Top Things to do in Alaska
Top Hotels in Alaska
- 1. Pike's Waterfront Lodge
- 2. The Hotel Captain Cook
- 3. Alyeska Resort
- 4. Hyatt Place Anchorage Midtown
- 5. The Lakefront Anchorage
- 6. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Anchorage Airport
- 7. Land's End Resort
- 8. Driftwood Inn & Homer Seaside Lodges
- 9. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fairbanks Airport
- 10. Best Western Grandma'S Feather Bed
Countries
10 Free Things to do in Alaska That You Shouldn't Miss
Alaska is divided into five regions: far north, interior, southwest, south central, and inside passage. Although it takes a long time to see the entire state, you can travel through the regions by boat, car, bus, or plane. Hike through the mountains, or venture out on a deep sea fishing or whale watching excursion. Get in touch with nature by camping in the wilderness, or experience your preferred degree of class and luxury in the beautiful, active cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Restaurants in Alaska
1. Kachemak Bay State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 183 reviews
This enormous state park, largely unexplored wilderness, includes glaciers, rivers and waterfalls and offers a 10-mile coastline strip that is excellent for fishing and kayaking. Wildlife sightings include puffins, eagles, sea otters, seals, porpoises and whales.
Reviewed By RobinC789 - Falls Church, United States
This is a stunningly gorgeous park with a fantastically maintained and marked trail to a chilly glacier lake.
2. Hatcher Pass
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 174 reviews
Several hiking trails are located in this area.
Reviewed By alianns
Hatcher's Pass is a beautiful hiking place in the summer and has snow both early and late for sledding or cross country skiing. Brave souls will snow machine or skin up and ski down. Views are unparalleled on a clear day! It is a great and scenic drive even if you don't plan to do any outdoor activities there. There are cabins to rent for an overnight and a rustic restaurant to eat at too. It is the site of a former gold mine. The buildings are still visible and it is interesting to walk around. A true Alaskan gem!
3. Chugach National Forest
4. Seward Highway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 168 reviews
Reviewed By faithandhope2live - Coquitlam, Canada
Seward Highway stretches 127-miles from Anchorage to Seward. Last August my son drove the family from Anchorage to Seward. That was a treat, no matter which way you turn the scenery is just breathtaking. Along the highway there are bike paths, hiking trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and scenic stops. We made a stop at McHugh Creek and Bird Point Park rest area. Both places were clean with lots of posters to help visitors to understand the area. We were glad we had the chance to enjoy these places. Happy Travelling!
5. Norman Lowell Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 182 reviews
The Norman Lowell Art Gallery Foundation is a non-profit charitable Foundation which aims to preserve and share the Norman Lowell Gallery of Alaska free of charge to visitors around the world. The Norman Lowell Gallery sits atop a bluff in Anchor Point, AK, on the original homestead property of Norman Lowell and his family. The large permanent collection showcases the beauty of Alaska in works ranging from small sketches to massive oils, some of which are over 6 feet in height. Visitors to Alaska are welcomed to come spend as much time as they wish walking among the Permanent Collection, as well as walk the old homestead grounds and see the original cabin, gardens, and studio. A sales room is dedicated to high-quality prints of many of Lowell's works, as well as a number of originals.
Reviewed By cheerfulkim - Wrightwood, United States
I visited the Norman Lowell Gallery on the recommendation of a local and I’m so glad I did! I had the gallery to myself, and I enjoyed making my way through his beautiful works and reading the commentary on each painting. His larger paintings are stunning! It’s a very special place and I would definitely recommend it.
6. Nugget Falls
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,420 reviews
Reviewed By QuantumMover - San Diego, United States
MUST SEE!! Incredibly beautiful glacier, icebergs, and waterfalls all enclosed by a beautiful natural park. Although we did not see bears, signs were posted around the park to stay alert that bears are typically seen in the area. The Photo Point is a 5 minute walk from the visitor center on a paved road, you can hear the waterfalls and have a spectacular view of the glacier from there. You can also hike to the falls, its 2-3 miles round trip from the visitor center. The video at the center is worth watching, as it explains how the impacts from global warming are measurable.
