Things to do in Alaska
Sort
Juneau: Whale Watching Tour & Guaranteed SightingsYou’ll head out from Juneau with local guides who know where to find whales — and yes, you really will see them. Feel the sea air as humpbacks surface nearby, snack on board, and swap stories on your way back to town. It’s not just whale watching; it’s that feeling of being tiny in all the best ways.
Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching with PickupYou explore Mendenhall Glacier on your own for 45 minutes, then board a heated jet boat with a naturalist guide to search for humpback whales in their natural habitat. The company guarantees whale sightings. Roundtrip pickup from the cruise terminal is included, along with water, snacks, and live commentary on board.Is it for me?Book this if you're on a cruise stop and want to see both the glacier and whales without arranging separate transport or timing — the pickup from the terminal and fixed itinerary mean you're back at the ship on schedule.
Anchorage: Wilderness, Wildlife & Portage Glacier Day TripYou’ll leave Anchorage behind for a day trip into Alaska’s wildest corners—watch brown bears at the conservation center, glide past Portage Glacier (cruise optional), and walk through alpine meadows with your local guide sharing stories along the way. Expect laughter, quiet moments by icy water, and that feeling of being small beneath endless sky.
Ketchikan Duck Tour: Amphibious bus and boat combinedThe Ketchikan Duck Tour is a 90-minute amphibious bus and boat tour that takes you through the rustic streets of Ketchikan, then splashes into the calm, protected waters of the harbor. A live guide narrates the route with entertainment and trivia; you stay seated throughout, and the tour stays in the Inside Passage without venturing into open ocean.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to see both Ketchikan's downtown and its harbor without switching between two separate vehicles or managing multiple departure times—the amphibious format handles both in one continuous ride with a single guide.
Anchorage Trolley: 1-Hour City Tour & Seaplane ViewsYou board a narrated trolley for a 15-mile loop through Anchorage's defining sites: seaplanes at Lake Hood and Lake Spenard, the 1964 earthquake's visible scars at Earthquake Park, the historic Railroad Depot, and Captain Cook Monument overlooking Cook Inlet. A local guide narrates throughout, and you get a coupon book for 40+ nearby businesses. The whole tour runs one hour.Is it for me?Book this if you have an hour in Anchorage and want to understand the city's layout and history without arranging separate transportation or planning multiple stops—the trolley does the routing and the guide does the explaining.
Juneau: Whale Watching Cruise & Glacier View with PickupYou’ll ride out from Juneau with a local guide, watch for whales from a comfy double-decker boat (with snacks), and stop at Brotherhood Bridge to see Mendenhall Glacier shimmering in the distance. Expect salty air, maybe some laughter over mispronounced names, and that quiet awe when a whale surfaces nearby.
Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise: Icebergs & WhalesThis 6-hour glacier and wildlife cruise departs from Seward and travels through Resurrection Bay into Kenai Fjords National Park to reach an actively calving tidewater glacier—either Holgate or Aialik—in Aialik Bay. An experienced captain narrates the route and points out whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins and other wildlife as you float among icebergs and watch for calving events. The cruise includes reserved heated cabin seating, binoculars, onboard naturalist narration, a deli lunch with sandwich options (turkey, roast beef, or vegetarian), and water, coffee and tea. You choose between a morning departure at 8:00 a.m. or an afternoon departure at 11:30 a.m., and should arrive one hour before your scheduled time.Is it for me?Book the morning cruise if you want the calmest water and best light for photographing icebergs and wildlife; the afternoon departure suits a later arrival in Seward or a preference to start your day elsewhere first. Both routes visit the same glacier and wildlife areas—the difference is timing and water conditions.
Anchorage Trolley Tour: Earthquake Park, Lake Hood & Ship CreekAnchorage Trolley's Deluxe City Tour is a guided trolley ride covering 20 miles of the city in 1.5 to 2 hours, with stops where you step off to explore Earthquake Park, Lake Hood, Ship Creek, and Point Woronzof. Your guide shares stories of Alaska's history tied to each landmark—the 1964 earthquake that reshaped the terrain, the floatplanes that take off and land on the water, the salmon runs anglers work, and the panoramic views that frame the city. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle and a coupon booklet worth around $200 in local savings.Is it for me?You get a guided overview of Anchorage's history and landmarks without arranging your own transport or timing—the trolley's fixed route and live guide handle the navigation and storytelling, so you sit back and absorb the city at a comfortable pace.
Snowmobile Ride Fairbanks Alaska: 60 Minutes Frozen BackcountryYou arrive thirty minutes early for a mandatory safety briefing and gear check, then ride a snowmobile for sixty minutes across frozen lakes, rivers, and mountain trails in the Chena Lakes Recreation Area near Fairbanks. A professional guide leads the route, and you finish with complimentary hot chocolate and snacks to warm up. Drivers must be at least eighteen with a valid license; children seven and up can ride as passengers.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride a snowmobile through real Alaskan backcountry without arranging your own machine, learning safety on your own, or figuring out which frozen lakes are safe to cross—the guide handles all three, and the fixed sixty-minute route means you know exactly what you're getting.
Mendenhall Glacier Lake Canoe Tour from JuneauMendenhall Glacier Lake Canoe Tour is a 4-hour guided paddle across Mendenhall Lake in Tongass National Forest, starting from the cruise ship docks in Juneau. You gear up in waterproof rain jacket, pants, boots and gloves, receive paddling instruction, then spend about 2 hours on the water navigating to the face of the glacier under expert guidance. The guide handles transport to the West Glacier boat launch, provides a PFD and paddle, and brings bottled water, snacks and a hot beverage. Children from age 12 are welcome; you'll need a signed liability waiver and a high level of physical fitness for up to 2 hours of canoe paddling.Is it for me?Choose this if you want a guided paddle on Mendenhall Lake with a small group—the guide leads the route and handles safety, so you focus on paddling and wildlife spotting rather than navigating.
