Plan a special Valentine’s Day with a loved one. Treat yourself, spend some quality time with a friend, or get to know someone new during an active Anchorage day out. Whether you’re looking for romantic inspiration or platonic plans, Anchorage always delivers. Here are a few of our favorite fun-filled ideas for date night (or morning or afternoon) in Anchorage.
Lace up your skates and head to Westchester Lagoon to catch the sunset (or sunrise) on ice. When the sky is clear, you’ll have a perfect view of the Chugach Mountains illuminated by morning light or the evening alpenglow. Warm up with hot chocolate from a nearby cafe. In the summer, order coffee instead (you’ll need it to catch the early sunrise or late sunset), then stroll the trails around the lagoon and watch the ducks and other wildlife from multiple viewing platforms along the way.
Head up to Arctic Valley for a day of tubing on alpine slopes just minutes outside the city. Work up an appetite gliding down Chugach mountainsides, then head back into town for dinner at a downtown restaurant. Time it right, and you can catch brilliant sunset views of the Anchorage Bowl from scenic overlooks along Arctic Valley Road. In the summer and fall, hike Mount Gordon Lyon or spend an afternoon berry picking in the valley.
Catch a drive-thru show — comedy, concert, or film. Anchorage entertainment venues innovate with a variety of creative options; check out our events calendar for current offerings. Afterwards, review the show over drinks at a local pub or outdoor patio.
Start the day with cinnamon buns from a local bakery, then head up to one of Anchorage’s three local ski areas to spend a day on the slopes. There are options for all skill levels, and the chair lift is the perfect place to catch up, connect, and spend some quality one-on-one time with a friend or loved one.
Don’t forget the flowers: Brighten up the day with a trip to the Alaska Botanical Garden or the Mann Leiser Memorial Greenhouse. Take time to stop and smell the roses (as well as the wide variety of other plants), then head downtown to end the excursion with something sweet, like a scoop of locally made gelato or a fresh donut.
Fuel up with a slice of pizza from a neighborhood pizzeria, then test your skills at Alaska Escape Rooms. Afterwards, toast to your success with a glass of champagne, a local brew, or a house-made soda from a downtown bar or restaurant.
Take a self-guided public art tour. Visit a First Friday exhibit, and look for windowfront displays throughout downtown, plus interactive outdoor exhibits at the Anchorage Museum. Unwind with a drink and a bite to eat on a downtown patio.
Head out to Beluga Point to see the bore tide, soak up the sunset, or look for beluga whales in the summer months. Stop at a local bistro on the way out of town to pick up a picnic dinner, and enjoy a to-go feast with a sweeping view of Turnagain Arm.
