Unfortunately for those looking for nice souvenirs to take home from Alaska, the primary tourist areas are full of shops selling pure junk. Half of the stuff is not even made in Alaska, but imported from Asian sweatshops. And much of what you find is not even available only in Alaska, but can be found in any gift shop in any city in the US. Fortunately there are a few exceptions, but sometimes you have to look hard to find them. One such place is the Arctic Traveler's Gift Shop in Fairbanks. Yes, they have the usual assortment of Alaska and Denali t-shirts, but those are all in a separate room in the back. The front section of the store showcases a fine selection of gift items made in Alaska and only available there, including some very nice native crafts. Overall, the prices are very reasonable and there are items available to suit any budget. I saw several items in this shop that I later saw in shops at Denali for several dollars more.
Additionally, for those of us used to living in a place with sales tax (in my home city of Houston, TX, we pay an additional 8.25%), the lack of sales tax in Alaska makes gift shopping more affordable here. And if you buy more than you can carry home, or fragile items you do not want to trust the airline baggage handlers with, the helpful staff of this shop will ship your purchases home for you at very fair rates. Overall, this was one of the best gift shops I saw in Alaska, probably in part because it's not in a major tourist area.
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