Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska What To Do While Visiting the Anchorage Area

My family and I will be in Alaska the end of July for ~a weeks vacation. What would be the ideal things to see and do with kids ages 7-11? Fishing would also be on the agenda.

What are your interests?

Anchorage:
On a clear day drive up to Glen Alps and hike flat-top. The view is amazing. If flat top is a bit too ambitious do the small knoll bluberry hill and enjoy the view.
Grab a pizza and brew at Mooses Tooth
Hit the museum
Visit Native Heritage Center

Drive down to Seward and take a fishing charter

Stop by Girdwood on the way down or way back from Seward:
visit the Crow Creek Mine,
hike the Winner Creek trail from the Alyeska Hotel,
Get dinner at the Double Musky

Drive up to Talkeetna on a clear day
Enjoy the view of Mt. McKinley
Take a Mahay's river tour (took one last year and enjoyed the heck out of it)

Should keep you busy for a week but I could easily think of more. For a week long trip I'd say Homer is too far to drive and the ocean fishing is just as good out of Seward.

458 Lott nailed it, but I'll second the suggestions for Mooses Tooth as well as the drive to Seward.

I would definitely suggest grabbing lunch (fish/chips/chowder) at one of the waterfront fish shacks.

A trip by rail (AKRR) from Anchorage to Whittier, a AMHS ferry ride over to Valdez or Cordova (and back, or drive down, ferry across, drive up and around on the Richardson if the kiddos are travelers). Valdez, Whittier, Seward; all have waterfront fish shacks which serve wiggling-fresh fish entrees.(The train ride along Cook Inlet is long enough without being too long, and its a beautiful stretch while the trip across Prince William Sound is more of another kind of beauty. (And you might be able to choose a fast ferry or standard depending on the date; there are steel boats with standard prop-propulsion, and an aluminum, jet-powered fast ferry....depends how much travel time you like.) Valdez is small; make lodging reservations ahead if you plan to stay, or just hope to 'luck out' as we've done a couple times. (Local vehicle rentals are available, not the usual bigger companies however.)

If you don't mind spending time on the road and want to see some country then driving to Valdez and ferrying to Whittier and driving back to Anchorage (or the opposite direction) would be a way to see much of the state from land and sea. But that's 2-3 days of the trip.

Taking the AK RR to Talkeetna is nice way to go, did that trip a few years back and it was nice as the one who is typically driving on family trips to be able to relax and enjoy the sights vs. watching the road.

Fish for pink salmon in Valdez it's awesome .I.use to Camp at sea otter campground caught tons of fish !

I thought the pinks didn't run in odd years.

Pink runs are variable in different parts of the state (where pinks run). We get them thicker every other year, but they always show. In some rivers, it can be hard to fish the thick years since the pinks prevent hooking the more desirables.

I fish the Kenai----even years for pinks.

The zoo is not huge, but it's very nice.

The hatchery in Valdez releases 220 million pink salmon fry yearly. They have about 13 million adults returning yearly.

Whether it's Talkeetna or Whittier, the Ak railroad trip is fun. Well worth it.

A road trip down Turnagain Arm is a nice ride.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrBT9YLhiFZtU4A44JXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=turnagin+arm&fr=yfp-t-s

You could stop in Girdwood and ride the tram at Hotel Alyeska.
http://www.alyeskaresort.com/resort/about-aerial-tram

And/or continue down to the wildlife rehab center
https://www.alaskawildlife.org/

Or maybe head up to Eagle River to the nature center, depending on what you and your family enjoy doing.
http://www.ernc.org/

Have no idea what your time schedule is but what I know now I would make driving the Denali hwy a priority...

All of the above great ideas.
My family and I have done most of those, at the recommendation of some of the same folks as answered here.
One I didn't see listed, is a flight-seeing tour around Mt McKinley and a glacier landing at the head of Ruth Glacier.
It was the highlight of our second trip.

http://www.flyk2.com/tours/denali-grand-tour/

Spend the least amount of time possible in Anchorage.

Valdez is a great drive. Stop at Worthington Glaciar in the way. Last time through you could walk right up to it and a pretty nice waterfall for free.
Seward fishing and it's a nice drive.
Whittier is a weird little place that is scenic.
Up towards Denali Hwy is nice.

