Alaska is a very interesting state. It is 500 miles from the closest state and has more coastlines than the other 49 states combined. You may not think of Alaska as a place to visit, but these are just some fun facts about the state that makes it more appealing.

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First fun fact…students throughout the state were asked to design the state flag of Alaska. The winner was 13-year-old Benny Benson. Also, the first and probably only museum in the country dedicated to hammers is located in Haines. The Hammer Museum features a handful of collections of hammer sculptures, spring-loaded meat tenderizers and even handle-making machinery.

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One of the best things about Alaska is the wildlife. So they actually have some strange laws when it comes to moose. They have a law that states you cannot push a moose from a plane and there is another law that states that giving moose beer is illegal. You will also find a lot of bears, birds and dogs in Alaska. In fact, the official sport of Alaska is dog mushing and locals take the sport very seriously.

The beautiful state is also known for its cold weather, but back in 1915, it set a record high of 100 degrees. The nation’s record low was set in the Endicott Mountains at -80 degrees. Even though the state is normally always chilly, they have 82 days of sunlight in the summer. But they also have days with no sunlight. The city of Barrow holds the record for longest nights that lasted for 67 days.

The scenery in Alaska is breathtaking, especially since it is home to 20 of the highest peaks in the country. Also, the capital city of Juneau is the only capital in the United States that isn’t accessible by road. And surprisingly, it is actually possible to see Russia from some houses in Alaska because the Bering Straight, which separates Russia from Alaska, is only 55 miles wide at its narrowest point.

Feature image courtesy of emaze.com.