The last frontier, the 49th state, the land of all things bigger and better… Living in Alaska means appreciating life on a whole new level. Up here we don’t live to work, we work to live. And because our top three industries are petroleum, tourism and fishing – we actually have the keen ability to ‘work and play’ at the same time. For us, ‘Alaska or Bust’ is about more than just the destination, it’s about the journey. These 25 awesome jobs in Alaska that let you work hard, and play harder will leave you more excited than ever to soak life in.
- Northern Lights Tour Guide
Flickr - Bureau of Land Management In the fall and winter months, there are actually tour companies that specialize in taking being up north to see some of the most amazing Aurora Borealis shows on the planet. How spoiled their eyes must be!
- Slope Worker
Flickr - jweston_40 The oil and gas industry is the largest in the entire state of Alaska and the majority of our hard working employees are up at Prudhoe Bay. But although they work long days and weeks straight without a break, they generally are on a two-week-on, two-week-off rotation (or something similar) which provides the ultimate work hard/play hard balance.
- Tour Bus Driver
Flickr - Peter Szczesny Driving people that have a genuine love and interest in Alaska around a National Park all day while looking at stunning mountain peaks and incredible wildlife? Sign us up!
- Flight-seeing Guide
Flickr - Bryan Kiechle When your job is to get people high on life, it’s hard not to go home at the end of the day feeling like you are on top of the world.
- Mining Worker
Flickr - Travis With six producing mines in Alaska, these guys and gals work their tushes off and put their lives in jeopardy everyday while doing so. The up side? Generally good pay and a schedule that allows for ample time to get away and play.
- River Fishing Guide
Flickr - Jeff Bailey Spending long days on the river fishing for salmon, dollies, rainbows and steel-head… now that is living the dream!
- Saltwater Fishing Guide
Flickr - Kate Just for the halibut! Well, and the rock-fish, salmon and lingcod. No sea sickness allowed with these hard working fishing guides.
- Crabbing Boat Worker
Flickr - ajburcar Woo-sah! As one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, these guys are the definition of work hard and play harder. After putting in endless days during the seasonal months, it’s all worth it when a good paycheck comes and you have the whole winter off to enjoy it.
- Heli-Skiing Instructor
Flickr - Total Heliski Adrenaline junkies need apply! This is one for the true adventure hounds. With epic views like that, it’s hard to imagine ever going back to a desk job.
- Hunting Guide
Flickr - Warren Hoflich Responsible hunting and sustainable living is a way of life in Alaska. These seasoned guides know how to get us to the best spots to find delicious meat to fill our freezers.
- Zip Line Instructor
Flickr - budandjackie When your job involves playing in the woods all day and making people smile from ear to ear, it’s hard not to love what you do.
- Glacier Landing Helicopter Pilot
Flickr - Madeleine Deaton I mean… if a picture says a thousand words, we need to know why this one leaves us speechless! This phenomenal job certainly has its risks, but MAN are we lucky to reap in the rewards.
- Bear Viewing Guide
Flickr - Christoph Strässler The bears in Alaska are truly fascinating. People come from all around the world to experience them (safely) up close and personal. These knowledgeable guides get to share Alaska’s love for wildlife with visitors. Now THAT is a fun job!
- Seasonal Hotel Worker
Flickr - aliza sherman When you work in one of the most beautiful and epic places in the world (i.e. - anywhere in Alaska), it’s hard not to fall in love with a lifestyle that includes 5 months of hard work and the rest of the year off to play.
- Rafting Guide
Flickr - Alex Guichet Painting smiles on faces from sun up to sun down, now THAT is what working hard and playing harder is all about.
- Skiing & Snowboarding Instructor
Flickr - Jon Konrath Shredding the pow and teaching others how to equally fall in love with it, all day long. Talk about living the dream!
- Tour Guide
Flickr - Rick Fogerty (aka Cowboy Rick) From cruise ship to land excursion, these tour guides are experts in showing off the beauty of Alaska. And if you wonder how they stay so enthusiastic all the time, it’s probably because they half the year off! 😉
- Park Ranger
Flickr - Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The dream job. Playing out side all day long and protecting and preserving our beautiful land. A big round of applause for these incredible workers!
- Alaska Railroad Worker
Flickr - cubby_t_bear When you get to journey up and down the entire state of Alaska all day long, the constant stimulation of incredible beauty makes going to work so much easier.
- Snow Machining Guide
Flickr - Lee LeFever What a job! Playing on snow machines all day long. And then taking the summers off. Sign us up!
- Gold Dredger
Flickr - Bureau of Land Management This seasonal job truly does encompass a work hard/play hard mentality, all in the name of GOLD. Getting your hands dirty with a backdrop of breathtaking Alaska landscapes to earn a paycheck, now that is living right there!
- Day Cruise Naturalist
Flickr - Teddy Llovet If you’ve never taken a Kenai Fjords Tour, you MUST. Get up close and personal with mountains, orcas, wildlife and glaciers. It’s fascinating. And the guides, well shoot… they only have to work half the year. Dream job!
