Anchorage Day Trip

Anchorage is more than the largest city in Alaska. It is also arguably one of the most beautiful, with easy access to a staggering number of outdoor activities and breathtaking scenery. Anchorage day trips can take many forms, whether you plan an Anchorage tour of downtown on foot, or a guided Anchorage tour to some of the outlying attractions.

Downtown

Anchorage day trips of the downtown area can be easily enjoyed on foot. Begin day trips in Anchorage at the visitor information center. Some great information and maps can be gathered here for Anchorage day trips. From the visitor’s center, you can walk to the Old City Hall, the Wendler Building, a Native Craft and Shop building, the International Gallery of Contemporary Art, the 5th Avenue Mall and Town Square. If you still have energy left in the afternoon after a bite to eat, head to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, the New City Hall, Holy Family Cathedral, Elderberry Park and the Totem Poles of downtown. The 4th Avenue Theater is also located downtown and offers a nice way to end day trips in Anchorage.

Girdwood

A popular day tour from Anchorage begins with a scenic drive along the Turnagain Arm Road to Girdwood. Once in Girdwood, travelers can helicopter to a glacier to enjoy snowmobiling, a sled dog ride, or any number of outdoor pursuits. Although this make take up the better part of a day, head back to Anchorage in the evening for an Anchorage tour of the Alaska Zoo, located in Anchorage. Stop along the way for lunch and dinner, or have dinner back in Anchorage.

Travel by Rail

A day tour from Anchorage on board the Alaska Railroad is an increasingly popular way to see some of the beauty of Anchorage and Alaska. Possible destinations for a day tour from Anchorage on the train include the Spencer Glacier, Grandview Valley, Bartlett Glacier, Whittier, Seward and Talkeetna. All of these destinations feature great activities such as rafting, jet boating, hiking and simply enjoying the beauty of the glaciers.

Denali

From Anchorage, many travelers plan to board small aircraft to make a trip to Denali National Park and Preserve. Not only is the flight itself scenic and impressive, but the wildlife park is as well. Guided tours that bring tourists through the national park while narrating along the way are widely available. Travelers will also have an excellent view of the famous Mt. McKinley. Many one-day tours from Anchorage to Denali include lunch and other snacks, and will pick up and bring travelers back to their hotel in Anchorage.

Day trips in Anchorage and to the surrounding area can include everything from glacial hikes to sipping coffee and enjoying the art galleries of downtown. However you organize your trip, it will be hard to miss the stunning beauty that surrounds almost every activity in Anchorage and Alaska.