Things to do in Alaska
Sort
Fairbanks: Arctic Circle Day Trip & Northern Lights TourYou’ll ride north from Fairbanks with a local guide, cross into the Arctic Circle (with your own photo at that famous sign), walk along Alaska’s wild riverbank, and share hot drinks while waiting for the Northern Lights to appear overhead. Expect small surprises—a joke from your guide or just how cold your fingers get—and moments of real quiet under those wild northern skies.
Skagway Scooter Gold Rush Adventure: 3-Hour RideYou ride 18 miles along the Taiya Inlet with a guide leading a group of up to eight, stopping at the Chilkoot Trail, Gold Rush Cemetery, and Reid Falls. The 3-hour tour includes helmet, rain gear, fuel, and a guide who knows the route and the history. You need a valid driver's license and must be at least 18 to ride.Is it for me?Book this if you want to cover Skagway's Gold Rush history in one morning or afternoon without planning the route yourself or worrying about where to stop — the fixed schedule and small group size mean you spend your time riding and looking, not navigating.
Ice Fishing at Chena Lake: Learn from Local GuidesYou’ll meet your guide right at Chena Lake for a real Alaskan ice fishing day — drilling your own hole, warming up in cozy shelters with hot drinks, and grilling your catch for supper. There’s plenty of help if you’re new (like I was), plus all the gear is ready for you. It’s less about big catches and more about sharing laughs and stories in the crisp winter air.Is it for me?Learn ice fishing from year-round professional guides in heated shelters, then grill and eat your own catch—a genuine Alaskan tradition made accessible and comfortable.
Juneau: Alaska Native Totem Tour & Mt. Roberts Tram ComboYou’ll step among ancient totems in Juneau with a local guide sharing real family stories, ride the Mt. Roberts Tram up through misty forest, and taste fresh Alaskan flavors over lunch with mountain views. It’s not just sightseeing—it’s feeling history under your fingers and hearing it in someone’s voice.
Anchorage Aurora Tour: Northern Lights Photos from ChugachThis is the longest-running northern lights photo tour in the Anchorage area, running from August through late April. A professional photographer guide picks you up at your hotel and takes you to viewing locations in and around Chugach State Park—Glen Alps trailhead, Mt. Baldy, and the Palmer area near Hatcher Pass—where you'll photograph the aurora and learn the science behind it. No photography experience is required. The tour runs only if the daily forecast shows a chance of seeing the northern lights, and if you don't see them, you get a free make-up tour. You can reserve multiple nights and pay 48 hours before each departure.Is it for me?The 6-hour commitment means you can't fit this into a half-day itinerary, but it also means you're not rushed—you have time to reach multiple viewing spots and wait for the aurora to move across the sky instead of chasing it from one location to another. Book multiple nights across your stay and only pay 48 hours before each one, so you can chase clear forecasts without locking in the full cost upfront.
Sitka whale watching tour: Humpback, gray & killer whalesA two-hour whale watching tour in Sitka Sound led by local guides who know the waters and the animals that live in them. The boat explores the pristine coastline around Tongass National Forest, where humpback, gray and killer whales share the water with sea lions, sea otters, bald eagles and puffins. No sightings are guaranteed; the wildlife you encounter depends on the season and the weather on the day you go.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see whales without the guesswork of where to find them—a local guide who knows the sound removes the planning and puts you on the water where the animals actually are.
Skagway: Yukon Suspension Bridge & White Pass SummitYou ride through the White Pass to waterfalls and glacier-carved overlooks, then cross the Yukon Suspension Bridge into Canada on foot. The tour includes bridge admission, a professional guide, live commentary on the bus, and pickup from downtown Skagway. It's a half-day commitment with a fixed departure time, so plan your morning around the schedule and bring your passport.Is it for me?Book this if you're docked in Skagway for the morning and want to see the White Pass and cross into Canada without renting a car or navigating the border yourself — the fixed schedule and included transport mean you're back in time for lunch or an afternoon activity.
Skagway Husky Puppy Tour: Play Time at Remote Sled Dog CampThis guided tour from Skagway takes you up the Klondike Highway to Tutshi Sled Dog Camp in the Canadian tundra, where you spend unhurried time playing with and petting future Iditarod and Yukon Quest sled dog puppies. The van picks you up at the cruise ship dock, stops at Pitchfork Falls, the White Pass summit, and historical Gold Rush sites along the way, with a live English-speaking guide narrating the route. The puppy play time is the centerpiece—no cart ride, no educational lecture, just time with the dogs and their handlers.Is it for me?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the narration and the history without translation. Book this one if you want puppy time without the cart ride or the educational lecture—the time at the camp goes entirely to playing with the dogs and meeting the handlers.
Anchorage City Highlights Tour: Earthquake Park, Lake Hood & Scenic OverlookYou’ll trace Anchorage’s wild edges—from salmon fishermen at Ship Creek to floatplanes buzzing Lake Hood—with stories from a local guide. Walk through Earthquake Park where history left its mark, then look out over Cook Inlet from Glen Alps overlook. Even with pickup included and everything wrapped up in two hours, you’ll leave feeling like you actually met Anchorage.
