Things to Do in Anchorage With Kids: A Parent's Day Plan

The best things to do in Anchorage with kids are the Anchorage Museum's hands-on Discovery Center downtown, the Alaska Zoo on O'Malley Road, the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Northeast Anchorage and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center at the city's far southern edge. Fill the gaps with free outdoor stops like Westchester Lagoon, Kincaid Park and the Potter Marsh boardwalk, and eat at places that already expect kids. Below are 12 verified picks, what age each suits, where to park, and one full-day route you can actually finish before the meltdown.

One rule runs through all of it: in Anchorage, the clock is set by the season. Several of these places shorten their hours or days from fall through spring, so check each official site the morning you go.

How we chose

We picked places a parent can do in one go with a stroller or a restless eight-year-old, and we confirmed every one is open on its own official website. Each pick is inside the Municipality of Anchorage, which Visit Anchorage says runs from Eklutna in the north to Portage in the south. That is why a wildlife park 47 miles down the highway still counts as Anchorage. We flag anything that is seasonal.

The big four: museums and wildlife

These four are the backbone of any family day in Anchorage; pick two, not four.

1. Anchorage Museum (Downtown)

The Anchorage Museum at 625 C Street in Downtown Anchorage is the best rainy-day or deep-winter pick for kids of every age, thanks to its Discovery Center. The Discovery Center is a hands-on science space with zones for land, water, sky and life, where the sky zone covers Alaska's extreme seasons and the aurora. Kids 6 and up can ask Discovery Center staff for a Science Passport; three visits unlock workshops and planetarium shows. The Thomas Planetarium is small, a 38-seat dome, and planetarium tickets are sold separately from museum admission, with no entry once a show starts.

Ages: toddlers to tweens. Children 5 and under get in free, and children 6 to 12 pay a reduced rate, typically $12. An adult must accompany kids 12 and under.
Hours: typically 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from May through September; from October through April it is closed Mondays and opens at noon on Sundays. First Fridays stay open to 9 p.m., with free admission after 6 p.m.
Where to park: the museum's underground garage is open to the public evenings and weekends. Street meters on 7th Avenue are free on weekends and after 6 p.m.
When to leave: after the Discovery Center and one gallery. Kids hit the wall around the two-hour mark.

2. Alaska Zoo (Hillside)

The Alaska Zoo at 4731 O'Malley Road in south Anchorage is 30 acres of boreal forest with polar bears, brown and black bears, an Amur tiger, a snow leopard, moose, muskox and Bactrian camels. It is the easiest place in Anchorage to promise a child a moose and actually deliver.

Ages: everyone, but especially 2 to 10. Kids 2 and under are free; youth 3 to 15 typically pay $12.
Hours: open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas, typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October through April and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in June through August. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Snack stop: the zoo's coffee shop sits about halfway around, next to restrooms, and makes cocoa with whipped topping for kids.
Winter bonus: Zoo Lights runs on select winter evenings, with its own ticket.

3. Alaska Native Heritage Center (Northeast Anchorage)

The Alaska Native Heritage Center at 8800 Heritage Center Drive in Northeast Anchorage has six life-sized Native dwellings around Lake Tiulana that kids can walk into. In summer, the Gathering Place stage hosts Alaska Native dance and Native games demonstrations, which is where school-age kids lock in.

Ages: 5 and up get the most out of it. Children 3 and under get in free in summer.
Season matters: in summer the center is open daily, typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with guided village tours and live performances. In winter it is typically open weekdays only, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., self-guided, and asks for a suggested donation instead of a ticket. Winter has no scheduled daily programming, and the cafe is closed.
Where to park: an on-site lot with plenty of spaces. Give a rideshare driver the exact address; the center warns that apps can route drivers toward a nearby military base.
Fun detail: the summer cafe is called Café Di'eshchin, which the center translates from Dena'ina as "I'm Hungry". Any parent will approve.

4. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (Portage, at the municipality's edge)

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center sits at Mile 79 of the Seward Highway in Portage, about 47 miles south of downtown Anchorage, and it is still inside the municipality. More than 200 acres of enclosures hold wood bison, brown and black bears, moose, muskox, elk, wolves and lynx.

The 1.5-mile loop can be done on foot, by bike or by car. If the baby falls asleep on the drive down, you can see the bears without unbuckling anyone.

Ages: all ages; kids 3 and under are free and youth 4 to 12 pay a reduced rate.
Hours: open daily in summer, typically 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May to mid-September. In November through February it is typically open Friday through Monday only.
Food: a food truck runs daily in summer with kid staples like mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. In the off-season it is grab-and-go snacks and cocoa from the gift shop, so pack lunch.
When to leave: this is a half-day on its own. Don't stack it with the zoo.

Where can kids run around for free?

Anchorage's parks are the release valve between paid attractions, and these three cost little or nothing.

5. Westchester Lagoon and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail (Downtown & South Addition)

Westchester Lagoon, on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail just west of Downtown Anchorage, has playground equipment, benches, a nesting-bird island and a boardwalk for watching salmon. The paved Coastal Trail runs 11 miles along Cook Inlet; Visit Anchorage puts the walk from Third Avenue to the lagoon and back at about 3 miles, which is the right size for a stroller. In winter, the Municipality of Anchorage runs a free Saturday-afternoon family skate on the lagoon in January and February, ice permitting, with warming barrels and hot chocolate.

