Anchorage skyline on a clear summer day.

Things to Do in Anchorage

Explore a city whose love of culture is equally matched with its love of the outdoors.

Biking is a great way to see Anchorage.

Things to Do in Anchorage

Explore a city whose love of culture is equally matched with its love of the outdoors.

Entrance to the Anchorage Museum.

Things to Do in Anchorage

Explore a city whose love of culture is equally matched with its love of the outdoors.

Mother bear walks along the water's edge with her two cubs.

Things to Do in Anchorage

Explore a city whose love of culture is equally matched with its love of the outdoors.

Anchorage Things to Do

Anchorage may have had a meager beginning as a tent city on the banks of muddy Ship Creek, but its connection to Alaska goes back centuries. The Dena'ina People first settled along Cook Inlet nearly 9,000 years ago. Anchorage as it is known today came about after an influx of gold-seekers and businessmen desired a railroad to ship supplies north. The Anchorage municipality stretches 50 miles from Portage to the south and Eklutna to the north. Nearly all of it is accessible to visitors.

As Alaska's hub, most visitors pass through Anchorage on their Alaska vacation. Still, it would be a mistake to breeze through without a few days spent exploring this bustling Alaskan city.

A perfect way to become acquainted with the area is on the Anchorage City Tour, a two-hour van trip with a driver guide who explains everything from the floatplanes at Lake Hood to the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Go a step further by visiting these sites and more on your own private Anchorage day tour.

Anchorage is the launching point for many different types of flightseeing, fishing, and bear-viewing tours across Cook Inlet or farther north. If seeing coastal brown bears in their wild habitat or hooking an Alaska salmon is on your bucket list, Anchorage is the place to start.

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Anchorage is also home to more than 200 miles of trails. Take advantage with a walk or bike ride along the 11-mile Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, a popular path with excellent views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range on a clear day. Chugach State Park takes up most of the eastern section of town and provides miles of forest and alpine trails for short or longer guided hikes.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center provides an opportunity to delve into the unique traditions of the state's different tribal groups, and daily dancing, drumming, and Native games exhibitions are available to all visitors. The Anchorage Museum is located downtown, with exhibitions of art, culture, industry, and a special youth activity center making it enjoyable for learners of all ages.

For those looking to explore more of downtown Anchorage, the Alaska Public Lands Information Center on 4th Avenue offers daily walking tours of local points of interest during the summer months. These tours are free and suitable for most abilities.

Alaska Tour & Travel can assist guests with transportation to other points in Alaska from Anchorage. The Alaska Railroad depot is located near Ship Creek, and the Park Connection Motorcoach picks up and drops off passengers downtown. Rental vehicles can be secured at many locations near the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

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Things to Do in Anchorage