Our family’s summer vacation to Alaska in 2019 was amazing. After my daughter Nina (age 9) and I went on a cruise and her twin and my husband went fishing on the frozen tundra, we reunited in met in Anchorage. Here’s what we did in Anchorage Alaska with kids:
What To Do in Anchorage Alaska with kids
Market Festival
We found over 100 merchants at this crowded market. There was something for everyone including (HUGE!) locally grown vegetables, homemade crafts and souvenirs, food and beverages, and even a bouncy house for the kids. We had a blast here! (Note that the market is only available on weekends.)
Knick Landing Salmon Run
We wend to see the fish run at Knick Landing. Unfortunately, we were disappointed to arrive at low tide. Next time, we will call or visit The Bait Shack at Ship’s Creek ahead of time. This shop gives tide and weather information, rents fishing gear and sells bait.
The Alaskan Native Heritage Center
There is a lot to do at this center. We shopped saw a native prayer ceremony, shopped at some crafts stands, and explored replicas of the homes and meeting houses of various Native Alaskan tribes. We found the tiny entryways (to protect people from bears) and the food storage towers (to protect food from bears) to be fascinating.
The Zoo
Most of the animals at the Alazka Zoo were rescued from the wild after being injured or orphaned. The animals are treated to some TLC. After they’ve had some time to recover, the animals are transferred to zoos across North America.
This zoo was extremely disappointing for us for a few reasons. First, many of the animals were in hiding somewhere. Second, there were no employees or volunteers around to answer our questions. Third, the exhibits were in desperate need of attention. (especially the yak area where a huge pile of poop looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a really long time).
Note that this zoo is very rustic. The landscape is not conducive to strollers or wheelchairs.
The Alaska Naturally Aurora Show
We all enjoyed this stunning 40 minute film which is a compilation of 30 years worth of Dave Pankhurst’s photographs and video of The Northern Lights. Photos are available for purchase in the lobby of the theater.
Anchorage Museum
We found beautiful and unique art, informative videos, and fun and interesting hands-on exhibits at this museum. We spent most of our time at a permanent exhibition of Native Alaskan artifacts. There, we learned a lot about the cultures of different Native Alaskan tribes. We didn’t have nearly enough time to explore everything.
General Impressions of Anchorage
Alaska with kids
Downtown Anchorage, in my humble opinion, has little style and no charm. The buildings are neutral, windowless and boring and render the whole city lackluster. Does the bland infrastructure serve a purpose? Perhaps it has to do with the Alaskan weather? Dunno…maybe. Anyway, the only thing that made this city unique and interesting for me was the painted garbage receptacles .
Where To Eat in Anchorage Alaska with kids
Bear’s Tooth Theater Cafe
Who doesn’t enjoy dinner and a movie? Unfortunately, the film that night wasn’t a great choice for our family. We started with a huge plate of nachos which were pretty good. I requested a recommendation from the server for a protein. He suggested that the grilled chicken is better and added that the shredded chicken “comes from a can” and is “more chemically altered”. EW! Was not good.
Moose’s Tooth
There was a super long wait (an hour) at Moose’s Tooth, even at the odd hour of 2:00PM. Our apps came quickly and they were delicious. We had “cheese sticks” (which are NOT the same as mozzarella sticks) with pesto, and salmon spread on toast. We credit the great food and lively atmosphere for our good moods; our pizza was served after 4.
Kava’s
This popular local dive restaurant, is located pretty far from all of the touristy areas of Anchorage. The patrons don’t seem to notice its worn, shabby decor. They are here for the main event: the decadent, delicious breakfast-desserts. We got strawberry crepes, Hawaiian crepes (pineapples, bananas, coconut syrup and whipped cream) and Ono pancakes (peanut butter whipped cream and chips, regular whipped cream, bananas, chocolate sauce and chocolate chips). WOW!
Midnight sun cafe
I really liked Midnight Sun Café . There was a nice selection of toasted sandwiches for brunch; we had one with brie, one with mozzarella and tomatoes, and one with cheddar; they were all good. We ordered lattes to drink and they tasted like coffee ice-cream! YUM! (Note: No table service)
Fat Ptarmigan
We didn’t have time to eat-in at Fat Ptarmigan Pizza , we took a pie to-go. It was okay.
Fletcher’s at Captain Cook Hotel
Looks can be deceiving! The big, cold, colorless Captain Cook hotel is rated the best place in town. Inside, wood panels and marble floors give it a nice warm, welcoming feeling. We had dinner at Fletchers, where the service was great and the food was pretty good.
Where to Stay in Anchorage Alaska with kids
Home 2 Suites
Home 2 Suites (Hilton chain) wasn’t bad; it was basic, comfortable and clean. Our suite with a pull out couch, kitchen area, spacious main bedroom and bath. Notable were the awesome black out shades which worked REALLY well. Shout out to the awesome staff, all of whom were very sweet.
We had a great time in Anchorage Alaska with kids. Here are some more blog posts that you might be interested in If your family is planning an Alaskan holiday:
- Road Trips From Anchorage – Wasilla, Seward, Palmer and Denali
- First Day on Royal Princess Alaska – Recommendations for what to do when you first board a cruise ship
- Food Aboard The Royal Princess Alaska – My review of the food that we ate during my first cruise
- Onboard Cruise Activities – What I found to do on the ship
- Ketchikan Alaska Excursions – including The Alaska Raptor Center
- Juneau Alaska Excursions – including dog sledding on Mendenhall Glacier and evening whale watch
- Skagway Alaska Excursions – including glass blowing and panning for gold