What to Do in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, with a population of just under 300,000. While Anchorage is a big city (by Alaska standards - 40% of the population lives here), it is surrounded by nature. Anchorage is nestled against the beautiful Chugach Mountains, abundant in wildlife, nature, and hiking trails.
Most travelers visiting Alaska will arrive in Anchorage before heading to other destinations. Anchorage is a great place to base yourself if you only have a couple of days to spend in Alaska, as there are many things to do in the city and tons of activities within a 2-hour drive.
I (Elizabeth) was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I spent my childhood exploring local trails with my family, attending fun festivals and events, and participating in a number of fun activities around the city. As we currently reside here, we have plenty of time to explore the city and are happy to share our favorite things to do in Anchorage.
Is Anchorage, Alaska worth visiting?
Yes! Anchorage is worth visiting on your trip to Alaska. Many people arrive in Anchorage and immediately head out to other towns, but it is worth spending at least a day in the city. For those travelers who want to hike in Alaska, we recommend the trails in Anchorage above many other places. The trails are a little more traveled, which is good news when it comes to wildlife encounters, and the trails are very well maintained.
Life in Anchorage offers the best of both worlds as you can visit shops, museums, and restaurants and spend time in nature and observing wildlife. If you want to incorporate visiting Anchorage into your Alaska itinerary, visit our Design Your Trip page.
Best Things to Do in Anchorage
1. Get Active at Westchester Lagoon
Westchester Lagoon is a vibrant outdoor area close to downtown Anchorage, where locals love to recreate year-round. You can access the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail from the lagoon, an 11-mile trail that runs along the city's coast. The paved path is used for walking, biking, and rollerblading. During the winter, the lagoon freezes over and is maintained daily for ice skating. The trails are also used in the winter for Nordic skiing and fat biking. There are beautiful views of the Chugach Mountains, and in the summer, this area is extremely active with birdlife.
Winter visitors can rent skates or Nordic skis at Play It Again Sports.
Ice skating at Westchester Lagoon
2. Bike on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is an 11-mile paved trail that runs along the coast of Anchorage. The trail is popular year-round for activities such as running, biking, and Nordic skiing. The trail has many beautiful views of downtown Anchorage, the ocean, and even Denali on a clear day. We highly recommend using this trail when visiting Anchorage.
A few shops in downtown Anchorage rent bikes for the day. We recommend Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals.
Downtown Anchorage seen from the Coastal Trail
3. Learn About Alaska at the Anchorage Museum
The Anchorage Museum is Alaska’s largest museum and tells the story of Alaska and the North. The museum explores the diversity of Alaska Native cultures, including the masterworks of Alaska Native art and design from the collections of the Smithsonian Institution. You will also find a number of different artistic mediums, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, and more, that offer different perspectives of Alaska. There are also rotating exhibitions that change throughout the year and a large, fun, and hands-on discovery center for kids. They also have a great gift shop!
4. Search for Moose
Anchorage is a paradise for moose. The most common place to see Moose in Anchorage is our backyard! But seriously, moose are an active part of the community in Anchorage. If you want to go searching for moose, we recommend visiting:
Powerline Pass
Kincaid Park
Earthquake Park
Point Woronzof
Read more about where to find moose in Alaska, and always keep moose safety in mind!
Moose on Powerline Pass in Chugach State Park
5. Take a Flightseeing Tour
Anchorage is a central hub for small planes traveling to all areas of Alaska. As many places in the state are not accessible by car, airplane transportation is a large part of life in Alaska. Approximately 1% of the state’s residents are pilots, which is actually a huge number! From Anchorage, it is possible to visit many different remote locations for many activities, such as bear viewing in Katmai National Park, fly-in fishing trips, flightseeing, and general charter flights to many other places. One of our favorite activities is bear viewing in Katmai National Park!
Read more about brown bear viewing in Brooks Falls.
6. Hike in Chugach State Park
Many of our clients are interested in hiking in Alaska and think they need to travel to a remote location to do so. We’re here to tell you that some of our favorite hiking in Alaska is right here in the backyard of Anchorage in Chugach State Park. Chugach State Park is just under half a million acres and has 16 accessible trailheads that provide access to 280 miles of trails. Wildlife is abundant in the park, with more than 45 species of mammals, including brown bears, moose, sheep, and lynx.
Read more about family-friendly hikes in Anchorage.
