In July, Chris and I decided to celebrate his 60th birthday with an Alaskan adventure. Neither of us enjoy cruises, so instead of the ever-popular Alaskan cruise, we decided to set up a base camp for ourselves in Anchorage, and we took day trips from there. We did spend one night in the charming port city of Seward. Even though you could make that visit a day trip as well, we decided that we wanted to enjoy a more leisurely pace (and squeeze in an additional adventure as you’ll see below), so we spent the night.

Okay, so let’s dig into 8 unforgettable adventures you can enjoy in and around Anchorage.

This remote national preserve brims with stunning beauty from its gorgeous turquoise waters to its craggy snow-clad mountain peaks. Lake Clark preserves the ancestral homelands of the Dena’ina people, an intact ecosystem at the headwaters of the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, and a rich cultural wilderness. It’s only accessible by boat or small aircraft.

I know this is a strange way to start out, but for this particular day trip I’m only recommending it with a great big fat caveat. This was a great experience if you’re primarily interested in soaking up breathtaking scenery both from the air and inside secluded Lake Clark National Park, as well as for seeing bears in their natural habitat. However, if you’re really hoping to capture great photographs of bears, this isn’t the best choice. (I have a much, much better suggestion down below.

The seven-hour expedition takes off from Anchorage. You’ll fly in a plane that seats a maximum of four people, plus the pilot. Our pilot flew us above shimmering seas, lush grassland, and ethereal white-crested peaks. We skimmed the shoreline of Lake Clark and landed on a beach before heading to a standard spot they have set up for bear viewing. We saw several bears from afar grazing on sedge grass.

Pilots will also fly you to other spots during the day-long excursion, such as Chinitna Bay, Silver Salmon Creek, or Spring Point. In these locations you’ll enjoy a provided lunch, and ideally more bear viewing.

The Alaska Air Service website claims they offer the “best bear-viewing destination” in all of Alaska. And some excursions do result in getting up close and personal with bears. However, since Chris and I are both avid photographers and were hoping to capture some memorable shots, we were extremely disappointed that we never got closer than a quarter mile away from the bears. And even though Chris had a 600mm zoom, our best photos were still frustratingly blurry. If you’re perfectly happy keeping your distance though, you’ll likely enjoy this excursion immensely.

TIP: Wear layers, and shoes that can get dirty and keep your feet warm, because you’ll be hiking through parkland. And the weather can change a lot during the day.

Website Alaska Air Service
Cost: $930 per person
Duration: 6-7 hours
Season: May – September

This is an extremely unusual small town. And when I say small, I mean small – as in nearly the entire population of 265 people lives in this one building, along with the town grocery store and school. The town is located 58 miles southeast of Anchorage, and it’s the gateway to beautiful Prince William Sound.

This was the first of two glacier cruises we took, and it operates out of Whittier. If you have a tendency toward seasickness, but you still really want to get great views of Alaskan glaciers, this is the cruise for you. They even offer an industry exclusive “no seasickness guarantee”! The cruise route explores 130 miles of Prince William Sound, taking you past 26 glaciers, including College and Harriman fjords. The captain navigated through ice-filled waters, allowing us to view the glaciers and witness marine life.

You’ll journey inside the comfortable heated cabin of a catamaran, where you’re seated in groups of four with a table between you for enjoying the complimentary hot lunch, coffee, tea, and water.  (Be sure to try their signature cocktail made with glacier ice!) You can head out onto the deck to snap photos of the gorgeous panoramas whenever you like.

Tip: You must drive through the Anton Anderson Memorial tunnel to get from Anchorage to Whittier. It’s 2.5 miles long and it alternates one-way traffic, switching direction every half hour. So, be sure to time your drive to Whittier with that in mind.

Website: Phillips Cruises
Cost: $199 per person
Duration: 5.25 hours
Season: May – October

Perched on the edge of Resurrection Bay, this port city on the Kenai Peninsula fjord of the Gulf of Alaska has a charming downtown full of shops and restaurants. It’s about 125 miles south of Anchorage. You can make a few stops along the way if you want, including Portage Glacier and Girdwood.

This was a highlight of our trip and worth every penny! I can’t recommend it highly enough. The company operates out of Seward. Our guide Jake provided us with comfortable dry suits, neoprene water shoes and gloves, life jackets, helmets, and goggles. He trained us in how to operate the jet skis and then…we were off! We flew over the unbelievably turquoise waters of Resurrection Bay, glittering in the sunlight. As puffins flew right over our heads, Jake took us to explore the treasures of the bay, including magical Spire Cove. (The cove in the background of the pic!)

