Pre-Cruise Ideas in Anchorage Alaska
Updated: Oct 26
With rich history from Russian roots to natural wonders and the gold rush, there's a wealth of cultural heritage in the Anchorage area, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy it before or after your Alaska cruise.
Alaska Cruises are so popular, and can even be as little as $350 for a week-long cruise, but they can also be tough to plan. If you are from the lower 48 states, or having to travel a long way, there are often questions like how on earth do I pack for Alaska (yep, that's me coming from Florida), and things like getting around, and where to find the best Alaskan eats.
In order to make the best of your time in Anchorage before or after your cruise (many ships depart or return to Anchorage), it's important to have some planned ideas up your sleeve.
Below I've detailed first hand experience from a week in Anchorage (I was visiting for a conference), along with all I learned about the area.
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Anchorage Cruise Port Information
First - check your port location on your Alaska cruise itinerary, are you departing from downtown Anchorage or from Whittier Cruise Port? If it says Whittier (which is 60 miles from Anchorage), head on over to my Whittier guide here.
If it says Anchorage, you will likely be departing from the dock a few miles from downtown Anchorage. Visit Whatsinport.com for more logistical information about this port.
If you still need to book your cruise and want to browse pricing for the upcoming Alaska cruise season, use these links below.
Book or Browse Alaska Cruises on CruiseDirect.com
Now let's learn a bit about what is in Anchorage!
This article includes:
Things To Do Near Anchorage
Alyeska Tramway
Alyeska Tramway is a year-round attraction (give or take some shoulder season weeks), ferrying both ski resort guests and off-season guests up to the top of the Alyeska mountain.
Enjoy vistas, a cute gift shop, dining options and a bar, and several hiking trails. During the winter you'll get an opportunity to ski of course, but then your cruise wouldn't be departing either so we'll leave winter season stuff to other bloggers!
Visit with Pic Tours, whose tour will take you in a small passenger van (up to 15 people) to see tons of sites in the area, along with pay for your tram ticket (which can easily cost something like $48 if I recall!). With the package tours you will also get to see a bunch of the stuff from the list below, so read on.
Take a Scenic Drive along Turnagain Arm
A great way to see the Turnagain Arm, the pride and joy of the Anchorage locals, the Alaska Railroad train takes you along a waterfront route with views of the unparalleled beauty of the Prince William Sound.
By car, make stops at:
Chugach National Forest, 2nd largest in the country
Beluga point for photos
Alyeska and Girdwood for bites, brews or small shops
By train, browse schedules here: https://www.alaskarailroad.com/
A long the route, if traveling with a tour, you'll learn stories about the fascinating "ghost forest", a salt-water petrified forest dating back to the 1964 earthquake near the town of Girdwood, and the whispers of towns that once stood up on the banks of the Turnagain Arm, like Portage.
While taking the scenic tour, learn about the famous James Cook, who was searching for the Northwest Passage (if this interests you, check out the Polar Fram expedition stories in my Oslo guide here), and learn why James Cook has his name all over the place in Anchorage (namely at the Captain Cook Hotel!).
Lastly, you may learn about the types of salmon in the Turnagain Arm - there are 5 of them! If you want to be the winner of Pic Tours trivia in the car, here they are: Pink, Silver (Cuhoe), King, Sockeye and Chum. There's a cute trick to remember this with your fingers, but I'll let you take the tour with Captain Linda to learn that one.
Sail on a Glacier Siteseeing Boat on Prince William Sound
There are many options but I recommend Lazy Otter Charters. They offer custom siteseeing, a water taxi and guided kayaking. Learn more about my experience with them, and other options for glacier tours at my relevant post here.
This will be a full day out, so plan accordingly!
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
There's plenty to see and do here, from taking a driving "safari" to see the bigger animals from your vehicle, to being able to get out and up-close to animals like bears, moose, the once extinct wood bison, and the fascinating musk ox - who, fun fact - survived the ice age when the woolly mammoth didn't!
With a lovely bear walk for high vantage point bear-viewing, and a nice cozy gift shop, there's plenty to stay entertained here for an hour or so.
Be sure to stop and visit with the wolves and the reindeer on the way out of the park.
Visit with Pic Tours for a fun filled day!
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Learn a traditional Yup'ik dance or take a class on weaving and jam making, browse the gift shop and talk a walk around the grounds to see artifacts and authentic dwellings of the Native peoples in Alaska.
If you are lucky enough to attend a hosted event at the Heritage Center you may also get to enjoy their museum, live music performances and more.
If you return for winter, be sure to check out their Alaska Native Heritage Center Holiday Bazaar during the holiday season, a perfect time for purchasing Alaska Native arts and crafts and more.
Other Day Trips, Activities and Ideas for Visiting Anchorage
While these options are a bit more epic than I personally like to experience, Alaska is full of incredible opportunities for getting into the outdoors, and getting wild.
