Petersburg is a little human enclave surrounded by the forested inlands and mountains of Alaska’s remarkable Inside Passage. There are about 3000 of us living here amidst the Tongass National Forest. Most of us are fishing folk, wildlife enthusiasts, environmental activists, heavy drinkers, or all four!
We may not be Chicago or New York or Los Angeles, but there’s a ton of stuff to do here for the outdoorsy folks. It’s nearly impossible to avoid wildlife spotting. We have a local history museum at which many of our friends and neighbors take on volunteer shifts. Our boat harbors host over 400 vessels – many of which are fishing crafts, some of which are sport vessels. Big cities may have Lyft and Uber, but Petersburg has a pretty generous “if the keys are in it, take ‘er for a spin” philosophy.
There is a beautiful city walk to Hungry Point – where the Wrangell Narrows and Frederick Sound meet and the sea birds, river otters, bears, orcas, and porpoises often show off for viewers. We have parks, public art, and a few thriving downtown businesses – a book/gift store, a few bars, some corner stores, and more bars.
I personally work for about thirty hours a week at a bank and spend the rest of my time hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, fishing, and cooking. It’s a real easy life here, if not counting the elements. I earn a Chicago salary and live a small town life. I event spend about four hours a week as a microgreens farmer
What started as a couple-year plan to earn the money for a down payment on a big city condo has become more of a longterm lifestyle plan. I cannot possibly imagine leaving here!