Anchorage & the Kenai Peninsula
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Photo By: Clark Mishler
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The sun shines off a wet roadway
The ideal place to experience a great mix of Alaskan culture and wildlife.
Day 1 Anchorage
Experience the wonders of Alaska's indigenous people at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Climb Flattop Mountain, one of the city's popular day hikes. Stroll along a peaceful, wooded trail in Bicentennial Park. Visit the Alaska Zoo. Tee-off under the midnight sun or cap off the evening with a Broadway show.
Day 2 Anchorage
Start the day on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail with views of Cook Inlet and six mountain ranges. Visit Sunshine Plaza for a historical view of the 1964 earthquake or see it first hand at Earthquake Park. Then drive toward Turnagain Arm to Potter Marsh, home to more than 130 species of waterfowl.
Day 3 Anchorage - Seward
Head south via the Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road. In Seward, visit the Alaska SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier, one of Alaska's most accessible glaciers. Take a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park to see a variety of sea life such as otters, sea lions and puffins.
Day 4 Seward - Soldotna - Kenai
Arrive through the Chugach National Forest west to Soldotna, famous for Kenai River King salmon, and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, home to moose and other wildlife. Visit nearby Kenai, rich in history and culture, and tour the Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church, a National Historic Landmark.
Day 5 Kenai - Homer
Take a morning drive south along the bluffs of Cook Inlet, where sightings of beluga whales and seals are common. At the end of the road you'll reach Homer, a bustling artist community and the Halibut Capital of the world. Take an afternoon to explore Homer's historic harbor walk and eclectic art galleries.
Day 6 Homer
Explore the Homer Spit with miles of beaches, charter a fishing expedition, or take a water taxi to Halibut Cove, a quiet paradise tucked away in Kachemak Bay State Park.
Day 7 Homer - Girdwood - Anchorage
While driving to Anchorage, stop at Portage Glacier for a boat tour or visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for wildlife viewing. Eat lunch in Girdwood, home to a luxury year-round resort based at sea level. Ride the enclosed aerial tram up Mt. Alyeska for spectacular views.
Day Add-on Kodiak
From Anchorage, fly to Kodiak Island, Alaska's Emerald Isle. Explore Kodiak's magnificent coastal scenery by land and by sea, enjoy world-class sport fishing, view Kodiak brown bears, marvel at the marine wildlife and birds and learn about Kodiak's rich Alutiiq and Russian heritage.