Here's some examples:
Surf the bore tide (a regular tide along the Turnagain Arm that can get up to 30ft high and give you a 15mph ride down to the mouth of the water)
ATV through river creeks
Walk on glaciers
Bike rides
"Flightseeing" by helicopter or seaplane
Dog-sledding (yes, even in summer)
Fishing
Glaciers & Wildlife cruises (see my page on Whittier for more ideas)
Go gold panning! (Great with kids)
Head to the Alaska Aviation Museum
Seek out the Northern Lights
Go rafting
Take an Anchorage Trolley Tour!
The Anchorage Museum
...and this list doesn't even include the endless list of winter sports and outdoor adventures!
Getting Around Anchorage
Just like anywhere else, rent a car, grab a taxi or an Uber, or in town they also have a quirky historic trolley (Anchorage Trolley Tours) as well as a very walkable downtown.
I never needed a vehicle to grab a bite to eat or to get around. Most of my tours picked up from a central downtown location, so if you are booking tours you are good to go on foot.
Otherwise, there are many garages and parking meters to park at downtown. You can book your car rental from Hertz by browsing rates at this link or clicking the button below.
Stay
The popular downtown spots are the Captain Cook Hotel, named after aforementioned James Cook who was seeking the Northwest Passage, as well as the traditional staples - Marriott and Hilton.
Expect seasonal pricing to align with cruise ship departures.
If you are looking for something very "Alaskan", you may need to leave town. In Anchorage you'll find comfortable rooms and some quirky Alaskan decor (you know, glass encased polar bears and such), but nothing outrageously "Alaskan", in my experience.
For that, perhaps getting out to Alyeska Resort for a night would do the trick. You'll get the roaring fireplace type of vibes, and some stellar mountain views.
Eats in Anchorage
For me, the best part of travel is finding authentic local cuisine. Anchorage didn't disappoint. Here's some of my faves:
For sushi and fresh seafood:
Yamaya Seafood: Unmatched in authenticity (outside of Japan), this cozy spot accommodates about 10 people a night. Get there when they open for service, which is slow but worth it.
A one man show - the menu is written on the wall in Japanese and English, and served to order based on when you arrived. Enjoy the vibes and that absolutely delicious fresh food.
Kumagoro: This casual Japanese spot serves up ramen and delicious local fish like salmon and scallops.
For upmarket and trendy:
Ginger: Known for their cocktails, they also have lovely Asian fusion items on the menu. I enjoyed their beef panang dish, a long with their Alaskan scallop starter, which was big enough to be a meal for one.
For pub vibes:
F Street Station: Pop a squat at the bar if there is room, and order the clams - they are truly incredible.
Humpy's: Christmas lights and cold beer, that's what you are after here.
Shopping in Anchorage
Don't forget in town you can spend time at the 5th Avenue Mall, or the many souvenir and boutique shops along 4th and 5th Avenues.
The mall has one anchor store - JCPenney, and several smaller shops like souvenir shops, Eddie Bauer, and variety stores.
The Kobuk is another quirky gift shop that is great to pop into, not only for souvenirs and gifts from Alaska, but also for their cafe and coffee shop.
Here's some ideas for what to buy in Alaska:
Ulu Alaskan knives
Native crafts and art
Smoked salmon spreads and whole smoked salmon
Fossil jewelry or carvings made from ivory
Scrimshaw pocket knives
Natural salves like the Alaska devil's club salve, which is said to help with arthritis pain (think of it like a Badger Balm)
Reindeer sausage (although I found this near impossible to find, what you can bring home is beef sausage with less than 2% reindeer)
and of course, find quirky moose tshirts, gifts for kids, and books like Molly of Denali.
Other Practical Advice for Visiting Anchorage
Lastly, in preparation for your Alaska cruise, think about the weather and how to pack for Alaska summers and shoulder seasons.
Plan for jet lag (4 hours time difference from New York) and prepare for long summer days and dark winter nights.
Expect to encounter a large homeless population in downtown Anchorage. While not unsafe, I did feel uneasy in some situations walking alone at night.
Finally, I received more than three warnings about the mud flats near Anchorage. I guess this is a big problem with tourists coming and walking out on the mud flats and getting stuck.
When the tide comes in, it is exceptionally dangerous because the suction of the mud (think like quicksand) keeps you from being able to get out. Many people die because of this, so please be aware - the areas that look like safe beaches may actually be mud flats. Don't say I didn't warn you, because everyone else warned me!
The city of "lights and flowers", Anchorage, is mostly a town of convenience - for people coming through on the way to somewhere else, but it has a lot of offer.
Hopefully this port guide has helped you plan a few excursions for before embarkation day, and has provided some insight on what to expect.
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