Start Here
Anchorage is where Alaska starts making sense.
It is the largest city in the state, home to about 40 percent of Alaska’s population, and it sits on a coastal plain between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Most families fly into Anchorage and treat it as a jumping off point for Denali, Kenai Fjords, or an Alaska cruise. But the city itself is worth more time than people give it.
You can spot moose from the hotel parking lot. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail runs 11 miles along the water from downtown to Kincaid Park. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is 45 minutes south and has bears, moose, bison, and musk oxen in a drive through setting. And the Alaska Railroad departs from the Anchorage depot heading north to Denali and south to Seward.
It is also the most accessible city in Alaska. Real restaurants, real grocery stores, rental cars, and the kind of infrastructure that makes a family trip manageable before you head into the wilderness.
✈ Anchorage · Trip at a Glance
• • •
🌎 Region: Southcentral Alaska, United States
📝 Language: English
💰 Currency: US Dollar (USD)
☀ Best Months: June through August
⭐ Family Rating: ★★★★★
Getting Around
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is the main hub. Nonstop flights come from Seattle (about 3.5 hours), Minneapolis, Denver, Dallas, and Chicago during summer. The airport is six miles from downtown, about a 15 minute drive.
You need a rental car in Alaska. Period. Public transit exists in Anchorage but it is minimal, and once you leave the city everything is road based. Expect to pay $80 to $140 per day in summer. Book months ahead because summer inventory sells out.
The Alaska Railroad is a spectacular train ride. The Denali Star goes from Anchorage to Denali (about 8 hours) and the Coastal Classic goes to Seward (about 4 hours). Both are scenic, well run, and a highlight of the trip for kids.
Flights to Anchorage
SEA nonstop ~3.5 hrs, MSP ~5 hrs, DEN ~5.5 hrs. Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United all serve ANC with summer seasonal routes.
Alaska Railroad • Anchorage to Denali ~8 hrs ($180 to $330 adult), Anchorage to Seward ~4 hrs ($120 to $230 adult). Kids 2 to 11 get a 50% discount. GoldStar dome car service is the upgrade worth paying for.
Where to Stay
Downtown Anchorage has the most options and puts you close to the museum, the coastal trail, and the restaurants on 4th Avenue. Midtown is more spread out with big box stores and chain restaurants, useful for stocking up. Some families prefer to stay south of town near Girdwood for mountain access and the Alyeska Resort.
Hotel Captain Cook
The landmark downtown hotel. Rooms on the upper floors have views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. Well located, full service, and the kind of hotel that feels like Alaska. Around $250 to $400 per night.
Alyeska Resort
In Girdwood, 40 minutes south. A full mountain resort with a tram, pool, multiple restaurants, and hiking and biking trails out the door. Summer rates are much lower than ski season. Around $250 to $450 per night.
Hilton Anchorage
Downtown, walking distance to the museum and the coastal trail. Standard rooms are spacious by Alaska hotel standards. Reliable and well located. Around $200 to $350 per night.
SpringHill Suites Anchorage Midtown
In the midtown area with suite style rooms and a breakfast included. Good for families who want more space and easy access to grocery stores and outfitters. Around $170 to $260 per night.
What to See
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
The AWCC is a 200 acre wildlife refuge about 45 minutes south of Anchorage on the Seward Highway. It is home to bears, moose, bison, musk oxen, caribou, elk, eagles, and porcupines. Most of the animals are rescues that cannot be returned to the wild.
You can drive through or park and walk the loop trail. The bear enclosures are the main draw, and feeding times are when you want to be there. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 3 to 17.
It is not a zoo. It feels more like a ranch where the animals have room and the landscape is part of the experience. Turnagain Arm, one of the most scenic stretches of road in Alaska, is the drive to get there.
Anchorage Museum
The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center is a standout museum in the state. The Alaska Gallery covers the history and cultures of Alaska from Indigenous peoples through statehood. The Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center has 600 Alaska Native objects on display.
The Discovery Center on the first floor is specifically for kids. Interactive science exhibits, a planetarium, and rotating hands on programs. It is well designed and worth a full morning. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for kids 6 to 17, and free for under 6.
The museum also has a solid cafe and a gift shop with locally made Alaska Native art.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
This is an 11 mile paved trail that runs from downtown Anchorage along the shore of Cook Inlet to Kincaid Park. It is flat, wide, and used by walkers, runners, and cyclists.
The views from the trail include Denali (on a clear day), the Alaska Range, Fire Island, and Sleeping Lady (Mount Susitna). Moose sightings on the trail are common, especially in spring and fall. Keep your distance. They are not friendly.
