Anchorage, Alaska, the gateway to visiting the 49th state, entices visitors to enjoy its offerings before venturing off to more far-flung destinations.  In this guide, we list out eight great things to do in Anchorage, either before or after the rest of your Alaskan adventures.

When we visited

On our first visit to Anchorage, we visited in August 2021.  We then visited the Kenai Peninsula and Kenai Fjords National Park.

On our most recent trip, we visited in September 2025, around a trip to both Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks.  

Where we stayed

Anchorage Marriott Downtown | Anchorage, Alaska

On both visits to Anchorage we stayed at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown.  The location was great being walkable to a lot of places downtown.  We also had a car rental for our time here and the valet was quick and easy to use.  As for dining at the Marriott, we ate breakfast and small bites in the concierge lounge and also dined at the restaurant, the Great Room.  The food and service in the restaurant was consistently good.

Eight Great Things to do in Anchorage, Alaska

Although Alaska’s best adventures lie further afield, Anchorage offers some nice things to do in town. 

1. Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Anchorage may be Alaska’s largest city but it definitely has a small town feel.  It also has an incredible amount of nature surrounding it, one being the coastline.  The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail begins in downtown Anchorage and leads cyclists and pedestrians on an 11-mile-one-way path.  The trail winds along the coast, meanders through beautiful forests, skirts a fault line, and passes the airport with planes flying overhead.  You may even spot moose or black bear.  How is that for a city biking trail?!

We rented bikes from Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals, located on L Street.  We parked our car in the small parking lot across the street at the corner of L Street and 4th Avenue.  The folks at Pablo’s were helpful, fitting us for bikes and helmets, and soon we were on our way.

To enter the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail we walked our bikes down steep 5th Ave. to Elderberry Park and then we were on the trail.

We started off going through a couple of tunnels, passing walkers and joggers, and sharing the trail with fellow cyclists. 

The beginning of the trail | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

We hugged the coastline of Cook Inlet where whales are often spotted.  The clouds were low-lying for us this day so we did not get the great views of the Chugach Mountains and Denali in the distance.  On a clear day the views are said to be incredible. 

The trail hugs the coast when first starting out | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

As we continued on, the crowds thinned out and we soon had the trail to ourselves.  We stopped at Earthquake Park at mile 5.1.  Signage here shares information about the most devastating earthquake to ever hit North America.  It happened on March 27, 1964, on Good Friday, and measured 9.2 on the Richter scale.  The land here is forever changed due to the earthquake with rippling hills and buried homes, a direct cause right below the viewing area.

Earthquake Park | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

After a brief stop at Earthquake Park, we headed further down the trail until we came to the spot to watch planes take off from the Anchorage airport.  We hopped off our bikes and took a rest break on a grassy knoll across the street from the airport.  Watching the planes fly directly overhead was a fun experience.

The further onto the trail we got the more quiet it became.  We kept our eyes out for moose who are known to frequent the trail as well as the occasional black bear.  We had high hopes to see some wildlife, but with the exception of bear scat right on the trail we didn’t see anything.  

A nice trail right in Anchorage | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Once we reached Mile 8 we turned around and headed back.  Going back was much faster because those hills we climbed on the way out were now all downhill!  We had a great time cruising back to town.  We had just biked 16 miles in the city of Anchorage!

Tunnel view on the way back | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

2. Visit the Anchorage Museum

We had plans to go on a flightseeing tour out of Anchorage, but in the morning the flight was cancelled due to low-lying clouds and fog.  So Plan B was to visit the Anchorage Museum in downtown Anchorage.

The museum grounds are beautiful with a lovely garden area and walking paths.  The building is also aesthetically pleasing with its contemporary design.  

After purchasing our entrance tickets and storing items in the on-site lockers, we headed straight up to the third floor, the Northern Soundscapes.  This exhibit has you standing in a half-booth while sounds play.  Listed on the interior of the booth are the location of the sounds and what you hear.  Close your eyes and you will be transported to a northern location with intriguing sounds.

Listening in at the Northern Soundscapes Gallery | Anchorage Museum

The Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center was incredible.  Aisles and aisles of native dress and artifacts from the First Peoples of Alaska were on display.  Braden especially loved the ceremonial masks.  There are also multimedia stations displaying contemporary native life as well as native storytellers.

The First Peoples of Alaska area | Anchorage Museum

There is also a large section dedicated to Art of the North as well as the Alaska Exhibition.  For younger guests, there is a great hands-on area for kids to learn by play.

The Anchorage Museum

3. Visit the Alyeska Resort

The Alyeska Resort in Girdwood is about a 40 mile drive from Anchorage via Alaska Highway 1, making for an easy day trip from Anchorage.

The Alyeska Resort is a year-round resort, serving skiiers in the winter and hikers in the summer.  It is a beautiful property with multiple restaurants, walking paths, and a hiking trail up to the top of Mount Alyeska.  

The aerial tramway is another feature that draws guests in the summer months.  A quick 4 minute ride to the top of Mount Alyeska at 2,300 feet gives one incredible views in every direction.  As long as the skies are clear, that is! 

