A Day Downtown

Downtown Anchorage is the heart of the city, packed with shops and restaurants, vibrant public art installations, picture-perfect views, and charming city parks. Learn about local history, soak up the culture, or explore an unexpected urban oasis. Have limited time to explore the town? Start here.

Day 1

Know Before You Go

From art and culture to wildlife and views that wow, downtown Anchorage offers a walkable introduction to Alaska’s largest city.

Featuring Sightseeing Tour Botanical Garden Museum Wildlife

Average Duration:

Full Day

Google Street View

Downtown Dining

Start the day with a stop at the Log Cabin Visitor Center at the corner of 4th Avenue and F Street. Stock up on travel information, or take a ride with Anchorage Trolley Tours for a quick course in local history.

The Anchorage Mushing District begins just a block to the east, where visitors can see a famous statue of Balto and, in the winter months, watch iconic mushing competitions like the World Championship Sled Dog Races and the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Detour north to visit the Small Boat Harbor and a statue honoring Grandma Olga Ezi, a Dena’ina Athabascan matriarch of the Upper Cook Inlet region. Take time to read the educational signs to learn more about the area’s Dena’ina heritage. Nearby Ship Creek, originally called Dgheyay Kaq', was a popular fishing location long before Anchorage existed, and it remains in use today. Stop by the fish viewing platforms at King’s Landing to see local anglers, or rent a pole and pick up a license to try testing your own luck.

Head back to busy 6th Avenue to see the work of local muralists displayed prominently on the SEED Lab exterior. Cross the street for a visit to the Anchorage Museum for an even deeper dive into Alaska art and culture.

A few blocks west, Town Square Park is a popular destination in all seasons: Catch live music and outdoor exercise classes in the summer, and ice skating and holiday lights displays in the winter.

Continue the tour of downtown green spaces at the Centennial Rose Garden, a lush enclave near the western end of the Delaney Park Strip. In the summer months, the garden blooms with dozens of flourishing rose bushes, offering an oasis of shade on the sunny park strip.

Stroll north along L Street to see some of Anchorage’s early architecture and reach Resolution Park, home to sweeping views of Cook Inlet and a statue of its namesake, British explorer Captain James Cook.