What to See and Do in 5 Popular Alaskan Cities

Have you dreamed of taking an Alaskan vacation with your family? A cruise is an easy option but have you ever considered flying to Anchorage and exploring from there? We have Brooke Milne from Look It’s Brooke joining us to share all the details on planning a family vacation to Alaska. She share the 5 cities she visited with her family, what they did, what they booked ahead of time, where they ate, hikes they took, glaciers they saw, and so much more. Join us to learn all about Brooke’s amazing Alaskan adventure!

This is part 2 of my conversation with Brooke about planning a trip to Alaska. Be sure to check out part one where we talk about all of the Alaskan trip planning details.

Brooke planned a memorable 5-day trip to Alaska with her family. They flew in to Anchorage, rented a car, and then explored 4 additional cities. Listen to this podcast episode for all of the details. Read below for a look at the highlights of our conversation.

Anchorage, Alaska

  • This is a charming, smaller city with the conveniences of some big box stores.

  • Head to Moose Tooth Pizza for dinner with some creative pizza flavors.

  • Humpy’s has fantastic fish and chips with a comfortable, local vibe.

  • Visit Earthquake Park. Great views, hiking, biking. No playground.

Girdwood, Alaska

  • Located 36 miles south of Anchorage.

  • A small mountain town in the forest.

  • Bucket list item: Helicopter to a glacier! Brooke booked their helicopter to a glacier tour through Alpine Air. They got to walk around on Colony Glacier.

  • Alyeska Resort. You can ride a ski lift up the mountain or hike. Brooke’s family did a five-mile hike on the Winter Trail. There is also a 1/2 mile hike to Virgin Creek Falls.

Whittier, Alaska

  • You can visit the unique city of Whittier!

  • This is a city that is only accessible through the longest highway tunnel (2.5 miles) in North America. Be sure to check the tunnel schedule before you go since it only allows cars to travel in one direction at a time.

  • Enjoy beautiful waterfalls and little restaurants along the Prince Williams Sound.

  • Everyone lives in one apartment building in this town. The building also includes all of its services like a grocery store, school, and post office.

  • Be sure to try some fish and chips while you are in town!

  • One popular activity here is kayaking or checking out aviary areas.

After leaving Whittier, you can stop and visit the Portage Glacier. You can take a boat ride right up by the glacier or hike to the glacier. Part of this park is a national park.

Cooper Landing, Alaska

  • This is a great place to stop for the night + some exploring. It’s located in between Anchorage and Seward.

  • Check out Kingfisher Roadhouse for dinner. They have great food and a great view.

  • Walk along the river.

  • Fishing is a popular activity here.

  • Brooke’s family decided to do some river rafting here. There are a couple of rafting options: a float or rapids. You need to be around age 12+ to do the rapid option. They booked their trip through Alaska River Adventures.

  • Hike Russian River Falls. Pro tip: do hashtag searches on Instagram for places you want to visit. (#russianriverfalls) You will find tips from others who are visiting the places on your list! This is a 5-mile hike where Brooke’s family got to see a lot of salmon jumping. They visited around June 20.

Seward, Alaska

  • Enjoy dinner at Thorn’s Showcase Lounge. Fun 1970s vibe. Order the bucket of butts (Halibut nuggets!)

  • Take a boat tour of the Kayani Fjords. Brooke’s family did a 6-hour tour where they saw whales and glaciers. The tour included lunch. Bring along something for seasickness.

  • Enjoy time walking through town and exploring the shops.

  • You can visit the Iditarod Trail.

  • Kayaking in the sea with Kayak Adventures Worldwide. Brooke did a 4-hour tour that included a stop for a hike in a rainforest and some snacks.

3 Stops When Driving from Seward to Anchorage

Note that most of the restaurants and activities are seasonal. Be sure to check their hours before you go.

Wow! Thank you so much to Brooke for sharing all of the details of her amazing Alaskan family adventure.

If you want to connect with Brooke, be sure to check out her website or Instagram account.

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