Things to do in Anchorage end of June?

We are visiting Anchorage the June 28-July 3 to visit my fiance' elderly aunt/uncle. Besides the visiting, we are hoping to spend a little time 'around town'.

Any recommendations from the forum would be most welcome.

AJ

My wife and I got snowed in, in Anchorage a few years back when trying to get to Kodiak for a hunt.. we spent 3 unexpected days there…

We found a couple of good gun shops to visit…. And we really enjoyed the 49th State Brewery. Really nice beers on tap and an excellent pub type menu…

Stay up all Night and Enjoy the Sunshine!! Haha

Seriously though, Anchorage in the Summer is beautiful. I've never had a bad meal at Glacier Brewhouse:


The Crow's Nest, at the top of the Captain Cook Hotel, is pricey, but the views alone are worth it. The food and beverages are also very good:


I highly recommend a drive out around Turnagain Arm. I've never seen more bald eagles in one place than on the tidal flats between Beluga point and Bird Point.

No trip to Anchorage is complete without a stop at the Great Alaskan Bush Co! This one might be a tough sell for the Fiancé, but its just a couple minutes from the airport so you can stop in on the way to catch your redeye back home:

Anchorage Museum and the zoo are nice.

The Alaska Widlife Park at Portage (45 min drive) is good.

Take a fly out fishing trip or flight seeing with Trail Ridge Air.

Moose’s Tooth Pizza and Brewery.
But arrive there around 10:30 AM M-F, as that’s when they open .
They get crowded by 11:30 AM.
Saturday & Sunday they open at 11:00 AM, again getting crowded by about 11:30 AM.

Best pizza and beer in Alaska.

Also, Great Northern Guns.
Tons of used rifles, shotguns and handguns.

If you tell them you know myself and my wife (Paul & Kelley Ard) they will charge you double.
Just kidding but they do know us and all the above are good solid people.

If the salmon are in time, visit the Ship Creek fish ladder.

Beware of bums though.
Most of them are not aggressive (most of them).
This city is run by Democrats (aka: Seattle Communists) and they treat our numerous bums like children.
So, our bums act spoiled little children.
Don’t give them any money because they just spend it on drugs.

If the belugas are in Turnagain Arm (south from Anchorage along the Seward Hwy), they are fun to see rolling in the water, close to the road at high tide, as they hunt smelt and salmon.

Well, red salmon ought to be running on the Russian river around then, so perhaps head down there for a day. Though you'll fair better if have someone to show you the ropes on that. The drive to Seward is usually a great scenic drive and nice desto for a day. Around 2 1/2 hr drive one way early to mid week traffic won't be bad later in that week it will be as everyone heads down for the 4th weekend. Could make it a long day and do a glacier cruise either out of Seward or Whittier. Whittier is closer, but look into it, you have to go through the tunnel and they have times for that, it's a one way at a time road in the tunnel. Seward would be a long day with the cruise.
Plenty of hiking. Easiest is the Coastal Trail that starts in Kincaid park and goes along the coast to downtown. Its paved, but a nice path to walk and possibly see some moose. Plenty of day hiking around town on the hillside. Check out Glen Alps trailhead parking for the trails along Powerline Pass or just hike the dirt path of the pass, great views and not too difficult. Or head Eagle River nature center and do some hiking out and back from there for some great views. Potter's Marsh at the southern end of town has a nice boardwalk to check out the marsh and see salmon coming into the marsh. I can't recall if amd what are running then possibly kings.

Plenty of good breweries in town. The previously mentioned 49th State brewing is good, but gets pretty busy in the evenings in summer. King Street is good, has plenty of seating indoors and out. Anchorage Brewing is also very good.

If you want a birdseye view of things look into a flightseeing tour out of Lake Hood. I yook my father on one a few years ago that flew out to Denali and back. Other choices have you going over glaciers and such. Unfortunately with fuel prices as they are that may be getting pricey.

And I just thought about bore tides. There should be two of them while you are there. Bore Tide — Visit Girdwood https://share.google/BC63yoaFm28nsZzO5

Also, Girdwood is a pretty little town south of Anchorage, take the tram ride up to the top of Alyeska ski lodge for a great view of Turnagain arm. The ride was reasonable and they have a bar and restaurant up top.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Anchorage on business when living in Fairbanks and Kenai. Breakfast can be awesome in Alaska. The Snow City Cafe always had a great breakfast. Simon’s & Seafort’s was the best seafood restaurant in town. The double Muskie in girdwood is worth the drive. While in girdwood, take the lift up the mountain.

My best advice would be to get out of Anchorage. Honestly, Anchorage is just another big city. If you can spend some time on the peninsula you will see a more authentic side of Alaska. The best breakfast I’ve had in Alaska is at Louie’s in Kenai. We were regulars there. The best fish and chips I’ve had in Alaska was a toss up between Land’s End on the Homer Spit and Pike’s in Fairbanks.

