In Alaska, we’d rather be weird than be normal. We love to stand out, and we don’t really care if we fit in. You see, we are all about dancing to the beat of our own drum and being individuals up here in the Last Frontier. The status-quo is just so ‘lower 48’ and we are okay with it staying down there. We’re Alaskans, and proud of it! And without further ado, check out these 20 extremely weird things that only people from Alaska do.

  1. Get married in their Xtratuf’s.

Facebook - Xtratuf Only in Alaska is this considered a matrimonial tradition. Hey, we happen to think it looks pretty darn good! It’s pretty popular footwear, even for the brides and bridesmaids!

  1. Swim in the freezing cold ocean.

Flickr - adam_gulkis Alaskans might be a little weird, but they are DEFINITELY super brave and always willing to step up to the plate. Brrr! Alaska stereotypes are right on this one: we are strong and brave!

  1. Go dip netting.

Flickr - Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service If you live here, it might not seem weird. But most people don’t even know what ‘dip netting’ means. That just means more fish for us! Living in Alaska gives you all sorts of perks like this one.

  1. Always put their trash in bear proof containers.

Flickr - Chris JB Never, we repeat - NEVER put any trash outside unless it’s in a bear proof container. Because, HELLO… we live in Alaska. Everyone born in Alaska will know this one! No one wants bears in the house or in your yard.

  1. Take vacation time when the reds are running.

Flickr - Ian Collins Great minds think alike on the Kenai Peninsula at the Russian River. Everyone has their favorite fishing spot in Alaska!

  1. And fish with the bears.

Flickr - Ian Collins Or maybe we should say, for the bears. Since we are pretty sure that big boy stole the fish from the bank that the fisherman caught. Keep your eyes peeled and play nice. They always win!

  1. Plug in their vehicles.

Flickr - James Brooks Hey… when in Alaska with temps below freezing, we gotta do what we gotta do! It’s better for your car, better for the environment, and better for you when you get inside a nice and toasty car!

  1. Work the most deadly job in the world.

Flickr - Jay Galvin Weird or maybe just crazy? We’ll just call it brave and leave it at that. It’s crazy enough that they made a television show about it, and it’s incredibly popular. These are some brave fisherman!

  1. Wear shorts and t-shirts when the temperature hits 30 degrees.

Flickr - Quinn Dombrowski Happens every winter. After suffering below freezing temps, 30 degrees makes us feel like we’re living in a heat wave. It feels positively balmy after a long winter!

  1. Run with reindeer.

Flickr - Travis In the beautiful name of tradition, Alaskans will go where no man has gone before. And they’ll take their reindeer with them!

  1. Or, just taking their PET reindeer for a casual walk around town.

Flickr - Travis Only in downtown Anchorage will you see an icon named Star the reindeer walking around town visiting with the locals. She lives downtown and loves to meet people on her daily strolls.

  1. Work half the year and get paid a full salary.

Flickr - jweston_40 The North Slope life is a weird thought for many but it is a very common way of life in Alaska. Two weeks working up in the Arctic Circle, and two weeks off. Work looks a little different sometimes in the Last Frontier!

  1. Call in late to work because a moose was blocking them in their house.

Flickr - Travis Or blocked their car. Or chased them into their shed. Weird, funny and wildly true. Alaska never has a shortage of stories to write home about.

  1. Drop their crab pots before heading to the office.

Flickr - Jenn and Jon Weird, maybe. Brilliant, definitely! Can you imagine getting off work and pulling out huge king crab to cook for dinner? EPIC! Kind of like putting the crock pot on for dinner!

  1. Surf cast for halibut right off the beach.

Flickr - Travis Say whaaat? Yup, that’s right. Beach life in Alaska is about more than just surf and sand. We can reel in dinner right off shore. Y-U-M! Fresh, wild, Alaskan seafood. It’s what we’re known for!

  1. Refer to their home as “the bush.”

Flickr - U.S. Department of Agriculture This is always a weird one for folks to get used to saying that aren’t from Alaska. After you’ve been here a while, it just is what it is. And we love it! Saying you’re from “the bush” gives instant street credentials. Our state is wild, and free, and absolutely gorgeous, but it can be hard sometimes to live so far away from it all!

  1. Put skis on our planes.

Flickr - Dutch Simba In order to reach most remote places in Alaska, these otter planes must be able to land on water or snow. Skis definitely do the trick! We will fly just about anywhere we can.

  1. Have carnivals in the snow.

Flickr - Arctic Warrior Winter lasts longer than summer, so heck… why not! The winter is long, but our love of play is, too! We want to enjoy every minute all year long.

  1. Own more than 30 dogs.

Flickr - Dana Orlosky I mean, our state sport is dog mushing… what do you expect! The more the merrier, I say.

  1. Hang their salmon outside to dry.

Flickr - Travis This is a very common practice by Alaska Native residents living in remote villages. And the end result is DELISH! Once you try one of these, you’ll be hooked!

Can you think of any other weird things people from Alaska do that the lower 48’ers just don’t understand? Do you do any of these things on the list? Which was one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Facebook - Xtratuf

Only in Alaska is this considered a matrimonial tradition. Hey, we happen to think it looks pretty darn good! It’s pretty popular footwear, even for the brides and bridesmaids!

Flickr - adam_gulkis

Alaskans might be a little weird, but they are DEFINITELY super brave and always willing to step up to the plate. Brrr! Alaska stereotypes are right on this one: we are strong and brave!