- Mountaineering Guide
Flickr - U.S. Pacific Command So much respect for these truly daring and dedicated guides helping people from all around the world summit Denali. What a job!
- Hiking Guide
Flickr - Florian Eggert Getting paid to take people into beautiful places in Alaska all day, and just for the summer months? Yeah, we are all about this awesome job.
- Kayaking Guide
Flickr - Peter Lee When your job is this peaceful, relaxing and filled with phenomenal sights, it’s hard to imagine EVER doing anything else.
If you were to quit your day job and live the ultimate work/life balance lifestyle, what job would you choose?
Flickr - Bureau of Land Management
In the fall and winter months, there are actually tour companies that specialize in taking being up north to see some of the most amazing Aurora Borealis shows on the planet. How spoiled their eyes must be!
Flickr - jweston_40
The oil and gas industry is the largest in the entire state of Alaska and the majority of our hard working employees are up at Prudhoe Bay. But although they work long days and weeks straight without a break, they generally are on a two-week-on, two-week-off rotation (or something similar) which provides the ultimate work hard/play hard balance.
Flickr - Peter Szczesny
Driving people that have a genuine love and interest in Alaska around a National Park all day while looking at stunning mountain peaks and incredible wildlife? Sign us up!
Flickr - Bryan Kiechle
When your job is to get people high on life, it’s hard not to go home at the end of the day feeling like you are on top of the world.
Flickr - Travis
With six producing mines in Alaska, these guys and gals work their tushes off and put their lives in jeopardy everyday while doing so. The up side? Generally good pay and a schedule that allows for ample time to get away and play.
Flickr - Jeff Bailey
Spending long days on the river fishing for salmon, dollies, rainbows and steel-head… now that is living the dream!
Flickr - Kate
Just for the halibut! Well, and the rock-fish, salmon and lingcod. No sea sickness allowed with these hard working fishing guides.
Flickr - ajburcar
Woo-sah! As one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, these guys are the definition of work hard and play harder. After putting in endless days during the seasonal months, it’s all worth it when a good paycheck comes and you have the whole winter off to enjoy it.
Flickr - Total Heliski
Adrenaline junkies need apply! This is one for the true adventure hounds. With epic views like that, it’s hard to imagine ever going back to a desk job.
Flickr - Warren Hoflich
Responsible hunting and sustainable living is a way of life in Alaska. These seasoned guides know how to get us to the best spots to find delicious meat to fill our freezers.
Flickr - budandjackie
When your job involves playing in the woods all day and making people smile from ear to ear, it’s hard not to love what you do.
Flickr - Madeleine Deaton
I mean… if a picture says a thousand words, we need to know why this one leaves us speechless! This phenomenal job certainly has its risks, but MAN are we lucky to reap in the rewards.
Flickr - Christoph Strässler
The bears in Alaska are truly fascinating. People come from all around the world to experience them (safely) up close and personal. These knowledgeable guides get to share Alaska’s love for wildlife with visitors. Now THAT is a fun job!
Flickr - aliza sherman
When you work in one of the most beautiful and epic places in the world (i.e. - anywhere in Alaska), it’s hard not to fall in love with a lifestyle that includes 5 months of hard work and the rest of the year off to play.
Flickr - Alex Guichet
Painting smiles on faces from sun up to sun down, now THAT is what working hard and playing harder is all about.
Flickr - Jon Konrath
Shredding the pow and teaching others how to equally fall in love with it, all day long. Talk about living the dream!
Flickr - Rick Fogerty (aka Cowboy Rick)
From cruise ship to land excursion, these tour guides are experts in showing off the beauty of Alaska. And if you wonder how they stay so enthusiastic all the time, it’s probably because they half the year off! 😉
Flickr - Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The dream job. Playing out side all day long and protecting and preserving our beautiful land. A big round of applause for these incredible workers!
Flickr - cubby_t_bear
When you get to journey up and down the entire state of Alaska all day long, the constant stimulation of incredible beauty makes going to work so much easier.
Flickr - Lee LeFever
What a job! Playing on snow machines all day long. And then taking the summers off. Sign us up!
This seasonal job truly does encompass a work hard/play hard mentality, all in the name of GOLD. Getting your hands dirty with a backdrop of breathtaking Alaska landscapes to earn a paycheck, now that is living right there!
Flickr - Teddy Llovet
If you’ve never taken a Kenai Fjords Tour, you MUST. Get up close and personal with mountains, orcas, wildlife and glaciers. It’s fascinating. And the guides, well shoot… they only have to work half the year. Dream job!
Flickr - U.S. Pacific Command
So much respect for these truly daring and dedicated guides helping people from all around the world summit Denali. What a job!
Flickr - Florian Eggert
Getting paid to take people into beautiful places in Alaska all day, and just for the summer months? Yeah, we are all about this awesome job.
Flickr - Peter Lee
When your job is this peaceful, relaxing and filled with phenomenal sights, it’s hard to imagine EVER doing anything else.
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