to Do in Utqiagvik
1. Dip Your Toes in the Arctic Ocean
Be brave! Take advantage of this bucket list-worthy chance not only to see the Arctic Ocean but say that you’ve felt its chilly waters as well. From downtown, it’s an easy stroll to the water’s edge; walk along the beach and definitely grab this chance to dip a toe in!
Cross dipping into the Arctic Ocean off your bucket list while in Utqiagvik
2. Point Barrow
Here’s another unique opportunity: To see the very northernmost point in the U.S. You can take a full-day tour to experience this rugged outpost. You’ll also get to see the site of the old village of Nuvuk, which was occupied 1,000 years before the arrival of the first Europeans and is now an important archaeological site.
Northernmost totem pole in the world located at the Point Barrow. Photo by Alane Shoemaker
3. Experience Alaska Native Culture
The Inupiat people occupy an important place in Alaska’s history, and the Inupiat Heritage Center is your chance to learn more about their fascinating culture. Explore artifacts and exhibits, along with a library and gift shop. Check to see if there are any lectures or demonstrations scheduled.
Enjoy the blanket toss during the Inupiat whaling festival of Nalukataq
4. Whale Bone Arch
Grab a photo at this iconic spot, comprised of two standing jawbones of a Bowhead whale—a symbol of the close connection the Inupiat people had with whaling and the sea. Backdropped by the Arctic Ocean, it makes for a great photo, especially at sunset (though if you’re here in summer, the sun doesn’t set!).
The whale bone arch is a symbol of the close connection the Inupiat people have with whaling and the sea
5. Will Rogers & Wiley Post Monument
Back in 1935, aviator Wiley Post and pop culture icon Will Rogers perished in a plane crash near Utqiagvik. Today, you can find a memorial to them in downtown Utqiagvik, just across from the airport. There’s also a monument outside of town, overlooking the lagoon where the plane crashed.
Wiley Post Monument Memorial Airport
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Things to do in Utqiagvik (Barrow)
Utqiagvik Day Tours & Attractions View All
Houses exhibits, artifact collections, library, gift shop, and a traditional room where people can demonstrate and teach traditional crafts in Elders-in-Residence and Artists-in-Residence programs. As an affliated National Park, the North Slope Borough owns and manages the Inupiat Heritage Center.
In a town with limited dining options, this is your only place for Japanese food. Luckily, they do it well — with good ingredients (not necessarily fresh this far north) and a good combination of flavors. They also have very good sushi, even by Anchorage standards. The place can get filled up quickly, so call ahead. They do take-out and even deliver.
Get a real taste of native Alaska. This festival — called Nalukataq — is a tradition of the Inupiaq Eskimos of northern Alaska, held after the spring whale-hunting season to give the locals a chance to say thanks for a successful hunting season. There are traditional songs and dances, including a blanket toss, where a dancer is tossed high in the air from a blanket made of seal skins. You’ll find the most events in Barrow, though other towns in the ...more
It’s hard to top — literally — a Top of the World Tour. A day or overnight trip to Barrow offers you the chance to go above the Arctic Circle and see Native life up close. If you come in summer, you’ll also get the ultimate Midnight Sun experience — the sun doesn’t set from May 10 until August 2.