Day 1 You'll See:
Anchorage, Alaska
- Alaska Native Heritage Center
- Brunch at Snow City Cafe
- Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
- Alaska Naturally Aurora Show
Day 2 You'll See:
- Anchorage Museum
- Chugach State Park
- Picnic at Kincaid Park
Anchorage, Alaska, is one of the most culturally diverse, history-filled, natural gorgeous cities to visit in the state, with something new to see or experience around every corner. With a quick two day trip to Anchorage, your group will be able to experience countless educational opportunities, from the Anchorage Museum to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, as well as just as many entertainment opportunities, from the popular Naturally Aurora Show to the views at Chugach!
1
Brunch at Snow City Cafe -This popular spot serves breakfast all day, and they do so quite well. So well, in fact, that the locals have been consistently voting this the ‘Best Breakfast’ in the region since 2003 (Anchorage Press). While here you're going to want to try the crabby omelet, sockeye smoked salmon cake or nuevo huevos, the later option packed with black beans and guacamole, the perfect breakfast kick to get you started. The Snow City Cafe is opened from 7am to 3pm daily (4pm on weekends), quickly filling up in the morning, sometimes with lines forming outside on the 4th and L Street corner. After you’ve grabbed a bite to eat check out all the clothes, apparel, and even cups they have for sale, you may want a souvenir after such a good breakfast!
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail - Spend your afternoon taking a stroll down one of the most beautiful trails in the whole nation, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. This trail is the most popular in Anchorage by far, running 11 miles from downtown Anchorage to the chalet at Kincaid Park. Following this trail will give you insight on natural and human history in this area, as you will be able to follow the fault line from the ‘64 earthquake that devastated the area. You will also be able to walk through the forests of the area and spot local wildlife, commonly being moose on this trail.While walking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail you will see multiple scenic beach vistas populated with beluga whales, the breathtaking Fire Island, the majestic Chugach Range, and even Mt. McKinley, as well! During the summer visitors love to hike, bike, run, ski, and rollerblade along the path, with a popular bike rental place near the beginning of the trail (Alaska Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals).
Alaska Naturally Aurora Show - The Alaska Naturally Aurora Show, or AurorA, is one of the most unique and comfortable ways to see ‘Alaska’s Great Northern Lights’, as well as the perfect way to end your first night in Anchorage. This show displays one of the most unique and breathtaking sights of the North, the iconic Northern Lights. This local spectacle is a hugely impressive 40-minute show, a big screened, high-def, relaxingly warm experience in which you will see thousands of photos of the lights streamed together. The creator of this venture, Dave Parkhurst, was one of the very first people to capture the Northern Lights on camera, the man now streaming those photos onto a 28 by 16-foot screen within the Sydney Laurence Center for Performing Arts. Located in downtown Anchorage, this $70 million complex will allow you one full hour of warmth and comfort as you enjoy what is considered to be a ‘shifting kaleidoscope of colors and grand shapes of the aurora’.
2
Anchorage Museum - If you truly want to get to know the city you are staying in, head to the Anchorage museum, the modern glass-fronted building in the heart of the city that holds some of the most educational information on Alaska and the arctic in general. This large museum contains art, history, ethnography, ecology, and science all under one roof, making a really unforgettable and informational experience for any group, of any size. The Anchorage Museum is dedicated to ‘studying and explaining the land, people, art, and history of Alaska’, a task it does quite well with it’s entire permanent and temporary collection. You can appreciate local art, learn the history of the land you are standing on, and learn all the interesting facts about Alaska along the way while visiting this museum! Head over to the hands-on science center and planetarium or the delicious onsite Muse Restaurant before you go!
Chugach State Park - Welcome to the fourth largest state park in the United States, the 495,000-acre park in south central Alaska known as the Chugach State Park. This massively gorgeous wilderness area contains rugged landscape, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, trails, and camping grounds. Depending on where you decide to spend your time in the park you will be able to also see the Chugach Range, Turnagain Arm, and Knik Arm! Not only will you be within close range of almost every landscape and landmark imaginable in Alaska, but you will also have ample opportunity to see local wildlife up close and personal, from wolves and coyotes to moose and bear! Your group will need about 45 minutes to an hour to fully experience Chugach State Park, especially if you want to see everything from the ocean shoreline to the rugged mountain tops. Groups typically enjoy sightseeing and photography, hiking and biking, skiing in the winter, camping during the summer, and wildlife watching in general while here.
Picnic at Kincaid Park - Kincaid Park is a very large, very fun, outdoor greenspace and park that will allow your group to exercise, visit with the locals, take in local wildlife, and experience one of the most beloved regional parks! Kincaid is a 1,516-acre park located in between Turnagain Arm and the Anchorage International Airport, the entire park a really great location for photography, hiking, biking, outdoor recreation, skiing, and wildlife watching. Many travelers like to use this as a rest area for larger groups, a great spot for a picnic, stretching your legs, and spending a really fun hour to half-day! After lunch stop by the Outdoor Center located in an old Nike Hercules Missile Silo, go fishing in Little Campbell Lake, take advantage of the over 60 km of perfect mountain biking trails, or perhaps take in a motocross, disc golf, or archery competition that may be happening.