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

Two Days in Anchorage: The Perfect Anchorage Itinerary

Updated September 2026, Two Days in Anchorage: The Perfect Anchorage Itinerary was originally written in September 2015

Got 2 days in Anchorage, Alaska? While most travelers use Anchorage as a jumping-off point for Denali, the Kenai Peninsula, or other parts of Southcentral Alaska, two days gives you enough time to see the city’s highlights without feeling like you’re racing around.

I’ve lived near Anchorage for most of my life, and this is how I’d spend 48 hours in Anchorage if it were my first visit. This itinerary combines the Anchorage Museum, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Alaska Native culture, a scenic drive along Turnagain Arm, a hike in the Chugach Mountains, and some of my favorite places to eat.

This 2-day Anchorage itinerary works best from May through September, when the days are long and the city’s outdoor trails, restaurants, and attractions are in full swing. I’ve also included alternatives for families, different activity levels, and travelers visiting outside the main summer season.

If you’re wondering what to do in Anchorage in 2 days, here’s exactly how I’d plan it.

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Twp Days in Anchorage at a Glance

DayMorningAfternoonEvening
Day 1Breakfast + Anchorage MuseumTony Knowles Coastal TrailDinner + downtown
Day 2Breakfast + Seward HighwayGirdwood + hikingFlattop Mountain + dinner

Planning tip: This itinerary assumes you have a rental car, particularly for Day 2. If you don’t plan to rent a car, you’ll be either at the mercy of the limited bus system or spending a fortune on ride shares or taxi.

Planning Your Two Days in Anchorage

Best Time to Visit Anchorage

The best time to follow this Anchorage itinerary is from May through September, when most attractions are open, trails are accessible, and Anchorage gets exceptionally long daylight hours.

June through August is the busiest period, with July generally bringing the warmest weather. June also gives you some seriously ridiculous daylight, with the sun setting close to midnight around the summer solstice.

May and September can be good options if you want fewer visitors and potentially lower prices, but you’ll need to pay closer attention to attraction schedules and weather.

Do You Need a Car in Anchorage?

For this particular 2-day Anchorage itinerary, I recommend renting a car. Day 1 can be done mostly around downtown Anchorage, but Day 2 takes you along the Seward Highway to Girdwood and requires considerably more flexibility.

If you don’t have a car, you can still visit Anchorage in two days. The downtown attractions, Anchorage Museum, and Tony Knowles Coastal Trail are relatively easy to access without one, while tours can handle transportation for some excursions.

Anchorage is spread out, though, so don’t assume everything is walkable just because you’re staying downtown.

 

Can You Visit Anchorage Without a Car?

Yes, but I’d modify this itinerary.

Downtown Anchorage, the Anchorage Museum, restaurants, and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail can all be incorporated into a car-free trip. The tricky part is Day 2, since this itinerary takes you south along the Seward Highway to Girdwood.

Without a car, I’d replace the self-drive portion with a guided Turnagain Arm or Girdwood tour that includes transportation from Anchorage.

Is Two Days in Anchorage Enough?

Yes, two days is enough time to see the highlights of Anchorage, particularly if this is your first visit and Anchorage is one stop on a larger Alaska road trip.

Two days gives you enough time to explore downtown, visit the Anchorage Museum, get outside on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, learn about Alaska Native cultures, and take a scenic drive along Turnagain Arm to Girdwood.

What you won’t have time for is everything. I’d save longer excursions such as a full-day Prince William Sound cruise, bear viewing, or a Kenai Peninsula road trip for another day.

If you have three or more days, I’d use the extra time for a glacier cruise, wildlife viewing, another hike, or a day trip farther south.

Anchorage Two Day Itinerary

Day 1 in Anchorage: Downtown, Museum & Coastal Trail

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

Have Breakfast in Anchorage

On 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.

Visit the Anchorage Museum

After breakfast, head downtown to the Anchorage Museum, one of my favorite places to get some context before heading farther into Alaska.

The museum covers Alaska history, art, science, and Indigenous cultures, including Alaska Native artifacts in the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center. There’s also a Discovery Center and planetarium, making this a particularly good stop if you’re traveling with kids.