We rode up alongside soaring cliff faces and waterfalls. We got really close to floating otters and lounging sea lions (way closer than we did on the Glacier cruise!). Jake was a knowledgeable guide and shared lots of interesting details about the area. Bonus: Jake takes loads of GoPro pics of you and everything you see – and it’s all included! – so you have lovely video and photos to remember your adventure.

Website: Jet Ski Seward Adventures
Cost: $420
Duration: 4 hours
Minimum age: 16
Season: May – September

This Seward-based company offers 4-hour, 6-hour, and 7.5-hour Kenai Fjords glacier cruises. We opted for the 7.5-hour one. Warning though: If you’re prone to seasickness, you’ll likely need to use a full arsenal to combat it. That’s because this particular cruise heads out into the Gulf of Alaska, whereas the other two cruises don’t. But guys! It’s worth it for the marine life and natural beauty you’ll get to see up close!

I would describe this cruise as much more rugged than the Phillips 26 Glaciers Cruise. It’s a smaller boat and the seating is less cushy/comfy; we traveled with about 30 people. The boat could hold more travelers, but I think it would feel more crowded when sitting in your seats. Everyone is kind of all packed in together around tables. But honestly, you’re up and down so much, moving around the deck to see the sites, it’s not a big issue. This cruise also served a deli lunch, and later, a big, delicious brownie or cookie.

The cruise allowed us to spend lots of time in front of two active tidewater glaciers: Holgate and Aialik. The knowledgeable captain narrated the cruise and let us know the second he spotted wildlife so we could get on deck right away to see it. The first mate on our cruise was a naturalist and a professional photographer who allowed us all to pick his brain as much as we wanted. It was wonderful!

We saw SO. MANY. breaching orca and humpback whales! And the talented captain was able to steer us into nooks and crannies where we could practically touch hidden waterfalls flowing down the mountain faces, take clear shots of majestic bald eagles on the shoreline, and view rookeries that were home to thousands of nesting seabirds. We saw Stellar sea lions, harbor seals floating on ice chunks, puffins, and more.

On top of this, you get even closer than big ships can take you to the beautiful calving glaciers. They crack like thunder just before massive chunks fall off into the ocean, causing our boat to rock as the resultant waves hit us. We learned that many of these calving glaciers are not caused by global warming but rather the natural process of retreating glaciers.

Tip: Wear warm, layered clothing and warm, waterproof boots with really good traction because the deck gets slick with water!

Website: Major Marine
Cost: $245 per person
Duration: 7.5 hours
Season: May – September

It rained most of the time we were in Alaska. I know that on the surface that sounds terrible, but it really brought out Alaska’s beauty in unique ways. One day, though, we had a clear, sunny day. Chris knew that these are the only type of days where you can get a clear view of Denali. So, we decided to take advantage of that fact. Typically, it’s a challenge to see Denali from afar. During the summer especially, clouds and fog can shroud the mountain, and it’s so large that it actually can create its own weather. But if you encounter a clear day…you should go for it!

Driving to Denali itself would be more than a day trip from Anchorage. since it’s a 4- to 5-hour drive, and an 8-hour train ride away.

But!

Denali Viewpoint South is just under a 2.5-hour drive away. The panoramas from this location are fantastic in the summer, with native bright fuchsia fireweed in the foreground and the alabaster pinnacles of Denali in the distance. An easy-to-navigate concrete path leads you to the lower viewpoint, and the upper viewpoint is accessible by a gravel trail.

Catching sight of “The Great One” – the tallest peak in North America and one of the largest massifs in the world – was so special. The 20,310-foot dazzling white behemoth dominates the horizon like nothing else.

We stopped at this small town on the way back from Denali, and it is super cute. Local artisans sell their wares in an outdoor market in the summer. Charming shops, galleries, and eateries line the streets. It’s a popular spot for mountain climbers, serving as the staging area for over 1,000 climbers who attempt to climb Denali each year. It’s located at the confluence of three major rivers, so it also offers a multitude of water sports like guided river rafting, boat tours, and sport fishing. You can even book flightseeing tours from here.

There are two things you must do when you visit this town – aside from exploring the shops.

One: Keep your eyes peeled for a bright silver airstream on Main Street with a huge “Spinach Bread” sign on top of it. Then go get their Spinach Bread! I promise you, it’s worth the carbs.

Two: stop at Shirley’s Northern Lights Gourmet Ice Cream shop to try Fireweed Ice Cream. It’s delicious and unique! Shirley got the fireweed recipe 15 years ago from an Alaska Native while visiting Chitina. She won’t reveal the secret, but it does have fireweed in it!

Wedged between 5,000-ft. peaks on the traditional homelands of the Dena’ina Athabascan people and the Native Village of Eklutna, the Big Apple of the north offers the perfect blend of wild Alaska beauty and convenient urban comforts.

