Valdez

Valdez is found in Southcentral Alaska on Prince William Sound. It is pronounced locally as "val-DEEZ", not like the Spanish surname.

To reach Valdez from Anchorage, there are several options. Quickest is to fly to Valdez Airport. There are three flights a day, offered by ERA Aviation. The flight takes 40 minutes and costs around $400 return. If it's clear, you'll get great views of the Chugach mountains. Or in a full day you could drive the Richardson Highway. Or, you could drive or go by rail to Whittier and try and get a boat across Prince William Sound. The boat trip would take at least four hours. However, most boats from Whittier only offer day trips - glacier sight seeing and fishing - there isn't a scheduled ferry between Whittier and Valdez

No public transport. Car and bike rental are available. The new airport is a couple of miles out of town, so if arriving by air, you'll need to get a taxi into town to avoid a tedious trudge. Once in town, walking is a good way to get around, as the town itself is small.