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.

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.

Near the Stock Palace and the Douro River is another UNESCO World Heritage site that is well worth visit while in Porto, the Monument Church of St Francis, or Igreja Monumento de São Francisco. This church built around the 14th century has one of Europe's most sumptuous and extravagant interiors. Here, all that glitter is, in fact, gold! Its interior is covered in gilded woodwork, and rumour has it that it was used around 400 to 600 kg of gold to decorate it. Hence why the St Francis Church is also known as "The Golden Church". Another highlight of this church is its impressive Tree of Jesse, a wooden sculpture carved by Filipe da Silva and António Gomes in 1718 depicting the ancestors of Jesus Christ, shown in a branching tree — considered to be one of the best in the world of its kind. Under the church, you will find the catacombs, where the Franciscan monks along with the members of Porto's noble families are buried.