Anchorage with Kids: A Perfect Family Day

Alamy

Anchorage, a gateway to the rest of Alaska, is the perfect starting point for family vacations with kids. Anchorage visitors will find clean air, snow capped mountains and breathtaking ocean vistas during the summer months, as well as moderate temperatures and eighteen hours of daylight. So, you're free to spend your time packing in activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, gold panning, wildlife viewing and glacier cruising without worrying about the sun going down and ruining your fun. A number of family-fun activities make trips to Anchorage with kids an unforgettable experience for all.

While Anchorage has tall buildings and traffic like any other larger city, its location between Cook Inlet and the wilderness of the Chugach Mountains means that it is not uncommon to spot a moose in traffic, salmon spawning in a stream or a bear walking down the road.

Family travel here affords opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world. Here's my idea of a perfect day in Anchorage.

Insider Tip: When booking your hotel room, make sure to book a room with blackout drapes. Otherwise, you will not be able to sleep since it doesn't actually get dark.