Thinking of driving your RV up to work a season in Anchorage? Not only will this plan open up options for adventuring on your way to and from your summer job, it will also take care of one of the biggest questions surrounding seasonal employment: housing. All you have to do is find a place to park your RV. And if you’ll be working in or around Anchorage, you’ll have plenty of options. Here are a few places to consider.
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Vacation-style RV parks
If you’re looking for a spot with utilities and a little local community feeling, check out one of Anchorage’s RV parks, like the Golden Nugget. They offer free hot showers, picnic tables, barbeque pits and even nightly entertainment. You can choose from dry camping, electric-only hookup and full hookup, which includes water, sewer and electric. Plus, the Golden Nugget offers wireless connections, so you can log on at home. They do discounted rates for month-long stays and six-month stays, so you won’t have to pay the full daily rate for your entire stay in Anchorage. For another upscale option, check out Creekwood RV Park located in midtown Anchorage.
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Campgrounds
Public campgrounds are another option for RV parking. The municipality of Anchorage includes the Centennial Campground with 21 RV-only sites with electric and 67 RV/tent sites without electric. It’s less than 15 minutes from downtown Anchorage and surrounded by trees and brush, so it’s got a more backcountry Alaska feel than some.
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Private land
If you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten path, check out Craigslist. Often people will rent spots on their private property for RV parking. You might not have a sewer hookup, but if you’re willing to make a drive to a dump station once in a while, going with a private homeowner can provide a different experience than shacking up next to rows of other RVs day after day.
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Local schools
No, you can’t just park in any school parking lot for a summer and call it good. But from May 22 through August 13, the Anchorage School District looks for RV travelers to provide a presence at its campuses. Camper hosts receive a free place in exchange for keeping an eye on the grounds and making sure nothing fishy is going on. The school district requires a one-month minimum commitment and offers free water and power in addition to free parking. To find out more about the camper host program, contact Michael Ireland at (907) 348-5219.
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Storage facilities
Obviously you won’t be parking here if you’re living in your RV. But if you want to drive your RV to Alaska and then live in employee housing or travel in a vehicle you’ve towed with you, a secure storage facility will be key. And plenty of them dot the map around Anchorage, such as Publix Self Storage. If you need a break from RV life, you can park it, leave it and come back to it when you’re ready to hit the road again.
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Short-term secret RV parking
These aren’t really secrets. But they’re not places you’d want to stay more than a day or two at a time—they’re perfect options for in-between times when you first arrive in town or are on your way someplace and need to crash for the night. Fred Meyer, which has four locations around Anchorage, is generally friendly to overnight RV parking. Cabela’s, on the south end of of town, lets you park for free overnight and even offers a free dump station. You probably won’t want to stay long, but store parking lots can be super helpful when you’re first settling in and just need a place to park for a night.