Now, I recognize that Anchorage itself can’t count as a day trip. But we took two incredible Alaska photography tours from here that I just have to share with you!

Calling all photography buffs! This company offers guided photography tours that allow you to capture the stunning natural beauty of Alaska. I admit, Chris and I were pretty disappointed when we woke up to a forecast of rain all day for this photography tour. But our delightful guide, Terry, picked us up at our Airbnb, and she allowed us to see the real treasures that come amid Alaska’s natural wonders in the rain. She gave us easy-to-use tips that have enhanced our photographs ever since!

We chose the Turnagain Arm Highlights tour. Terry shared much about the area’s history as she took us to Turnagain Arm, Chugach National Forest, and Chugach State Park along with multiple hidden gems. We took gorgeous shots of mountain streams, waterfalls, the coastal mudflats, and more.

Tip: Dress for the weather and rugged hiking.

Website: Alaska Photo Treks
Cost: $209 per person
Duration: 5 hours
Season: May – October

This was another highlight of our trip. For Chris, it was the highlight. Because he finally got to realize his dream of getting up close and personal with the bears. (And yes, we really did close enough to take that shot! It was awesome!) The company offers all-inclusive small group Alaska wildlife photo tours. Our uber-experienced guide was the business owner, Ron Levy. He’s a 45-year Alaska resident, former park ranger, and professional wildlife/conservation photographer. His company offers custom tours at affordable prices – everything from multi-day overnight adventures to bear-hunting day trips like the one we arranged.

Ron and his able assistant / son Alec – who was an expert bear spotter! – picked us up at our Airbnb and took us on a day-long adventure to hunt for bears. They drove us to Cooper Landing (about 1 hour and 50 minutes from Anchorage) because Ron knew the bears would be on the hunt for salmon along the Kenai River that flows through Russian River Falls Nature Preserve there.

Within moments of arriving, we spotted our first bear!

They took us to other beautiful locations as well. The company offers a wide array of different photo adventures. I highly recommend checking out their website to see all they have on offer.

Website: Alaska Photo Adventures
Cost: Varies (as low as $299 per person/per day)
Duration: Varies
Season: Year round

There are loads of great dining venues in downtown Anchorage. I’m going to share two of our favorites here.

While this venue and the next one aren’t day trips, they’ll definitely enhance the “flavor” of your Alaskan experience. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun!)

Forty-ninth State Brewing is a downtown restaurant that offers a diverse menu of delicious food as well as a huge selection of award-winning beer and whiskies. The staff was friendly and efficient, and it quickly became our favorite restaurant. On our first night there, after a long day of traveling, I was in the mood for comfort food. I can tell you that their gooey King Crabby grilled cheese hit the spot. Their creamy Alaska Seafood Chowder is full of fresh Alaskan King Salmon, Kachemak Bay Halibut, and tender clams. It’s renowned by the locals we chatted with as the best seafood chowder in the area. And I agree!

Website: 49th State Brewing

This is a nice upper scale restaurant in downtown Anchorage. It serves prime aged steaks and fresh, innovative seafood dishes. They offer tasty shareables to start your meal, like their warm brie in a Macadamia nut crust served with sliced apples, balsamic reduction, fruit compote and orange-blossom honey. Yum! The spinach salad and crab-stuffed halibut served with beurre blanc were delicious!

Tip: I know this sounds a little crazy but dress in layers. It was a lovely ambiance, but it gets hot inside this venue when the sun is shining because there’s no AC, and they have a lot of nice big windows for taking in the view.

Website: Simon & Seafort’s

1. If you travel in July like we did, you’ll want to bring along a couple pairs of shorts and tank tops, as well as warm, waterproof pants, gloves, hats, and coats you can layer based on the weather. Because we found that when it’s cold, it’s cold, but when it’s hot, it can get really hot. We experienced a lot of crazy temperature swings. I brought my Lululemon Down For It All jacket, as well as a lined, hooded waterproof jacket that I could layer over it in the event of rain. Those two jackets with a shirt and sweatshirt underneath were perfect for the glacier cruises. I could put on all the layers or peel them off as the weather changed.

2. Definitely bring warm waterproof boots! I bought these on Amazon. Apparently, they’re what all the native Alaskans wear and I blended right in. Ha, ha!

3. And these waterproof leggings were also perfect for the weather!

4. Major big tip: Make dinner reservations in advance! We kept forgetting to do this and one night we were so desperate and hungry we ended up going to the grocery store to get some deli food for dinner because every restaurant we tried was full until after 10:00 p.m.

Now, go book your trip. You’ll have an unforgettable experience!