I would skip Fairbanks.

Flight tours would be great but you will pay $200-800 for them.

Weather will make or break your day. If you are the kind of person that likes to stop and look at scenery plan for a lot of stops. But the days are long so that helps.

Thanks folks. A week isn't enough time so we will have to head back some time in the future. My kids like everything you mentioned so it should be a great trip.

The challenge is not trying to do too much in such a short time. I try to follow the rule that the time spent at a location doing an activity should be greater than the time spent behind the wheel. So make sure the temptation to see the state is tempered by spending enough time to experience the state.

Word.

seems like sage advice..... from sages.

I'm doing a similar trip about the same time, so capturing the wisdom here. thanks gents!!

seems like sage advice..... from sages.

I'm doing a similar trip about the same time, so capturing the wisdom here. thanks gents!!

Hope you guys have a great time. It's a beautiful place with nice folks

I leave. Alaska isn't far away.

Chocolate factory is worth a 15 minute visit. Alaska Zoo a bit longer. Seward Sea Life Center in Seward (Portage stuff on way)

A heck of a scenic drive for bonus. 37 years on the Kenai, and I still marvel at the views!

I could call this place home......

If you go to the Mooses Tooth, prepare to wait in a very long line to be seated. If it were me, I'd avoid that place and hit up the Eagle River Alehouse, not near as busy as their pizzas are just as good as the MT IMO. Highly recommend taking the train to Seward, I've heard it's a fantastic trip with amazing scenery and is at the top of my list of trips that I haven't done yet. I'd also suggest driving the Denali Highway and spend the night at Alpine Creek Lodge, the owners, Claude and Jennifer are awesome hosts. And if you have the time, I'd take a trip to Fairbanks. I say this because IMO, it has that old Alaskan feel to it and is much different than being in Anchorage. Plus you might run into that jabroni 2L2Q (Randy), I hear he's been known to treat visiting folk like royalty.

A few years back my father's day gift was a train ride from Portage to Grandview (1/2 way to Seward) It was a great 1/2 day trip and a chance to see terrain you can't see from the Seward Hwy. Taking that trip in the morning and hitting the wildlife center and Girdwood for gold panning/hiking/tram ride and dinner would make for a good day.

Mooses Tooth is ridiculously crowded at lunchtime and more so from 5:30-8:00 and that's daily, not just weekends. But if you grab a late lunch or early dinner 2:00-4:00 you'll have little or no wait. Haven't tried ER Alehouse yet but my kids give it high marks.

Mooses Tooth ....just phone in and take out your pizza.. Skip the mad house part.

You forgot the growler

You should and if you like fish tacos, try their Ahi Tacos, they are fantastic.

Fish tacos you say?



I've been known to put away one or two

Dozen?

Those weren't all for me

Well, OK. It's your story!

If you're doing a fly-by, a year's not enough to look around, say nothing of of a month or week, good advice given here. Maybe the best advice so far is to make time to enjoy what you decide to do, without rushing on to the next place. Everyone that has gone to AK with us starts the trip with: "this is a one time trip for us". By the time we head for home, most are already planning the next trip. Research what you and your family might like to do with some of the advice given, and enjoy your trip.

The wife's been making Ahi and Mahi tacos the last couple of months so I don't have to go to the Alehouse to have them because hers are better IMO. Next time she makes them I'll post some pics.

We thought about trying some fishing. Anyone know anything about Acord Guide Service? The website says they fish on the Little Sustina R. and its tributaries.

Bluntly, your timing sucks for Little Su salmon fishing... I would pass...

We are trying so damn hard to make it a one last time trip ..... LOL

3 Rivers Tackle in Wasilla can give you guide advice and local fishing info.

I agree you can't get it all in a week. But I know people that have come here just to drive and do little else. If that is your thing then drive till the wheels fall off. Just know what you like.

Personally I wouldn't go to any restaurant and would get all my food at Fred Meyer. But if you want to kill time and money have at it. And don't expect good service or prices.

Is there a place to go then?

Get the hell out of Anchorage--

don't eat the fish.

What???