I’d allow 2 to 3 hours here rather than trying to speed-run the galleries.The Anchorage Museum is open year-round, but its schedule changes seasonally. From May through September, it is generally open daily from 10 am to 6 pm Admission is $25 for adults, $20 for Alaska residents, $12 for kids (3-12 years), and children 2 years and under are free. Check the official museum website before visiting for current hours, exhibitions, and admission prices.

Browse the Anchorage Market

If you’re visiting Anchorage on a Saturday between May and September, check whether the Anchorage market is operating during your visit. It’s an easy place to browse local crafts, souvenirs, and food vendors while you’re downtown.

If the market isn’t running, simply grab lunch at one of the many cafes and restaurants downtown instead.

Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

After lunch, get outside and explore the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, an 11-mile paved trail following the coast from downtown Anchorage toward Kincaid Park. You can rent bicycles from Downtown Anchorage Bicycle Rentals (they even rent bicycles for winter riding too).

You don’t need to bike all 11 miles. For this two day Anchorage itinerary, I’d simply ride as far as you feel like going before turning around. The trail is mostly easygoing, and you’ll get views across Cook Inlet toward the mountains while passing through some surprisingly wild stretches of Anchorage.

Keep an eye out for moose along the way. Yes, you’re technically still in a city. Anchorage apparently didn’t get that memo.

Where to Have Dinner in Anchorage

Anchorage has a surprisingly good restaurant scene, so I’d make dinner part of the itinerary rather than treating it as an afterthought.

For uniquely inspired food: South
For a splurge: Crow’s Nest
For pizza: Moose’s Tooth
For a more casual neighborhood meal: Spenard Roadhouse
For cocktails and small plates: Crush

I’d make reservations for the restaurants that accept them, particularly during July and August (note that Moose’s Tooth does not take reservations.

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

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

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

Day 2 in Anchorage: Turnagain Arm, Girdwood & Flattop

Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center

If you want to better understand Alaska beyond its mountains and wildlife, make time for the Alaska Native Heritage Center. After breakfast, make your way over to ANHC.

The center explores the cultures and traditions of Alaska Native peoples through exhibits, cultural programming, performances, films, and outdoor village sites. It’s a much more meaningful introduction to Alaska Native cultures than simply looking at artifacts in a museum.

In summer, the center is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Admission is currently $30 for adults.

Drive the Seward Highway to Girdwood

Bird Ridge Hike, Cook Inlet, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole

Next, embark on one of Alaska’s most scenic drives. There are plenty of pull-offs where you can stop for photographs and wildlife viewing, and half the fun is simply watching the landscape change as you leave Anchorage behind.

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 your second day with one of my favorite drives from Anchorage: the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm.

The highway is designated as an Alaska Scenic Byway and an All-American Road, and the first 50 miles follow the base of the Chugach Mountains along Turnagain Arm. Keep your eyes open for Dall sheep, eagles, waterfalls, and, occasionally, beluga whales.

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

Explore Girdwood

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

Once you reach Girdwood, spend a few hours exploring the valley rather than simply driving through.

For an easy outing, hike to Virgin Creek Falls. If you want something longer, Winner Creek Trail is a good option through the forest. More ambitious hikers can tackle one of the steeper mountain trails around Alyeska.

Another option is simply to explore the village, grab lunch, and enjoy the mountain scenery. You don’t have to turn every stop in Alaska into an endurance event.

Where to Eat in Girdwood

Jack Sprat and Chair 5 are two longtime options for lunch in Girdwood. If you’re looking for a beer, Girdwood Brewery is another easy stop.

Hike Flattop Mountain

Flat Top Hike, Anchorage, Alaska, Adventures of Nicole

If you’re up for a hike, finish the afternoon back in Anchorage at Flattop Mountain, one of the most popular hikes in Anchorage and one of the best places for panoramic views over the city.

The trail from Glen Alps to the rocky summit is approximately 3 miles round trip with about 1,500 feet of elevation gain. It’s steep and rocky in places, so don’t underestimate it just because you’re starting in the city.

If you don’t want to hike to the summit, there are shorter trails and viewpoints around Glen Alps that still give you excellent views.

Traveling with kids? You can swap the Flattop hike for the Alaska Zoo, which is home to animals native to Alaska and other northern regions.

Dinner at Moose’s Tooth

After hiking Flattop, you’ll have earned dinner. My pick is Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, one of Anchorage’s best-known places to grab a pizza and beer.

