Anchorage

Downtown Anchorage is small, easy to get around, and a good starting point for just about anything you’re planning in the city. You’ll find coffee shops, local restaurants, souvenir stores, and a handful of bars. If you’re gearing up for an adventure, there are outfitters and bike rentals nearby, too. Plus, it’s home to the Anchorage Museum, the start of the Coastal Trail, and Ship Creek, where you can fish for salmon or just watch the action.

If you want to get a sense of what Alaska is all about—its people, landscapes, and some weather science thrown in—the Anchorage Museum is a solid first stop. It pulls together Indigenous culture, contemporary art, and hands-on exhibits in a way that doesn’t feel like homework. The Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center is especially worth a look. Easy place to spend a couple of hours, especially when the weather’s doing its usual thing.

Witnessing the surreal Northern Lights is a bucket-list moment for many travelers visiting Alaska. This tour in Anchorage gets you beyond the city lights and into the quiet dark, where the Aurora has room to dance across the sky. If you’re in town between fall and early spring, be sure not to miss this opportunity.

Chugach State Park is one of the largest state parks in the U.S., offering everything from easy hikes to challenging mountain climbs. Just a short drive from Anchorage, it’s a great spot to escape into nature. Eklutna Lake, located within the park, is popular for outdoor activities. With clear waters and mountain views, it’s a peaceful place to fish or spend the day kayaking, especially when the salmon are running in the summer.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center provides visitors with deep insight into the cultures that have shaped Alaska for thousands of years—and are still very much alive today. There are indoor exhibits, but the outdoor part is just as interesting, with traditional structures set around a lake and demonstrations of things like dancing, carving, and games.

Not far from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier is one of the easier ones to check out without much hassle. You used to be able to see it from the visitor center, but sadly, it’s been retreating for years—now you’ll need to take a short boat ride across the lake to get a proper look.

The Alaska Zoo might be small, but it offers a rare chance to see Arctic and sub-Arctic animals like musk oxen, lynx, and wolves up close. Many of the animals here are rescues or permanent residents that wouldn’t survive on their own, making it more of a wildlife sanctuary than your typical zoo.

You don’t even have to go far—or leave the city—to fish in Anchorage. During salmon season, Ship Creek, just a few blocks from downtown, fills up with locals trying their luck. Outfitters around town can help with gear, licenses, and tips if you’re new to it. If you’ve got a car, there are plenty of spots within an hour where you can go after trout, grayling, and more salmon.

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail runs about 18 km from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park, tracing the edge of the shoreline the whole way. You can bike it, walk it, run it—whatever pace you’re feeling. Enjoy scenic views of the water and the towering presence of Denali on cloudless days.

Just 30 minutes from Anchorage, the trail to Thunderbird Falls winds through a quiet forest before ending at a 200-foot waterfall. It’s an easy walk—about a mile each way—with a wooden viewing deck overlooking the falls. There’s also a steep little detour if you want to get down to the base and see it up close. Once the temperature drops, Thunderbird Falls becomes something else entirely—still, sharp, and frozen in place like glass.

There’s a reason why it’s called Earthquake Park. This is where parts of Anchorage slid into the inlet during the 1964 quake—the strongest ever recorded in North America. A short trail loops through the area, with signs explaining what happened. If you look closely, you can still spot some of the ground shifts and tilted trees. On clear days, there’s a wide view over the water—and sometimes even Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, way off in the distance.