While Anchorage is a popular destination in its own right, it’s also the spot one would fly into before taking an Alaskan Cruise that departs from Seward, Alaska. In which case, you’ll likely be spending a day or two in the city before boarding the train to Seward.

Visit Airport Park

Wildlife, ocean views, and walking trails are a few of the things you’ll find in this area. Behind Anchorage Airport, there’s a gated area that acts as a small drive-thru wildlife reserve. During the drive, you may run into several deer and moose. And if you're interested in aircraft, you’ll have a clear view of all the large shipping planes (UPS, Fedex, etc.), as Anchorage has become a major hub for import/export to Asia.

I believe the gates remain open for visitors until about 11PM, as the sun will still be present. That’s the great thing about visiting Alaska in the summer: the minimal hours of darkness - even at midnight, you’ll notice people are still out and about grabbing food and going for dog walks, due to the daylight making it seem as though it's only 6PM.

Before reaching the park gates, there's also a few walking areas and lookout spots that have an ocean view. And if you enjoy looking at homes, take a drive through the nearby neighborhoods, there are some truly insane estates sitting cliffside along the coast.

explore Downtown Anchorage

Head over to Anchorage’s downtown area - it’s relatively small, very walkable, and safe. They’ve got a ton of restaurants and neat, local shops, plus it all stays open late during the summer daylight hours. Even the restaurants stay open very late, as we got dinner at 10PM and the restaurant was totally packed.

If you’re looking for a good, local meal, I recommend trying Glacier Brewhouse - it has a cabin/lodge feel, with a large bar area offering a selection of local brews, and hearty dishes (it also seemed that most of the guests were frequenters, if that sways you).

Take a daytrip to denali national park

Denali National Park is home to North America’s highest mountain peak: the ever elusive, Denali. The park itself is quite pretty, however I’d only recommend making the trip if the weather conditions are good, as the drive is quite long (4 hour round trip) and even on nicer days, the chances of seeing Denali’s peak are slim, as it’s likely to be hidden in the clouds - the day I visited was sunny, and even then I couldn’t catch a glimpse of the peak.

The park is heavily treed, with large lakes and streams - perfect for taking part in some kayaking or paddle boarding. There are many easy walking trails, some of which may caution you against bears, but in my experience, go ahead anyway (because danger is fun). And to be clear, I encountered zero bears (despite serious efforts to do so) - I’m not even sure they actually exist, as far as I’m concerned, bears may as well be spoken of as an urban legend. You will, however, find an absurd amount of gigantic ferns on the trails - so many that it felt like stepping into Jurassic Park.

If you care to make a road trip out of it, there are several neat little towns and roadside stops along the way.

Ship Creek Overlook

Salmon fishing is an essential activity of Alaska’s culture. If you get the chance to experience it for yourself, the entire process is worth the watch.

Evening time offers optimal viewing, as the tide will be at its lowest just before it starts its ascent into high-tide (Alaska has one of the lowest, and highest, tides in the world.) At Ship Creek, you can hang out on a bridge, overlooking a stream filled with salmon and fisherman. With the low-tide, the fishermen are able to stand in the center of the stream and easily spot, and catch salmon. Once they’ve made a catch, they bring their salmon to the top of the bridge where there are cleaning stations.

Beside the walkable overlook, there’s a restaurant that also sits over the stream: The Bridge Restaurant. The Bridge has not only has the perfect view, but they also have incredible fresh seafood, including King Crab and salmon - all of which is on display when you walk in.

Parking is limited, though we managed to find a spot, I’d consider taking an Uber, if possible.