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Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla is a city of 9,720 people in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, founded in 1917.
Why visit Wasilla
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 59 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Wasilla Museum & Visitors Center, Blanche and Oscar Tryck House and Iditapark.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 67°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 62 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Wasilla
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Wasilla
Wasilla (Denaʼina: Benteh) is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States, and the fourth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the state. The city's population was 9,054 at the 2020 census, up from 7,831 in 2010. Wasilla is the largest city in the borough and a part of the Anchorage metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 398,328 in 2020.
From the Wikipedia article Wasilla, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks13
Wasilla Museum & Visitors Center
Museum · 1.2 mi
323 North Main Street, Wasilla
Tu-Fr 09:00-17:00, Sa-Mo closed
Blanche and Oscar Tryck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Alaska, United States
Cunningham-Hall PT-6 NC692W
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
American 1930s light aircraft
Wasilla Community Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Building in Alaska, United States of America
Wasilla Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Railway station in Wasilla, the United States of America
Wasilla Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
School building in Wasilla, United States of America
Whitney Section House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Building in Alaska, United States
Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry
Museum · 2.2 mi
3800 West Museum Drive, Wasilla
Jun-Aug Mo-Su 10:00-17:00
Teeland's Country Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry
Museum · 2.3 mi
Transportation museum in Wasilla, Alaska
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes59
Denali
Restaurant · Family · 2.5 mi
121 South Lamont Circle, Wasilla
Su-Th 07:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 07:00-22:00
Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
161 West Parks Highway, Wasilla
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 11:00-21:00
Crema Coffee House & Pastries
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Bakery · 1.3 mi
1201 South Rodgers Court, Wasilla
Mo-Sa 07:00-19:00, Su closed
Coffee Cabin AK
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Tea · 2.2 mi
1680 North Peck Street
Mo-Sa 05:00-17:00
Mug-Shot Saloon
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
251 West Parks Highway, Wasilla
Mo-Su 08:00-05:00
The Awakening
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
365 North Boundary Street, Wasilla
Mo-Fr 06:00-19:00; Sa 07:00-19:00; Su 08:00-18:00
47 more on the map.
History
Glacial ice sheets covered most of the northern hemisphere during the last glacial period, between 26,500 and 19,000–20,000 years ago, until they disappeared between 10,000 and about 7,000 years ago. Early humans moved through the area and left evidence of their passage. The Matanuska-Susitna valley was eventually settled by the Dena'ina Alaska natives who utilized the fertile lands and fishing opportunities of Cook Inlet. The Dena'ina are one of the eleven sub-groups comprising the indigenous Athabaskan groups extending down Canada's western coast. The area around downtown Wasilla, specifically the creek between Wasilla Lake and Cottonwood Lakes, was known to the Dena'ina as Benteh, which translates as 'among the lakes'. Near the mouth of the Matanuska River, the town of Knik was settled about 1880. In 1900, the Willow Creek Mining District was established to the north and Knik thrived as a mining settlement.
From the History section of Wasilla, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship13
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 2.1 mi
900 North Star Circle, Wasilla
Blessed Theodore Romzha Ruthenian Catholic Mission
Church · Greek Catholic · 2.0 mi
1201 East Bogard Road, Wasilla
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.7 mi
821 East Dellwood Street, Wasilla
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries27
Fred And Sara Machetanz Elementary School
School · 5.4 mi
4961 E Nelson Rd, Wasilla
Healthcare4
Map of Wasilla
149 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 11°F | 0.7 in | 10.9 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 14°F | 0.9 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 34°F | 18°F | 0.6 in | 8.7 in |
| Apr | 46°F | 29°F | 0.4 in | 2.3 in |
| May | 58°F | 37°F | 1.1 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 64°F | 45°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 67°F | 50°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 64°F | 47°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 55°F | 40°F | 2.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 42°F | 29°F | 1.8 in | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 30°F | 17°F | 1.1 in | 11.3 in |
| Dec | 25°F | 14°F | 1.5 in | 15.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Anderson Lake (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Matanuska-Susitna Borough has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2022-03-14: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-22: Deshka Landing Fire (Fire)
- 2019-08-20: Mckinley Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wasilla Airport (WWA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- South Lakes 5 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Tanaina 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Meadow Lakes 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- North Lakes 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Knik-Fairview 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Gateway 8 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Farm Loop 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Houston 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- Palmer 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Butte 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Wasilla AK City Hall, Djcn0te, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lucile Lake around Wasilla Alaska - panoramio, Roger Sylvia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Downtown Wasilla, AK, Jay Galvin, CC BY 2.0
- Lucile Lake 8674, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Birch (6913797333), Joseph from Port Townsend, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tall (6919088581), Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lake Lucile (6913324693), Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dogs @ Plettner Kennel (2311471053), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2311471971), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2311471239), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Puppies @ Plettner Kennels (2312280834), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2311471691), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2312281680), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2312282740), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Plettner Dog Kennels (2311470315), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2312282524), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Plettner Dog Kennels (2312279804), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dogs @ Plettner Kennel (2312283600), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Linda Plettner- Dog Musher (2311469989), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Chris & Linda @ Plettner Kennel (2312284654), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Dog @ Plettner Kennel (2312283302), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Cute Puppy @ Plettner Kennel (2311470755), David Weekly from Cupertino, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Wd1, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wd2, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wrds, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wdp, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wd3, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wd4, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iditarod Checkpoint Cache - panoramio, Russell Lovrin, CC BY 3.0
- Iditarod Trail Race Headquaters - panoramio, Russell Lovrin, CC BY 3.0
- Teeland plaques, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Teeland left, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Teeland right, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wess2, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wes1, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wesr2, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wes3, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wess1, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Crossing E Glennwood Ave, Bernt Rostad, CC BY 2.0
- N3054V in June 2023, King Hui, CC BY-SA 2.0
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