Potter Marsh was my last activity in Alaska. Having arrived back in Anchorage, following an epic…read moreroad trip back from Seward, I was staying my last night near the airport before an early flight the next day. Wanting to stretch my legs, I had decided to make an after dinner stop at Potter Marsh. Having passed it earlier in the day, I had seen a large bull moose from the road, as he enjoyed grazing in the tall grasses. Later on, when I actually had time to stop, no moose sightings. However, the walk along the well maintained boardwalk offered epic views and a peaceful, quiet evening walk. Lots of locals out enjoying the first sunny day, all week. Nicely done placards with info and complimentary spotting scopes to see any visiting bird life. It's a quick but worthy stop in Anchorage if you are looking for a simple outdoor activity.

Beautiful park with great views of the mountains and the water! Nice viewing of different wildlife…read moreas well. Nice boardwalk with information signs. Easy and free parking!

As I've said previously, this garden is impressive. Every year it gets better. It's landscaped…read moreto provided maximum benefit, even during winter. There is art, statues, instruments, poetry and thoughtfully placed trees and lights throughout the year. Of course, summer and fall are when the garden is at its best. The garden is handicap accessible as well. A hidden gem!

This is a great, less well-known spot to see the sunset or walk the "beach"…read more I accidentally ended up here after a long walk south from Kincaide Park proper. But, you can also drive right here. (it's right next to a dirt bike track) Bring a telephoto lens, the views of the Aleutians, Tordrillos, and Fire Island (and its windmills) are pretty incredible!

Loved learning about the Native culture and lands of Alaska. Watched a presentation on native sport…read moreand dance. It was excellent. Lost opportunity is we wish it was similar to others we've been to that had a cafe that featured native foods and drinks.

Just like we just happened to arrive in Alaska hours before the summer solstice, we also happened…read moreto visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center on the day of the grand reopening of their Hall of Cultures. Although it was already special learning about the different dwellings around the property for each region of Alaska on their included tour and seeing demos of native dances on the stage, it was made even more special with the addition of the murals from different cultural regions and a gift for all guests that day in honor of that grand reopening day as a reflection of their culture. Quyana.

The trail Joy G describes, is also known as "Ship Creek Trail" but it is very much an…read moreunderdeveloped wilderness trail near the Arctic Valley ski area (much higher up), you can read more about it here: https://alaskahikesearch.com/hikes/ship-creek-trail The trail I'm going to be describing starts north of downtown, at very low elevation, near the Ship Creek "urban" mucky fishing area. From there, it goes east for a couple miles. It's beautifully thought-out and well-maintained, but it soon peters out. It's a shame. It would be wonderful to have this trail cross-cut the entire town from West-to-East. My favorite feature is a pedestrian/bike only bridge that goes over the railroad tracks. If you want to extend your walk/ride, you can easily link this into a walk/ride of the Coastal Trail: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tony-knowles-coastal-trail-anchorage

This trail is something of a secret. Ask most Anchorage-ites about this trail and they'll look at…read moreyou quizzically and think you mean Ship Creek outlet down by the Port of Anchorage, which is famous for summer time combat salmon fishing. No, this trail is at the other end of Ship Creek, high in the mountains closer to where it starts. Well, I say high, but it's actually below the tree line, but potentially below the low clouds that stick to the mountains in Arctic Valley like thistles in a dog's fur. This makes for a very moist and potentially magical hiking experience. There were times I felt like I was in some mystical realm when the clouds would come and kiss the mountains. It's very surreal and dreamy at times. I say that, but it also isn't my favorite trail by a long shot. I hike here for one purpose, watermelon berry picking in late summer and early fall. I've never seen them as abundant anywhere else as here. I hear that somewhere in the Arctic Valley there is also the mother lode of blueberries, but I couldn't find a single one. Anyway, about the trail. It's not highly used and not maintained. But enough locals use it to keep the first few miles of weeds squished down so that the trail is easy to follow. It does fork off into 2 trails about 1.5 miles in. I take the left fork that follows Ship Creek because we like to play in the water. Someday I will scope out the right fork.... I understand that this trail is favored as a cross country skiing trail. It's gently sloped downward for the first few miles. I turn around and hike back after the trail gets harder to follow. I hear you can actually hike it 22 miles to Indian if you like bushwacking and mud. We just go as far as this cool old abandoned bridge that had trees growing out of it and turn around. At one time this must have been an unpaved auto road because there are several abandoned cars along the trail. Nice little trail. I wouldn't make a special trip for it, but if you live in the area and want to experience new, check this neglected trail out.

A lovely gem in downtown Anchorage. What a great find…read more Great for families. I just saw a dad walking with his daughters and their golden lab. Concrete as well as unpaved trails for bikers and runners alike. The nearby creek also attracts the fishermen. Good for us visitors too as we can walk on the bridges and watch as they try their luck at catching them wily fishies.

This inclusive multi-use park/playground is centrally located in Anchorage near the public library…read more Parking is ample and accessible in at least 3 different areas surrounding the park. All of my kids have played here and enjoyed the offerings. Surprisingly, there isn't a single swing at this park FYI. But still tons to do, to keep the kids entertained. There is a man-made pond front and center. Lots of birds + bird poop. Lots of walking/biking trails here. Lots of space to lay out. Tons of space to hold events here. I attended some of the best music festivals/concerts with mountain backdrop here; but due to disagreements with the city and the unhoused population, the space isn't utilized for these purposes anymore. Highly recommend.

It's a pretty large park, located in the middle of Midtown…read more Great place to go when there is a festival/event of some sort going down. It's also a good place to take a lunch break if you work in the area. If neither of these conditions are satisfied, there are much better parks to explore in Anchorage ;)

This scenic park/playground is located near the bluffs of government hill. You take a left at the…read moremain light and it's towards the back on your right hand side. You can park near a red fence (towards the front of the playground) or there's another parking area close to the grassy area. This playground is recently built (within last 10 years or so). There's a beautiful wooly mammoth as the main focus of the play area. They have a sand pit, swings, slides and climbing areas. There's plenty of room to spread out and picnic. Highly recommend.

An impeccably-maintained park in Government Hill. One that actually utilizes the hill…read more You'll have sweeping views of the Tordrillo Mountains, but also the noisy industrial area right beneath the hill :-/ Still, kids don't really care about that, and this park caters to them. It's got a really sweet wooly mammoth playset! There's also an interesting 3x3 art piece that's of Denali. Worth making a special trip for? Only if you got some kiddos!