If the idea of exploring the best landmarks in Alaska excites you, then prepare yourself for a journey filled with a profusion of extraordinary experiences.
During a trip to America’s northernmost state, which is larger than many European countries, you’ll discover magnificent natural treasures and breathtaking landscapes while also encountering scenic wildernesses, an epic history and cultural life, plus a rich Indigenous heritage.
Brace yourself for the adventure of a lifetime as you delve deeper into Alaska’s magnificent landmarks and America’s last great frontier.
Denali
Denali
Denali, North America’s highest mountain, occupies the heart of the eponymous park, which also contains one of the deepest canyons on earth, the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier. Denali is often labeled as one of the most wild and picturesque parks in the United States.
Scenic tours of Denali National Park and Preserve will treat you to open landscapes and mountainous grandeur. Denali, previously known as Mount McKinley, is a must-do in Alaska for adventurers looking for a one-of-a-kind hiking experience on rugged terrain in a unique setting.
Apart from strenuous hikes and pristine nature, this Alaskan national park is also home to the big five megafauna, which include bears, wolves, moose, caribou, and Dall sheep. If you love wildlife, along with oversized geological features, head to Denali to experience some of Alaska’s most captivating natural wonders.
Kachemak Bay State Park
Kachemak Bay State Park
Move south from Denali National Park and you’ll eventually reach the dramatic landscapes of Kachemak Bay State Park—one of Alaska’s most exquisitely remote coastal parks.
The most popular way to visit Kachemak Bay State Park is by boat from Homer, crossing coastal fjords filled with cliffs, sandy beaches, thick forests, and the impressive Grewingk Glacier.
Kayakers often come to see what Kachemak Bay has to offer, and if you want to join them, you can. Water taxis will take you out to the park and pick you up, dropping you off at designated areas that are great for paddling.
This Alaskan landscape is alive with creatures—not just people—too, including puffins, sea otters, harbor seals, and Steller sea lions on the water, plus black bears, moose, and occasionally even wolves on land.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park will, among other things, make you feel quite small. This rugged corner of Alaska, southwest of Seward, is where the power of giant waves of ice is felt every day.
Glacial movements over the eons have gouged out deep fjords along the coastline here, where ice-carved islands and narrow waterways slowly cleave through the jagged Alaskan mountains. The result is an astounding melody of carved stone, cliffs, waterfalls, and tidewater glaciers that meet the sea, the Aialik Glacier being one of them, creating an environment filled with wildlife.
The whales that frequent the park are a big draw as well. Gray whales, minke whales, orcas, humpbacks, and other species show up at different times of year to feed and fatten up in these nutrient-rich waters, making this a prime spot for whale watching in Alaska.
White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad
White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad
The White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad is a whirlwind of incredible mountain scenery that will expose you to Alaska’s pioneer spirit and history, along with its present-day love affair with railroad travel.
This narrow-gauge railway—built in response to the Klondike Gold Rush—pierces through a string of mountains. The train runs across deep gorges, through two tunnels, hugs the sides of cliffs, and even passes by verdant forests, offering you panoramas at every twist and turn.
Departing from Skagway, the train runs uphill for nearly 3,000 vertical feet toward White Pass summit, where the vistas are breathtaking, to say the least. If you want to experience this train ride for yourself, and travel into the past, book a three-hour round trip to the summit.
Anchorage Museum
Anchorage Museum
In downtown Anchorage, you’ll find the Anchorage Museum, an artistic abode that’s perfect for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the state’s different legacies.
This Alaskan museum, with its modern glassy design, along with its striking mirrored expansion, is home to a range of attractions, including the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center collection, featuring cultural exhibits that depict the Native peoples of Alaska.
The museum’s Discover Center contains interactive science displays related to the Arctic, providing a rich tapestry of experiences designed to stimulate the heart and mind while teaching you more about America’s 49th state.
