With so many nearby national parks, a visit to one or more while in Anchorage is a must. The 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 means there's never been a better time to visit a park while in Alaska.

Cruise to glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park, see bears with a flight to Katmai or Lake Clark national parks, explore gold mining history and a glacier the size of Rhode Island in Wrangell-Saint Elias, or head for the tallest mountain on the continent, Denali, in Denali National Park. Denali was actually the first park added to the system after the creation of the National Parks Service. Alaska has more national park land by area than the rest of the U.S. combined. And with road, rail and air connections from Anchorage, it’s easy to reach multiple parks easily. They are a must no matter when you visit, but especially poignant with the centennial of the National Park Service in 2016.