Anchorage is an urban sprawl, shopping mall, traffic crawl kind of joint and it doesn't sit well with your average husky-wielding Alaskan who figures she's a frontier-woman just off to fill in some blank bits of the map. For the traveler, Anchorage is unavoidable, being the hub of Alaska's road system and an international air junction; luckily it's also a pleasant city to dip into. Downtown is laid out in a simple lettered and numbered grid, making it easy to stride like a local as soon as you touch base. Many of the city's attractions are within easy walking distance or you can take advantage of over 62mi (100km) of cycle tracks and pedal your way around.

At the doorstep of Anchorage, this gorgeous park stretches its haunches across a half-million acres; it’s the second-largest state preserve in Alaska and the third-largest state park in America. For eagle-spotting, vista-viewing and wildflower-meandering, there are many picturesque pockets of nature to explore here. Excellent mountain biking begins at the Hillside area trailheads, which you can reach via bus; the buses are now equipped with bicycle racks.

Chugach is one of the most heavily used parks in Alaska, offering a wide variety of developed trails suitable for all levels of hiking. Flattop Mountain is a popular intro to elevated Alaska, or a week can easily be spent traversing trail-less areas, and exploring one valley and ridgeline after another.

The gargantuan shaker of 1964 caused, among other things, 130 acres (53 hectares) of land on the city’s west side to slip 2000ft (610m) seaward. Part of that slipped strip was a neighborhood that suffered 75 demolished homes and three deaths. The other end, fortunately undeveloped at the time, is today the site of Earthquake Park.

Comprised of 4000 acres (1619 hectares) of forest and muskeg in east central Anchorage, this park features 20mi (32km) of trails for hiking and mountain biking. There’s also a Hilltop Ski Area, whose chalet can provide you with a trail guide. In the center of the park is Bureau of Land Management’s Campbell Tract, a 700-acre (283-hectare) wildlife oasis, where moose and bears are ripe for a look in spring and brilliant fall colors will astound you in mid-September.

This museum was expanded to triple its original size in 1984 and is now an impressive center for displays on Alaskan history and indigenous culture. There is also an art gallery featuring works by regional, national and international artists. The Alaska Gallery, upstairs, traces the history and people of this land in 3-D exhibits.

This museum writhes, howls and squawks with exhibits of more than 200 Alaskan mammals, fish and birds. An almost 11ft (3.3m) brown bear misses the world record by an eighth of an inch. There are hands-on exhibits, and admission is free.

Visiting this museum is one alternative to the Alaska Zoo, where you mightn’t want to stop to view caged animals so soon after landing in the wilds of Alaska. Other appealing options include the Fort Richardson Wildlife Center, which features 250 specimens, and Wolf Song of Alaska, a nonprofit center that features exhibits and dioramas focusing on the natural history of the world.

The Heritage Library Museum is a necessary stop for aficionados of fine Native Alaskan artwork. The center features an impressive collection of Native American costumes, tools and weaponry; original paintings, including several by local hero Sydney Laurence; and heaps of Native scrimshaw. Much of the carved ivory is from the gold-rush days in Nome and was purchased by miners to prove they had set foot in Alaska despite returning home gold-less.

If you’re not ready to be face-to-face with the grizzly wilds, grab a latte and stroll over to this city park - known locally as the ‘Park Strip.’ It stretches across downtown, from A to K Sts between W 9th and W 10th Aves. The greenbelt, the site of a 50-ton (56-tonne) bonfire celebrating statehood in 1959 and later where Pope John Paul II gave an outdoor mass in 1981, is a good place for a lie-down on a warm afternoon.

Just south of downtown, the Westchester Lagoon Sanctuary is another peaceful place to stroll, and spot ducks and geese. This small preserve is a year-round home for birds, and features displays and a short nature trail around a small lake.

Tag: Anchorage