Outdoors · Anchorage · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Anchorage
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Skvader, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm and Flattop Mountain. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–19 hours across 5 areas; 6 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 6
- Time to see them all
- 12–19 hours
- Areas
- Downtown, Turnagain Arm and Hillside and South Anchorage
Outdoors in Anchorage
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
Nature · Hillside and South Anchorage
3.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
Park · Turnagain
4.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
5.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
Zoo · Hillside and South Anchorage
6.Alaska Zoo
It is a reliable way for children to see moose and bears up close if wildlife does not appear on the road.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Park · Airport and Lake Hood
7.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
8.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Ship Creek salmon run | 2–4 hours by bike + 30 minutes–1 hour |
| Turnagain Arm | Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm | Half a day |
| Hillside and South Anchorage | Flattop Mountain, Alaska Zoo and Potter Marsh | 2–3 hours + 2 hours + 30–45 minutes |
| Turnagain | Earthquake Park | 45 minutes |
| Airport and Lake Hood | Kincaid Park | 1–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 6 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Tony Knowles Coastal Trail; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown): Tony Knowles Coastal Trail → Ship Creek salmon run, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Turnagain Arm): Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Hillside and South Anchorage): Flattop Mountain → Alaska Zoo, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Hillside and South Anchorage, Turnagain and Airport and Lake Hood): Potter Marsh → Earthquake Park → Kincaid Park, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- May: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 6 rainy days, moderate crowds. Dry, bright and green, with tours and the railroad's summer services starting mid-month.
- June: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 8 rainy days, very busy crowds. Nearly 20 hours of daylight around the solstice; trails open up and the main tourist season is in full swing.
- July: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 11 rainy days, very busy crowds. The warmest month, with salmon in Ship Creek and the busiest tours and hotels.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown — Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail
- Spenard — Funky old roadhouse district of bars, food trucks and local cafés
- Airport and Lake Hood — Hotels by the airport and the world's busiest floatplane lake
- Hillside and South Anchorage — Wooded residential slopes with B&Bs, city views and trail access
More of Anchorage
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Anchorage?
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.
+Which of these are free in Anchorage?
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, Earthquake Park, Ship Creek salmon run, Kincaid Park and Potter Marsh.