7. Aurora Dora
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 428 reviews
When It's Dark, I See the Lights! I relocated from Brazil to Alaska in 2001 and have been chasing and photographing Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) ever since. I never heard about the Northern Lights before I moved to Alaska. The first time I saw them it was love at first sight. That was it! From there on I knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to share the Auroras with the world and show them to everyone who doesn't have the opportunity to see the Northern lights. That's what I have been doing since. From long and cold nights photographing amazing auroras through the skies, and teaching northern lights photography workshops, to the summers explaining and showing the auroras to the ones that are not able to visit Alaska in the winters. I am a photographer in Alaska, living the dream life of many photographers. Many of my images were published by NASA, Space Weather Live, Washington Post, space.com, Nature Photographer Magazine, Society of Nature Photographers, just to name a few.
Reviewed By richardp14
Like most of Talkeetna, the shop is plain and unassuming on the outside. The photos inside and a hidden gem. Dora has taken some of the most beautiful photos on the aurora, all with other interesting subjects in the picture. A float plane, an old truck, a mountain, or a tree all add to the incredible shapes and colors of the aurora displayed behind or above them. The metal prints are beautiful, but the photo versions are equally lovely.
8. James Dalton Highway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 172 reviews
The only road through North Alaska, often hiked and camped beside.
Reviewed By TravelPagol - Tempe, United States
Away from all hustle and bustle of city life, and all controlling tour company ride, you could rent a car (which are permitted to drive on Dalton Highway) and take a drive. It is not very cheap option and at times feel not safe - when you face the haulers truck - driven at 70 miles with flying gravels. Once out of Fairbanks region, it felt like being with nature - with white all around - from 2 week old snowstorm and frozen River (even mighty Yukon). Drove all the way to Atigun Pass - after customary stop at - Yukon Camp - for refill /coffee (Bless the owner - who suggested that I should go beyond Coldfoot to Atigun Pass - it is so beautiful), - Arctic Circle Sign, and - Coldfoot (stayed their for the night - and enjoyed the Aurora) Landscape of Taiga and Tundra, with all white mountains - so beautiful, and I will remember this trip forever. I will probably go back once again - to drive all the way to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay - and my be in Fall.
9. Worthington Glacier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 488 reviews
An accessible glacier with a hiking trail that offers spectacular views.
Reviewed By seescokid - Grand Rapids, United States
The drive down to the Worthington glacier from Glen Ellen is awesome and the ride into Valdese the same just spectacular scenery on the most beautiful drives. A nice little stop off point and you can walk up fairly close and get a good look at the remaining glacier just an awesome place
10. Denali Highway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 110 reviews
Located midway between Anchorage and Fairbanks, this highway leads to some interesting tundra hikes.
Reviewed By Jenmac48
When we asked locals about the condition of the Denali Highway we were surprised how many had actually not driven it but still said don't do it. We did. In a 2000 model Chevrolet Cavalier. This small car did us proud. We fuelled up, checked the spare, oil water etc and took off. Yes, we drove carefully and very slowly at times because of the road conditions, loose gravel (with some sharp rocks- so good tyres are a must), pot holes and mud after rainy days. The drive started for us at the Cantwell end and we arrived into Paxson about 5 hours later. It's unpaved for almost all of the 135 miles. About 8 miles of paving at the Cantwell end and about 20 odd miles at the Paxson end, so that's a bit over 100 miles of gravel road. Saw quite a few RVs travelling the road and lots of hunters and hunters camps. The hunters had set up in the RVs, tents, trailers etc at so many pull outs and were off in their ATVs for the caribou hunting season in late August. Really interesting to see and interesting people to chat with at stops. What a beautiful drive. Magnificent autumn colours, snow capped mountains, serene lakes and tumbling creeks and rivers. Understandably, no wildlife, except a fearless squirrel. Denali mountain also visible at points. Expect to take lots of stops for photos, if you are into photography. We called into Alpine Lodge about half way across for some soup and a scone. Great stop, interesting people to chat with. We also carried water and food. We're very happy that we ignored all the well meant advice and drove Denali in our little, old car. The road isn't great but neither is it terrible. It's very doable and well worth the doing.
