16 top things to do in Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city

Alaska's biggest city, Anchorage, serves up a veritable cornucopia of adventures. Whether your tastes run to fine dining overlooking Cook Inlet or getting your boots muddy on the hiking trails that cross the Chugach Mountains, you'll find your nirvana in America's easternmost state.

Anchorage reveals different sides to its character with the changing seasons, so pack your best flannels and get ready for one wild ride in one of the most surprising cities in the US. Here are 16 of the best ways to enjoy Alaska's only metropolis.

1. Take a midnight stroll on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

There's only one place to be on one of Alaska's long summer nights – the iconic Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Named for a former Alaskan governor, this 11-mile-long paved trail follows the shoreline, providing unparalleled views of downtown Anchorage, the Chugach Mountains, Mt McKinley and Fire Island. It's much chillier in winter, but the views are arguably even more dramatic.

You're likely to run into moose, sandhill cranes, bears and a whole bunch of locals along the way, so be respectful of the environment and don't approach either the wildlife or the treacherous mudflats – both can be very dangerous.

Planning tip: You can traverse the somewhat hilly trail on foot or via e-bike, which can be affordably rented at Pablo's Bicycle Rentals.

2. Enjoy a beer flight at 49th State Brewing

Anchorage is quickly becoming a lively hub for craft brewing, but the best of the best remains 49th State Brewing. Located downtown, this three-story pub serves up stunning views of Cook Inlet alongside plates of red king crab, Alaskan king salmon and giant German pretzels, plus some of the best beer you'll ever taste, from blonde beers and pale ales to a smoked lager.

Choose from more than 25 craft beers on tap (try the award-winning Smōk), or order a flight to sample a series of six seasonal brews.

Planning tip: Make reservations in advance, as this hotspot gets very crowded, particularly at weekends. Closing time is 11pm (10pm on Sunday). 

3. Go urban fishing at Ship Creek

If ever there was an activity that sums up Anchorage's quirky dual personality – equal parts urban and untamed – it's Ship Creek. This is the world's only metropolitan king-salmon fishery, located in the heart of downtown Anchorage.

Fishers from around the world congregate on the river's muddy shores during the second week of June for the Slam'n Salm'n Derby, bagging salmon weighing as much as 40lbs in the hope of taking home the grand prize, valued at over $6000. Before you cast your line, stop by the Bait Shack to purchase a fishing license, rent gear and get tips from the locals.

4. Hike the Chugach Mountains

The Chugach Mountains are beckoning, and we recommend you heed their call. Visible from anywhere in Anchorage, these rugged peaks are full of hiking trails waiting to be explored. Most visitors opt to scale the peaks via the well-trafficked Flattop Mountain Trail, a 3-mile round trip that begins with rolling hills and ends with a steep traverse up a craggy rock face. When you get to the summit, be sure to take a celebratory selfie with the flagpole.

If you're looking for more of a challenge, check out the Rabbit Lake Trail, a 4.4-mile trek alongside rushing rivers that ends in a valley in the shadow of two 5000ft peaks. At the base of the peaks is Rabbit Lake, the perfect place to cool off and rest before heading back.

Planning tip: Though both trails are well maintained, you still need to be on the lookout for threatening wildlife. Bears, moose and Alaska's unofficial state bird, the mosquito, are commonplace. Be sure to bring plenty of DEET-based repellent, and carry a bear bell, bear spray and extra snacks and water in case of emergencies.

5. Sail the seas and see 26 glaciers with Phillips Cruises & Tours

Hop on the coach run by Phillips Cruises in Anchorage, and you'll arrive in Whittier in time to embark on the water tour of your life. On board the company's 26 Glacier Cruise, you'll cover more than 140 miles of Prince William Sound, including the scenic College and Harriman Fjords. Keep an eye out for otters, seals, whales and puffins – lucky seafarers may also be treated to the unforgettable sight of calving glaciers.

Planning tip: It's possible to make your own way to Whittier from Anchorage by road in around 1½ hours, but it's easier to take the 9am Phillips Cruises coach.

6. Bears, eagles, musk oxen and lynx on parade

Located about 40 minutes south of Anchorage, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a guaranteed way to (safely) encounter Alaska's wildlife. More a safari park than a zoo, it's home to bears, eagles, lynxes, musk oxen, foxes and caribou living in their natural habitat. Special tours of the facility are available, but most visitors choose to meander around the 1.5-mile loop track on their own.

7. Learn to cook gourmet seafood with Twisted Spruce Kitchen

One of Anchorage's best-kept secrets is the cooking course run by Twisted Spruce Kitchen. An expert in Alaskan seafood and produce, chef Natalie Janicka takes participants to the farmers market to shop for ingredients before returning to her state-of-the-art kitchen to cook. You'll get hands-on instruction, recipes and the opportunity to dine while overlooking Cook Inlet.

Planning tip: Classes are available year-round, but summer offers the best experience, with the best range of produce and seafood on offer.