6. Kincaid Park (Sand Lake & Bayshore)

Kincaid Park at 9401 West Raspberry Road in west Anchorage covers 1,400 acres at the far end of the Coastal Trail. Older kids will love this one: the park once held a Cold War military installation, and the Kincaid Chalet was converted from its old bunkers. Views from the chalet take in Denali, Fire Island and incoming planes. Visit Anchorage notes moose and black bears are often seen along Raspberry Road on the way in, so slow down and keep the windows clear.

7. Potter Marsh boardwalk (south Anchorage)

Potter Marsh, at the southern end of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge off the New Seward Highway, is about 15 minutes south of downtown, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. A wooden boardwalk winds 1,550 feet from the parking area over the marsh. From May through August, salmon spawn in Rabbit Creek right under the boardwalk, and moose turn up year-round. There are accessible restrooms at the main entrance. Fish and Game warns that cars in the lot are sometimes broken into, so take valuables with you.

Indoor backup and a short hike

These two save a day when the weather turns or the kids need something different.

8. Alaska Aviation Museum (Spenard, at Lake Hood)

The Alaska Aviation Museum at 4721 Aircraft Drive sits on Lake Hood in west Anchorage, which the museum calls the world's largest seaplane base. Kids get four hangars of vintage aircraft, a virtual reality flight simulator, and the Seybert Tower, where you watch floatplanes take off while listening to the live control-tower radio. It is typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; it closes on Sundays in January and February. Children 3 to 11 typically pay $11, and kids 2 and under are free. Best for ages 5 to 12, and for any adult who secretly wanted to be a pilot.

9. Eagle River Nature Center (Eagle River, northern Anchorage)

The Eagle River Nature Center at 32750 Eagle River Road, at Mile 12 in the Eagle River Valley, is inside the municipality but well north of downtown, so treat it as a half-day trip. The Rodak Nature Trail is a three-quarter-mile loop with signs and benches that leads to beaver and salmon viewing decks; the center says to allow about 45 minutes. Trails are open around the clock. Parking is typically $5 per vehicle for non-members, and Alaska State Parks passes don't work here.

Where to eat with kids

The three restaurants below all post a kids' menu or take families easily; go early or off-peak and you will skip the wait.

10. Snow City Cafe (Downtown)

Snow City Cafe at 1034 West 4th Avenue in Downtown Anchorage is open daily, typically 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and posts a separate kids' menu. You can join the day's waitlist online before you leave the hotel.

11. Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria (Midtown)

Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria at 3300 Old Seward Highway in Midtown Anchorage opens typically at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends, and it takes no reservations. Pizza is the easiest yes in any family, so aim for an early lunch right at opening.

12. Spenard Roadhouse (Spenard)

Spenard Roadhouse at 1049 West Northern Lights Boulevard in Spenard is open daily, typically 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and posts a kids' menu. The tater tots alone justify the stop. It is the safe dinner bet after a long day because it is open until 10 p.m. and a short drive from Lake Hood.

What does a full family day in Anchorage look like?

This route works best from Tuesday to Saturday, when the museum and the zoo are both open; it keeps driving short and ends before bedtime.

7:30 a.m. Breakfast at Snow City Cafe, Downtown. Join the online waitlist on the way.
9:00 a.m. Walk the Coastal Trail to Westchester Lagoon and back, about 3 miles. Bring the stroller and let the kids loose on the playground.
10:00 a.m. Anchorage Museum when it opens: Discovery Center first, then one gallery. Leave by noon.
12:15 p.m. Early lunch at Moose's Tooth in Midtown, a short drive south.
1:30 p.m. Alaska Zoo on O'Malley Road. In winter it closes at 4 p.m. on its typical schedule, so this is your last paid stop.
4:00 p.m. Head south on the New Seward Highway to Potter Marsh for 20 minutes on the boardwalk if there is still light, or skip it if the kids are done.
5:30 p.m. Dinner at Spenard Roadhouse, then home.

Swaps: on a summer weekday, trade the zoo for the Alaska Native Heritage Center to catch the dancing and games. In bad weather, trade the lagoon walk for the Alaska Aviation Museum. Give the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center its own morning and pair it with a picnic.

Where to plan the rest of your Anchorage trip

Browse neighborhood guides for Downtown & South Addition, Spenard, Hillside, Girdwood and Eagle River & Chugiak, check the weather, see what is on this weekend, and find more family tables in food and dining.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Anchorage with kids?

The Anchorage Museum's Discovery Center, the Alaska Zoo, the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center are the four anchor family stops in Anchorage. Westchester Lagoon, Kincaid Park and the Potter Marsh boardwalk are free outdoor add-ons.

Is the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Anchorage?

Yes. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is at Mile 79 of the Seward Highway in Portage, about 47 miles south of downtown, at the southern end of the Municipality of Anchorage. You can drive the 1.5-mile loop, which helps with napping toddlers.

Where can kids see a moose in Anchorage?

The Alaska Zoo and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center both keep moose, so you're guaranteed a sighting. Wild moose often turn up at Potter Marsh, Kincaid Park and along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail; keep a safe distance.

Where do you park for the Anchorage Museum?

The Anchorage Museum's underground garage at 625 C Street is open to the public on evenings and weekends. Street meters on 7th Avenue next to the Anchorage Museum are free on weekends and after 6 p.m.

What can families do in Anchorage in winter?

The Anchorage Museum, the Alaska Zoo and the Alaska Aviation Museum stay open through the winter, and the zoo runs evening Zoo Lights. Westchester Lagoon hosts a free Saturday family skate when the ice allows.

A Family Day in Anchorage: Where to Take Kids, and When to Leave