Aurora, Skyline, Eagle River, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole

A Two Day Anchorage Itinerary: Best Things to Do in 48 Hours

Updated January 2026, 2 Day Anchorage Itinerary: Anchorage in a Weekend was originally written in September 2015

Got two days in Anchorage, Alaska and not sure what to do?

I’ll be honest, Anchorage isn’t the highlight for most tourists in Alaska. I get it, most people come to Alaska for the nature, not the cities. Pair that with high crime rates and not a whole lot of attractions, which explains why Anchorage doesn’t make most traveler’s itineraries.

With all that said, I do get emails from readers who find that they will have a day or two to kill in Anchorage and want suggestions on what to do there, or just to flat out ask if they should even include Anchorage on their itinerary. So, after living near Anchorage my entire life, here is a 2 day Anchorage itinerary to show you the highlights of what the city has to offer.

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Just start planning? Check out my post Travel Alaska on a Budget

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Day 1 In Anchorage

Anchorage Skyline, Anchorage, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole — The iconic view of Anchorage from Airport Park

One your first day in Anchorage, plan to spend it getting to know the city a little better by bicycle, museum, and good food.

Start by grabbing breakfast over at Bear’s Tooth Grill (don’t go into the theatre side though, the breakfast at the theatre is far inferior). Hint- my favorite is the Cotija tacos. Another local favorite is Snow City Cafe located in downtown Anchorage.

Next, head downtown and spend a couple of hours over at the Anchorage Museum. The first floor has the Imaginarium, which is a great place to take kids if you’ll be traveling with little ones.

The second floor has all kinds of Alaska native artifacts and displays as well as informative information on Alaska history. The third floor usually displays traveling exhibitions, so be sure to check the website to find out what’s there when you’ll be in Anchorage. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for Alaska residents, $12 for kids (3-12 years), and children 2 years and under are free.

If it’s a weekend in the summertime after your museum visit, make your way over to the Anchorage market real quick to have a look around and grab a quick snack from one of the many local food vendors. If it’s outside the May-September months that the Anchorage Market operates, I’d recommend heading for a light lunch at one of the many cafes around downtown Anchorage.

After the market or lunch, head out on bicycles for an active afternoon along the Coastal Trail. You can rent bicycles from Downtown Anchorage Bicycle Rentals (they even rent bicycles for winter riding too). Spend the remainder of the afternoon cruising the Coastal Trail with scenic views of the inlet and Knik Arm.

After returning your bicycles back, and quick change, head back out on the town for dinner. I recommend trying South, Crow’s Nest, Crush, Orso, or Spenard Roadhouse (I recommend trying to make reservations in advance).

After dinner, you can continue on your night and hop around the downtown Anchorage bars.

Traveling to Anchorage on a budget? Check out Free Things to do in Anchorage

Day 2 In Anchorage

Downtown Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole — Downtown Anchorage

The second day of your weekend in Anchorage will take you just south of the city on one of the most scenic drives in the world to nearby Girdwood.

Start day 2 of your Anchorage Itinerary with brunch over at South.

After breakfast, take a drive down the Seward Highway for some scenic views, slowly making your way to Girdwood. The Seward Highway has many pull-offs for photo opts, sightseeing, and wildlife viewing.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my Anchorage Travel Guide With 20 Things To Do

Crow Creek Mine, Anchorage, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole — Crow Creek Mine

Once you arrive in Girdwood, I recommend taking on a small trek to enjoy the town a little better. You can do a brief walk to Virgin Creek Falls, a longer meandering down the Winner Creek Trail, or if you’re looking for something intense (and it’s summer) you could try the Northface of Alyeska.

After you’ve burned off breakfast, grab lunch at one of Girdwood’s many restaurants. Recommended restaurants are Jack Sprat and Chair 5. If you want to sneak in an afternoon beer head over to Girdwood Brewery.

After lunch, head back for Anchorage making all the stops you skipped along the Seward Highway on the way down. Upon returning to Anchorage, if you’re traveling with kids, go over to the Alaska Zoo to see some of Alaska’s animals.

If the zoo doesn’t interest you, I recommend making the hike up Flattop, to spend the late afternoon enjoying some panoramic views of the city from there. The Flattop Hike is a 3.3 miles return from the Glen Alps Trailhead.

After the hike up the mountain, you’ll probably be hungry. Time to head over to one of the best pizza places in the country, Moose’s Tooth. If you can stand to wait for a table (no reservations) head to the restaurant, if not call and order some pizza and then pick it up along with a growler and bring it back to your room.