Top Things to do in Girdwood
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Top 10 Things to do Good for Couples in Girdwood, Alaska (AK)
Discover the best top things to do in Girdwood, United States including Alpine Air Alaska, Alaska Wild Guides, Alaska Backcountry Access, Chugach Adventures, Ascending Path, Girdwood Mushing Company, Girdwood Brewing Company, Portage Glacier, Alyeska Ski Area, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Restaurants in Girdwood
1. Alpine Air Alaska
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 889 reviews
Alpine Air Alaska is a helicopter tour company in Girdwood, Alaska. We offer scenic flightseeing, glacier landings, and glacier dog sledding in the Summer!
2. Alaska Wild Guides
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 89 reviews
Wilderness adventure tours with snowmobiles in winter, sailing sea kayaks and jet ski tours in the summer months.
3. Alaska Backcountry Access
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 95 reviews
Alaska Backcountry Access is a multi-sport adventure company dedicated to providing unique adventure activities in the Chugach National Forest and around Alaska. Access to the remote lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and trails is key to exploring the mountains surrounding this remarkable glaciated area. Finding the real Alaska is difficult so let the guides at Alaska Backcountry Access share their backyard with you. Get away from the crowds, off the beaten path and into world class backcountry adventure! Specializing in jetboating, canyoneering, rafting, gold panning, hiking, kayaking, ski trekking, snowshoeing, sled dog mushing, Iditarod and snowmobiling.
4. Chugach Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 154 reviews
Welcome to Chugach Adventures. We offer trips for all adventure levels, all ages & all abilities. Rafting, Iceberg Kayaking, Glacier Salmon Bakes, Helicopter Alpine Hikes, Camping Trips, Hiking Trips, & Wildlife Tours. Join us for a Bears, Trains, & Icebergs Tour for one of the best full day adventure tours from Anchorage, Girdwood, Portage, or Whittier. Visit Spencer Glacier- one of the most easily accessible terminus glacier lakes in Southcentral Alaska.
5. Ascending Path
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 307 reviews
Visit and experience a unique Alaskan wilderness on our authentic glacier adventures. Within an hour of Anchorage we can have you on a glacier, and enjoying real Alaska on a spectacular guided hike. An amazing train ride gets us to the Spencer Whistle Stop which offers excellent Iceberg viewing and Glacier hiking. Your family can even paddle a Tandem Sea Kayak past icebergs and ride a Heli to climb on the Spencer Glacier itself.
6. Girdwood Mushing Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 124 reviews
An 8 mile journey in our open air 6x6 Pinzgauers takes you from sea level to an elevation of 1200 feet on the historical Iditarod trail. At this elevation the mountains open up to one of the most scenic landscapes in all of Alaska. Here you will meet one of our Alaskan Iditarod Mushers and their amazing sled dogs, who are incredible athletes. Observe dog handling techniques and interact with the dogs that ran 1049 miles from Anchorage to Nome―truly incredible athletes. This experience is “HANDS ON !!”Experience the excitement and energy of these athletes as you feel the raw power of these sled dogs as you ride through trails high up in the Alaska mountains. It’s an experience you will never forget. After your cart ride, you will visit our beautiful puppy pavilion. This is your chance to cuddle and play with future Alaska Iditarod Puppies. Check out authentic race memorabilia & hear stories from the trails from an Iditarod musher.
7. Girdwood Brewing Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 64 reviews
Enjoy local brews and epic views of the Chugach mountains at Girdwood Brewing Company. We have a beautiful timber framed taproom adorned with local art and ski relics. For those who prefer the outdoors, there’s an awesome beer garden with fire pits and plenty of seating. We offer up four core beers and a series of rotating taps. Root beer, cold brew coffee, and kombucha are available for those looking for an alcohol free beverage. Tasters and 12 ounce pours are available to drink in the taproom. If you are looking for beer to go, we fill growlers, sell 5 gallon kegs, and have 4-packs of 16 ounce cans with labels designed by Alaskan artists (for sale in the taproom only). Food trucks are on-site every day, and we have cool merchandise for you to take home. Girdwood Brewing Company is truly rooted in our community. We donate to a number of nonprofits and outdoor adventure organizations. Our brewery also provides year round employment to over a dozen locals.
