Alaska Native Heritage Center – Anchorage
To help you learn about the various cultures of Alaska and the native people, this center teaches about customs, practices, and arts. This experience includes walking through native homes, watching ancient practices and performances, and being able to gain a better understanding about the importance of hunting and fishing in this vast land.
Iditarod Headquarters – Wasilla
If you have never taken the opportunity to watch the Iditarod on television, you are missing an amazing adventure. At the Iditarod headquarters, you can learn about this massive dog sled race. Then on the first Saturday each March, the ceremonial start of the race occurs in Anchorage with the actual race starting in Wasilla the following day. Exciting and fun, this is truly an incredible experience.
Alaska Seal Life Center – Seward
From monetary settlements coming out of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, this center was created to help teach people about marine biology, seal life, and animal rehabilitation. This area of Alaska is mesmerizing, rich with an abundance of sea mammals, fish, and birds. Perfect for families, the Alaska Seal Life Center offers hands-on exhibits while teaching about this state’s ecosystem. Known as one of the most intriguing places to visit, we highly recommend it.
Denali National Park
Denali, which translates to “The Great One”, is the native name for the highest peak in all of North America – Mount McKinley. This mountain range offers a number of peaks where all types of wildlife live to include bear, wolves, Dall sheep, wolves, and moose. If you enjoy the great outdoors, you can take a tour of the area or enjoy a day of hiking. Spread out over some six million acres, you will immediately fall in love with the natural beauty.
Glacier Bay – South East Alaska
At Glacier Bay, you will discover 13 tidewater glaciers. Although they are all spectacular, the three largest and most impressive include Margerie, Muir, and Johns Hopkins. Glaciers are located in the south half of the state, with many of those being accessible by foot or vehicle. For those harder to reach, you can enjoy magnificent views from airplane or boat. To see the largest concentration of calving glaciers in the state, you want to spend time at Prince William Sound.
Bear Watching
One of the favorite things to do in Alaska is to look for bear. With grizzly, brown, and polar bears, the very sight of these incredible creatures is breathtaking. Of course, safety rules are important to follow but the best places to visit include the Anan Wildlife Observatory where black bear feed in the salmon stream and Pack Creek where brown bear live on the island. Additionally, Katmai National Park is an excellent adventure where from July to September, you can enjoy brown bear feeding off salmon runs and Kodiak Island, the famous place where the largest bear in the world is seen, the Kodiak brown bear.
