Cheap Camping & Lodging Options for Alaska Seafood Workers

Options for those who decide (or are forced) to live away from their work site are numerous. Free or inexpensive camping can be found near most of the onshore processing operations, and in some locations hundreds of people from all over the country set up tent cities for two or three months. Many of these communities have showers, limited laundry facilities, and organized recreational events.

Although rental prices in Alaska can be expensive, and housing hard to find, renting homes, trailers, or apartments with a group of friends is increasingly popular. Writing to the town newspapers listed below and requesting a copy of the classified ads (there may be a small fee) is a good way to start. However, with the increasing availability of these services online, we suggest you take some time and perform an Internet search instead. Craigslist is also becoming more popular for housing purposes, and in large towns like Anchorage you will certainly find housing listed on the site.

If you have friends or relatives in any of these towns, ask if you can stay with them or if they can help you set something up. If you own or have access to a trailer, camper, or a camper van, it might be worth taking it to Alaska. Most trailers are more comfortable than the typical tent and less expensive than renting a house. If you do camp at a public campground, keep in mind that there are limits on the amount of time you can stay – usually seven days. If you stay beyond this, you could be fined or asked to leave, so look for long term camping sites.

Here, you will find some of the weeklies provided in popular fishing towns. You can write, requesting a copy of the classifieds, but we suggest an online search when applicable.

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