North Pole: Dog Sledding Tour & Alaskan Huskies MeetYou’ll feel that rush as Alaskan Huskies pull you through snowy forests near North Pole with your guide steering by voice command. There’s time to meet and pet the dog team, snap photos mid-trail, and warm up in all the winter layers provided — it’s more personal than you’d expect.
Juneau Whale Tour: 3.5 Hours & Glacier Views, Small GroupsYou board a heated catamaran with 19 other people max, spend 2.25 hours watching for whales and sea lions from a full walk-around deck, and return via complimentary bus. The small group size and custom-built vessel mean you're not competing for space or views, and the naturalist guide has time to explain what you're actually seeing instead of just pointing.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Juneau's whales and glaciers without arranging your own transport or competing for deck space — the small group size and included bus pickup handle both, which is what makes a short port stop feel unhurried.
Fairbanks: Riverboat Discovery Cruise & Chena Village TourYou’ll board a Fairbanks riverboat for three hours of real Alaska—watch floatplanes take off beside you, meet champion sled dogs at Susan Butcher’s kennels, and walk through Chena Indian Village with an Athabascan guide. Fresh blueberry donuts and coffee are served onboard. You’ll leave with hands smelling faintly of spruce—and maybe a new story or two.
Mendenhall Glacier canoe and hike tour from JuneauThe Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour is a guided canoe and hiking experience in Juneau that combines paddling across Mendenhall Lake past icebergs and waterfalls with a 60-minute interpretive hike on the moraine directly facing the glacier. The tour operates in the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States, and includes expert guides, all safety gear, transportation from downtown, and refreshments; space is limited to small groups.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to paddle across a glacier-fed lake and hike the moraine in front of the ice itself—the small-group format and expert guides mean the day is fully arranged, and the combination of canoe work and steep hiking is what makes this Juneau's most physically demanding glacier adventure.
Kenai Fjords: Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise & Glacier ViewsYou’ll board in Seward for a half-day wildlife cruise through Resurrection Bay—with flexible routes based on real-time sightings. Expect close-up views of whales, sea otters, puffins, and Bear Glacier while your captain shares stories and tips. Binoculars and hot drinks keep you cozy as you scan for wildlife—and there’s always that one moment that surprises you.
Fairbanks: Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs with Ice MuseumYou get hotel pickup from Fairbanks, a guided tour of the Aurora Ice Museum with its ice bar, access to the outdoor hot springs and indoor pools at Chena Hot Springs Resort, a dinner reservation at the resort restaurant, and small-group aurora viewing with a local guide. The whole evening runs until after midnight, and you return to your hotel with the possibility of extra stops if the lights are active.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the Northern Lights without arranging transport, museum entry, or hot springs access separately—the fixed pickup and guide handle all three, and the late-night timing puts you in the best window for aurora viewing.
Kenai Fjords Glacier & Wildlife Cruise from SewardA six-hour wildlife and glacier cruise departing from Seward navigates Resurrection Bay and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, with an onboard guide, lunch and access to either Aialik or Holgate Glacier. The boat departs at 11:30 AM; same-day train arrivals running late may miss this departure, though a 12:30 PM Resurrection Bay option exists as backup. Dress in layers; binoculars and a camera are worth bringing.Is it for me?The fixed 11:30 AM departure and six-hour round trip fit a single afternoon without competing with other Seward activities, and the onboard guide means you learn what you're looking at instead of scanning the water and guessing.
Juneau Whale Watch: Humpback & Orca with Mendenhall GlacierYou ride a coach bus from downtown Juneau to Auke Bay Harbor, then spend two hours on a heated, custom-built whale boat with a naturalist guide watching humpbacks and orcas feed. The boat stops for a photo of Mendenhall Glacier, and snacks are provided. The whole experience takes three hours, with guaranteed whale sightings during the May–September season.Is it for me?A good choice if you want to see humpbacks and orcas without arranging your own transport or timing—the fixed schedule and guaranteed sightings (May–September) mean you board a bus downtown and spend two hours on the water with a guide who knows where to look.
Denali ATV Tour: Ride Wilderness Trails at SpeedA 2.5-hour ATV tour through Denali National Park where you ride automatic single or multi-passenger ATVs along wilderness trails at speeds up to 30 mph, crossing rocky creek beds and stopping at scenic overlooks of the Alaska Range, Otto Lake, and Healy Valley. A professional guide leads the group, provides a safety course before departure, and points out wildlife and photo opportunities. Hotel pickup is included; you choose your ATV size at checkout (single rider, or side-by-side for 2, 3, 4, or 6 passengers). No riding experience is required, and the terrain suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Book a single-rider ATV if you want to feel every turn and creek crossing yourself; choose a side-by-side if you're bringing family or friends and want everyone on one machine with weather protection.
Ketchikan Photo Safari: 3-Hour Guided Tour with Totem ParkThe Ketchikan Photo Safari is a 3-hour guided tour for small groups of 2–9 travelers that combines photography instruction with Southeast Alaska Native culture and local history. You'll visit Creek Street, the Totem Heritage Center, Potlatch Park and Thomas Basin with a professional guide who shares easy camera tips alongside stories about traditional carving, totem symbolism and Ketchikan's fishing heritage. The guide meets you at the cruise ship berth or arranges pickup from Ward Cove, and the itinerary shifts with weather and light, so no two departures are quite the same.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to come away with better photos and a real understanding of what you're looking at—the guide teaches you both at once, and the small group size means you're not rushing through. If you're traveling with children from age 1, they're welcome; infants sit on an adult's lap and the moderate pace works for families who want to move at a steady clip without scrambling.
