From kayaking alongside colossal glaciers to a bizarre Cold War-era town, these are the best day trips from Anchorage
The word ‘epic’ does not do Alaska justice. The state is home to North America’s largest mammals, national parks the size of countries and glaciers bigger than some US states. It is the least densely populated state in the US and is home to 17 of North America’s highest mountains, 100 volcanoes, 3,000 rivers and over three million lakes.
I visited Anchorage on either side of my recent climb of Denali and while you don’t go to Alaska for Anchorage, the state’s largest, best-connected city makes a prime base from which to explore the surrounding cinematic scenery.
Best day trips from Anchorage, Alaska
From kayaking alongside colossal glaciers to a bizarre Cold War-era town, these are the best day trips from Anchorage.
1. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Distance from Anchorage: 80km/50mi
Tour duration: 4-6 hours
Price: $110 (by guided tour)
Book the tour: viator.com
If you take only one day trip from Anchorage, make it to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Located in Portage Valley and surrounded by the spectacular Chugach Mountain Range and Turnagain Arm Inlet, the non-profit sanctuary is dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, education, research and animal care.
The sanctuary takes in orphaned and injured animals year-round and provides a home for them across more than 200 acres of various habitats. Visitors can expect to see brown bears, moose, bison, muskox, wolves and porcupines along the self-guided scenic 2.5km (1.5m) loop, accessible by foot, bike or car while learning about the residents via interpretive signs at each habitat. If visiting independently, entry is $25 per person.
2. Turnagain Arm
Distance from Anchorage: 22km/14mi
Tour duration: 5 hours
Price: $159
Book the tour: viator.com
Just to the south of the city is the Turnagain Arm waterway, probably the easiest day trip from Anchorage and a spectacular setting for wildlife watching, nature photography and hiking. The waterway can be accessed via the Seward Highway – arguably an attraction in its own right as a designated USDA Forest Service Scenic Byway, an Alaska Scenic Byway and an All-American Road.
The viewpoints at Beluga Point, Windy Corner and Bird Point are superb spots to view the Kenai and Chugach mountains and spot beluga whales. The shores of the waterway are best explored by foot via three outstanding trails: Turnagain Arm Trail (Mile 115), Potter Marsh (Mile 117) and Bird Ridge Trail (Mile 102).
To reach the trailheads and viewpoints, you will either need a car or to organise a taxi/car share. Alternatively, you can combine it with a visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
3. Seward
Distance from Anchorage: 204km/126mi
Tour duration: 15 hours
Price: $183
Book the tour: alaskarailroad.com
On the shores of Resurrection Bay, the tiny city of Seward boasts a spectrum of panoramas – water, sky, mountain and forest – all of which are easily accessible by road, boat or rail. Despite its size, Seward’s history as a railroad port has cultivated a lively city with a charming, historic downtown that has a range of excellent restaurants.
If you only have time for one activity, then the Lost Lake Trail offers unparalleled views of Seward from alpine meadows. If you don’t fancy getting active then Seward is a great spot to mooch around and admire the murals dotted around town.
If you have a car, the aforementioned Seward Highway from Anchorage has plenty of turnoffs for viewpoints and walks to take in en route. Alternatively, you can take the morning Alaska Railroad to Seward via the Coastal Classic route. The train departs from Anchorage at 6:45am and arrives at Seward at 11:20am allowing seven hours in Seward before the return rail journey at 6pm (arriving at Anchorage at 10pm). Round-trip fares start from $183.
4. Matanuska Glacier
Distance from Anchorage: 167km/104mi
Tour duration: 10 hours
Price: $299
Book the tour: viator.com
Matanuska Glacier is the most accessible glacier in Alaska and the largest in the US that can be reached by vehicle. The colossal 44km/27mi-long river of ice flows from the Chugach Mountains almost right up to the Glenn Highway. The two-hour drive from Anchorage is naturally scenic and while the view from the highway is no doubt dazzling, the best way to experience the glacier is to get on it.
Visitors are not allowed to walk on the glacier without an authorised guide. Tours will collect you from your accommodation in Anchorage in the morning and drive to the access point where glacier guides will provide crampons, helmets and hiking poles before you head out on a two-hour meander across the ice.
After the hike, there is time for lunch at a lodge overlooking the glacier before the return trip to Anchorage which will include a handful of photo stops at viewpoints along the way.
5. Kenai Fjords National Park
Distance from Anchorage: 201km/125mi
Tour duration: 4 hours (+ travel time to Seward)
Price: $160
Book the tour: viator.com (from Seward)
At the edge of the Kenai Peninsula lies one of the most sensational landscapes on the planet; a place where ice, mountains and an ocean collide: Kenai Fjords National Park, located just beyond Seward.
It is impossible to do the park justice in one day but the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic service from Anchorage to Seward times its arrivals and departures around half-day cruises around the park that provide a snapshot of the breathtaking scenery and wildlife on offer.
Whale-watching and glacier cruises are the most popular activities but there are also kayaking excursions available and plenty of hiking options too. A popular hike is the Outwash Plain Trail, a short walk to the must-see Exit Glacier’s alluvial plain. The Edge of the Glacier Trail leaves the first loop and climbs steeply to a viewpoint at the side of the glacier. Allow yourself two hours from the Exit Glacier Nature Center to complete both trails and return.
6. Eagle River
Distance from Anchorage: 44km/27mi
Tour duration: 6-8 hours
Price: ~$100
Book the tour: n/a
The quickest way to access the wilderness of the Alaskan interior from Anchorage is to drive to the Chugach State Park and explore the striking glacial valley created by the Eagle River. There is a string of small communities dotted along the valley but the aptly named town of Eagle River makes the best base to explore the park.