8. Celebrate the longest and shortest days of the year

Alaska is a land of extremes. In the winter, some towns don't see the sun for three months, and in the summer, they don't see the night for three months. To mark these momentous seasonal shifts, downtown Anchorage hosts block parties for both the winter (December 21) and summer solstice (June 21), with food, live music, beer gardens, free entertainment and local art vendors.

9. Be a part of one of Anchorage's longest-running traditions

Fur Rendezvous has been an Anchorage tradition since 1935, and it gets bigger and better with each passing year. Held in mid-February, this 12-day festival – affectionately dubbed Fur Rondy, or Rondy for short – features dog-sled races, ice carving and sports, as well as more eccentric activities such as running with reindeer, racing outhouses and sliding down a ski slope on a mattress. It's worth braving the cold of an Alaskan winter to experience the kookiness at least once.

Planning tip: Book accommodations well in advance during Rondy – particularly for hotels close to the race start and end points, such as the Hotel Captain Cook.

10. Ski and dine on the slopes at Alyeska

Only 20 minutes south of Anchorage and averaging 669 inches of snow annually, Alyeska offers some of Alaska's best skiing. Experts will love double-black-diamond trails such as Alyeska Chute and Max's Traverse, while beginners will want to stick to the Lower Bowl, which is jam-packed with gentle descents.

Skiing isn't the only thing this mountain offers. Alyeska is also home to the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning Seven Glaciers Restaurant (be sure to stop in for at least a glass of wine) and a world-class luxury hotel, complete with a Nordic-style spa.

11. Eat your way through Anchorage's best restaurants

Alaska is rightly famous for its seafood, but Anchorage is also home to a pizzeria slinging some of the most innovative pies around. From the Call of the Wild – loaded with reindeer sausage, steak, bacon, mushrooms, and garlic cream sauce – to the Home Wrecker, with spicy chili, tater tots, cheddar cheese and fresh jalapeños, Moose's Tooth Pub is the one restaurant you have to try. But be prepared to wait – it can take more than two hours to get in.

After you've had the best pizza in town, hit the town's fine-dining trifecta – Crow's Nest, Double Musky Inn and the Glacier Brewhouse. We recommend the king crab legs at the Crow's Nest, the pepper steak at the Double Musky, and the Alaska snow-crab-stuffed roasted cod at Glacier Brewhouse.

Planning tip: Evening reservations are a good idea for any of the top restaurants in town, except at Moose's Tooth, where you'll have to come early and wait your turn.

12. Take in a show at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is the beating heart of Anchorage's arts scene. Working in conjunction with the Anchorage Concert Association, the PAC, as it's known, hosts internationally recognized musical acts such as Stomp, the Piano Guys and International Guitar Night. It also supports numerous plays, ballets and comedy acts each year, including the raunchy Puddles Pity Party, a local favorite.

13. Learn about Alaska Native Culture

Anchorage is located on the homelands of the Dena'ina Athabascan people, one of 11 distinct Indigenous cultures in this part of Alaska. Learn about them all at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where you can see Alaska Native dance and storytelling demonstrations, tour life-size traditional dwellings and browse authentic Alaska Native art. It's a fascinating introduction to the ancestral culture of this region.

Planning tip: The center opens to the public during the summer season; if you come out of season, private tours can be scheduled from October to mid-May.

14. Engage with the Alaskan arts scene at the Anchorage Museum

The Anchorage Museum has undergone significant renovations over the last few years, and it's evolved into the leading cultural center in Anchorage. Discover the story of the state at the permanent Alaska exhibition, or fall in love with the art of the north. Embrace your inner child by making gigantic bubbles, stop-motion animation and Lego sculptures in the museum's Discovery Center, and don't forget to take an out-of-this-world journey in the large planetarium.

Planning tip: The best time to visit is the first Friday of the month, when local artists take over for pop-up performances, discussions and art demonstrations.

15. Take a carriage ride through Bootlegger's Cove

A favorite experience for Alaskan couples, the Horse-Drawn Carriage Company's tour through Bootlegger's Cove offers views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range. Passengers ride in an antique falling-front Brougham carriage from 1893 that seats up to 12, pulled by Percheron draft horses. Upon request, your driver will gleefully recount scandalous stories about past residents while current residents warmly wave – or even give away bouquets of fresh-cut flowers from their gardens – as you pass by.

16. Party at an Anchorage dive bar

Unlike many metropolitan cities in the Lower 48, Anchorage isn't known for its racy nightlife – in fact, people here prefer a casual evening at one of the city's many dive bars over hitting the dance floor at a fancy club. But that doesn't mean you can't have fun after dark.

One of Anchorage's most famous (and notorious) nightspots, Chilkoot Charlie's – aka Koot's – has three stages for live music and 10 bars catering to every vibe. There's even a tilted bar covered in women's underwear, and visitors are encouraged to pin theirs on the wall.

The Gaslight and Van's Dive Bar are also worth checking out – both are frequented by locals most days of the week, and there’s never a cover charge.

Planning tip: If you have the chance, catch a show by homegrown Anchorage band The Jephries for a truly authentic Alaskan experience – just be ready to join the inevitable mosh pit!