Bike rentals are available downtown starting at about $30 for a half day. The ride is easy enough for school age kids. Stroller friendly for the first few miles from downtown.
What to Eat
Anchorage has a food scene that surprises people. The seafood is as fresh as it gets anywhere in the country. The reindeer sausage is a local thing you should try at least once. And the restaurant scene downtown has grown well past the “frontier town steakhouse” stereotype.
Wild Alaskan Salmon
King salmon, sockeye, coho. It is caught here, and restaurants serve it within hours of coming off the boat. Moose’s Tooth and Simon & Seafort’s are local favorites. A salmon entree runs $25 to $40.
Reindeer Sausage
A street food staple in Anchorage. Vendors downtown sell reindeer sausage on a bun with grilled onions. Kids think it is cool. It tastes like a slightly gamey bratwurst. About $8 to $10 at a cart.
Halibut and Chips
Fresh halibut battered and fried. Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse downtown does a popular version. The halibut in Alaska is thicker and flakier than what you get in the lower 48. About $18 to $24.
Moose’s Tooth Pizza
Not traditional Alaskan food, but it is an Anchorage institution. Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria on Old Seward Highway serves creative pizzas and house brewed beer. The line wraps around the building on weekends. About $15 to $22 for a large pizza.
Nicole’s Perspective
Alaska changes how kids see the world. It is big in a way that is hard to explain until you are standing in it. And Anchorage is where you start.
I plan a lot of Alaska trips for families, and the mistake I see most is treating Anchorage as a layover. Fly in, pick up the rental car, drive to Denali. That is fine, but you are missing some of the easiest and best parts of the trip.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a 45 minute drive down a stunning stretch of highway. You see bears. You see moose. You see bison. And the kids do not have to sit still in a car for six hours to make it happen.
The Anchorage Museum has a kids’ discovery center that is well done and worth a full morning. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is flat, paved, and you can see Denali from the path on a clear day. And Moose’s Tooth Pizza is the restaurant the whole family agrees on.
I tell my families to build in two nights at the front end. Arrive, decompress, do the AWCC and the museum, eat well, and then head out. It makes the rest of the trip better because nobody is starting tired.
Day Trips
Seward and Kenai Fjords
Two and a half hours south (or four hours by train). The Kenai Fjords boat tour out of Seward is one of the top wildlife experiences in Alaska. Whales, puffins, sea otters, glaciers. Full day tours run $180 to $250 per person.
Portage Glacier
About an hour south of Anchorage. The Begich Boggs Visitor Center has exhibits on glaciology, and boat tours cross Portage Lake to the glacier face. The drive along Turnagain Arm is worth the trip even without the glacier.
Girdwood and Alyeska
Forty minutes south. Ride the Alyeska aerial tram to the top of Mount Alyeska for panoramic views. Hike, eat at the top, and come back down. The tram is $35 for adults, $25 for kids 7 to 12.
Matanuska Glacier
About two hours northeast on the Glenn Highway. One of the most accessible glaciers in the state. Guided ice walks let you walk on the glacier. Tours run about $75 to $125 per person. Minimum age varies by outfitter.
Practical Tips
Daylight
In June, Anchorage gets about 22 hours of daylight. The sun barely sets. It is incredible and disorienting. Bring blackout curtains or sleep masks for the kids. By August, it is closer to 16 hours.
Wildlife Safety
Moose wander through Anchorage regularly. They are not cute. They are 1,500 pounds and unpredictable. Bears are in the area too. Carry bear spray on any hike outside the city. Keep 300 feet from bears, 25 feet from moose.
What to Pack
Layers. Even in July, Anchorage can swing from 45 to 70 degrees in a day. Rain gear, a fleece, long pants, and sturdy shoes. Bug spray for hikes. Binoculars for wildlife viewing.
Costs
Alaska is expensive. Groceries, restaurants, hotels, and activities are all priced above the lower 48 average. A family of four should budget $400 to $600 per day including accommodation, food, and one activity or excursion.
How Many Days
Two nights covers the AWCC, the museum, the coastal trail, and a good dinner. Three nights adds a day trip to Portage Glacier or Girdwood. Most families pair Anchorage with a few days in Denali and a day in Seward or along the Kenai Peninsula for a full Alaska trip of seven to ten days.
Common Questions
When should we visit Anchorage with kids?
Can I see wildlife without a long drive?
Is Anchorage safe for families?
Should we take the Alaska Railroad?
How cold is Anchorage in summer?
Planning a Trip to Alaska?
Alaska is a big trip with a lot of moving parts. I help families figure out where to go, how long to stay, and which experiences are worth the splurge. If Alaska is on your list, let’s build something that works for your family.
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