Mount Roberts Tramway
Mount Roberts Tramway
The Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau will whisk you up 1,800 feet above sea level to the top of Mount Roberts, where you’ll be rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the city below, Gastineau Channel, and the surrounding mountains.
At the summit, you’ll find a visitor center complete with natural history exhibits, a restaurant with spectacular vistas, plus miles of elevated hiking trails leading through stands of lush alpine forest.
Whether you’re seeking a precipitous tram thrill ride or simply a leisurely sub-alpine stroll through nature, the Mount Roberts Tramway will offer you a wonderful experience with stellar top-down views of Juneau.
Sitka National Historical Park
Sitka National Historical Park
Visiting Sitka National Historical Park, located on Baranof Island, is one of the best things to do in Sitka. This Alaskan landmark memorializes the battle between the Tlingit people and the Russian state.
Russian forces, led by the trader and governor, Alexander Baranov, blazed a bloody trail through Alaska and Siberia. Several exhibits here showcase the history and culture of the Tlingit people and the result of subsequent Russian colonization. The museum hosts an impressive collection of artifacts and displays as well.
Today, Sitka National Historical Park is also home to a collection of totem poles set along a scenic path through green coastal woodlands, with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most beautiful places in Alaska. Located in southeast Alaska’s panhandle, it’s known for its colossal glaciers, high mountains, fjords, temperate rainforests, and plentiful wildlife.
The icy waters are home to large icebergs, which form after glaciers calve, creating breathtaking spectacles as they plummet into the sea.
Around the ice floes, which come in various sizes, you can glimpse the dorsal fins of humpback whales cutting through the waves, as well as sea otters bobbing at the water’s surface.
You might also see bald eagles soaring over the seascape, while orcas patrol the water for dinner and brown bears patrol the shores for food. Glacier Bay National Park, 3.3 million acres in size, is a pristine example of Alaska’s landscapes and fauna at its best.
Hoonah
Hoonah
Hoonah is another one of those Alaskan landmarks bound to give you the thrill of scenery, culture, and history all in one go.
Located on the island of Chichagof, Hoonah, Alaska’s largest Tlingit village, will provide you with a chance to learn more about life here from indigenous peoples. This Alaskan town is home to skilled totem pole carvers, who create beautiful, hand-crafted totems.
Hoonah also sits along the waters of Icy Strait, where you can head off to see the local wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, and bald eagles.
Whether you’re interested in nature, history, or both, Hoonah is the perfect locale for adventure and Alaskan culture. You can even indulge in a small salmon or trout fishing trip on the side if you are so inclined.
Creek Street, Ketchikan
Creek Street, Ketchikan
Creek Street, next to Ketchikan Creek, is a well-known boardwalk along this stream’s banks. Built on wooden stilts in the early 20th century, the brightly colored buildings here hark back to a time when these houses served as Ketchikan’s red-light district.
Today, Creek Street is one of the best places to visit in Alaska, with museums, shops, and art galleries. It also features a great vantage point for watching the salmon leap during the summer spawning season, when thousands of the fish swim upstream to spawn. In turn, other animals, including bald eagles and bears, come to feed on the salmon.
Make sure you check out the red trestle Stedman Bridge, along with Dolly’s House Museum, a former brothel, giving you a real sense of the somewhat shady history of Creek Street.
Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier
Alaska is known for its glaciers, and Hubbard Glacier, located in Disenchantment Bay, is a particularly impressive flow of ice. It’s the highlight for many visitors who get to witness this monumental river of ice slipping into the ocean.
Hubbard is the largest tidewater glacier in North America, spanning some 76 miles in length and seven miles in width, and towering above the water.
Hubbard Glacier
The blue ice is truly dazzling. Huge chunks of the glacier break off, or calve, regularly and thunder into the sea, creating an incredible rumble and splash.
There’s abundant wildlife here, from seals to sea otters, eagles, humpback whales, orcas, and other Alaskan wildlife moving through the waters and forests surrounding the glacier.