The Alyeska Tramway starts here | Alyeska Resort

One can hike up the winding trail to get to the top and take the trail down or vice versa, as an alternative to taking the tram both ways.

The aerial tram heading up to the top of Mt. Alyeska | Alyeska Resort

The clouds continuously come and go.  Sometimes you can only see white around you until the clouds move on and the skies clear for a bit again.

View from the top | Alyeska Resort

While at the top, there is a short, steep hiking trail that winds up to the top of the mountain to take in the vast views from above. 

The Alyeska Resort

At the very top there was snow!

Snow at the top! | Alyeska Resort 

We were treated with a rainbow over the mountains | Alyeska Resort

The Roundhouse Museum at Alyeska features artifacts on display, a movie that plays continuously, and a gift shop.

As for dining, there are a few options.  Seven Glaciers is a fine dining restaurant featuring panoramic views.  For a quick dining option, the Bore Tide Deli & Bar offers great soups, sandwiches, and pub fare.  We enjoyed a cocktail from Bore Tide and took it outside to enjoy while taking in the incredible views around us.

For lunch, we dined down back at the Alyeska Resort, at the restaurant, Forte’.  We again had lovely views from the panoramic windows.  Alyeska makes a great place to spend some time just outside of Anchorage.

4. Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (The AWCC)  is located about 15 miles from the Alyeska Resort via AK-1.  This made for an easy add-on to our day in Girdwood.  The AWCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to education, research, and rehabilitation of Alaskan wildlife.  While here, see moose up close, stand face-to-face with grizzlies, visit a bald eagle with an amputated wing, and see many other animals getting rehabilitated.

Our favorite exhibit was the grizzlies.  The AWCC separates visitors and the bears with two fences, one being an electric fence. 

Our first up close view with a grizzly | The AWCC

Even with that in place, we still felt our hearts beat fast when the grizzly stood up observing us!  They walked right along the fence line and one even hurled its huge body down the hill into the water.  It then sat in the water for a bit!

The grizzlies | The AWCC

An elevated walkway takes people above the large area where the bears live to observe from another safe point of view.

The raised walkway through the grizzly bear habitat | The AWCC

One can choose to walk the AWCC or drive without getting out of the car.  We chose a combination, driving to the areas we wanted to visit and then walking up to the animals to observe closer.  We all appreciated the mission of the AWCC and were so glad to have visited.

5. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center

The Alaska Native Cultural Center is the place to learn about the native peoples of Alaska.  Learn about their culture through movies, exhibits, and demonstrations.  

Note that the Heritage Center operates seasonally.  In the summer months (May – mid September), guided visits are available with robust programming.  In the winter months, a trip to the Heritage Center is self-guided and hours are more limited.  Check out the website for up-to-date information:  Alaska Native Heritage Center Website.  

6. Take a Trolley Tour

For a nice, narrated ride through Anchorage, a trolley tour checks the box.  We did this on our most recent trip to Anchorage.

Anchorage Trolley Tours

We met at the Anchorage Visitor’s Center, which is a cute little log cabin in the heart of the city.

The Anchorage Visitors Center

There are a few options for tours ranging from an express tour to a deluxe two hour tour.  We took the deluxe tour.  Along the route, we stopped at a salmon hatchery, Lake Hood, Anchorage’s largest float plane lake, and Earthquake Park. 

Above:  the salmon hatchery; Below:  Lake Hood | Anchorage Trolley Tour

At the above stops we got off the trolley and explored for a bit.  It was a great way to see some of Anchorage’s top sites up close while listening to the guide tell all about it.

For information on the Anchorage Trolley, check out the website:  Anchorage Trolley Tours.

7. Catch a Movie at the Bear Tooth TheatrePub

The Bear Tooth TheatrePub is a nice place to catch a movie in Anchorage.  The theatre has one screen and the seats feature a variety of configurations with tables so you can eat and drink comfortably while watching the movie.

Bear Tooth TheatrePub

On the day we arrived back into Anchorage from Katmai National Park, we caught the new Superman movie here for a laid back evening.

For more information on the movie theatre check out the website:  Bear Tooth TheatrePub & Grill.

8. Visit Potter Marsh

Potter Marsh is located about 15 minutes outside of Anchorage, and makes a great stop in the early evening hours when animals are most active.  

Potter Marsh

With a series of elevated boardwalks taking you along this coastal wildlife refuge, keep your eyes out for a variety of birds and even moose, beavers, and  that call this area home.

Potter Marsh

Did you know Potter Marsh did not always exist?  Its creation was the result of the building of the Alaska Railroad.  The water from Rabbit Creek was restricted thus forming this marshland.  It is now part of the larger Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge.

A visit here can take as little as 15 minutes to walk along the boardwalks for nice views and potential wildlife spotting, or even longer as you read all the signs and take your time making your way around.

Potter Marsh

Consider visiting Potter Marsh on your way back to Anchorage from Alyeska Resort or the AWCC.