Things to do in Alaska
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Denali Flightseeing Tour from Talkeetna: All 4 Sides & Glacier LandingYou fly in a small aircraft with a guaranteed window seat and two-way headset, circling Denali's four sides over 1.5 to 2 hours. You see the Kahiltna Glacier, Climber's Base Camp, the West Buttress climbing route, Ruth Glacier, the Great Gorge, and the Wickersham Wall. On the 2-hour option, the plane lands on a glacier. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to see all sides of Denali without hiking or climbing it yourself—the flight circles the mountain from base to summit and covers ground a ground-based tour cannot reach. The 1.5 to 2 hours in the air is what makes seeing the West Buttress, Kahiltna Glacier, Ruth Glacier, and the Wickersham Wall possible in a single morning.
Skagway & Yukon: Day Trip with Dog Mushing Camp & LunchYou’ll cross White Pass from Skagway into Yukon with a local guide who brings history to life, stop for photos at waterfalls and lakes, meet sled dogs and playful puppies at a mushing camp (with lunch included), and walk through Carcross Desert’s unexpected sand—all before heading back with new stories stuck in your head.
Ketchikan Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour with Lake LandingYou’ll board a classic seaplane in Ketchikan with an Alaskan pilot at the controls, soaring over Misty Fjords’ dramatic cliffs and hidden lakes. Land on a remote alpine lake or bay, step out into pure wilderness air, and feel what real quiet sounds like before flying back with new stories tucked away.
2-Hour Rainforest Walk & Totem Park Tour in KetchikanA 2-hour guided tour in Ketchikan combines a rainforest walk in the Tongass National Forest with a visit to Totem Bight State Historical Park, where you'll see Alaska Native totem poles and step inside a historic clan house. Groups stay under 11 people. Cruise ship dock pickup and drop-off are included, along with bottled water and a smoked salmon dip snack.Is it for me?Most rainforest tours in Ketchikan focus on the walk alone; this one pairs the forest with the totem poles and clan house, so you see both the land and the culture that shaped it in a single morning, with your ship's schedule already built in.
Lumberjack Show and Axe Throw Challenge in Southeast AlaskaLearn to throw a double bit axe and compete against other participants in southeast Alaska's Lumberjack Show and Axe Throw Challenge, which pairs live entertainment with hands-on instruction. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show features world champion athletes from Alaska and British Columbia competing in chopping, sawing, axe throwing, log rolling and a 50-foot tree climb, followed by your own axe throwing practice and competition. A licensed English-speaking guide leads the instruction; children are welcome from age 10.Is it for me?At two and a half hours, this fits into a half-day itinerary without consuming your whole afternoon, leaving room for other activities in southeast Alaska. The show and the throwing are both live and hands-on—you are not watching a video or a demonstration, and you are not sitting through a long lecture before you throw.
Sitka: Whale Watching & Wildlife Tour Small Boat PickupYou’ll board a cozy small boat in Sitka with a local captain who knows every cove and current. Watch for humpback whales surfacing close by, spot sea otters drifting past, listen for bald eagles overhead—and maybe catch sight of brown bears along the shore. Warm drinks and snacks keep you comfortable as you experience Alaska’s wild side up close.
Aurora Photography Tour Fairbanks: Professional Portraits & PizzaThis is a small-group aurora photography tour in Fairbanks led by Nathan, a professional portrait photographer with over 7 years of aurora experience and 25 years of Alaskan wilderness skills. You'll drive 15–40 miles north of the city to a viewing location, learn to photograph the northern lights with your own camera, receive free professional portraits lit with studio techniques, and spend the waiting hours in a heated shelter with wood-fired pizza and hot drinks. The tour runs 6 hours and includes a timelapse video, digital photo album, and an aurora guarantee: if you don't capture aurora photos, you're eligible for a free second tour within 2 years.Is it for me?The 6-hour commitment means you're out for the full night when aurora activity peaks, which is what makes the professional portraits and the pizza breaks possible—you're not rushing through a shorter tour trying to fit everything in. If you have the evening free and want to come home with photos of yourself under the northern lights, not just snapshots of the sky, this is the tour built for that.
Fairbanks Dog Sledding: 2.5-Hour Tour & Free Hotel PickupYou get picked up at your Fairbanks hotel, driven to a trail chosen for that day's conditions, and spend 20–30 minutes on a dog sled pulled by Alaskan Huskies across 2–5 miles of snow. Afterward you pet the dogs and have photos taken by the guide—all included, all uploaded free within three days. The whole outing is 2.5 hours, or 1.5 if the trail is close to town.Is it for me?Book this if you want the core dog sledding experience without arranging your own transport or worrying about winter road conditions; the free pickup solves both problems and keeps the total time under three hours.
Icy Strait Whale Watching Tour: 6-Passenger CatamaranThis is a 3 hour 45 minute whale watching tour in Icy Strait, Alaska, aboard a heated 6-passenger catamaran with an enclosed cabin, restroom and outdoor viewing deck. You get picked up from your cruise ship port and returned by van, with an English-speaking guide included. The operator guarantees whale sightings or offers a full refund. The small group size and extra time on the water are designed to let you encounter the area's full range of marine wildlife — humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, seals, porpoises, sea otters and bald eagles.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want a small group experience — the 6-passenger limit keeps the deck uncrowded and lets the guide give you real attention. The extra-long time on the water and the whale sighting guarantee make it worth choosing over shorter tours if you're serious about seeing orcas and humpbacks, not just hoping to spot them.
Ketchikan: Wildlife, Waterfalls & Tide Pools Tour with Local WomenYou’ll watch black bears hunt for salmon at Herring Cove, feel mist from Rainbow Falls on your skin, and search tide pools for sea stars—all with a local woman guide who knows every shortcut and story. Snacks and rain ponchos are included so you can focus on what’s wild around you.
