Travel guide · United States
Anchorage travel guide
Alaska's gateway city, with mountains, moose and glaciers on the doorstep
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Anchorage is home to about 40% of Alaska's population, spread between the Chugach Mountains and the tidal waters of Cook Inlet. It is the hub for most Alaska trips: the Alaska Railroad leaves for Seward, Whittier, Talkeetna and Denali, and glacier cruises, fjords and wildlife centres lie within a two-hour drive. In town, the Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Center explain the state's cultures, and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail runs from downtown along the inlet, where moose are a regular sight. Summer brings nearly 20 hours of daylight; winter brings snow, dog-sledding and northern lights. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are June–August.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- June–August
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- ANC
- Mid-range daily budget
- $240–$400 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Gateway to Alaska, Chugach Mountains, Moose in the city and Midnight sun
Why visit Anchorage
- Real wilderness starts at the city limits: Chugach State Park's trailheads, including Flattop Mountain, are about 20–30 minutes from downtown.
- The Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, with Dall sheep, beluga whales and the bore tide, leads to glaciers, Girdwood and the Kenai Peninsula.
- The Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Center offer the deepest introduction to Alaska Native cultures anywhere in the state.
- The Alaska Railroad runs scenic trains from the downtown depot to Seward, Whittier, Talkeetna and Denali in summer.
- Wild salmon, halibut and king crab are on menus everywhere, and in July you can watch anglers catch salmon in Ship Creek downtown.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 14 things to do.
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Museum · Downtown
Anchorage Museum
The state's largest museum covers Alaska's art, history and science.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Northeast Anchorage
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Run by Alaska Native people, the centre presents the state's major cultural groups through a gathering place with dance and storytelling, and six life-size village sites around a small lake showing traditional dwellings from the Arctic to the southeast.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Kids
Waterfront · Downtown
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
A paved trail of about 18 km from downtown along Cook Inlet to Kincaid Park, passing Westchester Lagoon, Earthquake Park and stretches of coastal forest where moose often browse.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours by bike
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
Experience · Turnagain Arm
Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm
South of the city, the Seward Highway hugs Turnagain Arm between steep mountains and tidal flats, with pullouts at Beluga Point and Windy Point, where Dall sheep graze on the cliffs and beluga whales sometimes chase salmon.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
Nature · Hillside and South Anchorage
Flattop Mountain
From the Glen Alps trailhead in Chugach State Park, a steep trail of about 5 km round trip climbs roughly 400 metres to a flat summit with views across Anchorage, Cook Inlet and, on clear days, Denali.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Photo spot
Park · Turnagain
Earthquake Park
A park on the Coastal Trail where the 1964 Good Friday earthquake — magnitude 9.2, the largest recorded in North America — caused a whole residential bluff to slide towards the inlet.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Where to stay
Downtown is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, food lovers and solo travellers
Downtown
Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail
$$ · Best for budget, families and shopping
Midtown
Commercial heart with chain hotels, malls and easy road access
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and budget
Spenard
Funky old roadhouse district of bars, food trucks and local cafés
$$ · Best for families and budget
Airport and Lake Hood
Hotels by the airport and the world's busiest floatplane lake
What to eat
- Wild salmon — King, sockeye and silver salmon from Alaskan rivers, served grilled, smoked, as salmon chowder or in salmon burgers.
- Halibut — Firm white Pacific halibut, often served as beer-battered fish and chips, grilled fillets or halibut tacos.
- King crab — Huge, sweet red king crab legs from the Bering Sea, steamed and served with butter; usually the most expensive item on the menu.
- Reindeer sausage — A smoked sausage made from reindeer (often blended with pork or beef), sold at downtown hot-dog carts with grilled onions and also served at breakfast.
- Sourdough pancakes — Tangy pancakes made from long-kept sourdough starters, a tradition dating from the gold-rush era, when old-timers were nicknamed 'sourdoughs'.
- Birch syrup — A dark, slightly savoury syrup tapped from Alaskan birch trees, rarer and stronger than maple; used on pancakes and in glazes for salmon.
When to go
Mid-May to mid-September is the best time for most visitors: trails, glacier cruises, the Alaska Railroad's summer trains and wildlife tours all operate, and days are very long. June and July are the warmest and busiest; late August and September bring autumn colours and fewer people but more rain. Winter (December to March) suits skiing, dog-sledding, the Iditarod and northern lights, while April and October are muddy shoulder months when much is closed.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | June–August | Long daylight, the full range of tours, trains and cruises, salmon runs and the highest prices. |
| Autumn | September–October | Golden birch and early snow on the peaks in September; by October most seasonal tours have closed. |
| Winter | November–March | Snow, short days, skiing, dog-sledding, Fur Rondy, the Iditarod start and chances of northern lights. |
| Spring | April–May | Breakup mud in April gives way to fresh green and bright, dry days in May as summer services resume. |
Getting there and around
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is about 8 km southwest of downtown, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing. Many hotels run shuttles, and People Mover buses serve the airport less frequently.
Downtown is walkable and connected to the Coastal Trail, but Anchorage is a spread-out, car-oriented city, and the main sights beyond downtown — trailheads, the Native Heritage Center, Turnagain Arm — are much easier with a car. The Alaska Railroad and tour buses cover the classic trips south and north.
Plan your days
Two days covers the museum, the Native Heritage Center, the Coastal Trail and a drive along Turnagain Arm. Four days adds a glacier cruise from Whittier or Seward and a hike in Chugach State Park. Most visitors use Anchorage as a base or start point for a longer Alaska itinerary.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink; treat water from streams before drinking.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at restaurants, $1–$2 per drink, 15–20% for taxis, and 10–20% for fishing guides, cruise crews and tour drivers depending on the length of the trip.
Wildlife is the most distinctive risk: moose wander through the city and bears use the trails, so keep your distance, make noise and carry bear spray in Chugach State Park. Never walk onto the Turnagain Arm mudflats, where fast tides and silt are deadly. In winter, ice and cold demand proper boots and layers; use normal city precautions downtown at night.
Flights to Anchorage
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Anchorage?
Two days covers the museum, the Native Heritage Center, the Coastal Trail and a drive along Turnagain Arm. Four days adds a glacier cruise from Whittier or Seward and a hike in Chugach State Park. Most visitors use Anchorage as a base or start point for a longer Alaska itinerary. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Anchorage?
Mid-May to mid-September is the best time for most visitors: trails, glacier cruises, the Alaska Railroad's summer trains and wildlife tours all operate, and days are very long. June and July are the warmest and busiest; late August and September bring autumn colours and fewer people but more rain. Winter (December to March) suits skiing, dog-sledding, the Iditarod and northern lights, while April and October are muddy shoulder months when much is closed.
+What is Anchorage known for?
Gateway to Alaska, Chugach Mountains, Moose in the city, Midnight sun, Iditarod start, Wild salmon and Northern lights. Real wilderness starts at the city limits: Chugach State Park's trailheads, including Flattop Mountain, are about 20–30 minutes from downtown.
+Is Anchorage expensive?
Anchorage is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $240–$400 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Anchorage?
Recommended. You can manage downtown without one, but a car is the easiest way to reach trailheads, Turnagain Arm and day trips; the train and tours are the alternatives for Seward, Whittier and Talkeetna.