Anchorage
Recommended Tours
Looking for a chance to experience the many opportunities available in Anchorage? You can observe the city's way of life, learn about its history and see many of the local attractions via the following list of tours, museums and activities.Tour One: Downtown
Although Anchorage City Tour-Grayline offers a fascinating downtown historical tour, you can also see the city on foot, at your own pace, by way of a self-guided tour lasting between one-and-a-half and three hours. Placards and monuments along the tour route list dates, events and major players in the history and development of Anchorage since its founding in 1915. Start at the ACVB Log Cabin Visitor Information Center, where you can find brochures on events and places that may interest you, in addition to the specific directions for the self-guided downtown walking tour.
Tour Two: Museums and Cultural Collections
The Anchorage Museum of History & Art has a five-story atrium and holds a complete collection of Alaskan art, spanning from prehistoric to contemporary times. Traveling exhibits, special slide shows and movies take place here, along with scheduled nightly presentations during the summer months.
Owned by First National Bank of Alaska, the Alaska Heritage Library Museum houses the largest private collection of rare Alaskan books and artwork. Free to the public and located in midtown, it holds more than 1,500 rare books, in addition to ancient Native American woven baskets, blankets, fur garments and a multitude of artifacts representing the area's indigenous peoples.
A much larger exhibition showcasing Alaskan Native culture is contained in the Alaska Native Heritage Center in the northeast corner of Anchorage. Here you can learn about Alaskan Native traditions through interactive activities such as storytelling, tours of traditional villages, music and dance, videos and exhibits of Native artwork. Alaska Natives create traditional artworks on-site, ranging from carvings and bead work to jewelry and more. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions as they pause to watch the craft making. Hour-long classes are also available, offering quick demonstrations on some of the techniques used to produce the artwork.
While most of the museums and cultural centers in Anchorage include a large Native presence, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum does not. This exhibit contains airplanes, both restored and in the process of restoration, in addition to a fascinating collection of records about early bush pilots and their role in the development of Alaska. Mission logs from World War II, records of the first flights in arctic aviation, and documents of solo voyages, around-the-world flights and balloon trips are all part of this collection. Of particular note to many aviation enthusiasts are Wiley Post's records of his solo flight around the world in 1933.
If possible, try to be in Anchorage for the late August Alaska State Fair. Held in Palmer, Alaska—50 minutes from Anchorage—this event showcases a tremendous amount of Alaskan culture. Here you will find the notorious 110-pound-cabbage displays, plus outdoor concerts, lumberjack competitions, Alaska crafts exhibits, fireworks and more. If you can't attend the Alaska State Fair, try to stay over a Saturday in summer to join in the fun at the Anchorage Weekend Market & Festival. Filled with local crafts, novelty stands, produce and numerous food stands provided by area restaurants, the market offers an enjoyable chance to meet Alaskans, see how they live and find the perfect memento to take home with you.
Tour Three: Outdoor Adventures
Whether they are wildlife enthusiasts or not, chances are most everyone visiting Anchorage will have the thrill of spotting a bald eagle--there are more eagles per capita here than in any other U.S. state. Nearby birding sites, such as Potter's Marsh Bird Sanctuary two miles south of Anchorage and the Portage Valley just beyond, contain large flocks of wetland waterfowl. The area is part of a migratory corridor, and spring and fall bring a large number and wide variety of bird species for visitors to view.
Moose sightings are likely too, as Anchorage has the highest per capita moose population of any city in the U.S. For guaranteed sightings of Alaskan wildlife, you can travel north of Anchorage to a Reindeer Farm and the Musk Ox Farm. (These places are each within 50 miles of the city.) These attractions offer full views of the wildlife and, in some cases, opportunities to interact with the animals.
Many flight tour operators are also available in Anchorage. Serving the city since 1958, Era Aviation offers, among other options, the delightful one-and-a-half-hour Aviation Classic DC-3 tour. Champagne and soda are served aboard a renovated 1940s theme plane that plays big band music during tours to Mount McKinley, Prince William Sound and other locales. Another well-respected air tour operator is Rust's Flying Service located on Lake Hood. Since 1963, this company has provided charter trips to places of its visitors' choosing for the purposes of sightseeing, bear viewing, fly-in fishing, glacier landings and more. The fishing guides can adeptly prepare you for a terrific fishing experience by providing all your gear, fishing demonstrations (if needed) and advice on the locations most likely to lead to a successful fishing trip.
Whatever views, activities or experiences you hope to enjoy during your stay, you're sure to find the opportunity here. Bring your spirit of adventure, an interest in the outdoors and a willingness to try new things, and you will blend right in with the rugged, free-spirited people of Anchorage, Alaska.
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