Powerline Pass in Chugach State Park
7. Have a Bird’s Eye View at Anchorage Overlook
While this spot is also in Chugach State Park, we think it deserves its own mention. The Anchorage Overlook is accessible from the same parking lot as several other trails, but the viewpoint is just a short walk from the parking lot. From the viewpoint, you can see the entire city of Anchorage and views of Denali, volcanoes, and more. In the opposite direction, you will see the summit of Flat Top, the most climbed peak in Alaska.
View from the Anchorage Overlook
8. Travel Aboard the Alaska Railroad
Anchorage is a great place to start any trip aboard the Alaska Railroad. From here, you can join several trips leading both north and south. During the summer months, the most popular train trips include the Coastal Classic (Anchorage to Seward), the Denali Star (Anchorage to Denali or Fairbanks), and the Glacier Discovery (Anchorage to Grandview).
During winter, you can ride on the Aurora Train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. This is a 12-hour trip that offers spectacular views of Denali on a clear day. In the winter, doing a shorter roundtrip ride on the Hurricane Turn Train that travels into the backcountry near Hurricane Gulch is also possible.
Alaska Railroad on Turnagain Arm
9. Go Shopping at Local Stores
If you’re shopping for souvenirs, holiday gifts, or just looking for an indoor activity, Alaska has some great locally-owned shops that sell high-quality Alaskan-made art, gifts, and other products. Here are a few of our favorite shops that we frequent when looking for gifts:
Dos Manos - a small art gallery with artwork, clothing, crafts, and jewelry made by Alaskan designers and artists.
Tiny Gallery - located in downtown Anchorage- sells locally made art, jewelry, pottery, and other gifts.
Writer’s Block - Writer’s Block is one of our favorite places to visit on a day off. This small bookshop and cafe is a great place to meet with friends and browse through their book selections. The shop hosts many events, such as musical performances and poetry readings.
Title Wave - a large new and used book store with an excellent Alaska section. Title Wave opened in 1991 and is where people can donate their books in exchange for store credit.
10. Watch for Wildlife at Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary
The Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary is located on the edge of Anchorage while driving south out of town on the Seward Highway. This area is part of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge and is a great place to watch birds and other wildlife. A 1,550-foot wooden boardwalk runs from the parking area and through the marsh. It is even possible to see moose walking below the boardwalk! This is an excellent place for the whole family.
Read more about fun things to do in Anchorage with kids.
View from the boardwalk in the Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary
11. Attend a Festival
Anchorage hosts many fun festivals, events, and celebrations throughout the year. Here are a few that you can attend!
First Friday Artwalk - This is an artwalk/event on the first Friday of each month. There are many galleries around Anchorage (most located downtown) that showcase new artists.
Fur Rendezvous - This winter festival, locally known as Fur Rondy, first began in 1935 as a way for fur trappers to gather and sell their winter goods and for the community to come together and lift the winter blues. Presently, the festival runs about two weeks at the end of February and hosts many annual events such as a grand parade, fur auction, running of the reindeer, Mr. Fur Face (a beard competition), snow sculpture competition, carnival, and much much more. Read more about the Fur Rondy Festival.
Iditarod - The Iditarod is an annual long-distance sled dog race that travels from Anchorage to Nome. The ceremonial start of this race is the first Saturday in March on Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage. Read more about visiting Alaska in the winter.
Summer Solstice - The Anchorage Downtown Partnership hosts the Downtown Summer Solstice Festival to celebrate the longest day of the year. There is a variety of entertainment, including live music, dance performances, a beer garden, an art market, kids’ entertainment, food trucks, and more.
4th of July - Attend a large parade and celebration on the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage. The parade is followed by a festival on the Park Strip with rides, games, vendors, and food.
New Year’s Eve - The Anchorage Downtown Partnership hosts an annual New Year’s Eve Celebration and fireworks display in downtown Anchorage. The event features an outdoor downtown party with live music.
Ice sculpture carving competition at Fur Rondy
12. Explore the Trails at Kincaid Park
Kincaid Park is a large 1,500-acre park located on the edge of Anchorage. This is a popular park year-round for walking, running, biking, nordic skiing, and orienteering. There is even a frisbee golf course and several soccer fields. In the winter, there are over 40 miles of groomed ski trails (12 miles are located on paths that are lighted at night).
