Tour Anchorage on a budget

The overlook is a short drive from downtown Anchorage, the highway weaving through upscale residential areas on the mountain to the trailhead. We had only hiked about a half a mile around the overlook trail but felt quite accomplished when we made it back to the SUV. As we reached the parking lot, however, we were quickly brought back to the reality that we are Easterners who are accustomed to much warmer weather, for the most part. A young woman pulled up and hopped out in flip flops and a man drove up in a tank top. It was, after all, springtime in Alaska.

The largest city in Alaska, Anchorage offers something for everyone—and every pilot. And you don’t have to break the bank to have fun.

Budget-friendly attractions

Helicopter and floatplane tours

$110 and up

Take to the air to explore Anchorage, Denali, or Lake Clark National Park, which is accessible only by airplane and sometimes by boat. The scenery around Anchorage itself is stunning, with the Chugach Mountains filling the skyline to the east and Cook Inlet to the west. If you’re going to splurge, do it with an aerial tour!

Chugach State Park/Chugach National Forest

Free

These popular attractions are close to Anchorage and on the road system. They offer hiking, access to glaciers, and more. Flattop Mountain and overlook are in the Chugach, and Flattop is considered the most-hiked mountain in the state. (Hiking in the Chugach Mountains is beautiful, but if you fly along the mountains, watch for small waterfalls dotting cliffs as the snow melts in the spring and summer—they are absolutely awe-inspiring!)

Glacier grandeur

Free and up depending on activities

The Knik Glacier near Palmer, about a one-hour drive northeast of Anchorage, and Portage Glacier, about an hour to the southeast, are two of the closest glaciers. I’ve flown by the Knik Glacier and walked on the Portage Glacier (both during the summer; in early spring the Portage Glacier was still closed because of the threat of avalanches). You can glimpse the Knick Glacier from the Glenn Highway, but to go out on it you’ll need to take a tour, which costs. It’s free to hike on the Portage Glacier, and that is an experience of a lifetime—after all, it’s not every day most of us get to stand on such a mass of ice! Cruises at Portage Glacier range from $39 to $90 depending on the type of cruise. 

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

$15 per adult (discounts for children, seniors, and military)/$100 for an exclusive tour

This nonprofit sanctuary is for animals that have been injured or orphaned, or are ill. Spread over 200 acres of land, the group focuses on “conservation, research, education and quality animal care,” according to the center’s website. You can walk the exhibits on a self-guided tour to see bison, brown and black bears (and rambunctious cubs playing with balls and tumbling), bald eagle, fox, lynx, moose, musk ox, owl, reindeer, and wolves. Because the conservation center rescues animals in various states, some don’t look as healthy as others. The modest fee to enter not only lets you get up close with Alaska’s wild animals, but it also supports their care and preservation.

Alaskan art

Free

Anchorage boasts many art galleries and museums, but if you have a car check out Turnagain Gallery, about 28 miles south of Anchorage off Alaska Route 1 (right on the way if you go to Portage Glacier or the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center). The gallery itself is an incredible log cabin. Wood-carved statues are displayed outside, but carved octopus and whale sculptures will greet you as soon as you step inside. Paintings and photos of Alaska sites, furniture, and more are also on display and for sale.

Alaska Aviation Museum and Great Alaska Aviation Gathering

Free for museum members or $15 per adult (discounts available)

The Alaska Aviation Museum is located at Lake Hood and is open any time of year. Browse vintage aircraft and see rare birds like the 1943 Noorduyn Norseman, a classic northern bush airplane. Members of the museum get in for free, but general admission prices are modest. If you are in Anchorage in early May, also work in the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering. It’s free to attend and signals the start of the flying season in the state. The gathering features seminars, exhibits, and aircraft displays, but perhaps the main draw is visiting with fellow pilots.

Coastal Trail

Free

To explore and stretch your legs in Anchorage, walk or bike the Coastal Trail that runs along the city’s edges and provides views of Cook Inlet. The trail will take you by Elderberry Park, Westchester Lagoon, Earthquake Park, and Point Woronzof to Kincaid Park. In the summer, visit the salmon viewing platform at Ship Creek, where you can watch or fish for salmon.

Tips for flying

Anchorage also has the only Class C airspace in the state. The Pac-Man-shaped airspace encompasses Ted Stevens International and airspace to the north, west, and south. Flying into Anchorage on the airlines, make sure you get a window seat to watch a symphony of general aviation operations landing and departing the nearby airports and seaplane base. Parking lots closest to the terminal (which would be prime real estate for car parking at most commercial-service airports) are filled with GA aircraft. The first time I flew to Alaska commercially, my hosts met me, carried my bags to the parking lot, and loaded me up in a Cessna 182 for a short flight to King Ranch 60 nautical miles to the northeast. I had the opportunity to fly into the area with an experienced pilot, and VFR arrival/departure procedures for the airports keep traffic flowing smoothly. Be sure to study the Alaska Supplement carefully before flying in yourself. We came in over the Tudor Bus Barn, and all of the checkpoints were easy to spot. But with the traffic, multiple airspace boundaries, and close reporting points, I was relieved to be with someone experienced at flying in the area.

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