Ten Best Places to Visit In Alaska

Alaska vacation ideas include seeing the Northern Lights, incredible parks and beautiful romantic towns.

Best Things To Do In Alaska

There are many adventurous things to do in Alaska such as skiing, mountain biking, and kayaking, that are sure to bring alive the wild and mysterious spirit of adventure within you.

Alaska is famous for the Iditarod, gold mining, sourdough, the Alaska Railroad, aviation, Alaska Native heritage, homesteading, world-class fishing and seafood, outdoor adventures, fresh air, and a slower, more self-sufficient way of life. This list you guide you to the ten best places to visit in Alaska.

1. Anchorage

Between mountains and an inlet, surrounded by national parks and filled with Alaska wildlife, Anchorage combines the best of Alaska: Experience a city with wide-open spaces, all the comforts of home, some of the coolest views in the state, and the warm hospitality of the Land of the Midnight Sun.

2. Juneau

Juneau Alaska stands on one of the largest wilderness areas in the United States. Here you can spend your time viewing wildlife, taking the fishing trip of your life, exploring atop glaciers or enjoying the city’s shops, restaurants and artistic flare. Learn more about Juneau attractions, events and outdoor recreation.

3. North Pole

North Pole is a small Alaskan city, near Fairbanks. It’s known for its year-round Christmas decorations, including candy cane–striped street lights. Santa Claus House is a Christmas store with walls covered in children’s letters to Santa and a huge Santa statue outside. Streets have names like Kris Kringle Drive and Mistletoe Lane. Nearby, the Chena Lake Recreation Area has a beaches, nature trails and picnic areas.

4. One of the Eight National Parks

Note: Find guides to Alaska’s National Parks in our national park section.

Alaska’s national parks feature some of the most breathtaking natural scenery on the planet including massive glaciers, jaw-dropping mountain ranges, immense herds of Caribou, grizzly bears, bald eagles, wild salmon, and so much more.

5. Valdez

The main reason tourists visit Valdez is for the amazing wildlife and beautiful scenery. Whale watching, skiing, and glacier climbing are just some of the things you can expect to do if you are the adventurous type. Here are some of the top things to do on your next visit to Valdez, Alaska.

6. Ketchikan

Ketchikan is located on Revillagigedo Island in the Tongass National Forest, a 17-acre rainforest full of Sitka spruce, cedar, waterfalls, and diverse wildlife. Ketchikan is the southernmost Alaskan city backed by forested slopes of Deer Mountain and facing Tongass Narrows waterway, which is buzzing with fishing boats, floatplanes, ferries and barges.

7. Talkeetna

Snuggled at the base of Denali or Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in the country, Talkeetna is a historic town that is an excellent starting point from which to experience true Alaska. Just taking photos of the towering Alaska Range is a treat. Near Talkeetna, you can go fishing, hiking, skiing, mushing, and mountain climbing, take a ziplining tour, or visit great art galleries, excellent restaurants, and local craft breweries. Talkeetna is a frontier town like none other.

8.Seward

Seward is located at the foot of majestic Mount Marathon on the shore of Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. For centuries, Seward’s ice-free harbor has served for as a gateway to Alaska’s huge, wild and resource-rich interior. The town served as a natural starting point for gold seekers during the gold rush, and the dog sled trail that led from Seward to the gold fields in Iditarod is now the location of the famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

9. Adak Island

Adak Island is a volcanic island in the middle of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands’ long arc. Adak’s rough yet spectacular arctic landscapes, challenging climate, diverse plants and animals, and rich history make it an appealing destination for adventurous trekkers, birders, and hunters. All around, this is one of the best islands in Alaska to visit!

10. Baranof Island

Baranof Island, also known as Baranov or Sitka Island, is located in the Alaska Panhandle’s northern Alexander Archipelago. It is well-known for its brown bears and Sitka deer, and its primary businesses are fishing, seafood processing, and tourism.