2 days in Anchorage

Day by day

1. Day 1: Anchorage Museum and Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

   Anchorage Museum, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Ship Creek salmon run and 4th Avenue and the Log Cabin Visitor Center, then Northern lights viewing in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Anchorage Museum

      The Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center gallery displays hundreds of Alaska Native objects — tools, clothing, masks — on loan from Smithsonian collections, with input from Native communities. A hands-on discovery centre suits children.

   2. Late morning

      Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

      On clear days Denali is visible to the north. Bike rental shops downtown are steps from the trailhead.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Wild salmon

      Seafood restaurants downtown and in Girdwood; smoked salmon from local fish shops.

   4. Afternoon

      Ship Creek salmon run

      Anglers line the banks in waders, and a viewing platform near a small dam lets visitors watch fish jump.

   5. Late afternoon

      4th Avenue and the Log Cabin Visitor Center

      It hosts the Iditarod's ceremonial start in March and, in summer, a weekend market with crafts and food stands nearby.

   6. Evening

      Northern lights viewing

      Check the aurora and cloud forecasts, wait until late evening, and dress for temperatures well below freezing.

2. Day 2: Alaska Native Heritage Center and Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm

   Alaska Native Heritage Center, Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, Flattop Mountain and Earthquake Park, then Downtown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Alaska Native Heritage Center

      Artists often demonstrate carving and beadwork.

   2. Late morning

      Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm

      On big tides, a bore tide wave rolls up the arm.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Halibut

      Casual seafood restaurants and food trucks across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Flattop Mountain

      The final section is a rocky scramble. Even the trailhead viewpoint is worth the drive.

   5. Late afternoon

      Earthquake Park

      Signs explain the quake, and trails wind through the slumped ground, now forest.

   6. Evening

      Downtown

      Hotel bars, brewpubs and a few cocktail lounges within walking distance of the main hotels.

If it rains

• Swap in Lake Hood Seaplane Base and Alaska Aviation Museum (Airport and Lake Hood): Watch takeoffs from the lakeside road on a summer evening, or book a flightseeing trip to see glaciers from the air.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–24 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 5.5 hours in December to 19.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Downtown's grid, the museum, the railroad depot and the start of the Coastal Trail are all within a 15-minute walk.

More or fewer days

• One day in Anchorage
• 3 days in Anchorage
• 5 days in Anchorage

Questions travellers ask