Alaska Garden

Welcome to the magical island of Alaska with its unique stone garden. You can swim in the salty turquoise waters here and be spellbound by this very special place.

Cafe
Heritage site
Walking trail
Driving directions

OPENING TIMES AT Alaska Garden Strömstad

Visits must be pre-booked. Coach groups can book May-September, including Sundays.

Selin Charter takes you there by boat from the North Harbour in Strömstad. The café’s opening times follow the boat timetable.

Alaska – a female gold prospector’s lifework

Hilma Svedal (née Wounch) travelled to Alaska in 1897 to dig for gold. 30 years later she returned home a rich woman, having been a successful prospector. On the land she had inherited she built her own Alaska. She built temples, pavilions, bridges and more. She even built an inn, and in the middle of the 1900s the island was visited by more than 30 000 people. Hilma had brought seeds back from the USA which she planted, and the garden was also inspired by Japanese design. It includes 100 year old pelargoniums, peonies, perennials, summer flowers and rockery alpines. It’s a cultural treasure in Northern Bohuslän that has to be experienced. Hilma lived to the age of 95, and her life’s philosophy is carved on her gravestone: Don’t worry!  

You can get here on your own boat or by charter boat from Strömstad, a journey of 20 minutes. Dogs on leads are welcome on the island and there is a public toilet. You’ll find lots of lovely spots for a picnic, and in summer there’s also a café.