Things to Do in Alaska

Encompassing 4.9 million acres (20,000 square kilometers), the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is America’s largest marine refuge, spread out along most of Alaska’s 47,300 miles (76,122 kilometers) of coastline.

It is home to a range of ecosystems, wildlife species and experiences as well as a wide range of contrasting landscapes, some of which include beaches, tundra, mountains, rainforests, valleys, cliffs, lakes and volcanoes. It’s also a bird-watchers paradise, known for its 40 million seabirds representing 30 species. The Pribilof Islands are said to be the best place to see birdlife, although the wildlife refuge encompasses over 2,500 islands, rocks, reefs, spires, islets, waters and headlands.

Visitors to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge can explore the volcanic islands of the Aleutian chain, the tiny islands, rainforests and and majestic fjords of the Gulf of Alaska, and various destinations near the Alaska Peninsula and Bering Sea. In total, there are 10 distinct congressionally-designated Wilderness areas in the refuge. While it’s difficult to truly grasp just how large this attraction is, traveling between its two farthest points would be similar to driving across the United States. The best way to begin exploring the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is to head to the their headquarters at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center located in Homer, Alaska.

To get an up close and personal view of wildlife in the Everglades, particularly the bird life, the Anhinga Trail is one of the premier wetland trail in the National Park Service. A self-guided walk of about .8 miles (1200 meters) round trip, the trail is easily completed in about 45 minutes. The paved boardwalk curves through Taylor Slough, one of the few waterways that retain water year-round, making it particularly attractive to a variety of wildlife.

The saw-grass marsh is teeming with an abundance of Everglades residents, including alligators, turtles, anhingas (a type of water bird found in the Everglades; the name means snake bird or devil bird), herons, cormorants, egrets and many other birds. Because the boardwalk allows visitors to wander among the wildlife, it consequently makes the animals and birds less afraid of humans, allowing closer viewing of alligators, anhingas and other native species.

Exploring the Anhinga Trail also allows guests to view the flora of the Everglades, from the saw-grass prairies towards the end of the trail to the pond apples, a native tree that has apples that appeal to wildlife, but not humans. If you have a limited amount of time, walking the Anhinga Trail is a must-do for wildlife viewing and for a taste of all that the Everglades has to offer.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center serves as a welcome wagon for all visitors to Alaska’s rich and diverse history. Here you’ll be able to experience and interact with Native people and their traditions first-hand. Native storytelling, artist demonstrations, Native dance and game performances allow visitors to feel as if they’re living an authentic experience. This is not just a museum - audience participation is encouraged!

In “The Hall of Cultures” you can contemplate over artifacts, manuscripts and images of frontier days in Alaska. You’ll learn what rugged mountains and wildlife helped to make the Yukon great, and what traditional people did to stave off the cold winters and feast in the bright summers. You’ll see how earthen buildings were constructed to be structurally sound and thermally efficient, as well as have the opportunity to buy a traditional Native artifact for a loved one.

Here, at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, visitors get a chance to learn about the great traditions of those native to the land, and see just how amazing life can be in the great outdoors.

Big Cypress National Preserve, a 720,000-acre (2,900 sq. km) area, was one of the first national preserves in the United States when it was established in 1974. Not technically part of the Everglades, but bordering it to the south, Big Cypress preserve is the most biologically diverse region of the terrestrial Everglades. Composed primarily of a wet cypress forest, it is home to a wide array of flora and fauna including mangroves, orchids, alligators, venomous snakes, a variety of birds, the Florida panther and the Florida Black Bear. The preserve is also home to several endangered species such as the West Indian Manatee, the eastern indigo snake and the Florida Sandhill Crane.

With twelve campgrounds, some of the area’s best hikes and a long-established hunting scene (white-tailed deer, hogs and turkeys are abundant), Big Cypress provides plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors. The southern terminus of the Florida National Scenic Trail is located in Big Cypress, which is ideal for hiking in the winter months.

For the more intrepid hiker, trekking through Big Cypress is pleasant year-round; cypress country is a bit more welcoming to hikers than the dense sawgrass prairies that you’ll find in the Everglades. Rangers often lead hikes in the dry winter months, as well as canoe trips and bicycle tours. Other tours include swamp buggy tours, pole boat tours and backcountry fishing.

