U.S. News Insider Tip: Looking for a less urban ride or walk? Start your trail experience at Kincaid Park like most Anchorage residents. Keep an eye out for eagles, moose and bears along the way. – Erin Kirkland

Named for former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles, who spearheaded the project, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is an 11-mile out-and-back paved trail winding its way from downtown Anchorage south to Kincaid Park.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Walk the property during your visit, and be sure to stop by the gazebo overlooking the end of Turnagain Arm to capture the full essence of the center. You may even see beluga whales during the tide changes. – Erin Kirkland

Located about 50 miles south of Anchorage at the end of scenic Turnagain Arm, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a 200-acre facility housing animals and birds no longer able to survive in the wild. Open all year, visitors can be assured of seeing Alaska's most popular wild critters; black and brown bears, wolves, moose, musk ox, lynx, foxes and a herd of wood bison.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Be sure to allow plenty of time for visiting each of the village sites surrounding the center's Lake Tiulana, and stop to talk with the Alaska Native youth at each. – Erin Kirkland

What makes Alaska truly unique are the traditional cultures that have thrived there for centuries. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a unique indoor and outdoor facility offering hands-on information and experiences that showcase both the modern and historical ways of life among the state's First People.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Visit the boardwalk early in the morning or in the evening hours, when wildlife are most active. Remember to be bear and moose aware at all times. – Erin Kirkland

At the southern end of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge is Potter Marsh, a wooden boardwalk that winds through a half-mile of rich, productive marshlands and offers stunning views of the Chugach Mountains. This is a popular destination for birders, as Arctic terns, northern pintails, trumpeter swans, canvasback ducks, red-necked phalaropes, horned and red-necked grebes, and bald eagles come to this wetland to feed and nest between mid-April to mid-October. Keep an eye out for eagles and their nests, usually located high in the cottonwood trees near the base of the eastern edge of the marsh.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Visiting in the fall? The Hurricane Turn Train (daytrip) travels through the colorful forests of Alaska's Interior for amazing photographs. It's also a great way to meet Alaskans traveling to and from their remote homestead cabins. – Erin Kirkland

In a city raised with the birth of its railroad system, it should come as no surprise that Anchorage's historic train depot marks the gateway to further Alaska adventures. The Alaska Railroad Corporation hauls freight and passengers, and is considered one of the best Alaska tours by travelers and critics alike. Utilizing a north-south rail line stretching almost 600 miles between Seward and Fairbanks, the Alaska Railroad offers several itineraries that take passengers through some of the most scenic landscapes in the state. Whether passing through mountains, along coastline or through the meadows of Alaska, visitors will hear narration from local guides and helpful tips to spot wildlife.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Stop by the museum's "Lunch on the Lawn" events on Tuesday afternoons June through August for music and food trucks. – Erin Kirkland

Alaska's largest museum provides a thorough introduction to the people, industries and vivid history of this fascinating land. Spanning four floors of temporary and permanent exhibitions, hands-on learning and beautiful art, the museum is fully-accessible and open every day during the summer months.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Eklutna Lake makes an excellent full-day adventure in Chugach State Park. You can also rent mountain bikes and kayaks from a third-party vendor right on the lakeshore. – Erin Kirkland

Chugach State Park is the third-largest state park in the nation (the first, Wood-Tikchik, is also located in Alaska), clocking in at nearly half a million acres of hiking trails, skiing terrain, rock-climbing spots and wildlife habitat. Chugach is the perfect place to experience untouched Alaska without a long drive – the park's breathtaking scenery is within a 20-minute drive of downtown Anchorage.

The mighty Matanuska Glacier is located about 95 miles northeast of Anchorage along the scenic Glenn Highway, and is the largest glacier in Alaska accessible by car. It's also one of the oldest glaciers, spanning 4 miles across and 13,000 feet high, and is easily seen from the highway, making it a popular stop.

Visitors may stop and view the glacier from the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site, where picnic tables and a short trail are offered for day use. Parking is free for up to 30 minutes at the recreation site; after that there is a $5 charge. To actually walk upon the glacier, however, one must go to Glacier Park, a private-use site that charges admission to access the ice. It's worth it though, to be able to trek upon the frozen surface and see the ice caves and deep blue pools. Only certified vendors are allowed to guide hikes upon the glacier due to safety reasons, and several will transport visitors from Anchorage, year-round. Salmon Berry Travel & Tours is a well-reviewed company that offers guided glacier hikes. Guided hike or climbing fees vary depending upon the experience, but range from $40 per person to $300 per person. Previous visitors to the glacier have enjoyed the guided treks upon the glacier and the "Glaciology 101" information provided by the knowledgeable guides.

Many years ago, Portage Glacier stretched all the way to where the Seward Highway sits today. Today, the glacier's remnant is beautiful Portage Valley, a 14-mile isthmus connecting the Kenai Peninsula to mainland Southcentral Alaska.

