Spend a day exploring downtown Anchorage. The city’s center is full of unique shopping and dining experiences featuring local artisans and food. Stroll to the Anchorage Museum for insight into the Alaska Native peoples that call Alaska home and view works of art by some of the 49th state’s best artists. Watch the sunset while walking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. You might even catch an eagle in flight or a moose grazing.
The place to hike is Chugach State Park, just a short drive from downtown Anchorage. Head to the Glenn Alps Trailhead and climb Flattop for an amazing view of Anchorage. Climb in late summer and you might just find a few blueberries along the path. For the more adventurous, there are dozens of trails that will take you back to hidden lakes and mountain peaks.
Learn more about Alaska’s first people at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The cultural center and museum introduces visitors to Alaska Native traditions and customs of both the past and the present. Six life-sized traditional dwellings show how they lived, worked and played. Cultural representatives are on hand for demonstrations and to answer questions.
Looking for an up close view of wildlife? Head to Portage and take a self guided tour of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. You won’t need a zoom lens to get shots of moose, bear, musk ox and wood bison, just to name a few. Continue on to Seward or Whittier for a wildlife and glacier cruise. The captains of these ships know the best locations, but have the camera ready because the animals don’t say “cheese.”
Fishing is also plentiful in Whittier and Seward. A full or half day cruise comes with all the gear and if you catch, it they’ll clean it. A one day fishing license is all you need for the chance to take home fresh Alaska halibut or salmon.