There’s something enchanting about seeing wildlife up close, and the Alaska SeaLife Center allows you to do just this. The Alaska SeaLife Center is Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center and is a not-for-profit center focusing on marine research, rehabilitation (animals are treated then released) and public education geared toward all ages. It was built in 1997 -- with most of its funds coming from Exxon Valdez in an effort to compensate for their part in the oil spill -- and is a place where scientists go to do research and visitors go to learn about marine life through exhibits and interactive experiences.

View marine life like Stellar sea lions above and below the water surface through two-story tanks; pet starfish, baby rays and other small sea creatures; see waterbirds up close; and look at adorable animals in rehabilitation like Ringed Seals, White Winged Scoters, Spectacled Eiders and Northern Sea Otters. An array of educational programs for students -- including “Beaks, Bubbles, & Burrows,” “Marine Mammal Adaptations” and “Seashore Survivors” -- add to the fun.

You can also experience a number of “encounters” which allow you to do things like shake hands with an octopus and have a personalized tour of a puffin aviary.

For many, the highlight of a visit is the seal encounter, where you watch staff work with harbor seals.

Bonus: As the Alaska SeaLife Center is built directly into the waterfront you can enjoy panoramic views of Resurrection Bay.

There’s many a parched thirst that’s been revived by a chilled glass of Alaskan, pure and crisp as the driven snow. The Alaskan Brewing Company has been brewing craft beers since 1986, and winning plenty of awards along the way.

The brewery’s free tours offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the brewing processes, including the company’s original 10-barrel and 100-barrel brewing systems.

You’ll come across artifacts from the state’s brewing history, admire an international collection of beer bottles and cans, and meet the people behind the beer.

The company produces five regular beers, including Alaskan Amber Ale, Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout and Alaskan IPA. They also produce limited-release seasonal winter or summer ales and specialty beers like smoked porter, so see what’s on tap when you visit.

Tours include complimentary tastings of a limited edition or rough draft brew. After wetting your whistle, drop into the Gear Store to browse collectibles, clothing, glassware, barkeep essentials and novelty items.

On the southern tip of Point Loma, at the top of hill, you'll find Cabrillo National Monument. The spot is San Diego’s finest locale for history and fine views across the bay to San Diego's downtown. It's also the best place in San Diego to see the gray whale migration (January to March) from land. After a few minutes here, you may forget you’re in a major metropolitan area.

The visitors center at Cabrillo National Monument has an excellent presentation on Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s 1542 voyage up the California coast, plus good exhibits on the native inhabitants and the area’s natural history. Also here is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which is appointed with late-19th century pieces, including lamps and picture frames hand-covered with hundreds of shells. On the ocean side, you can drive or walk down to the tide pools (at low tide) to look for anemones, starfish, crabs, and limpets.

Alaska’s largest city is located in the south-central part of the state, at the foot of the Chugach Mountains. Shore excursions will get you into Alaska’s wild outdoors — see Mt McKinley (Denali) on a helicopter tour, go hiking on a glacier or check out gold-mining country.

If you prefer to stay in the city, there are plenty of museums, parks and heritage sites to keep you busy.

How to get to Anchorage
Cruise ships dock in the industrial port near downtown. Some cruise lines offer a free shuttle; there are cabs available if yours does not.

One Day in Anchorage
Take a cab from the port to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. This is a good place to start your day in port, as it’s much more than a museum. Across the center’s 26 acres, you can watch artists work, see a native dance performance and check out the replica villages. Enjoy a walk around the lake and discover what life was like in native Alaskan cultures.

Grab a taxi back to downtown and the Anchorage Museum (or take the shuttle that runs between the two properties). Admire the displays of Alaskan paintings and learn about the state’s long history. When you’ve had your fill of Alaskan culture, head to the Anchorage Zoo (shuttles run from downtown). Explore the zoo’s collection of northern animals, including caribou, moose and bears, of course. When you’re ready to rest your legs, enjoy a picnic in Valley of the Moon Park.