Reviewed By POLYMER - Phoenix, United States
Nice place to refresh the mind in a very good local brewery, a food truck serving excellent crepes made the perfect combination for a quick lunch while exploring the area. Friendly staff and cozy atmosphere Highly recommended !
8. Portage Glacier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,025 reviews
A popular tourist attraction.
Reviewed By PookyCake - Victoria, Canada
Named by Thomas Mendenhall in 1898, Portage Glacier sits on the edge of Portage Lake and is technically part of the Chugach National Forest. Often considered a “crown jewel” by tourists because of its relatively close proximity to Anchorage, Portage Glacier is perhaps the most visited glacier in Alaska. Accessible by boat or a brisk hike, the glacier provides us with a number of things: 1) Beautiful views and a peek into geologic history; and, 2) Clear and irrefutable evidence of global warming. I was able to view Portage Glacier via a cruise on the stylish MV Ptarmigan (hey, I like the name!). Knowing that we would get up to 300 yards away from this natural beauty was both exhilarating and exciting. After all, up until this point, I’d never had the pleasure of viewing a glacier . . . let alone up close. In this respect, the MV Ptarmigan did not disappoint. After cruising Portage Lake, we got up close and personal with the glacier. Seeing this alpine wonder at such a close distance was nothing short of breathtaking – the sunlight shone just enough for us to see the various shades of brilliant blue that make up the glacier. It was almost as if the Earth was alive and talking to us . . . just a completely surreal and unforgettable experience. On the other hand, seeing Portage Glacier was also a sobering experience. During our tour aboard the MV Ptarmigan, the knowledgeable guides noted that the glacier has been in steady retreat for well over a 50-year period. Complementing their information is a helpful resource book readily available on the tour vessel that shows – through pictures – how Portage Glacier has changed over the years. Indeed, at just under 10 kilometers in length, the glacier sounds most impressive; however, when you realize that it was once recorded at 23 kilometers in length (filling the entire Portage Valley), you are hit with an undeniable truth. What can we do to save this, and other of Earth’s natural wonders? If you’re visiting the Anchorage area, a stop at Portage Glacier is a definite “must do.” It’s beautiful, it’s educational and it highlights a contemporary conundrum. Be sure to visit this “crown jewel” before it disappears.
9. Alyeska Ski Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 363 reviews
Popular winter recreation resort for skiers that features 2,000 vertical feet of skiing on 27 trails.
Reviewed By coric727 - Midland, United States
We had a great day on the mountain. Even though it was towards the end of the season the weather was beautiful and the snow held on. The resort staff was consistent with asking guests to wear masks in the buildings and in lift lines. There was a nice variety of runs with varying difficulty and terrain. We’d love to come back, the view was phenomenal and it was much easier for us, flat landers, to breathe at Alyeska’s lower altitude.
10. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,506 reviews
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, education, research and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. We have been able to provide care for hundreds of displaced animals because visitors like you have made critical contributions in the form of admission fees, donations, memberships, and gift shop. Please visit our website for more information on how you can help us make a difference.
Reviewed By 162gregoryw - Seattle, United States
First off the park is a rescue and the animals are there to rehabilitate them and if possible reintroduce them into the wild (though a very informative guide, Duane I think, told us most of the animals are there for life). The animals are all healthy ( discounting the permanent injury’s they sustained to be sent there) and the staff really care for them. There is a wide variety of animals including moose, deer, black bear, brown bear, porcupine, wolves, coyote, buffalo, eagle and owl. The park can be driven around however walking it is the best way as you can literally be inches from some of the animals and still be safe. It is absolutely worth the $16 per ticket. If you are in the area make the stop.
