What to do and see in Alaska, United States: The Best Things to do Good for Adrenaline Seekers

February 17, 2022 Milan Banda

Alaska is divided into five regions: far north, interior, southwest, south central, and inside passage. Although it takes a long time to see the entire state, you can travel through the regions by boat, car, bus, or plane. Hike through the mountains, or venture out on a deep sea fishing or whale watching excursion. Get in touch with nature by camping in the wilderness, or experience your preferred degree of class and luxury in the beautiful, active cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks. 
Restaurants in Alaska

1. Brooks Range

Dawson Hwy, Coldfoot, AK
Excellent
82%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 44 reviews

Brooks Range

Many consider the Brooks Range to be among the most beautiful mountains in the world.

2. Kachemak Bay State Park

Homer, AK 99603 +1 907-262-5581 http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/kbay/kbayl.htm
Excellent
90%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 183 reviews

Kachemak Bay State Park

This enormous state park, largely unexplored wilderness, includes glaciers, rivers and waterfalls and offers a 10-mile coastline strip that is excellent for fishing and kayaking. Wildlife sightings include puffins, eagles, sea otters, seals, porpoises and whales.

Reviewed By RobinC789 - Falls Church, United States

This is a stunningly gorgeous park with a fantastically maintained and marked trail to a chilly glacier lake.

3. Hatcher Pass

+1 907-745-3975 http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/hatcherpass/hatcherpass.htm
Excellent
86%
Good
10%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 174 reviews

Hatcher Pass

Several hiking trails are located in this area.

Reviewed By alianns

Hatcher's Pass is a beautiful hiking place in the summer and has snow both early and late for sledding or cross country skiing. Brave souls will snow machine or skin up and ski down. Views are unparalleled on a clear day! It is a great and scenic drive even if you don't plan to do any outdoor activities there. There are cabins to rent for an overnight and a rustic restaurant to eat at too. It is the site of a former gold mine. The buildings are still visible and it is interesting to walk around. A true Alaskan gem!

4. Denali

Denali National Park and Preserve, AK +1 800-622-7275 http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
Excellent
85%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,832 reviews

Denali

America's tallest peak, this 20,320-foot mountain is the most famous part of this national park.

Reviewed By KeithH911 - Boones Mill, United States

Nothing I can say about Denali will be worth the experience. Alaska was a ' bucket list' experience, and Denali was the crown jewel of the experience. Neither disappointed. Alaska was fantastic, Denali was amazing and awe inspiring, and I would do it again, sooner instead of later. Go, and prepare to be wowed by your experience.

5. Brooks Falls

Katmai National Park and Preserve, AK +1 907-243-1595 http://www.flyrusts.com
Excellent
92%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 309 reviews

Brooks Falls

Area on the Brooks River where a large number of brown bears spend their summer due to salmon migration.

