Ashley Johnston

Where can I see polar bears?

Alaska is the only U.S. state with three bear species (polar, black, and brown), and you can see all of them in Anchorage. Anchorage is home for wild black and brown bears, and there are several good bear viewing locations in and around Anchorage. While Anchorage isn’t traditional polar bear habitat – that’s much farther north – Anchorage's Alaska Zoo is home to a polar bear named Cranbeary as well.

To see polar bears in the wild, head north to the Arctic Ocean coast of Alaska. Arctic Air Expeditions offers polar bear tours that include airfare from Anchorage, meals, and transportation. The company only offers tours during prime viewing months of October and November, when the highest concentration of bears are present on land. For much of the rest of the year, the bears are on the sea ice.

Wildlife Viewing

Anchorage is the best place to see Alaska animals. Wildlife viewing here is as close as the moose that munch through the city. It means a flight to watch bears fishing by the falls and a day cruise to...

Glaciers

Alaska glaciers are everywhere. Alaska has the nation’s greatest concentration of glaciers; approximately 100,000 of them cover nearly 30,000 square miles. The glaciers near Anchorage are among...