There’s no reservation system, and waits can be long during busy summer evenings. If you don’t feel like hanging around for a table after hiking, ordering takeout is a perfectly respectable alternative.

Have More Than Two Days in Anchorage?

If you have more than 48 hours in Anchorage, don’t simply add more attractions to this itinerary. Use the extra time for one of the experiences outside the city that makes Anchorage such a useful base.

Consider:

  • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
  • Portage Glacier
  • Whittier
  • Kincaid Park
  • Ship Creek
  • Alaska Aviation Museum
  • Bear viewing
  • A flightseeing tour

Where to Stay on Your Two Day Anchorage Itinerary

For a short Anchorage visit, I recommend staying downtown or in Midtown. Downtown is the most convenient if you want to walk to restaurants, museums, shops, and other attractions. Midtown is generally more convenient if you’re prioritizing easy driving and parking.

Here are a few options for different budgets:

Budget
Basecamp Anchorage
| Booking.com |

Midrange
The Lakefront Anchorage
| Booking.com| Hotels.com |

Splurge
The Hotel Captain Cook
| Booking.com | Hotels.com |

Getting Around Anchorage

Rental car: Best for this itinerary, especially Day 2 when you’re driving to Girdwood.

Walking: Downtown Anchorage is relatively easy to explore on foot.

Biking: The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail makes Anchorage particularly good for exploring by bicycle.

Tours: If you don’t want to drive, several Anchorage tours include transportation.

For this itinerary, I’d rent a car if you can. It gives you the flexibility to stop along Turnagain Arm whenever the scenery inevitably makes you slam on the brakes.

Visiting Anchorage in Winter

This itinerary is designed primarily for summer and shoulder-season travel, when the trails and attractions are easiest to combine.

Visiting Anchorage in winter requires a few changes. The Anchorage Museum remains open year-round, but hours change seasonally. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail can still be explored, although snow and ice may make biking or walking conditions very different from summer.

Instead of following this itinerary exactly, consider swapping some of the summer hiking for winter activities such as fat-tire biking, skiing, snowshoeing, or northern lights viewing.

Is Anchorage Worth Visiting?

I’ll be honest: Anchorage isn’t everyone’s favorite stop in Alaska. If you’re expecting a cute little mountain town surrounded by wilderness, you’re going to be disappointed. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, complete with traffic, shopping centers, homeless camps, and all the other realities that come with a real city.

But that’s also what makes Anchorage interesting. You can eat breakfast downtown, visit an excellent museum, bike along the coast, and be standing beneath the Chugach Mountains less than an hour later.

After living near Anchorage for most of my life, I wouldn’t tell you to spend a week here unless you have a specific reason. But two days in Anchorage is a different story. That’s enough time to get a feel for the city and use it as a base for some seriously good scenery without sacrificing too much time elsewhere in Alaska.

Final Thoughts on 2 Days in Anchorage

Two days in Anchorage won’t show you everything the city has to offer, but it is enough to see why I think Anchorage deserves more than a quick overnight stop.

You’ll get a little bit of everything Alaska does well: mountains, wildlife, Indigenous culture, long summer days, good food, and plenty of opportunities to get outside. And unlike some of Alaska’s smaller destinations, Anchorage gives you a comfortable base with plenty of restaurants, hotels, and services.

If you’re planning a longer Alaska trip, I’d use this two day Anchorage itinerary as your introduction before heading south toward the Kenai Peninsula, north toward Denali, or deeper into Southcentral Alaska.

And if you fall in love with the place? Well, I warned you. Alaska has a habit of doing that.

Have any Questions about this 2 Day Anchorage Itinerary?

Ask your Anchorage in a weekend questions in the comments section below!

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1 thought on “Two Days in Anchorage: The Perfect Anchorage Itinerary”

  1. Jonathan Duckworth

    This is such a helpful 2-day itinerary! The Alaska Native Heritage Center and Tony Knowles Coastal Trail are definitely must-sees. Your timing recommendations are spot-on too. For travelers looking for additional current event listings and seasonal activities to add to their itinerary, I’d suggest checking out AnchorageActivities.com as well — they have a great calendar of what’s happening around town each month that could complement this excellent foundation perfectly.

    Reply

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