Reviewed By 907blaked - Tampa, United States

We made a special trip to Katmai National Park from Anchorage to view the grizzly bears, and we were not disappointed. We looked at a couple of different private transportation services to get there, including Rust's and Katmailand. We ultimately settled on Katmailand, and we were not disappointed, even though the price was steep at $895 per person. Our trip started at a private hanger near the Anchorage airport, where we loaded into a nine passenger jet for the one hour and 15 minute flight to King Salmon. The flight left at around 7 AM, arriving in King Salmon at 8:15 AM. King Salmon is the main hub for getting to Brooks Camp, and it seemed like little float planes to and from Brooks Camp were constantly taking off and landing, whether with passengers, supplies, or both. Our flight on a 10 passenger float plane ultimately left at around 9:45 AM and landed at Brooks Camp on Naknek Lake at 10:05 AM. Immediately upon arrival we went to the visitor center for a briefing on bear safety. There was a 10 minute film, followed by a 10 minute life talk from the Ranger. After that, we were allowed to explore the entirety of Brooks Camp on our own. We immediately headed for Brooks Falls, knowing that that was the best place to view the grizzlies. We walked across the brand new bridge that was opened for the 2019 season, which was fantastic (no bear jams!). Several platforms off the bridge allowed you to stop and watch the grizzlies if there were any, and there definitely were each time we crossed it. The walk to Brooks Falls was ultimately around 20 minutes from the visitor center. The upper Falls viewing platform holds only 40 people at a time, and so they have a system for managing the tourists: When you arrive to the upper Falls location, you are given a buzzer similar to what you get at a restaurant by the host when you’re waiting for your table. You are than invited to go to the lower Falls platform viewing area to watch the grizzlies down stream while you wait for your buzzer to ring. Once your buzzer rings, you are permitted to go to the upper Falls for one hour. On the day we were there, the lower downstream area was actually better viewing for the bears then the upper Falls area. This was by far the highlight of our trip to Katmai, and probably even to Alaska overall. As part of our tour reservation through Katmailand, we were provided access to the buffet lunch at the dining lodge. I was not expecting much, but it actually was very good. There was a full salad bar, plus 4 or 5 hot dishes, including beef, chicken fried rice, sticky rice, and beef barley soup. There were also two desserts to choose from, chocolate brownies and pecan bars. There was plenty to eat for the vegan member in our group. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 4 PM, and we were told to check in back at the office near the visitor center and hour in advance. The fact that we had to check in a full hour early was a little disappointing, because once you come back down to the office and visitor center area from the Falls area, it is difficult to get back up to the Falls area for viewing, and so you are essentially "stuck" around the office area for the entire hour before your flight (although they do allow you to hang out on the new bridge, where we could still view some bears). Our flight eventually left around 3:50 PM, and we were headed back to King Salmon and then eventually to Anchorage. Viewing grizzlies at Brooks Falls is something everyone should do if you have the interest and ability! We went on July 12, and we probably saw 35 bears in total, with the maximum at any one time of around 10 or 11.

6. Chilkoot Trail

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/yt/chilkoot/plan/activ1_a.aspx
Excellent
94%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 53 reviews

Chilkoot Trail

A 33-mile portion of the Klondike Trail with spectacular scenery and relics from the gold rush era.

7. Chugach National Forest

+1 907-288-3178 http://www.fs.usda.gov/chugach
Excellent
82%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 234 reviews

Chugach National Forest

8. Hubbard Glacier

Yakutat Bay, AK http://www.alaska.org/detail/hubbard-glacier
Excellent
93%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 661 reviews

Hubbard Glacier

First mapped in 1895, Hubbard is considered the largest tidewater glacier in North America.

Reviewed By Zeituni - Jerusalem, Israel

Visiting this glacier is most impressive. When the ship slowly turns to let everybody on board see the glacier, you hear thunder-like sounds of falling to the ocean icebergs

9. Davidson Glacier

Skagway, AK +1 907-983-4444 http://www.alaskaexcursions.com/glacier-safari-2
Excellent
88%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 435 reviews

Davidson Glacier

See the Davidson Glacier up close, from the vantage point of our 30-foot Voyager Canoes. The Glacier Point Wilderness Safari brings you into the Alaskan Wilderness and gives you a taste of the “True Alaska”.Your adventure begins at your cruise ship where we’ll board a high-speed vessel made for wildlife viewing en route to an Alaskan paradise. We’ll ply the waters of the deepest Fjord in North America with a naturalist guide, watching for whales, sea lions, porpoise, and many other species of marine wildlife. We land at Glacier Point and board our Safari Buses for a short drive over the terminal moraines. Our award-winning guides share with you the wonders of this Glacial Wilderness. A quarter mile hike will lead us to the iceberg-studded lake where we’ll paddle our canoes to the face of the glacier. This is an ideal family adventure and one you won’t soon forget!

10. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, AK +1 907-697-2230 http://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm
Excellent
93%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,372 reviews

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Reviewed By mu51c10rd - Lehi, United States

Glacier Bay is awe-inspiring when you see the sheer size and number of the glaciers. Cruising on a cruise ship down the bay provides a 360 view, and there is wildlife all over (we saw bears, otters, whales breaching, goats, and eagles). The nature of this national park means there are almost no people around except those on boats and ships on the water, so all the scenery is pristine. You can watch Margerie Glacier calving and hear the booms as the ice hits the water. The amazon part is all of Glacer Bay was one big glacier in 1750 that has since receded and created the bay with lots of glaciers coming to the water's edge. Sad part is seeing how many glaciers have receded far enough away from the water that you can't see them anymore.

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