Tours of Nome, Alaska

The small city of Nome, Alaska, is a quiet destination accessible only by plane, a 75-minute trip from Anchorage. In early March, Nome becomes a hub of activity when the city serves as the finish line for the 1,150-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Travelers planning to visit Nome may see the city by air or land on a variety of tours.

Visitor Center Tours

Walk the streets of downtown Nome on a self-guided tour provided by the local visitor center (visitnomealaska.com). A historic tour details buildings from the Gold Rush days that have survived fires and floods, such as the Discovery Saloon and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. You’ll see mining equipment throughout the city and at former mining sites Anvil and Snow Creek, just outside the downtown area. The visitor center also runs guided tours of Nome, highlighting local topography, dog mushing or local landmarks.

Carrie McLain Memorial Museum

Tour the Carrie McLain Memorial Museum (nomealaska.org) to learn about Nome’s history and native culture. The city’s only museum displays a photography exhibit of local residents and Seward Peninsula landscapes, and owns a 14,000-image photography collection of historic pictures available for purchase or viewing. Other exhibits have artifacts and information on Nome’s Gold Rush past and the history of sled dog racing in the area. Bering Strait Eskimo culture is also honored with a collection of items and photographs.

Flightseeing

With headquarters in Nome, Bering Air (beringair.com) provides transportation to the area and also offers flightseeing tours aboard helicopters. Bering Air operates three helicopters, each seating up to three passengers. Flightseeing tours pass over the city, the Bering Sea, gold dredges and an abandoned railroad. Wildlife viewing in the mountains near Nome may include bears, musk oxen and moose. Travelers to the area during the Iditarod can schedule a tour for a bird’s-eye view of the race on a Bering Air helicopter. Guided fishing tours are also available.

Gold Dredges and Gold Panning

Visitors can see gold dredges, used for underwater gold mining, in the greater Nome area. The Swanberg Dredge is within walking distance of downtown Nome, and more than 40 abandoned dredges can be seen on a driving tour of the city and beyond. You can also see the only currently operating dredges in the state on a driving tour; dredges operate 24 hours a day in the summer months. Try your luck panning for gold by purchasing a pan from a local store and heading to the city’s 2-mile stretch of beach that’s open for recreational mining purposes. Stop by the largest gold pan in the U.S. for a photo opportunity to remember Nome.

National Park Service Visitor Center

The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is 100 miles north of Nome, but a visitor center operated by the National Park Service (nps.gov) is located in downtown Nome and provides information on the current research being conducted and the history of the preserve. Park rangers provide tours of the center, along with special programs on topics such as medicinal plants and migratory birds of the Nome area and the Bering Land Bridge Preserve. Hiking trips two to four hours in length may also be scheduled through the visitor center.