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Hometown Adventures: Exploring in and around Anchorage with our kids

Derek is an administrator at a local high school which means we can't go on many big adventures August through May. But that doesn't stop us from taking advantage of our beautiful south central Alaska. We live about 20 minutes north of Anchorage. Today we did a midtown field trip - We dreamed of float planes returning on Lake Hood, checked out the (scary) muskox and bears and other critters in the Lakefront Inn, climbed all over the Cuddy Family Park playground, and ate some delicious pizza at The Moose's Tooth.

This post is for families who live here or might travel here with their (younger) kids. It's basically a list of our family's favorite day trips organized by region. Some parameters:

  • These are not all-day trips because one-year-old Autumn naps mid-day. We can do most of these in two hours, three if you include drive time. I have included a few longer day trips in the last section in case you're up for that.

  • Given the time restrictions (see parameter 1), we mostly stay near our house. So the further from "north of the city" that you go, the less I can tell you. :)

  • I've tried to include ideas that are free or mostly free as much as possible.

  • There are so many playgrounds in Anchorage. We know the ones near us, you know? Please share your favorite Anchorage parks in the comments. Thanks!

North of the City (our neighborhood!)

  • Eagle River Nature Center - $5 daily fee; membership $50/year

  • Eklutna Lake - $5; State Parks pass $60/year

  • Mirror & Edmonds Lakes - free (trails and picnic facilities accessible year-round; lake access for swimming or boating in summer only)

  • Mirror Lake Middle School trails (after school, weekends, and summer) - free

  • Peters Creek Disc Golf park - free

  • Playgrounds we like (all free) - Chugiak Elementary; Eagle River Elementary; Eagle River Town Center; Oberg Park

  • Chugiak-Eagle River Library (toddler story time is 10:30am on Fridays) - free

  • Reflections Lake - $5

  • Barbara Falls - free (I think? Shoot. Are we supposed to pay here? :) )

  • The MAC (the Harry J. MacDonald Memorial Center) - an indoor track, play field, and ice rink; great for terribly cold or rainy days - $3 to walk or push a stroller on the track; $5/kid to play on the turf; not sure about skating fees. - This is also where my amazing moms exercise group - Sweat Like a Mother (SLAM) - Anchorage - meets all winter. We bring our kids. It's a super supportive community and the workouts are as tough or as laid back as you'd like them to be.

The City & East Anchorage

Midtown (& East-Midtown)

South of the City

  • Kincaid Park - free

  • Glen Alps trailhead (access to Powerline Pass, Blueberry Hill and Flattop) - $5; State Parks pass $60/year

  • Rabbit Lake trail (this is also the parking lot for the "backside of Flattop" trail"- significantly easier with kids) - $5; State Parks pass $60/year

  • Alaska Zoo - 3-17 $10; $13-$17 adults

Fuller-day trips

North


South

What would you add to this list? Post your ideas in the comments below to share your family's favorite places, either around Anchorage or in your hometown. See you out there!



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