Melbourne: Distillery Tour & Signature Bottle Infusion ClassYou’ll explore Melbourne’s historic fire station-turned-distillery with a local guide, taste house-made spirits, then craft your own custom-infused bottle using native botanicals. Expect laughter, hands-on blending (label included), and a keepsake spirit to share—or keep for yourself—long after you leave.
Yukon: Self-Drive Day Trip with Audio Guide & CarcrossYou’ll set your own rhythm on this Yukon day trip—windows down, narrated stories guiding you past waterfalls and wild valleys toward Carcross village. Sip coffee by Lake Bennett, walk barefoot in Canada’s smallest desert, then pause at Emerald Lake’s unreal colors before heading back with your own playlist of memories.
Anchorage: Wildlife Center & Portage Glaciers with Beluga WhalesYou get picked up in Anchorage and driven to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see rescued bears, moose, wolves and eagles on 200 acres of habitat, then continue to Portage Valley to see five hanging glaciers and walk through rainforest. The route along Turnagain Arm offers chances to spot beluga whales, Dall sheep and bald eagles. Entry, a professional guide, and bottled water are included, with round-trip transport from your hotel.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to see Alaska's rescued wildlife and glaciers without arranging your own transport or paying separate entry fees—the guide handles the route and the timing, leaving you to watch for whales and focus on the landscape.
Seward: Exit Glacier Ice Hike with Pickup & LunchYou’ll start your day in Seward with a local guide leading you through mossy forests up to Exit Glacier’s shimmering blue ice. Feel the crunch under your boots, learn stories of Alutiiq history, and share a simple lunch surrounded by wild silence. It’s more than a hike — it’s a memory that lingers long after you return.
Skagway: City & Mountain Summit Tour with Alaska Sign StopsYou’ll ride from Skagway’s quirky streets up into wild mountain country with a local guide who brings gold rush history alive. Expect stops at the Welcome to Alaska sign (yes, it’s worth it), roaring waterfalls, and Tormented Valley’s surreal landscape. It’s not just scenery—it’s stories, weather on your skin, and moments you’ll carry home.
Mendenhall Glacier Sea Kayaking in Alaska: Two-Person KayaksSea kayaking activity in Alaska where you paddle a stable two-person kayak to view Mendenhall Glacier from the ocean, explore the Mendenhall Wetlands, and watch for wildlife including bald eagles, seals and whales. An experienced guide teaches paddling technique before departure and provides snacks and stories about the area on the return. The glacier view depends on weather; low clouds or fog can obscure it.Is it for me?Book this for paddlers who want to see a glacier from the water and don't mind two hours of active paddling—the ocean vantage point is the only way to see Mendenhall's full scale except from a plane.
Anchorage: Mount Alyeska Tram & Wildlife Center TourYou ride an aerial tram 2,300 feet up Mount Alyeska, spend free time at the summit, then visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see rescued grizzlies, moose, and caribou with a guided introduction and self-paced exploration. Transport from Anchorage, snacks, water, and all entry fees are included; the 5.5–6 hour tour handles logistics so you focus on the views and the animals.Is it for me?Pick this if you want the main Anchorage-area highlights — mountain views, a tram ride, and rescued wildlife — without arranging separate transport and tickets; the fixed itinerary handles the logistics so you just show up and move through the day.
Fairbanks: Arctic Circle Drive & Dalton Highway Winter TourYou drive 200 miles north on the Dalton Highway with a professional guide, stop at the Yukon River twice, see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and reach the Arctic Circle Monument at Milepost 115 where you receive an official certificate. The day includes guide commentary and a lunch stop, with the return journey happening mostly in darkness during winter months. Dress for cold and variable weather, and arrive by 9:15 AM for check-in.Is it for me?This works well if you want to reach the Arctic Circle without arranging your own vehicle or navigation on the Dalton Highway — the guide handles the drive and the stops, and the fixed schedule gets you to the monument and back to Fairbanks in one day. Winter darkness and remote terrain are part of the experience, not obstacles.
Ketchikan: Private Wildlife & Totem Tour with PickupYou’ll ride through Ketchikan with a local guide, watching for eagles and maybe black bears at Herring Cove before feeling mist from a roadside waterfall. Walk among hand-carved totems at Potlatch Park and hear stories that linger long after you leave. Pickup is included so you can just show up and let Alaska surprise you.
Talkeetna: Mush Your Own Sled Dog Team & Meet Iditarod HuskiesYou’ll steer your own Alaskan husky team through snowy birch forests near Talkeetna with an experienced musher leading the way. Meet Iditarod champion sled dogs at Dallas Seavey’s racing kennel, play with future champions—the puppies—and feel that wild northern silence broken only by eager barks. It’s more real than you expect.
Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier, Whale Watching & Salmon BakeYou’ll breathe glacier air at Mendenhall, watch humpbacks break the surface in Auke Bay with your naturalist guide, and end up sharing stories around an open-fire salmon bake deep in Juneau’s forest. Expect laughter, smoky flavors, and moments you’ll remember long after you leave Alaska.
