Talkeetna is a perfect antidote to the harried modern American lifestyle. This town of some 850 people features log homes, cafes that serve musk ox burgers, an airstrip that calls to mind an unkempt gravel road, and a laid-back attitude.

Main Street and the alleys north and south of it comprise the Talkeetna Historic District, which includes 16 buildings on the historical society’s walking-tour map. An outfitters’ hub, Talkeetna is especially busy in summer. Bush pilots offer flight-seeing trips around Denali National Park, while local river trips take in the scenery and wildlife here at the confluence of the Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna Rivers.