Attractions in Alaska
The Last Frontier: Wildlife, glaciers, and midnight sun 🐻🏔️
Showing 77 attractions · Sorted by importance
Alaska Botanical Garden
📍 Anchorage
🌿 GardenThis 110-acre garden showcases hardy subarctic plants and native flora amidst a pristine boreal forest setting.
Alaska Native Heritage Center
📍 Anchorage
🏛 LandmarkFamilies can explore full-scale traditional dwellings and watch live cultural performances at this premier center dedicated to Alaska's indigenous peoples.
Alaska SeaLife Center
📍 Seward
🐠 AquariumAlaska's premier public aquarium and marine mammal rehabilitation facility, featuring puffins, sea lions, and seals in immersive coastal habitats.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
📍 Girdwood
🦁 ZooA massive sanctuary where families can see bison, bears, moose, and elk roaming in vast enclosures against a stunning mountain backdrop.
Alaska Zoo
📍 Anchorage
🦁 ZooA unique zoo specializing in arctic and sub-arctic animals like polar bears, snow leopards, and wolves in a naturalistic forest setting.
Anchorage Museum
📍 Anchorage
🔬 ScienceThe state's largest museum houses the Imaginarium Discovery Center, featuring hands-on science galleries and deep dives into Arctic ecology and history.
Chilkoot Trail
📍 Skagway
🥾 Hiking & Cycling53km challenging 3-5 day historic trek following the 1898 Gold Rush route, featuring 1,100m elevation gain and the iconic Golden Stairs rock scramble. Gear rental: Skagway Mountain Sports (skagwaymountain.com).
Denali National Park and Preserve
📍 Denali Park
🌲 NatureHome to North America's tallest peak, offering families the chance to see grizzlies and moose via a dedicated park shuttle bus system.
George Parks Highway
📍 Anchorage
🚗 Road Trip520km (323 mi) paved highway (6-7 hours) linking Anchorage and Fairbanks. This is the primary access road for Denali National Park, offering multiple overlooks of the Alaska Range and the 'Hurricane Gulch' bridge.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
📍 Gustavus
🌲 NatureA magnificent marine wilderness where families can watch massive tidewater glaciers calve into the sea from the safety of a boat.
Glenn Highway Scenic Byway
📍 Anchorage
🚗 Road Trip179 mi (288 km) paved National Scenic Byway (3-4 hours) traveling northeast into the Matanuska Valley. Key highlights include the massive Matanuska Glacier, the jagged peaks of the Chugach Range, and views of the Talkeetna Mountains.
H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark
📍 Anchorage
🌊 Water ParkAlaska's largest indoor water park features a wave pool, body slides (150-368 feet long), and a pirate-themed playground for year-round family fun.
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
📍 Anchorage
🎭 EventBegins first Saturday in March, lasting 8–15 days. A world-famous long-distance sled dog race covering nearly 1,000 miles from Anchorage to Nome. The event attracts thousands of international spectators and global media. The ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage is highly family-friendly, featuring dog teams, mushers, and a festive atmosphere.
Kenai Fjords National Park
📍 Seward
🌲 NatureFeatures the accessible Exit Glacier and boat tours through fjords filled with puffins, whales, and dramatic ice-blue glaciers.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
📍 Skagway
🏰 CastleA well-preserved historic district where families can explore 1890s wooden boardwalks and buildings from the height of the gold rush.
Mendenhall Glacier
📍 Juneau
🏔 Scenic ViewOne of Alaska's most accessible glaciers featuring a visitor center, easy hiking trails, and the stunning Nugget Falls.
Seward Highway
📍 Anchorage
🚗 Road Trip127 mi (204 km) paved All-American Road (3-5 hours) connecting Anchorage to Seward. Highlights include Turnagain Arm with its dramatic tides, Beluga Point, the Chugach Mountains, and the glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park.
Sitka National Historical Park
📍 Sitka
🏰 CastleFeatures a collection of Tlingit and Haida totem poles along a coastal forest trail and the 1842 Russian Bishop's House.
University of Alaska Museum of the North
📍 Fairbanks
🔬 ScienceA premier research museum featuring extensive natural history exhibits, including a 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison and diverse geological specimens.
White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad
📍 Skagway
🏛 LandmarkThis historic narrow-gauge railroad provides a thrilling journey through rugged mountain passes and over high-timbered trestles on vintage train cars.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
📍 Copper Center
🌲 NatureThe largest national park in the US, featuring a spectacular landscape of massive volcanoes, ice fields, and historic copper mines.
Alyeska Resort
📍 Girdwood
⛷ Ski ResortBase 250ft (76m) to summit 3,939ft (1,201m), 2,500ft vertical drop, 76 runs, 1,610 acres skiable terrain, late Nov-late April season, 7 lifts including aerial tramway and 650+ inches average annual snowfall.
Alyeska Resort Mountain Bike Park
📍 Girdwood
🧗 AdventureA world-class outdoor activity center featuring a scenic aerial tram, downhill mountain bike trails, and glacial hiking paths.