The Chugach National Forest manages the land of Portage Valley and Glacier, and visitors traveling between Seward, Whittier and Anchorage can be treated to outdoor recreation and information about this unique and wild landscape just 55 miles southeast of Anchorage.

If retreating into Alaska's backcountry appeals to you, but you don't have a lot of time, gear or experience to make it happen, the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop trip aboard the Alaska Railroad may be for you.

Departing from the Anchorage, Girdwood or Portage depots, travelers who board the Glacier Discovery train will be transported into the Chugach National Forest and beautiful, icy Spencer Lake, its namesake glacier looming in the background.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Guided tours of the garden are a great way to become familiar with Alaska’s native plants, and it’s worth the cost to have a personal guide for your visit. – Erin Kirkland

Nestled in 110 acres of boreal forest, the Alaska Botanical Garden features 150 native plant species and more than 1,100 perennials. There is an herb garden, a wildflower trail, two perennial gardens and the Anchorage Heritage Garden, which was completed in the summer of 2015 and is filled with native plants that were grown from local seeds.

Of all industries, aviation has played the largest role in Alaska's development; before there were roads, there were airstrips upon beaches, gravel and even meadows. At the Alaska Aviation Museum, visitors can garner an up-close look at the importance of aircraft in both civilian and military uses, in all areas of the state. Travelers will also learn about bush flying, famous Alaska pilots and Alaska's role in World War II.

Four hangars and an outdoor yard make up the bulk of the museum space, and a restoration hangar is well worth a stop to observe volunteers who spend their time restoring the aircraft back into the shape they once were. Don't miss the tower cab along the shores of Lake Hood as well, where you can go upstairs to hear live air traffic controller traffic as planes navigate the Lake Hood Seaplane Base all day long.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Stop by the Kincaid Chalet, where helpful Anchorage Parks and Recreation staff can provide tips on accessing favorite trails suitable for your area of interest, time frame and abilities. – Erin Kirkland

Kincaid Park is an ideal destination for those looking to escape to the wilderness without leaving Anchorage. Overlooking Cook Inlet from the city's southwest corner, this 1,400-acre park is home to dozens of hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails, gardens and wildlife like moose, black and brown bears, foxes and porcupines. Trails are kept in shape thanks to year-round use, and a disc golf course can be played through the western side of the park.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Do what locals do and finish up your walk or bike ride at the Lakefront Anchorage's outdoor deck for a meal and drinks. – Erin Kirkland

As Anchorage grew in the 1940s, air travel in and out of Anchorage was starting to ramp up, with both commercial and private aircraft taking up airspace in the skies around the city. Recognizing the need for separate landing areas, the state of Alaska joined two local lakes near the Anchorage airport, Spenard and Hood, by a single channel, thus enabling small aircraft to utilize water access for summertime float use. By the 1950s, work crews had built a seaplane complex, new gravel airstrip and installed an air control tower, and the buzz of aircraft coming and going became one of Anchorage's most notable features.

If the thought of running into some of Alaska's wild creatures in their natural habitat makes you nervous, visit them (safely) at The Alaska Zoo. The facility, located in Anchorage's Hillside neighborhood, features animals and birds of the circumpolar north, and participates in the rescue of injured or abandoned creatures around the state that need a place to heal. The zoo itself is small, but the woodsy trails are perfectly aligned with the natural theme of the property, and the animals – including moose, bears, seals, mountain goats, Amur tigers and Bactrian camels, among others – are easily viewed by any age or ability. 

Previous visitors described the zoo as small, but said a stop here is a great way to see animals you have missed in the wild. Reviewers reported spending about an hour here.

A local favorite since it first opened in 1992, the Anchorage Market and Festival started out as a Saturday-only market with just two dozen vendors, but it quickly grew to host up to 100 vendors and now operates Saturdays and Sundays mid-May to mid-September. Formerly located downtown, the market shifted its base of operations to south Anchorage after the COVID-19 pandemic. Popular with residents and visitors alike, it is the place to shop for clothes, food, crafts and more while enjoying live entertainment and snacking on locally-grown eats. There's also a kids market suitable for ages 8 to 17 that sells goods crafted by other youngsters.

Recent travelers reported finding unique items to buy and praised the delicious food, but others said it's not worth going out of your way to visit. 

A staple in the Anchorage arts scene since 1998, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (or the PAC, as it is locally known) is the place to go in Anchorage when you want to catch a play, show, musical or concert. Conveniently located adjacent to Town Square Park and featuring three theaters of varying sizes, the center hosts performances that range from local favorite storytelling event "Arctic Entries" to Broadway shows like "Hamilton" and "Six The Musical."

Past visitors praised the variety of performances here and the acoustics of the venues.