Time for another off season travel thread, fellow fanatics! Headed to Anchorage for 9 days in June. What are your best recommendations to see, do, and experience? Will have an 8 and 10 year old along, so family friendly experiences appreciated.
Anchorage, Alaska travel recs
- Thread starter Roseclone07
- Start date
I lived in Eagle River, AK which is 15 miles south of Anchorage. I left about 3 years ago and had kids simliar ages to yours, but before I start listing a bunch of places are you flying in and renting a car or RV? How many miles/hours are you willing to travel for an experience? There are many awesome things to do close to Anchorage. That being said traveling to somewhere like Denali is super cool but will take you at least 4 hours.
Will have a rental car, so plan is to do mostly day trips, but considering one night away from Anchorage to be able to get a little further out.
For day trips, this is one of my favorite spots:
https://www.anchorage.net/outdoors/the-chugach-mountains/turnagain-arm/
https://www.anchorage.net/outdoors/the-chugach-mountains/turnagain-arm/
It would be a long day for the kids, but there is a 26 glacier boat tour out of Whittier which we have done twice! It is about 6 hours long.
You can drive there from Anchorage south towards Girdwood and you drive through a tunnel that is used for both cars and trains.
There is a lot of stuff to do around Anchorage. You can drive north out of Anchorage and hit Eagle River and Palmer and do a lot of things. There is native heritage museum just north of town, and big museum in downtown Anchorage. When my kids were younger there used to be dog trainer camp where you get to learn how they train dogs for the sleds. If it is still there I think it was around Eagle River.
Great vacation for kids!
Don't be afraid if the ground shakes while you are there, it happens fairly regularly!
You can drive there from Anchorage south towards Girdwood and you drive through a tunnel that is used for both cars and trains.
There is a lot of stuff to do around Anchorage. You can drive north out of Anchorage and hit Eagle River and Palmer and do a lot of things. There is native heritage museum just north of town, and big museum in downtown Anchorage. When my kids were younger there used to be dog trainer camp where you get to learn how they train dogs for the sleds. If it is still there I think it was around Eagle River.
Great vacation for kids!
Don't be afraid if the ground shakes while you are there, it happens fairly regularly!
We are flying into Anchorage in Mid June and taking the train north for a couple of days then taking a cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver.
Outdoor things to do – Get Bear Spray
My favorite hikes near Anchorage
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/mount-baldy-loop
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/flattop-mountain
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/thunderbird-falls-trail
Hatcher Pass – Hiking and Old Mine
https://www.alaska.org/detail/hatcher-pass
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
https://alaskawildlife.org/
Anchorage Zoo – Not very big but interesting
https://www.alaskazoo.org/
Eklutna Lake
https://www.alaska.org/guide/eklutna-lake-scenic-drive
Turnagain Arm
https://www.anchorage.net/outdoors/the-chugach-mountains/turnagain-arm/
Earthquake Park
https://www.alaska.org/detail/earthquake-park you see
Places to Travel away from Anchorage.
Seward, Alaska – really neat drive from Anchorage on Seward Highway
https://www.seward.com/
You can take boat tours, fishing charters, cool shopping , SEAlife Center
If you go for sure visit the Fish House and eat at Railway Cantina
Matanuska Glacier
https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Parks-Public-Lands/Matanuska-Glacier
Denali National Park
https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
Talkeetna – Cool Alaska Town on the way to Denali
Denali BrewPub and Mountain High Pizza Pie are good places to eat
https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Cities-Towns/Talkeetna
Food
Lexie’s Cafe
https://m.facebook.com/lexiescafe
Soda & S’more – roadside building
13046 Old Glenn Hwy, Eagle River, AK 99577
Humpy’s – Everyone that visits Anchorage eats here
https://www.humpysalaska.com/
Snow City Café – Super busy but worth it for breakfast or brunch
https://www.snowcitycafe.com/
Moose’s Tooth – Another staple that everyone visiting has to try (Order one of the pizzas with reindeer sausage
https://moosestooth.net/menu/
Glacier Brewhouse – they don’t have Ames Lager but their beer and food is good
https://www.glacierbrewhouse.com/brewery/
Matanuska Brewing Company
https://matanuskabrewco.com/ - Again no Ames Lager but good beer and live music (if they have their fireweed seltzer try it!)
