Overview
Whittier is a small town in Alaska that is famous because all of its 272 residents (2020) live in one building.
2 sights · 3 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Whittier
Buckner Building
The Buckner Building is an abandoned building that served as the military barracks (the 'predecessor' of the present Begich Towers) to include mess hall, sleeping quarters, movie theater, bowling alley, small jail, and t…
Prince William Sound Museum
The exhibits tell the story of Whittier's history as a military port and rail terminal, and reflects on Alaskan military heritage during World War II and the Cold War.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Aug. Summer highs reach about 66°F; winter lows dip to about 17°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Sep. (climate data from nearby Girdwood)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MRI Merrill Field, Anchorage — 49 mi away. Directions
- ANC Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage — 52 mi away (major hub). Directions
The only road access to Whittier is via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel through a mountain. The tunnel was built for rail use only. It is now a one-way-at-a-time tunnel that is shared by the railroad and road traffic. It is considered to be the longest road tunnel in North America. Coming from Anchorage, you go south on the Seward Highway and turn onto Portage Glacier Road, and the tunnel is at the other end. There is a fee, and you must wait until the tunnel is open for traffic moving in your direction, so plan ahead if you are connecting with a boat on the other side. The tunnel is closed to vehicular traffic at night depending on the seasons. Motorcycling through the tunnel requires extra cautions, and non-motorized traffic is banned. It is 60 mi to Anchorage and 90 mi to Seward from the other side of the tunnel (outside of town).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Buckner Building
- Lunch Anchor Inn Restaurant & Store
- Afternoon Prince William Sound Museum
- Dinner Whittier Ice Cream & Pizza
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Whittier is an unusual town in a stunning natural setting. It is set on the shores of Prince William Sound, and nearly the entire year-round population lives in an apartment complex called the Begich Towers, known as “city under one roof”. Despite often being referred to as a single building, Begich Towers is actually 3 separate buildings that are connected with each other. Whittier was built to provide a safe port for access to central Alaska during World War II, with a tunnel to allow access to the other side of the Chugach Mountains.
Get in
The only road access to Whittier is via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel through a mountain. The tunnel was built for rail use only. It is now a one-way-at-a-time tunnel that is shared by the railroad and road traffic. It is considered to be the longest road tunnel in North America. Coming from Anchorage, you go south on the Seward Highway and turn onto Portage Glacier Road, and the tunnel is at the other end. There is a fee, and you must wait until the tunnel is open for traffic moving in your direction, so plan ahead if you are connecting with a boat on the other side. The tunnel is closed to vehicular traffic at night depending on the seasons. Motorcycling through the tunnel requires extra cautions, and non-motorized traffic is banned. It is 60 mi to Anchorage and 90 mi to Seward from the other side of the tunnel (outside of town).
Whittier has docking facilities for cruise ships and the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System. It is possible to go straight from the docks to the Alaska Railroad Depot for the train to Seward or Anchorage as it is across the road from the cruise terminal.
There is a small airport with a single gravel runway, but there are no scheduled flights.
Get around
Whittier is quite small: basically the whole town is within walking distance of the tunnel and the docks. Most of the populace live and work within the (100 Kenai St) and the few blocks surrounding the Begich Towers. The tower contains a convenience/grocery store, Laundormat, indoor playground, City Hall, police station, a conference center, a Baptist church (in basement), Post Office and B&B units on the 14th & 15th floors (see also under 'Sleep' in below). A new school building was built behind the tower and is connected to the tower's basement by a tunnel that students use to walk to and from school during the winter months.
See
Whittier exists to create a link between southcentral Alaska and Prince William Sound. There isn’t much to see in the town, but there are ample opportunities to venture out on the water and see the sound. Whittier is known for poor weather (it's the wettest city in the United States), so come prepared for wind and rain. The following are a couple of places to see in town:
See Buckner Building
The Buckner Building is an abandoned building that served as the military barracks (the 'predecessor' of the present Begich Towers) to include mess hall, sleeping quarters, movie theater, bowling alley, small jail, and tunnels connecting the town of Whittier. After 1966 when the military left and gave up the building it went through different owners and was neglected. In 2016 a structural assessment determined that the building cannot be safely and economically rehabilitated for occupancy and with asbestos present throughout the building it cannot be safely torn down either. There is a fence around the building, and it can be seen from outside. The Buckner Building is thus a ghost town within a functioning town.
Do
You'll find numerous charter fishing and sightseeing operations for hire at the docks. Both sides of the tunnel are within Chugach National Forest. The Portage Valley has a visitor center, a system of hiking trails, and boat tours on Portage Lake that go to Portage Glacier.
Eat
Eat Lazy Otter Cafe (operated by Lazy Otter Charters)
Eat Whittier Ice Cream & Pizza
Sleep
Stay Whittier Parking & Camping
Provides daily and up to 6-month (overflow) parking for people staying in their cars, trailers, boats on a trailer, or RVs for one night or up to 6 months. They also have a primitive supervised campground in the trees beyond. The facilities are usually open from late April to mid-October at when there is no standing ice or snow. Open season varies between the last snow melt and first snow fall in each year.
Go next
At the end of Portage Glacier Road heading out of town, turn right to get to Anchorage, left to get to Soldotna, Homer, and Seward.
Nearby
Girdwood
City / town · 35 listings · 20 mi away
Moose Pass
City / town · 2 listings · 31 mi away
Cooper Landing
City / town · 1 listings · 44 mi away
Eagle River
City / town · 3 listings · 48 mi away
Anchorage
City / town · 97 listings · 51 mi away
Seward
City / town · 51 listings · 52 mi away
Palmer
City / town · 15 listings · 59 mi away
Wasilla
City / town · 18 listings · 61 mi away
My experience
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