Anchorage: Helicopter & Glacier Dogsledding with HuskiesYou fly by helicopter to a remote glacier camp, meet sled dogs trained by Iditarod champions, drive a dogsled team across the snow, and return by air—all in 90 minutes with a professional musher and photographer time included. Gear and transport from the airport are covered; you just need to show up 30 minutes early.Is it for me?Book this if you want a genuine Alaska experience that combines aviation and dog mushing without arranging transport or logistics yourself—the fixed 90-minute format and included gear mean you show up and the rest is handled.
Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching Jet Boat TourYou spend an hour at Mendenhall Glacier with self-guided access to Photo Point Outlook and the Visitor Center, then board a small jet boat for two hours searching for humpback whales in Auke Bay. Snacks and hot drinks are included, and the company handles all transfers from your cruise ship so you don't have to arrange transport or timing yourself.Is it for me?Right for cruise passengers on a short Juneau stop who want both glacier and whale-watching without arranging separate transport or timing—the fixed schedule and included transfers mean you're back at the ship on time. The small jet boats and two-hour search window are what make finding whales realistic in a few hours.
Fairbanks: Aurora Glass House Night & Northern Lights PhotosYou’ll ride out from Fairbanks to a glass house perched on Cleary Summit, where floor-to-ceiling windows let you watch for the Northern Lights in warmth or step outside under Alaska’s sky. There’s hot cocoa, snacks, help with aurora photography, and a local guide who makes even waiting feel special. You might leave with cold toes but a head full of color.
Juneau: Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching with Nugget Falls HikeYou drive to Mendenhall Glacier, spend nearly two hours exploring the Visitor's Center and hiking to Nugget Falls at your own speed, then board a small jet boat from Auke Bay Harbor to search for whales with a local captain. Binoculars, snacks, and hot drinks are included, and the whole day moves without long waits between stops.Is it for me?Book this if you want glacier, waterfall, and whale-watching in one morning without arranging separate transport or timing the stops yourself — the fixed itinerary and quick transfers between vehicles mean you see three major things without the logistics.
Anchorage: Downtown Food & History Walking Tour with TastingsYou walk downtown Anchorage for three hours with a local guide, stopping at six small businesses for tastings of regional favorites — everything from sweet treats to savory bites. All food, drinks and tips are included, and each stop gives you time to sit and absorb the neighborhood instead of rushing between spots. The guide shares local stories and history as you move, and you finish at a restaurant a few blocks from where you started.Is it for me?Book this if you want to taste your way through Anchorage without arranging your own restaurant stops or managing separate bills — the fixed route and included tastings let you focus on the neighborhood and the stories instead of logistics.
Ketchikan: Lumberjack Show & Saxman Native Village DinnerYou watch timber athletes compete in a one-hour show, then travel through downtown Ketchikan to Saxman Native Village for a 3-course Alaskan dinner paired with a cultural showcase of Native art. Transport, entry to the lumberjack show, and all meals with beverages are included, so you arrive and the day is already planned.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see what Ketchikan actually is — the timber heritage, the Native culture, the food that comes from the land — without piecing together three separate bookings and timing them yourself.
Juneau: Husky Sled Dog Ride & Iditarod Musher CampYou ride a full team of 16 Iditarod-veteran huskies through the Tongass rainforest, then spend time with the sled dog puppies training for future races. The musher walks you through what it takes to build a champion dog and handler. Transport from Mt. Roberts Tram base and back to downtown is included, so you only need to show up at the pickup point.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride actual working sled dogs and understand what Iditarod training looks like — the musher's insight into the dogs' conditioning and temperament is what separates this from a tourist photo op.
Ketchikan: Private Native Culture Tour & Totem Parks for 6You’ll feel like part of Ketchikan’s rhythm—walking among towering totems at Saxman Village, tasting smoked fish along Creek Street, breathing deep in Tongass forest air with your own group of six. Your private tour flexes to your pace and mood, with a local guide who shares real stories (and maybe a laugh at your pronunciation). Rain or shine—it’s all part of it.
Zodiac boat tour Ketchikan: Inside Passage wildlife, 2.5 hoursAn Alaska Ocean Wilderness Expedition is a 2.5-hour guided Zodiac boat tour departing from downtown Ketchikan that explores the Inside Passage and Tongass Narrows in search of wildlife—Bald Eagles, sea otters, seals, whales, and intertidal creatures—with a captain and naturalist who adjust the route based on tides, weather and animal sightings rather than following a fixed itinerary. Full rain gear, life jacket, dry bag and a light snack are included; children from age 5 are welcome.Is it for me?The open Zodiac and flexible route mean you're not watching wildlife from a distance or following a schedule—you're moving through narrow channels and shallow waters where the captain can respond to what's actually happening that day, which is what makes a 2.5-hour trip feel like a real expedition rather than a scenic loop.
Matanuska Glacier Guided Hike: Full Day from AnchorageYou get picked up in downtown Anchorage and driven two hours through mountain scenery to Matanuska Glacier, the largest glacier you can reach by car in the US. After a lunch stop in Palmer, you're fitted with crampons and walk directly onto the glacier for several hours with a knowledgeable guide, exploring ice formations and learning the glacier's natural history. Transport, equipment, water, and snacks are included; you're back in Anchorage by evening.Is it for me?Right for travelers based in or visiting Anchorage who want to walk on a real glacier without needing mountaineering skills or a separate car rental. The full day—including four hours of driving—is what makes reaching the glacier and spending real time on the ice possible in one outing.