Bishop's Beach
📍 Homer
⛱ BeachA scenic shoreline famous for beachcombing, tide pooling, and dramatic views across Kachemak Bay to snow-capped peaks.
Harding Icefield Trail
📍 Seward
🥾 Hiking & Cycling13.2km strenuous 6-8 hour day hike with 1,160m elevation gain, offering spectacular views of the Exit Glacier and the massive 700-square-mile icefield.
Icy Strait Point Adventure Park
📍 Hoonah
🧗 AdventureA premier cruise destination featuring the ZipRider, one of the world's longest and tallest zip lines with stunning coastal views.
Resurrection Pass Trail
📍 Hope
🥾 Hiking & Cycling61km moderate 3-5 day hike or 1-2 day mountain bike route through the Kenai Mountains with 670m elevation gain. Bike rental: Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental (alaskaoutdoorgearrental.com).
Alaska Raptor Center
📍 Sitka
🦁 ZooA world-class bird treatment center where visitors can see bald eagles and other birds of prey during their rehabilitation process.
Alaska State Museum
📍 Juneau
🔬 ScienceFeatures comprehensive natural history galleries, including a life-sized eagle nesting tree and exhibits on the flora and fauna of the Inside Passage.
Eaglecrest Ski Area
📍 Juneau
⛷ Ski Resort366-792m, 36 runs, 2.6 sq km skiable terrain, Dec-Apr season, 4 lifts, community-owned resort on Douglas Island with significant backcountry access.
Flattop Mountain Trail
📍 Anchorage
🥾 Hiking & Cycling5.3km moderate to challenging 2-3 hour hike with a rocky scramble at the end and 411m elevation gain. Most climbed peak in Alaska.
Fortress of the Bear
📍 Sitka
🦁 ZooAn education and rescue center offering close-up views of orphaned brown and black bears living in large, repurposed habitats.
Georgeson Botanical Garden
📍 Fairbanks
🌿 GardenLocated at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, this garden is famous for its research on subarctic horticulture and giant vegetables.
Katmai National Park and Preserve
📍 King Salmon
🌲 NatureFamous for the Brooks Falls bear viewing platforms where visitors can safely watch brown bears hunting salmon in a wild river setting.
Kesugi Ridge Trail
📍 Denali State Park
🥾 Hiking & Cycling44km challenging 3-4 day backpacking route along a high ridge with over 1,800m cumulative elevation gain and panoramic views of the Alaska Range.
Kincaid Park Beach
📍 Anchorage
⛱ BeachA unique coastal area where wooded trails lead down to a sandy shore along Cook Inlet with views of Fire Island and distant volcanoes.
Pioneer Park
📍 Fairbanks
🎢 Theme ParkA historic theme park showcasing Alaskan heritage with original Gold Rush buildings, a narrow-gauge railway, and a massive sternwheeler.
Richardson Highway
📍 Valdez
🚗 Road Trip592km paved highway (7-9 hours) connecting Valdez to Fairbanks. Alaska's first highway passes through Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, the Alaska Range, and follows the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
Sterling Highway
📍 Tern Lake
🚗 Road Trip222km paved highway (3-4 hours) from the Seward Highway junction to Homer. Known for world-class fishing on the Kenai River and stunning views of the volcanoes across Cook Inlet from the Homer Spit.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
📍 Anchorage
🥾 Hiking & Cycling18km easy 1-2 hour paved cycling or walking route along the Cook Inlet with minimal elevation gain. Bike rental: Pablo's Bicycle Rentals (pablosbicyclerentals.com).
Totem Bight State Historical Park
📍 Ketchikan
🏰 CastleHome to a stunning collection of restored Native American totem poles and a large traditional cedar Clan House.
Tracy Arm Fjord
📍 Juneau
🏔 Scenic ViewA deep, narrow fjord surrounded by 3,000-foot granite walls and active glaciers, offering a dramatic scenic cruise experience.
Alaska Museum of Science and Nature
📍 Anchorage
🔬 ScienceA family-oriented museum showcasing Alaska's unique geological past, featuring impressive dinosaur skeletons and ice age mammal fossils.
Denali Park Zipline
📍 Healy
🧗 AdventureA high-adrenaline canopy tour that takes visitors through the Alaskan boreal forest with views of the Alaska Range and tundra.
Eagle Beach State Recreation Area
📍 Juneau
⛱ BeachExpansive sandy tidal flats offering stunning vistas of the Lynn Canal and the Chilkat Mountains, perfect for families and wildlife viewing.
Independence Mine State Historical Park
📍 Palmer
🏰 CastleA high-altitude ghost town featuring restored wooden gold mining structures set against the dramatic Talkeetna Mountains.
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
📍 Juneau
🌲 NatureA highly accessible glacier near Juneau featuring an educational visitor center, easy hiking trails, and the stunning Nugget Falls.
Sheldon Jackson Museum
📍 Sitka
🖼 Art GalleryAlaska's oldest museum building houses an exceptional collection of Alaska Native ethnographic art and artifacts in a historic setting.
