Things to Do in Anchorage: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
Wondering what to do in Anchorage? The city is the gateway, and the highest-rated experiences all head out of it: the wilderness, wildlife and glacier day tour along Turnagain Arm (about $220), the Portage Glacier cruise with the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center ($119–239), the Matanuska Glacier hike ($369) and the 60-minute helicopter flight with a glacier landing ($522). In town, the one-hour trolley tour ($25) and the smoked-salmon-and-reindeer-sausage city tour ($69) are the favourites. Give yourself two days in Anchorage plus day trips — one for the city, the Anchorage Museum and the Coastal Trail, one for Turnagain Arm, Portage and the wildlife centre — and use it as a base for Seward’s Kenai Fjords and the Alaska Railroad. Much is free: the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Flattop Mountain, Potter Marsh, Beluga Point and salmon-watching at Ship Creek cost nothing. Below you can compare every Anchorage tour and ticket by rating and price, with free cancellation on most.
204 tours · prices per person, book with partner
All experiences in Anchorage — FAQ
What are the top things to do in Anchorage?
By traveller reviews: the wilderness, wildlife and glacier day tour along Turnagain Arm, the Anchorage Trolley city tour, the city tour with smoked salmon and reindeer sausage, the helicopter flight with a glacier landing, the Portage Glacier cruise, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, the Matanuska Glacier hike, an e-bike ride on the Coastal Trail, the downtown food and history walk and the Alaska Railroad to Seward. Compare all of them below.
How many days do you need in Anchorage?
Two days in the city plus at least two for day trips. Day one: the trolley tour, the Anchorage Museum, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, Ship Creek’s salmon and the Coastal Trail. Day two: Turnagain Arm, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Portage Glacier cruise. Then Seward and a Kenai Fjords cruise (overnight recommended), Matanuska Glacier, Talkeetna with a Denali flightseeing trip or Girdwood’s Alyeska tram.
What can you do in Anchorage for free?
Walk or cycle the 11-mile Tony Knowles Coastal Trail from downtown to Kincaid Park, watch salmon run and anglers cast at Ship Creek (June–August), climb Flattop Mountain (small parking fee), stroll the Potter Marsh boardwalk for birds and moose, stop at Beluga Point on the Turnagain Arm drive, see the float planes take off at Lake Hood, browse the Saturday market downtown (May–September) and visit Earthquake Park. In summer the sun barely sets — a late-evening walk is the best free show.
Do Anchorage tours offer free cancellation?
Most experiences listed here can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the start time; flights and cruises are refunded if cancelled for weather. The policy is shown on each tour before you book.