Flickr - Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

If you live here, it might not seem weird. But most people don’t even know what ‘dip netting’ means. That just means more fish for us! Living in Alaska gives you all sorts of perks like this one.

Flickr - Chris JB

Never, we repeat - NEVER put any trash outside unless it’s in a bear proof container. Because, HELLO… we live in Alaska. Everyone born in Alaska will know this one! No one wants bears in the house or in your yard.

Flickr - Ian Collins

Great minds think alike on the Kenai Peninsula at the Russian River. Everyone has their favorite fishing spot in Alaska!

Or maybe we should say, for the bears. Since we are pretty sure that big boy stole the fish from the bank that the fisherman caught. Keep your eyes peeled and play nice. They always win!

Flickr - James Brooks

Hey… when in Alaska with temps below freezing, we gotta do what we gotta do! It’s better for your car, better for the environment, and better for you when you get inside a nice and toasty car!

Flickr - Jay Galvin

Weird or maybe just crazy? We’ll just call it brave and leave it at that. It’s crazy enough that they made a television show about it, and it’s incredibly popular. These are some brave fisherman!

Flickr - Quinn Dombrowski

Happens every winter. After suffering below freezing temps, 30 degrees makes us feel like we’re living in a heat wave. It feels positively balmy after a long winter!

Flickr - Travis

In the beautiful name of tradition, Alaskans will go where no man has gone before. And they’ll take their reindeer with them!

Only in downtown Anchorage will you see an icon named Star the reindeer walking around town visiting with the locals. She lives downtown and loves to meet people on her daily strolls.

Flickr - jweston_40

The North Slope life is a weird thought for many but it is a very common way of life in Alaska. Two weeks working up in the Arctic Circle, and two weeks off. Work looks a little different sometimes in the Last Frontier!

Or blocked their car. Or chased them into their shed. Weird, funny and wildly true. Alaska never has a shortage of stories to write home about.

Flickr - Jenn and Jon

Weird, maybe. Brilliant, definitely! Can you imagine getting off work and pulling out huge king crab to cook for dinner? EPIC! Kind of like putting the crock pot on for dinner!

Say whaaat? Yup, that’s right. Beach life in Alaska is about more than just surf and sand. We can reel in dinner right off shore. Y-U-M! Fresh, wild, Alaskan seafood. It’s what we’re known for!

Flickr - U.S. Department of Agriculture

This is always a weird one for folks to get used to saying that aren’t from Alaska. After you’ve been here a while, it just is what it is. And we love it! Saying you’re from “the bush” gives instant street credentials. Our state is wild, and free, and absolutely gorgeous, but it can be hard sometimes to live so far away from it all!

Flickr - Dutch Simba

In order to reach most remote places in Alaska, these otter planes must be able to land on water or snow. Skis definitely do the trick! We will fly just about anywhere we can.

Flickr - Arctic Warrior

Winter lasts longer than summer, so heck… why not! The winter is long, but our love of play is, too! We want to enjoy every minute all year long.

Flickr - Dana Orlosky

I mean, our state sport is dog mushing… what do you expect! The more the merrier, I say.

This is a very common practice by Alaska Native residents living in remote villages. And the end result is DELISH! Once you try one of these, you’ll be hooked!

Looking for more strange things about the Last Frontier? Then you need to read all about These 9 Crazy Laws In Alaska Will Leave You Scratching Your Head In Wonder.

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Address: Alaska, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Things People From Alaska Do December 16, 2020 Megan McDonald Is it easy to live in Alaska? Not always! The distances can be far to travel, goods are expensive, and the winters can be long and cold. But this state offers so much beauty and fun, that it’s an absolute blast to live here! Where is the best city to live in? It depends on what you’re looking for! Juneau is our capitol, but not our largest city. It is only accessible by sea or boat, so it’s a little isolated. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior of Alaska, where temperatures can get mighty cold in the winter, but the people are so friendly. And Anchorage is the largest and busiest city, with plenty of jobs, housing, and the cheapest goods and groceries you’ll find in the state. But when many people come to Alaska, they’re looking for a wonderful small town to live in, and we have plenty of those, too!

The OIYS Visitor Center

Things People From Alaska Do

December 16, 2020

Megan McDonald

Is it easy to live in Alaska? Not always! The distances can be far to travel, goods are expensive, and the winters can be long and cold. But this state offers so much beauty and fun, that it’s an absolute blast to live here! Where is the best city to live in? It depends on what you’re looking for! Juneau is our capitol, but not our largest city. It is only accessible by sea or boat, so it’s a little isolated. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior of Alaska, where temperatures can get mighty cold in the winter, but the people are so friendly. And Anchorage is the largest and busiest city, with plenty of jobs, housing, and the cheapest goods and groceries you’ll find in the state. But when many people come to Alaska, they’re looking for a wonderful small town to live in, and we have plenty of those, too!

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Not always! The distances can be far to travel, goods are expensive, and the winters can be long and cold. But this state offers so much beauty and fun, that it’s an absolute blast to live here!

Where is the best city to live in?

It depends on what you’re looking for! Juneau is our capitol, but not our largest city. It is only accessible by sea or boat, so it’s a little isolated. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior of Alaska, where temperatures can get mighty cold in the winter, but the people are so friendly. And Anchorage is the largest and busiest city, with plenty of jobs, housing, and the cheapest goods and groceries you’ll find in the state. But when many people come to Alaska, they’re looking for a wonderful small town to live in, and we have plenty of those, too!