Totem Bight State Historical Park
Totem Bight State Historical Park
Close to Ketchikan, to the northwest, you’ll come across the fascinating and beautifully evocative Totem Bight State Historical Park, where you can immerse yourself in Alaska’s indigenous history.
As you stroll the lush forest trails, you’ll encounter expertly carved totem poles that depict the stories of the Tlingit and Haida people of Alaska.
The Tlingit clan house, also located here, is a fantastic recreation that will help you picture life as it was before the local inhabitants emigrated to non-Indigenous communities. The interpretive trails will let you escape into the rainforest to discover the legacy of the totem poles that still stand here today.
Misty Fjords National Monument
Misty Fjords National Monument
Another beautiful destination that you won’t want to miss, also near Ketchikan, is Misty Fjords National Monument. The very name imparts the rain-infused atmosphere of the place—a labyrinth of fjords, fissured with inlets, bays, peninsulas, and forested ridges, often cloaked with low-hanging clouds.
Alaskan waterfalls pour down from high granite cliffs, next to steep inclines where bald eagles perch in cedar and spruce trees. This is a place of wild beauty and unspoiled nature, defined by the wilderness area’s deep-green waterways.
If you have time, book a short expedition to explore Misty Fjords National Monument by boat or seaplane, or else venture out in a kayak to search for bears, whales, and sea birds.
Alaska Native Heritage Center
If Alaska’s indigenous history piques your interest, then visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center, one of the best things to do in Anchorage. This hands-on, educational destination will offer you insights into the diversity of native cultures within the state.
You’ll be immersed in the past and gain a better understanding of Alaska’s indigenous heritage through performances, dances, songs, and workshops. Interactive exhibits provide a framework for engaging with the region’s history and traditions.
Alaska Native Heritage Center
The Hall of Cultures will help you understand more about the five main Indigenous culture groups of Alaska, while the village sites on Lake Tiulana will help you learn about Indigenous life.
The dancing, games, and drum performances on site are also a joy to witness. The Alaska Native Heritage Center will let you delve deeper into the Alaskan experience, enriching your time in the state overall.
Alyeska
Alyeska
At Girdwood, you’ll find an impressive resort that has become a prime Alaskan location for sporty summertime trekkers and winter snow enthusiasts.
Located southeast of Anchorage, Alyeska Resort, owned by the municipality of Girdwood, is tucked into the Chugach Mountains, and features several well-equipped terrain parks.
Alyeska
During the warmer months, you can go mountain biking, jaunt up to the Alyeska Glacier, or enjoy a tramway ride up the lower flanks of Mount Alyeska.
You’ll be treated to some stunning alpine views of the Chugach Mountains, and experience a true thrill when crossing the 410-foot-long, adrenalin-pumping valley-spanning Veilbreaker Skybridge. All of this makes Alyeska one of the best Alaskan landmarks you can visit if you love nature and adventure.
Read: Summer in Alaska
Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier, among North America’s most accessible and beautiful glaciers, sits 13 miles from the center of Juneau. This Alaskan glacier, which you can drive right up to, is located in the Tongass National Forest.
People come from all over the world to see the icebergs and slow-moving glacial flow. However, the local wildlife is part of the attraction too—bears, bald eagles, and mountain goats, along with salmon, porcupines, and beavers inhabit the forests, rocks, and trees here.
Mendenhall Glacier
Go for a hike along the easy two-mile Nugget Falls Trail for different vantage points. Or paddle in a canoe or kayak in Mendenhall Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in Alaska, for close encounters with the glacier and its icebergs.
The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center houses detailed exhibits about the glacier’s formation and erosion, along with its history and how climate change has made an impact. Rangers and naturalists offer guided tours and talks as well, teaching you more about this incredible glacier.
Read: Best Things to Do in Alaska
Mendenhall Glacier
Explore Celebrity’s cruises to Alaska to experience natural wonders, unforgettable encounters with majestic wildlife, and the remarkable culture of Alaska’s Indigenous peoples.
