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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Adak
Skip unless you are a birdwatcher, hunter or angler with a permit and a chartered boat. One night is enough; the town has no restaurants and limited services.
Adak is a remote Aleutian town of about 300 people, reachable only by air. It draws birders for Asian vagrants, hunters for caribou (no bag limit on cows, new bull regulations in 2007) and anglers for halibut in the Kagalaska Straits. There are no restaurants, sporadic store hours and limited accommodation. Most visitors come with a specific purpose and a charter.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Oct–Apr (harsh weather, limited access)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $150–250 excl. bed · Mid $250–400 excl. bed · High $400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire and ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| General store groceries (limited selection) | $50–100 per day |
| Charter boat (half day) | $500–800 |
| Land use permit (non-resident) | $50 (check) |
| Alaska state hunting license (non-resident) | $160 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ADK · Adak Airport
- Flights from Anchorage via Alaska Airlines; check schedules.
Typical fares
- Adak Airport to town
- No public transport; taxi or pre-arranged ride, about $20–30
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public transport. Roads are limited; a car is essential. ATVs are not allowed on tundra or in the wildlife refuge.
See and do
Known for
- Birdwatching (Asian vagrants, bald eagles)
- Caribou hunting (no cow bag limit)
- Halibut fishing in Kagalaska Straits
- Former naval base with abandoned housing
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Attu Island | Charter boat or plane from Adak | check |
| Kagalaska Straits | Charter boat from Adak | check |
Sleep
- Former naval base housing
- Rented by various companies; short and long stays available. Cabins in the wildlife refuge are unsafe.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the store? | Where is the store? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Non-residents need a land use permit for Aleut Corporation land.
- No restaurants as of Jan 2025; the general store has sporadic hours.
- Hiking trails are unmaintained; never hike alone and prepare for sudden weather changes.
- Hunters need an Alaska state hunting license, harvest ticket and non-resident big game tag. Anglers need a sport fishing license.
- Camping is legal on refuge land but not recommended due to extreme wind.
Adak is safe from crime but the environment is harsh: extreme wind, cold water, no medical facilities beyond basic first aid. Always carry emergency gear and tell someone your plans.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Adak yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Birdwatching (Asian vagrants, bald eagles)
- Caribou hunting (no cow bag limit)
- Halibut fishing in Kagalaska Straits
- Former naval base with abandoned housing
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Adak, revision 5013044 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5013044
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/adak). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.