Born on December 23, 1979, in Astoria, Oregon, Holly Madison moved at a young age to Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. It was there that she developed her love for nature, spending endless hours observing animals and playing in the woods. However, the move wasn't permanent and Holly and her family returned to Oregon during her early teens. Reflecting upon those awkward years, Holly recalls, "I look back on my middle/high school days and see an Alaskan fish out of water who wasn't good at socializing or fitting in."