Nancy D. Brown is a lover of all things related to travel. With What A Trip, she has combined her passion for travel with her professional writing career. 
Best Things to See and Do in Anchorage, Alaska
Posted by Nancy D. Brown
Anchorage, Alaska Visitor Information Center
The first place I take a visitor from out of town is to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, amazing trails right in downtown with views of mountain ranges, and the waters of Cook Inlet, and along the trail Earthquake Park.
When I crave a local brewpub I turn to Glacier BrewHouse, FireTap Alehouse or Snow Goose Restaurant, where I can dine on local favorites like the fresh catch of the day, a wood-fired pizza, and wash it all down with a local microbrew.
To escape work I head for the trails the wind through Anchorage Parks and greenbelts for a run, a bike, or a quick cross-country ski.
For complete quiet, I can hide away in the Chugach National Forest, or more than Chugach State Park, the nations third largest state park is within the Municipality of Anchorage boundaries!
If you come to Anchorage, get your picture taken in front of the Log Cabin Visitor Information Center on Fourth Avenue.
If you have to order one thing off the menu at Simon and Seaforts, get the Asiago Alaska Halibut.
Anchorage is my one stop shop for Alaska products and gifts found nowhere else: smoked salmon, handmade baskets, Ulu knife sets, Ivory, Jade and wood carvings, gold nugget jewelry, mukluks and moccasins, Qiviut woolens, the list goes on and on. First Friday Art Walk is a great way to see local art work on display and even have a nibble of food in the galleries.
Snow City Cafe, Anchorage, Alaska
When I’m feeling cash-strapped, I go to City Diner for a great meal at a price that can’t be beat. Snow City Cafe is a great place for breakfast. Order the crabby omelet or Kodiak Benedict.
For a huge splurge, I go to Sullivans Steakhouse.
Photo ops in Anchorage include hooking a huge salmon literally steps from downtown in Ship Creek, or aboard a boat just yards away from the deep blue Portage Glacier.
The best vantage points are taken by walking to the top of Flattop Mountain, taking the tram or hiking to the top of Mt. Alyeska for a panoramic view of the Chugach Mountains and Turnagain Arm. Alyeska Resort, in Girdwood, is only 40 minutes outside of Anchorage and is worth an overnight if you have the time.
The most random thing about Anchorage is the Running of the Reindeer and Outhouse Races that speed down Fourth Avenue during Anchorage Fur Rendezvous.
In Anchorage, an active day outdoors involveswalking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, kayaking at Eklutna Lake, hiking at the Eagle River Nature Center, skiing the Chugach Mountains, or fishing for halibut or salmon.
My favorite walking route is through the forested Campbell Creek Greenbelt.
Alaska Reindeer Sausage in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage best museum is the Anchorage Museum. Have lunch or dinner at the hip Cafe Muse.
For a night of dancing, go to Chilkoot Charlies or Rumrunners.
For late night dining, Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse is the spot. I watched a Reindeer hot dog eating contest here during Fur Rondy activities. It was wild!
To find out what’s going on a night or on weekends, check out the Play section in the Anchorage Daily News or, Anchorage’s alternative newspaper, the Anchorage Press.
You can tell a lot about Anchorage and the close proximity of wildlife by visiting the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center South of Anchorage on the Seward Highway. Bears, eagle, moose and other Alaska animals share space on the centers grounds. The AWCC is currently host to a herd of Wood Bison to be released into the wild.
In the spring you should attend the Senior Native Youth Olympics. Alaska youth demonstrate their skills in traditional Native games that are based on life skills of past generations. The games test hunting and survival skills, and increase strength, endurance, agility and the balance of mind and body.
In the summer you should attend Solstice Weekend. Great events like the Mayor’s Marathon and Half Marathon, Pridefest, the Summer Solstice Festival and Hero Games and the Slam’n Salm’n Derby all loaded into a single weekend celebrating the longest day of the year.
In the fall you should visit two of the states best college sporting events. The University of Alaska Anchorage hosts the hottest college teams on ice during the Kendall Hockey Classic in early October, while the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout draws top-class college basketball teams to Alaska for a pre-season tournament during Thanksgiving weekend
2010 Iditarod Sled Dog in Anchorage, Alaska
In the winter you should go to the Tour of Anchorage Cross Country Ski Race, Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, and the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race I was fortunate to have covered the 2010 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Check out my YouTube video, too.
A hidden gem in Anchorage is the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The center is a showcase of Alaska Native art, tools, and crafts, featuring great live tours and demonstrations of native life, dance, and crafts. It is nestled in the woods in Northeast Anchorage, but you’d be remiss to pass it up. Check out my post on the Alaska Native Heritage Center.
For a great breakfast treat or espresso, go to the Middle Way Cafe or Kaladi Brothers Coffee.
Just outside of downtown Anchorage you can visit Alyeska Resort; have lunch on top of Mount Alyeska at Seven Glaciers, a AAA Four Diamond award-winning restaurant.
The best way to see downtown Anchorage is to pick up a map from the Log Cabin Visitor Information Center on Fourth Avenue and take the Anchorage Downtown Walking Tour. Or, see downtown by Segway with SegTours of Anchorage.
If you have kids, you won’t want to miss Alaska Wild Berry Theater, reindeer petting area, H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark, and WildRide Sled Dog Rodeo.
What are your favorite things to see and do in Anchorage, Alaska?
Thanks to Jack Bonney and the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau for assistance with this post.
Photos by Nancy D. Brown
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Tags: Alaska, alaska native heritage center, alyeska resort, anchorage, anchorage convention and visitors bureau, anchorage fur rendezvous, anchorage museum, chugach national forest, chugach state park, cook inlet, eagle river nature center, first friday art walk, girdwood, humpy's great alaskan alehouse, iditarod sled dog race, nancy d. brown, nancy d. brown youtube video, snow city cafe, tony knowles coastal trail
Alaska and specifically Anchorage was always my Father’s favorite vacation spot. Love the quick tips here Nancy, thanks!
and you for SURE have made me want to head to anchorage!! i’ve not been yet, but it is on the list! thanks for the comprehensive list!
Alaska is on our short list for next trip with teens. Thanks for all the great tips, I’ll bookmark this
So I’m a long term alaskan resident and business investor. I must say that with the exception of simon’s and seaforts, you managed to boost up some of the worst restaurants to go to in the downtown scene. The museum is amateur food boasting some wanna be inspiring food with extremely poor presentation. The four times I ate at snow city I managed to sleep in the bathroom each time by the toilet. Horrible nominations for places to go. Maybe write about the crow’s nest or the glacier brewhouse next time.
@Mike My meal at Snow City was excellent and judging by the line of people waiting to enter the restaurant, I’m not the only one who enjoys eating at Snow City.I was planning to eat at The Glacier Brewhouse for lunch, but unfortunately, I didn’t have a lunch reservation and didn’t have 45 minutes to wait. I had lunch at Orzo instead and it was very good and no wait.Agreed that the Crow’s Nest is a popular restaurant offering excellent views of Anchorage from a top the hotel.