Near the main parking area, you will see a large blue building. It is possible to take the outside stairs to the roof of the building, where you will have panoramic views of the Chugach Mountains, Denali, and Cook Inlet. Kincaid Park is also home to tons of wildlife, including moose, black bears, and eagles. There is even a trail that will lead you down to the beautiful Kincaid Beach, a great place to spend a sunny summer day.
13. Watch Float Planes Land at Lake Hood
If you’re interested in small planes but a flight is a little out of your budget, one of our favorite easy activities is to watch the float planes take off and land at Lake Hood Seaplane Base. Lake Hood is the world's largest and busiest seaplane base, with an average of 197 flights per day and 600 flights on peak summer days.
Our tradition is to grab a coffee and a Danish and watch the planes take off and land from a quiet bench on a summer morning. (Note: the mosquitos can be pretty bad here in the summer, and we have occasionally been forced back into our car.) In the winter months, the frozen lake is maintained for ski-equipped planes.
The Alaska Aviation Museum is also located on Lake Hood and is a great place to learn about and see planes up close.
Watching float planes at Lake Hood
14. Eat at Local Restaurants
If you’re anything like us, finding delicious food while traveling is a must. Here are some of our favorite places to dine at in Anchorage.
Breakfast: Snow City Cafe - A quintessential breakfast joint in downtown Anchorage. This restaurant is a local favorite with a great menu. You can expect a long wait time for a table, so plan ahead.
Pizza: Hearth - Many people in Alaska will tell you to go to Moose’s Tooth for pizza, but Hearth is our favorite. It has a great ambiance, an excellent local beer selection, and delicious food.
Fancy: Marx Brothers - If you want one really special meal in Alaska, this is it. Marx Brothers is located in a small historic Anchorage house in downtown. The ingredients are local and fresh.
Bakery: Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop - We visit Fire Island multiple times a week for fresh bread or other baked goods. It’s located downtown in the new K Street Market co-op.
Ice Cream: Wild Scoops - This is hands down the best ice cream in Alaska. They use local ingredients and experiment with different flavors. Their menu is constantly changing, which keeps loyal customers coming back. It’s so good.
Just Because: Bear’s Tooth - We love Bear’s Tooth. Bear’s Tooth is both a movie theater and a restaurant. Show up a little early for your movie, order food, and have it brought to your table during the movie. What’s better than that?! Plus, they screen a great selection of films and often host film festivals and other events.
The owner of Marx Brother’s preparing a salad at our table
15. Smell the Flowers at Alaska Botanical Garden
The Alaska Botanical Garden is a 110-acre botanical garden in east Anchorage. The garden is open year-round and hosts some events throughout the year, such as Brighter Winter Nights - a winter light display in the garden. They also host guided walks, field trips, art and educational classes, and more.
16. Support Alaska Grown at Farmers Markets and Makers Markets
During the summer months, weekends in Anchorage are bustling with farmers’ markets! The growing season in Alaska is short, and locals are anxious to get their hands on some Alaska-grown produce. Several markets throughout the city sell fresh vegetables and fruits, baked goods, canned goods, flowers, fresh seafood, and many other products. Our favorite markets in Anchorage include the South Anchorage Farmers Market, the Anchorage Farmers Market, and the Spenard Farmers Market.
Read more about farmer’s markets in Alaska.
If you are looking for craft fairs selling locally made art, we highly recommend the Makers Market, which happens a few times throughout the year.
17. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center
The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a cultural and educational center for Alaskans. The center shares the heritage of Alaska’s 11 major cultural groups. There is an indoor space that displays Native Alaskan artifacts and artwork. There are daily presentations that include game demonstrations, storytelling, dance performances, and more. There is also a large outdoor space with reconstructions of traditional Native Alaskan villages and abodes.
Read more about places around Anchorage to visit on the Redfin Blog.
18. Meet the Animals at the Alaska Zoo
The Alaska Zoo is located on 25 acres of land on the Anchorage Hillside. The zoo is home to over 100 birds and mammals, including brown and black bears, polar bears, mountain goats, wolverines, moose, and more. This is a great place to visit for the whole family.
Family visit to the Alaska Zoo
19. Watch the Sunset at Point Woronzof
If you are looking for a great place to watch the sunset (it might be pretty late in the summer!). Point Woronzof is a great place. Located close to the airport, there is a large parking lot, a trail down to the beach, and expansive views over Mount Susitna (aka Sleeping Lady). The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail also connects to this area, making it easily accessible.
View of Denali from Anchorage
