Guidebook for Anchorage
Food Scene
Yummy Yummy breakfast and lunch! Make a reservation if you don't wanna wait!!!
231 locals recommend
Snow City Cafe
1034 W 4th Ave Yummy Yummy breakfast and lunch! Make a reservation if you don't wanna wait!!!
Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
3300 Old Seward HwyGreat pizza and awesome selection of beers on tap!
Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop
718 K StGreat baked goods and coffee - fun atmosphere.
Two different restaurants to choose from plus a theatre pub where you can watch movies while eating and enjoying a great beer!
315 locals recommend
Bear Tooth Theatrepub
1230 W 27th AveTwo different restaurants to choose from plus a theatre pub where you can watch movies while eating and enjoying a great beer!
Spenard Roadhouse
1049 W Northern Lights BlvdGreat food, great drinks. Really good burger. They love bacon.
Phở Lena
3311 Spenard RdGreat Vietnamese / Thai food
Kaladi Brothers Coffee
1340 W Northern Lights BlvdGood for fresh, mostly organic ingredients, many vegan and gluten free options, smoothies, fresh juices, baked goods.
111 locals recommend
Middle Way Cafe
1200 W Northern Lights BlvdGood for fresh, mostly organic ingredients, many vegan and gluten free options, smoothies, fresh juices, baked goods.
Peter's Sushi Spot
3020 Minnesota DrGood sushi
Sightseeing
Great views of Cook Inlet! Awesome sunsets, and if you're lucky you might see some whales!
61 locals recommend
Beluga Point Sight
Seward HighwayGreat views of Cook Inlet! Awesome sunsets, and if you're lucky you might see some whales!
Fabulous drive down the Seward Highway, about 45 minutes. Sweet ski town with nice hiking trails and fun weekend scene.
89 locals recommend
Girdwood
Fabulous drive down the Seward Highway, about 45 minutes. Sweet ski town with nice hiking trails and fun weekend scene.
Talkeetna is an amazing little town you should definitely check out! Great views of Denali on clear days! About a 2 hour drive from Anchorage.
130 locals recommend
Talkeetna
Talkeetna is an amazing little town you should definitely check out! Great views of Denali on clear days! About a 2 hour drive from Anchorage.
"Situated at the head of Passage Canal, the community of Whittier is approximately 58 miles southeast of Anchorage. Whittier is by far the most visited gateway to the mesmerizing wilderness of Prince William Sound. Each summer, thousands of visitors arrive at this magnificent port by ship, train, or automobile." Great place to book a glacier viewing or wildlife viewing tour! You have to time your travel to and from Whittier, because you go through a long, one-way tunnel through the mountains to get there!
73 locals recommend
Whittier
"Situated at the head of Passage Canal, the community of Whittier is approximately 58 miles southeast of Anchorage. Whittier is by far the most visited gateway to the mesmerizing wilderness of Prince William Sound. Each summer, thousands of visitors arrive at this magnificent port by ship, train, or automobile." Great place to book a glacier viewing or wildlife viewing tour! You have to time your travel to and from Whittier, because you go through a long, one-way tunnel through the mountains to get there!
Wonderful place to visit in the summer! The Sealife Center is fun for families and there are several great wildlife viewing cruises or kayak tours!
125 locals recommend
Seward
Wonderful place to visit in the summer! The Sealife Center is fun for families and there are several great wildlife viewing cruises or kayak tours!
"The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, research, education and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Most the animals that arrive the Center become permanent residents and will always have a home here. The Center maintains over 200 acres of large spacious habitats for animals to feel at home and display their natural “wild” behavior. Visitors may see brown bears cooling off in the water, a bull moose strutting, wood bison roaming on pastures and more."
185 locals recommend
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
43520 Seward Hwy"The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, research, education and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Most the animals that arrive the Center become permanent residents and will always have a home here. The Center maintains over 200 acres of large spacious habitats for animals to feel at home and display their natural “wild” behavior. Visitors may see brown bears cooling off in the water, a bull moose strutting, wood bison roaming on pastures and more."
Homer is a bit of a drive from Anchorage (about 4.5 hours) but if you have the time, you should definitely visit! Described as a quaint drinking town with a fishing problem, you can charter halibut fishing adventures, enjoy walking up and down the famous spit and just spend some time soaking in the local flavor! It's a long drive but it's a BEAUTIFUL drive.
93 locals recommend
Homer
Homer is a bit of a drive from Anchorage (about 4.5 hours) but if you have the time, you should definitely visit! Described as a quaint drinking town with a fishing problem, you can charter halibut fishing adventures, enjoy walking up and down the famous spit and just spend some time soaking in the local flavor! It's a long drive but it's a BEAUTIFUL drive.
