Things To Do
Restaurants
Anchorage restaurants book up quickly in summer. We highly recommend some advanced planning of where you would like to eat and make a reservation ahead of time if possible. Some of our favorite places to eat are Crush, Glacier Brewhouse and Simon & Seaforts.
Arctic Valley Ski Area
Our venue site is one of our favorite places to hike. We will have a ski lift going to take guests up a peak the day of the ceremony, but there are other trails you can check out if you would like to see it before the wedding.
Portage Pass Hike - Whittier, AK
**We will be planning this hike as a group event on Wednesday, June 26th, time weather-dependent.** Whittier is a town where the entire population lives in a 14 story former Army barracks. To get to it, we drive through 2.5 miles through a mountain via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. This is the longest tunnel in North America, and Portage Pass is our favorite day-hike. The trail is 4.4 miles with 1,423 ft of elevation gain. It usually takes three hours of hiking time and we enjoy an hour of relaxation and glacier viewing at the halfway point. A rental car might be needed to participate but we will try to arrange carpooling for those interested not renting a car. If you are interested in joining the hike, please text Lee at 618-614-3813 to coordinate.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
**We will be planning this as a group event on Thursday, June 27th, time weather-dependent** No rental car necessary for this excursion, the trail starts in downtown Anchorage. We have seen moose, eagles, and views of Denali on this ride. The trail is 11 miles but we usually turn back around mile 6. We will not be able to stay together as a group, bike as far as you feel is your halfway point. We recommend renting from Pablo's Bicycle Rentals on L street nearby but there are a handful of bike rentals downtown. If you want to ride the trail but don't want to break too much of a sweat, there are limited electric bikes available. We will meet at 5th and L street around 1:00pm. Please text Lee at 618-614-3813 if you plan to join and would like to be a part of the group.
Girdwood
Girdwood is a small ski resort town about a 45-minute drive down Seward Highway. We recommend Virgin Creek Falls, the Winner Creek trail, and taking the tram up at the Alyeska resort for views. Jack Sprat is our favorite restaurant in town, and everybody loves Girdwood Brewing. Visit the link for more information.
Seward
Seward is a town on an inlet of the Kenai Peninsula, about a 2.5 hour drive south from Anchorage on the Seward Highway. One of the most popular things to do in Seward is to take a Kenai Fjords Wildlife and Glacier tour - click the link for more information. There are also beautiful hikes in the area and you can take the famous Alaskan Railroad straight to Seward from Anchorage.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
If you want guaranteed views of bears, moose, eagles and other Alaskan wildlife, this is the stop! General admission is $25 and the wildlife center is off of the scenic coastal highway.
Anchorage Brewing Company
Anchorage is known for it's craft brewery scene, and ABC is every craft beer lover's favorite brewery in town. Even better than their beer, they have an amazing in-house restaurant, Familia, that is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They typically have one item on the menu each week (and always have a vegetarian version) and are one of the best eateries in town.
Double Shovel Cider Company
If beer isn't your thing but you are looking for yummy local drinks, we recommend this cidery. They have something for everyone flavor profile-wise, and usually an excellent food truck out front.