Tenakee Springs Bathhouse
📍 Tenakee Springs
♨ Hot SpringHistoric 19th-century communal bathhouse featuring 41°C (106°F) sulfur-rich natural mineral water in a concrete tub. The facility operates with strict gender-separated bathing hours and is the central social hub of the remote community.
Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint
📍 Fairbanks
🏛 LandmarkThis iconic landmark allows visitors to see one of the world's largest pipeline systems and learn about the engineering feat of transporting oil across the tundra.
Baranof Castle State Historic Site
📍 Sitka
🏰 CastleKnown as Castle Hill, this landmark offers panoramic views of Sitka Sound and marks the 1867 site of the Alaska transfer from Russia.
Baranof Warm Springs
📍 Baranof Warm Springs
♨ Hot SpringNatural geothermal site featuring nine springs with temperatures up to 43°C. The facility includes a public bathhouse with private tubs and outdoor natural pools situated adjacent to a thundering 100-foot waterfall.
Haines Highway
📍 Haines
🚗 Road Trip245km paved National Scenic Byway (4 hours) from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon. Highlights include the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and spectacular glacier-carved valleys.
Hilltop Ski Area
📍 Anchorage
⛷ Ski Resort90-130m, 10 runs, 0.15 sq km skiable terrain, Nov-Mar season, 3 lifts, urban facility specialized in youth programs and a large terrain park.
Pratt Museum
📍 Homer
🔬 ScienceAn award-winning museum focused on the natural history and marine sciences of the Kachemak Bay region with interactive displays.
Santa Claus House
📍 North Pole
🏛 LandmarkThis whimsical North Pole landmark delights families with its giant Santa statue, real reindeer, and a year-round festive atmosphere.
Sitka Sound Science Center
📍 Sitka
🐠 AquariumAn educational facility featuring a touch tank and aquarium exhibits showcasing local marine life alongside a working salmon hatchery.
Talkeetna Historic District
📍 Talkeetna
🏘 Town / VillageA charming, quirky gold mining town from the early 20th century that serves as the gateway to Denali climbing expeditions.
Alaska Adventure Park
📍 Anchorage
🧗 AdventureAn aerial forest adventure park offering multi-level rope courses and zipline challenges for all ages.
Arctic Valley Ski Area
📍 Eagle River
⛷ Ski Resort762-1,189m, 25 runs, 2 sq km skiable terrain, Nov-Apr season, 4 lifts, volunteer-operated area featuring rugged alpine bowls and T-bar access.
Eklutna Historical Park
📍 Eklutna
🏘 Town / VillageA unique cemetery and cultural site blending Dena'ina Athabascan traditions with Russian Orthodox faith, famous for its colorful spirit houses.
Goddard Hot Springs
📍 Sitka
♨ Hot SpringPublic geothermal site located on the outer coast of Baranof Island. It features two cedar bathhouses maintained by the city, containing stainless steel tubs fed by natural mineral water that reaches 67°C at the source.
Grizzly Falls Ziplining Expedition
📍 Skagway
🧗 AdventureAn exhilarating adventure center featuring eleven ziplines that soar over rushing waterfalls and through the temperate rainforest.
Halibut Point State Recreation Site
📍 Sitka
⛱ BeachA popular local coastal park with ocean-side trails and picnic areas overlooking the islands of Sitka Sound and the Pacific Ocean.
Jensen-Olson Arboretum
📍 Juneau
🌿 GardenA scenic public arboretum known for its extensive Primula collection and stunning coastal views of the Favorite Channel.
Kodiak Fisheries Research Center Aquarium
📍 Kodiak
🐠 AquariumA research-focused facility offering a 3,500-gallon touch tank and displays featuring native Alaskan crabs and diverse cold-water fish species.
Lowell Point State Recreation Site
📍 Seward
⛱ BeachA rugged coastal park at the edge of Resurrection Bay featuring rocky beaches, forest trails, and frequent sea lion sightings.
Mt. Aurora Skiland
📍 Fairbanks
⛷ Ski Resort450-760m, 40 runs, 0.4 sq km skiable terrain, Dec-Apr season, 1 chairlift, home to the northernmost chairlift in North America and views of the Aurora Borealis.
Mukluk Land
📍 Tok
🎢 Theme ParkA quirky and eclectic roadside theme park featuring unique Alaskan oddities, mini-golf, and a collection of giant memorabilia.
Running Reindeer Ranch
📍 Fairbanks
🐄 FarmAn immersive rural experience where visitors take a guided walk through the boreal forest accompanied by a herd of friendly reindeer.
Serpentine Hot Springs
📍 Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
♨ Hot SpringRemote Arctic geothermal site featuring a public bathhouse and bunkhouse. The natural mineral water is tempered for soaking in a facility surrounded by dramatic granite tors and vast tundra landscapes.
Skeetawk
📍 Palmer
⛷ Ski Resort442-548m, 12 runs, 0.12 sq km skiable terrain, Dec-Apr season, 1 triple chairlift, community-led development in the Hatcher Pass recreation area.
The Reindeer Farm
📍 Palmer
🐄 FarmA family-friendly farm offering the chance to hand-feed reindeer, pet moose, and enjoy a traditional rural Alaskan farm atmosphere.