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What is it like to live in Alaska? Take it from us: It’s unlike anywhere else you’ve ever lived. We’ve got glaciers, moose walking down the street, punishing yet hauntingly beautiful winters, sunshine in the middle of the night, incredible fishing, pristine landscapes, and plenty of wide-open land to explore.
However, it’s one thing to read about what life is like in Alaska and it’s another to actually see it. In our opinion, the best way to know what Alaska life is like is to make a visit. The second-best way is to tap into the below list of Alaska-focused YouTube channels. Through these YouTubers, you’ll get a real-life glimpse into all the different lifestyles you’ll find in the Last Frontier.
You’ll also get a realistic perspective on Alaska life, including topics like: What’s grocery shopping in Alaska like? What’s a typical day in an off-grid cabin like? What kind of things are there to do in Alaska? Is Alaska the right place for me to move?
Whether you’re interested in a more urban life in Anchorage or learning more about remote, off-grid living in Alaska, check out our top 10 recommended YouTube picks below. You’ll learn a ton of practical information for understanding life in Alaska—and whether it’s right for you.
1. SomersInAlaska
Location: North Pole, AK
Channel Size: ~226,000 subscribers
Topic: Life in Interior Alaska
As many Alaska residents will tell you, living in Interior Alaska is pretty different than living in Anchorage—and it’s not for everyone. If you’ve ever considered the Interior lifestyle, check out the Somers family’s YouTube channel, Somers in Alaska. This five-person, homeschooling family lives in North Pole, Alaska, right down the street from the famous Santa Claus House. If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty of Alaska living—like grocery shopping, heating your house, etc.—this blog is a great source.
Alaska Costco Food Storage Haul: A New Way To Shop At Costco?!
2. Simple Living Alaska
Location: Willow, AK
Channel Size: ~566,000 subscribers
Topic: Off-grid cabin living
If you’ve got off-grid-cabin fever, Simple Living in Alaska is the YouTube channel for you. You’ll discover what it takes to live your day-to-day life off the grid, including staying warm, traveling into town for supplies, growing and preserving food, raising farm animals, and even doing seemingly “simple” tasks like off-grid laundry. And, of course, if you’ve aspired to pickle hundreds of eggs, look no further than the must-watch video below.
Pickling 350 Eggs | Preserving Food for Winter in Alaska
3. How to Alaska
Location: Southcentral Alaska
Channel Size: ~37,600 subscribers
Topic: Alaskan family living
This YouTube channel is run by two lifelong Alaskans raising their family in Southcentral Alaska. If you’re considering moving with a family—and wondering what life might be like for your kids—follow along with this family as they hunt, fish, gather, prospect for gold, and enjoy the incredible outdoor landscapes that Alaska is known for. Or, if you’re just in it to watch Alaksans launch cars off a cliff to celebrate the Fourth of July, this channel’s got that, too.
What’s It Like When It’s Light All Night? | Alaska’s Midnight Sun
4. Happy Girl Alaska
Location: Anchorage, AK
Channel Size: ~4,000 subscribers
Topic: Daily life in Anchorage
A number of people who move to Alaska start out in its “big city”—Anchorage, in other words. Terree, who was born and raised in Alaska, offers a good sense of what life is like in the city through her YouTube channel, Happy Girl Alaska. She also answers common questions about Alaska life overall, including surviving winter in Anchorage, the cost of living in Alaska, and what her day-to-day experience is like in the city.
Anchorage Weather – What To Expect (December) | Anchorage, Alaska 2021
5. Life in Alaska
Location: Houston, AK
Channel Size: ~8,000 subscribers
Topic: Off-grid cabin living
What happens when a family decides to drop everything, move from Oregon to Alaska, and build their own off-grid cabin (while living a debt-free lifestyle)? That’s what the Life in Alaska YouTube channel is all about. You’ll get to watch as Richard and Aimee build their cabin from scratch, including digging a well, framing the house, choosing a compost toilet, and more. If you’re considering a cabin build yourself, this channel will give you a taste of everything that’s involved.
