We stayed at the Glacier View Campground for $10.00/night, bushy campground a few miles before coming into Valdez and of course near Valdez Glacier. They are currently giving 21 sites a overhaul making them larger and adding 30 amp elec. They will be nice when they are done. There are waterfront campgrounds in town, ($$$$ and crowded) but we camped on the water in Homer and Steward and decided to park by a glacier this time. So much beauty to choose from!
Although the drive was sunny, about 10 miles from Valdez the weather turned a bit gloomy and rainy, so we decided to drive around Valdez, just to see what’s there. There is a funky gift shop in town called Sugar and Spice that shows free movies. One is on the 1964 earthquake that decimated Valdez, so much so that the entire town had to be moved to a new location. The other movie is on the building of the oil pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez.
We also stopped in the visitor’s center and drove by the community college to take a picture of a huge carving by Peter Toth.
There are two museums in Valdez, the Valdez Historical Museum and the Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum. We decided to skip the museums here, as we are cross-eyed from visiting museums. There is also an exhibit near the waterfront called Remembering Old Valdez. WE did hike up to the top of an overlook near the convention center that is definitely worth the effort. You have an excellent 360 degree overview of the town and the harbor. 
There was even a Princess Cruise ship there for the day.
We also visited Old Valdez. There really isn’t much there except the concrete slab where the old Post Office was and some pilings sticking out of the sand. It is pretty clear that this would not be a good town-site location.
Late in the day we drove out to the other side of the bay to where the fish hatchery is located. You have to see the droves of spawning silver and pink salmon returning to the fish hatchery where they were born.
You have to see it to believe it. 
We also watched as gulls took advantage of salmon left high and dry as the tide retreated.The sea lions also could get their fill with the waters teaming with salmon.
sorry no picture
The best fun was watching a young grizzly for about an hour fishing in the tide marshes. He would stomp in the marsh and eventually trap a salmon, take a few bites then on to another. There was just so many to choose from. You don't get to see that in Seattle every day!
The best fun was watching a young grizzly for about an hour fishing in the tide marshes. He would stomp in the marsh and eventually trap a salmon, take a few bites then on to another. There was just so many to choose from. You don't get to see that in Seattle every day!
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