49th State Brewing – along with good beer they make their own Pop (the root beer is great)
https://www.49thstatebrewing.com/
Phonatik – They have reindeer rangoons!
https://phonatik.weeblyte.com/
Hula Hands – Hole-in-the-wall that serves Hawaiian Food
https://www.facebook.com/HulaHandsRestaurant/
Other things to do and see
Alaska Native Heritage Center
https://www.alaskanative.net/
Anchorage Museum – You will learn a lot about Alaska
https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/
Eagle River Nature Center
https://www.ernc.org/
Alaska Railroad – they have same day out and back trips
https://www.alaskarailroad.com/
Pan for gold
https://www.crowcreekgoldmine.com/
Reindeer Farm – Palmer Alaska
https://www.reindeerfarm.com/
Dog Sledding – Yes you can do it in the summer
https://www.anchorage.net/things-to-do/dog-sledding/
Make sure you stop at one of the many Coffee huts
Kaladi Brothers Coffee is one of the mainstream coffees but pretty much all are good
If you have a Costco Membership go to Costco as they have some local things you can buy
If you see Denali Sea Salt Seasoning (Alaska Seasoning Company) buy multiple bottles it is amazing
Fred Meyer – Local Grocery store owned by Kroger but they sell just about everything and you can get souvenirs
Hit up Walmart as well for souvenirs
My favorite hikes near Anchorage
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/mount-baldy-loop
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/flattop-mountain
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/thunderbird-falls-trail
Hatcher Pass – Hiking and Old Mine
https://www.alaska.org/detail/hatcher-pass
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
https://alaskawildlife.org/
Anchorage Zoo – Not very big but interesting
https://www.alaskazoo.org/
Eklutna Lake
https://www.alaska.org/guide/eklutna-lake-scenic-drive
Turnagain Arm
https://www.anchorage.net/outdoors/the-chugach-mountains/turnagain-arm/
Earthquake Park
https://www.alaska.org/detail/earthquake-park you see
Places to Travel away from Anchorage.
Seward, Alaska – really neat drive from Anchorage on Seward Highway
https://www.seward.com/
You can take boat tours, fishing charters, cool shopping , SEAlife Center
If you go for sure visit the Fish House and eat at Railway Cantina
Matanuska Glacier
https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Parks-Public-Lands/Matanuska-Glacier
Denali National Park
https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
Talkeetna – Cool Alaska Town on the way to Denali
Denali BrewPub and Mountain High Pizza Pie are good places to eat
https://www.travelalaska.com/Destinations/Cities-Towns/Talkeetna
Food
Lexie’s Cafe
https://m.facebook.com/lexiescafe
Soda & S’more – roadside building
13046 Old Glenn Hwy, Eagle River, AK 99577
Humpy’s – Everyone that visits Anchorage eats here
https://www.humpysalaska.com/
Snow City Café – Super busy but worth it for breakfast or brunch
https://www.snowcitycafe.com/
Moose’s Tooth – Another staple that everyone visiting has to try (Order one of the pizzas with reindeer sausage
https://moosestooth.net/menu/
Glacier Brewhouse – they don’t have Ames Lager but their beer and food is good
https://www.glacierbrewhouse.com/brewery/
Matanuska Brewing Company
https://matanuskabrewco.com/ - Again no Ames Lager but good beer and live music (if they have their fireweed seltzer try it!)
49th State Brewing – along with good beer they make their own Pop (the root beer is great)
https://www.49thstatebrewing.com/
Phonatik – They have reindeer rangoons!
https://phonatik.weeblyte.com/
Hula Hands – Hole-in-the-wall that serves Hawaiian Food
https://www.facebook.com/HulaHandsRestaurant/
Other things to do and see
Alaska Native Heritage Center
https://www.alaskanative.net/
Anchorage Museum – You will learn a lot about Alaska
https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/
Eagle River Nature Center
https://www.ernc.org/
Alaska Railroad – they have same day out and back trips
https://www.alaskarailroad.com/
Pan for gold
https://www.crowcreekgoldmine.com/
Reindeer Farm – Palmer Alaska
https://www.reindeerfarm.com/
Dog Sledding – Yes you can do it in the summer
https://www.anchorage.net/things-to-do/dog-sledding/
Make sure you stop at one of the many Coffee huts
Kaladi Brothers Coffee is one of the mainstream coffees but pretty much all are good
If you have a Costco Membership go to Costco as they have some local things you can buy
If you see Denali Sea Salt Seasoning (Alaska Seasoning Company) buy multiple bottles it is amazing
Fred Meyer – Local Grocery store owned by Kroger but they sell just about everything and you can get souvenirs
Hit up Walmart as well for souvenirs