Getting Our Cistern, Laundry, and Shower Set Up
6. This Is My Alaska
Location: A remote homestead in Alaska
Channel Size: ~205,000 subscribers
Topic: Living the simple life
Many of these YouTube channels will show you what life in Alaska is like. This YouTube channel—run by a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in a remote lodge with no indoor plumbing or electricity—gets pretty close to letting you experience it for yourself. These quiet and charming slice-of-life videos about this family’s simple existence in their off-grid Alaska cabin are as relaxing as they are informative. By the way, for those of you who think “off-grid” means “roughing it,” check out the off-grid sauna build on this channel.
Off-GRID SAUNA – Alaskan Log Cabin
7. Wildwood Off Grid Alaska
Location: Tok, AK
Channel Size: ~12,300 subscribers
Topic:Transitioning to off-grid life
Follow along with Ryan and Von as they flee corporate America and seek out a more authentic life in an off-grid cabin. Von was raised in Alaska and Ryan was raised in Montana, but after living the corporate city life together, they decided to make a big change by buying land near Tok, Alaska. On their channel, Wildwood Off Grid Alaska, you’ll watch them built their off-grid cabin, as well as explore all that Alaska has to offer.
Building an Off-Grid Alaskan Homestead/Generator Shed
8. Indie Alaska
Location: Statewide
Channel Size: 19,900 subscribers
Topic: True-life Alaska stories
If you decide to move to Alaska, you’ll meet some fascinating folks in the state. Indie Alaska will introduce you to a few of them before you pack even a single box. This web series, produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios, tells true stories from the Last Frontier. You’ll meet people like Alaska bush pilots, search and rescue airmen, farming families, Inuit musicians, entrepreneurs, athletes, “the Shrimp Whisperer,” and more—all the people who make Alaska the incredible place it is.
I Am an Alaska Native Healer
9. Life Goes North Alaskan Homestead
Location: Southcentral Alaska
Channel Size: 26,200 subscribers
Topic: Homesteading in Alaska
Although Mindy and Charles haven’t filmed a new video in a little over a year, their YouTube channel remains an excellent source for anyone thinking of homesteading in Alaska. You’ll find information about growing food, preserving food, caring for farm animals, and becoming more self-sufficient while living in Alaska.
Winter Car Emergency Kit
10. LeggLife
Location: Anchorage, AK
Channel Size: 18,900 subscribers
Topic: Travel, adventure, and Disney
Finally, Adam & Sherri Legg’s YouTube channel is more of a lifestyle vlog that happens to take place in Alaska, rather than an Alaska-focused channel. However, as one of the more popular Alaska-based YouTube channels, we couldn’t leave it off the list. Additionally, Adam and Sherri often include episodes on their life in Alaska, including travel tips for the state.
2021 Alaska State Fair
Bonus Round: Three More Only-in-Alaska Videos
If you’re still hungry for a few more videos on Alaska life, we’ve got some additional picks to give you a couple additional perspectives on Alaska:
Alone in Remote Alaska: Stranded at 60 Below Zero
Sean in Alaska: Homesteading for Everyone – Brewing Beer at Home
Bozards in Alaska: Hunting Wild Mushrooms
The Best Way to Know Is to Go
If you’re considering a permanent move to Alaska, we hope you get the chance to come up and see us so you can decide, first-hand whether Alaska life is right for you. However, when an in-person visit to Alaska isn’t possible, these YouTube channels can give sense of what your Alaska life might be like. And, at the very least, they can offer you a taste of Alaska life to tide you over until you’re living the real thing.
Moving to Alaska? We’d be happy to help you get your belongings to the Last Frontier! We can move you anywhere in the state—even to remote, off-the-grid locations. Reach out to one of our experts for a free quote to get started.
Tell us about your move!
