Free things to do · Anchorage · United States
8 free things to do in Anchorage
Anchorage without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: James Brooks, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Anchorage without paying an entry fee: Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, Earthquake Park and Ship Creek salmon run are all free. Visit in late May or early September for lower hotel and car prices while most tours still run.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 3
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- January, April and October–November
Free sights and experiences
Waterfront · Downtown
1.Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
Rent a bike and ride to Kincaid Park and back; keep at least 25 metres from any moose you meet.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours by bike
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
Experience · Turnagain Arm
2.Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm
Check bore tide timing tables and watch from Beluga Point; never walk on the mudflats, where glacial silt can trap people as the tide rises.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
Park · Turnagain
3.Earthquake Park
Combine it with a Coastal Trail bike ride; on clear days the park has a good view of Denali.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
Waterfront · Downtown
4.Ship Creek salmon run
Visit in late June or July for king salmon or August for silvers; wear boots if you go near the muddy banks.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Park · Airport and Lake Hood
5.Kincaid Park
Walk out to the bluff by the chalet at sunset for views across the inlet.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
- Nature
Nature · Hillside and South Anchorage
6.Potter Marsh
Stop here on the way to Turnagain Arm, ideally in the morning or evening when birds are most active.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
Experience · Chugach State Park
7.Northern lights viewing
Check the aurora and cloud forecasts, wait until late evening, and dress for temperatures well below freezing.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Nature
- Couples
Street · Downtown
8.4th Avenue and the Log Cabin Visitor Center
Pick up trail and tour information at the log cabin before heading out of town.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- History
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Ship Creek salmon run and 4th Avenue and the Log Cabin Visitor Center | 2–4 hours by bike + 30 minutes–1 hour + 1 hour |
| Turnagain Arm | Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm | Half a day |
| Turnagain | Earthquake Park | 45 minutes |
| Airport and Lake Hood | Kincaid Park | 1–3 hours |
| Hillside and South Anchorage | Potter Marsh | 30–45 minutes |
| Chugach State Park | Northern lights viewing | 2–4 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Nature · Hillside and South Anchorage
Flattop Mountain
Go on a clear evening in summer for long light, wear sturdy shoes, and carry bear spray as on any Chugach trail.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Photo spot
Experience · Airport and Lake Hood
Lake Hood Seaplane Base and Alaska Aviation Museum
Watch takeoffs from the lakeside road on a summer evening, or book a flightseeing trip to see glaciers from the air.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Eagle River
Eagle River Nature Center
Walk the Rodak Nature Trail to the salmon-viewing deck in late summer, and keep alert for bears near the river.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
More ways to save
- Visit in late May or early September for lower hotel and car prices while most tours still run.
- The Coastal Trail, Flattop, Earthquake Park, Potter Marsh and the Turnagain Arm drive are all free or nearly so.
- Midtown and airport hotels are usually much cheaper than downtown in summer.
- Book car hire and Alaska Railroad tickets early; summer prices rise as inventory sells out.
- Buy picnic supplies and smoked salmon at supermarkets for long drives where restaurants are scarce.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Anchorage expensive to visit?
Anchorage is expensive for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Anchorage?
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail: Rent a bike and ride to Kincaid Park and back; keep at least 25 metres from any moose you meet.