Why you'd want to live in Palmer

Palmer is striking because of its blend of farming community and alpine paradise: old red barns and fields of hay are bordered by knife-edged mountain peaks. The downtown area exudes a 1930s ambience; many of the historical buildings have been preserved right down to the antique furniture and wood floors. The Palmer Museum and Visitor Center is housed in a rustic log cabin and tells the stories of the area's Alaska Native, gold rush, and agricultural history. Next door is the Palmer Showcase Garden, which showcases flowers and the area's famous oversized vegetables in the summer. Also held at the Showcase Garden during summer is Friday Fling, a weekly open-air market with local produce, art, crafts, food, and live music. A block away is the Colony House Museum, an original farmhouse from the 1930s that was built during the settlement of Palmer. Today its eight rooms are still furnished with artifacts from that era. Guided tours of the museum are accompanied with fascinating stories of farmers adapting to raising crops in Alaska's short growing season. Many visitors like to drive Palmer's back roads past original colony farms. Begin by heading 9 miles northeast on the Glenn Highway and then hop on Farm Loop Road. If it’s mid- to late summer, keep an eye out for roadside vegetable stands. In June, the town celebrates its roots with Colony Days, a three-day event featuring food, games, races, a farmer’s market, booths, and the popular and entertaining Colony Day Parade. History and agriculture aren’t the only thing the town has to offer, though. Palmer is central to several day trip possibilities and activities, including hiking in the region’s many state parks, dogsledding, fishing, horseback riding, boating, ATV tours, flightseeing, and more. via travelalaska.com