The Eagle River Nature Center started as a lodge, bar and steakhouse in the 1960s and 70s but is now a non-profit focused on natural history education in Chugach State Park. The organisation has built and maintains a network of hiking trails around the park. There are also salmon and beaver viewing decks, and yurts and cabins to rent.
There is no public transport to Eagle River so you will need to rent a car or organise a taxi/car share – around $100 each way from downtown Anchorage.
7. Spencer Glacier
Distance from Anchorage: 65km/40mi
Tour duration: 12 hours
Price: $163
Book the tour: alaskarailroad.com
Spencer Glacier rises over 1,000m (3,500ft) in a stunning natural barricade of ice from a lake dotted with icebergs in the Chugach National Forest. In a land famed for its glaciers, what makes Spencer so alluring is that it can only be accessed by rail via the dedicated wilderness area Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop.
Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train departs Anchorage at 9.45am and stops at several points of interest before arriving at Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop at 1.45pm. You have the option to return to the train and continue along the line or take a few hours to explore the area by going for a hike, joining a boat tour or taking a guided kayaking excursion. The return train picks up at 4.40pm and arrives in Anchorage at 9pm. Round-trip fares start from $163.
8. Denali flightseeing from Talkeetna
Distance from Anchorage: 185km/115mi
Tour duration: 14 hours
Price: $350 (+$150 for the bus)
Book the tour: viator.com (from Talkeetna)
I began my Denali climb with a sensational 45-minute flight from the frontier town of Talkeetna onto the Kahiltna Glacier. The plane takes off over the Alaskan backcountry before entering the Alaskan Range where it weaves between the giant peaks. While our flight ended at base camp, scenic flightseeing tours also include flybys of North America’s highest peak as well as Ruth Amphitheater, Great Gorge, Tokositna and Ruth Glaciers, Mt Huntington and the hanging glaciers of Mt Hunter.
My climb began with a flight from Talkeetna
Talkeetna – a two-hour drive from Anchorage – has a small airfield used for ferrying climbers onto Denali and running flightseeing tours. After your 90-minute flight, spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around charming and artsy Talkeetna. There is a host of galleries, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants to keep you occupied.
If you don’t have a car, you can get to Talkeetna from Anchorage by bus which runs twice a day. Fares are $75 each way.
9. Eklutna
Distance from Anchorage: 45km/30mi
Tour duration: 4-8 hours
Price: ~$75
Book the tour: n/a
The Native Village of Eklutna is one of the oldest inhabited areas in Alaska with archaeological evidence suggesting it was settled around 800 years ago. The village is home to the Eklutna Village Historical Park – the area’s oldest continuously inhabited Athabaskan settlement which dates back to 1650. The park is famous for its rows of colourful Spirit Houses built over the graves of the deceased.
If you cross the Glenn Highway, you can drive up to the snout of the glacier-and-peak-ringed Eklutna Lake where there are outdoor activities available including kayaking, biking and hiking.
There is no public transport to Eklutna so you will need to rent a car or organise a taxi/car share – around $75 each way from downtown Anchorage.
10. Whittier
Distance from Anchorage: 100km/62mi
Tour duration: 12 hours
Price: $129
Book the tour: alaskarailroad.com
Even by Alaskan standards, Whittier is a bizarre outpost. The Cold War-era town is wedged between snowcapped peaks and Prince William Sound where you can see the world’s largest concentration of tidewater glaciers.
What makes the town unusual is its skyline, dominated by two incongruous buildings. Almost all of the town’s 270-odd residents live in one building, a 14-storey former army barracks called Begich Towers, now resembling an ageing hotel. Just as out of place is the abandoned Buckner Building, an enormous bomb-proof recreational centre previously used by the military and designed to resist a Soviet attack from the air.
While the strange town is an attraction in itself, activities include a boat cruise among the glaciers of Prince William Sound, kayaking, jet skiing and hiking the Portage Pass Trail. Whittier is on Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train so easily doable in a day.
11. Northern Lights tour
Distance from Anchorage: 0 – 100km/62mi
Tour duration: 6 hours
Price: $315
Book the tour: viator.com
Anchorage is located at 61° North, making the city a superb base to see the famed Northern Lights. The lights can even be seen from the city itself with the Anchorage Downtown Viewpoint a popular spot. However, to get the best views with minimal light pollution, you should head out of town.
If you have a car, then good spots include Chugach State Park, Eagle River and the viewpoints along the Turnagain Arm. However, it’s best to join an organised tour with an Alaskan who will have knowledge of local conditions.
The best time to see the aurora is during the darker months of September to April when the days are shorter and the Northern Lights appear at their strongest.
Best day trips from Anchorage: the essentials
What: Best day trips from Anchorage, Alaska.
Where: In Anchorage, I stayed at the 3-star Hyatt House. While perfectly serviceable, the hotel was a bit far from downtown Anchorage. I would opt for a more central hotel so you can explore the city and access the railway station. More central mid-range options include the 4-star Hotel Captain Cook and the 3-star Aviator Hotel.
When: The best time to visit Anchorage and Alaska is from May to September when the skies are clearer, temperatures are milder and daylight hours are longer, allowing plenty of time to explore.
How: In Anchorage, I used Uber to get around the city’s main sites and recommend joining organised tours or using the Alaska Railroad to travel further afield. That said, if you rent a car, you will have more freedom to explore the more obscure points of interest which aren’t connected by public transport.
To enter the USA, most nationalities will need to apply for an ESTA at least 72 hours before travel. The fee is currently $21.
I flew to Alaska with British Airways and Alaska Airlines via Seattle (outbound) and Portland (inbound). Book flights via Skyscanner for the best prices.
We recommend getting a Holafly eSIM for North America so you can stay connected to the internet on your trip. We can offer our readers 5% off Holafly purchases. Simply use the code ATLASANDBOOTS at checkout.
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