Alaska Travel

Authentic Alaska Gifts as Perfect Reminders

For many of us, visiting Alaska is the trip of a lifetime and we want to return home with reminders of this for ourselves or as gifts for family and friends who may not have made this journey.

Alaska gifts abound throughout all parts of Alaska.  Every time we return we discover new ranges of gifts from cuddly bears to keyrings and a million variations on toys featuring every part of a moose.  The gifts you choose will reflect your own taste and many of these can be found in downtown Anchorage where wall to wall tourist shops dominate some streets.  But is this all there is?

While we have bought our share of soft toys and t-shirts, our most prized Alaska gifts reflect our real interest in Alaska’s native heritage and the influence of the Russian culture in Alaska from the 18th century until now. 

Although carvings of Alaska ivory and stone can be found throughout this state, in our view the best place to find the authentic work of the most well known local craftsmen is at the gift store of the Alaska Native Hospital in Anchorage.  The widest selection of carvings is available at the beginning of summer after this work has been completed across Alaska’s very cold winter and spring. 

This store sells magnificent, finely woven decorative baskets and beaded jewelry as well.  The prices of all items reflect the craftsmanship of the local Native American community but you can be sure that you are buying the best gifts or mementos available.  Check to see the opening ours of this store as they are limited even in summer.

Alaska gifts influenced by or produced by Alaskans of Russian heritage are easy to find but the widest selection we found was at one of the shops in Anchorage’s 5th Avenue Mall called 'Style of Russia’.  We bought several beautiful light Russian woolen shawls knitted from the wool of musk ox.  Music boxes reflecting Russian architecture were another happy choice there.

Russian influence on Alaska began in the popular town of Sitka on the south west coast.  This tourist highlight is located in the Marine Inland Passage and caters for every tourist need.  Here you will find more interesting Russian influenced gifts including every size and type of Babushka dolls along with impressive works in some art galleries there.  In nearby Juneau, Alaska’s political capital, look for The Memeluck Fur Doll Company in Seward Street for some of the most authentic gifts of this kind.  Authentic Alaska gifts are available if you just know where to look for them!