Homer is well worth seeing. Make sure you stop in Anchor Point and witness beach launching if you head down that way.

Hiking in the mountains on the peninsula is awesome. Bears are a real issue. The best bear spray is heavy doses of lead. Do not hike without it. If you see someone on the trails without bear protection, they’re visitors. Locals are packing.

Thank you all for the info. We will be leaving on a cruise south to Vancouver on the 4th. I also have a childhood friend that I've not seen in 30 years that lives in town too, but I don't want to impose on him "TOO MUCH"!

This is a trip to visit the family, have a cruise and mark it off the list. Then I can go back for a dedicated hunt/fish/whatever trip later.

@Corylax18, we'll see about the AK Bush Company, you never know.

Thanks again,
AJ

If you are into knives, I'd recommend stopping in at Northern Knives. It was full of both custom and higher end production knives. When I visited Anchorage last summer it was one of my best stops.

AJ, I’ll connect tomorrow via PM.

Anchorage is ok. You can go downtown, walk around and watch tourists There’s a big Cabela’s/ Bass Pro out in the NE part of town- with very good diorama wildlife display and area specific gear and tackle. A good eatery with good service for the basics and a nice view of Lake Hood is the Lakefront-Millennium Hotel on Seward not far from airport. Relaxing place to visit with friends and watch floatplanes- either indoors or outdoors. A well known classic eatery, a little farther down Seward is Gwennie’s. If open, it is usually very busy. I’m not a big drinker but occasionally like a stout dark beer in a cold glass. If so inclined, ask around for Deep Powder Porter made by Matanuska Brewing in Palmer. Heavy, smooth, dark beer with great taste… IMO.

Moose’s Tooth pizza is worth it. But skip the wait. Call in a to go order and pick it up in 30 minutes.

Snow City Cafe is worth it for breakfast.

The Trolley tour was informative.

Several years ago my dad and my son and I did a floatplane flight seeing trip out of Lake Hood over to Prince William Sound for a couple of hours, beautiful scenery and a lot of fun if you get a day with great weather

jpr9954 said:

If you are into knives, I'd recommend stopping in at Northern Knives. It was full of both custom and higher end production knives. When I visited Anchorage last summer it was one of my best stops.

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I spent way too much money there over the years!

AJ Peacock said:

Thank you all for the info. We will be leaving on a cruise south to Vancouver on the 4th. I also have a childhood friend that I've not seen in 30 years that lives in town too, but I don't want to impose on him "TOO MUCH"!

This is a trip to visit the family, have a cruise and mark it off the list. Then I can go back for a dedicated hunt/fish/whatever trip later.

@Corylax18, we'll see about the AK Bush Company, you never know.

Thanks again,
AJ

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If you’re departing out of Whittier, don’t spend any extra time there. The locals swap the W with an S when they pronounce it. It is very appropriate.

However, if you are departing out of Seward, consider some extra time. The Kenai fjords tour is fantastic, the sea life center is worth a visit, and it’s just a fun town.

Lots to do for breweries and restaurants, way more to see outside of town though. Give ideas of interest and bet we can better throw out additional ideas too.

My neck of the woods, Kenai Peninsula as some fantastic outdoor adventures and sights.

If you're up for some fishing, a very short trip to Bird Creek just outside of Anchorage is a good place to go. But, you need to be there during high tide. Caught Silvers, Kings, Humpys, and steelhead using spoons and Mepps spinners.

If Sockeye are running, go learn the Kenai Jerk near Soldotna, a little further down the road.

Sorry, “auto fill, auto correct” strikes again. That main street that goes from Lake Hood near the airport and winds toward downtown is Spenard not Seward!

Rent a car and make a trip or two down the Kenai peninsula. You can make a trip to Steward and also down towards the town of Kenai. There's a nice walking trail to see glaciers called Exit Glacier Nature Center on the way to Seward. Further down the peninsula there's the Kenai Mountains trail. Coopers Landing is a nice place to visit with farm to fork restaurants and good breweries. Take a rod with you everywhere

trperk1 said:

Rent a car and make a trip or two down the Kenai peninsula. You can make a trip to Steward and also down towards the town of Kenai. There's a nice walking trail to see glaciers called Exit Glacier Nature Center on the way to Seward. Further down the peninsula there's the Kenai Mountains trail. Coopers Landing is a nice place to visit with farm to fork restaurants and good breweries. Take a rod with you everywhere

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For a day’s drive I’ll second that. I think it’s been mentioned a couple times. Take Seward hwy, turn down the Kenai to Cooper Landing. Depending on the run, maybe witness combat fishing first hand. Kind of hard to describe

Did I miss it or did anyone mention Humpy's? It's a tradition for us... fried halibut chunks and an Alaskan Amber or salmon chowder!