You can jump onto Anchorage’s incredible trail system, which can be accessed by a 10 minute walk from our house! Stroll along the Chester Creek Trail, over to Westchester Lagoon and on to the Coastal Trail. There are miles and miles of beautiful trails to explore right inside the city. https://www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Pages/Trails.aspx
9 locals recommend
Chester Creek Trail
Chester Creek TrailYou can jump onto Anchorage’s incredible trail system, which can be accessed by a 10 minute walk from our house! Stroll along the Chester Creek Trail, over to Westchester Lagoon and on to the Coastal Trail. There are miles and miles of beautiful trails to explore right inside the city. https://www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Pages/Trails.aspx
Flattop is located right in town and is a great spot to catch some beautiful views of Anchorage, Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. There is a 3 mile round-trip hike, or you can just enjoy the sights from the viewing platform! http://www.alaska.org/detail/flattop-mountain
241 locals recommend
Flattop Mountain
Flattop is located right in town and is a great spot to catch some beautiful views of Anchorage, Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. There is a 3 mile round-trip hike, or you can just enjoy the sights from the viewing platform! http://www.alaska.org/detail/flattop-mountain
Parks & Nature
Hatcher Pass is another great spot. A scenic 1.5 hour drive out of town takes you to this historic state park. Great views, fun hikes: http://www.alaska.org/detail/hatcher-pass
146 locals recommend
Hatcher Pass
Hatcher Pass is another great spot. A scenic 1.5 hour drive out of town takes you to this historic state park. Great views, fun hikes: http://www.alaska.org/detail/hatcher-pass
Eagle River Nature Center
32750 Eagle River RdNice trails, beautiful landscape
Gooooorgeous walk around Eklutna lake and several other trails to choose from. Kayaks available for rent - you can kayak out to the Eklutna glacier!
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/eklutnalkcamp.htm
http://www.lifetimeadventure.net/eklutna-trips-and-rentals/
75 locals recommend
Eklutna Lake
Gooooorgeous walk around Eklutna lake and several other trails to choose from. Kayaks available for rent - you can kayak out to the Eklutna glacier!
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/eklutnalkcamp.htm
http://www.lifetimeadventure.net/eklutna-trips-and-rentals/
If you want to do some hiking, the Turnagain Arm Trail is a wonderful way to get some exercise while accessing some beeeaaaauuutiful views/ But beware of bears!http://dnr.alaska.gov/Assets/uploads/DNRPublic/parks/maps/turnagainarmguide.pdf
17 locals recommend
McHugh Creek Trailhead
Seward HighwayIf you want to do some hiking, the Turnagain Arm Trail is a wonderful way to get some exercise while accessing some beeeaaaauuutiful views/ But beware of bears!http://dnr.alaska.gov/Assets/uploads/DNRPublic/parks/maps/turnagainarmguide.pdf
If you are wanting to throw some backpacking into the mix, and are in decent hiking shape, this is a great trail! 39 miles takes you through some incredible landscapes. "This 38 mile long USFS trail starts in Hope and climbs Resurrection Pass (elev. 2,600) towards the south before descending to the opposite trailhead near Cooper Landing. There are 8 public use cabins along the trail, making this an advanced but comfortable day cabin-to-cabin hike. There are also 19 campsites available for tent camping." Cabins are often booked months in advance!
Resurrection Pass Trail North
Resurrection Pass Trail NorthIf you are wanting to throw some backpacking into the mix, and are in decent hiking shape, this is a great trail! 39 miles takes you through some incredible landscapes. "This 38 mile long USFS trail starts in Hope and climbs Resurrection Pass (elev. 2,600) towards the south before descending to the opposite trailhead near Cooper Landing. There are 8 public use cabins along the trail, making this an advanced but comfortable day cabin-to-cabin hike. There are also 19 campsites available for tent camping." Cabins are often booked months in advance!
Arts & Culture
The Anchorage museum is a fun and easy downtown destination: https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/
313 locals recommend
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
625 C St The Anchorage museum is a fun and easy downtown destination: https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/
Shopping
Mermaid Imports & Design
209 W Dimond BlvdHulin Alaskan Design
2401 Spenard RdEssentials
Fred Meyer
1000 E Northern Lights BlvdKaladi Brothers Coffee
1340 W Northern Lights BlvdDrinks & Nightlife
Not for the faint of heart - Chilkoot Charlie's (Koot's) is a pretty wild bar. Well it's actually 10 different bars under one roof!
44 locals recommend
Chilkoot Charlie's
2435 Spenard RoadNot for the faint of heart - Chilkoot Charlie's (Koot's) is a pretty wild bar. Well it's actually 10 different bars under one roof!
Darwin's Theory
426 G StDowntown dive with free popcorn and decent drinks.
49th State Brewing Co - Anchorage
717 W 3rd AveAwesome views from the rooftop deck
King Street Brewing Company
9050 King StGreat local beers!
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
8111 Dimond Hook DrGreat beers and decent eats