Unique and Little-Known Fun Things to Do in Alaska

Consider snorkeling and yoga with reindeer on your visit to The Last Frontier

Let these unique activities inspire your next trip to Alaska. Camp Denali is the only operator to guide outings in Denali National Park & Preserve.

Camp Denali

Dana Rebmann,

AARP

Published April 22, 2025

If Alaska is on your travel bucket list, you’re not alone. While a majority of the state’s tourists visit on a cruise ship, Alaska offers a wealth of one-of-a-kind experiences that can be reached by plane, train, automobile, or a group tour. And as the largest state in the United States — at 663,300 square miles — there’s a lot of crowd-free ground to cover. According to the Alaska Travel Industry Association’s Alaska 2022-2023 Visitor Profile Report, 38 percent of visitors to Alaska are boomers or older.

From relaxing hot springs to stunning snorkeling spots (You read that correctly.) to yoga practice with reindeer, here are some of our favorite and arguably unexpected Alaskan adventures to inspire you to get that trip to The Last Frontier on the calendar.

You may encounter orcas while snorkeling in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Frederick Drake

Ketchikan

Snorkeling is a favorite vacation activity, so why not Alaska? Brrr, we know what you’re thinking. The average summer water temperature in Ketchikan is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but wiggling into a thick 7mm wetsuit is the hardest part for many.

Fred Drake, owner of Snorkel Alaska, has taken more than 50,000 people snorkeling in Alaska. Outdoor enthusiasts walk into the water from the shoreline; what’s waiting includes a colorful lineup of sea stars, urchins, sea cucumbers, and jellies.

“Some of our amazing encounters have included harbor seals, sea lions, and even orcas and humpback whales,” says Drake. “While those big marine life encounters are somewhat rare, they could happen on any tour. While we can never guarantee such an encounter, I can guarantee you won’t have one if you don’t join us.”

The day I took the plunge, a bald eagle snagged a fish out of the water in front of me and then enjoyed its feast on a nearby rock. Tours typically operate May through September.

You can expect to see sea stars and anemones while snorkeling in Sitka, Alaska, but there’s also a chance to see octopus, above.

Selkie Snorkels

Sitka

If you don’t dive in while in Ketchikan, you’ve got another chance in Sitka. Selkie Snorkels guides tours off the shores of Magic Island. The summer season water temperature is similar to Ketchikan, and just like Snorkel Alaska, all of the gear you’ll need to stay warm is provided. Expected wildlife sightings include sea stars, anemones, and abalone, but there’s also the possibility of octopus, sea lions, schools of salmon, and maybe even a passing humpback whale in the distance.

A glacier paddleboarding tour is an option in Anchorage, Alaska.

Alaska Helicopter Tours

Anchorage

With about 290,000 residents, Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, but it’s the 60 glaciers within 50 miles of the city that are apt to have the biggest impact on a summer adventure. Alaska Helicopter Tours offers glacier trekking with a twist apt to send chills down your spine.

After a flight with an eagle-eye view of Knik Glacier and time to hike atop the frozen wonderland — there’s no set hike distance as guests set the length and pace — adventure seekers can take what might be the ultimate polar plunge in glacier water averaging 33 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Participants wear dry suits for the entire tour, so no bathing suit is needed here.

If more splash time sounds appealing, the company’s glacier paddleboarding tour might be for you. However, if it’s a warmer hydrotherapy experience you seek, head about an hour south of Anchorage to Alyeska Nordic Spa. The spa provides a bathrobe, but you’ll need that swimsuit for this serene soak.

Blend ice fishing with aurora borealis watching when in North Pole, Alaska.

Rod's Alaskan Guide Service

North Pole

It feels like Christmas every day of the year in North Pole, Alaska. Meet the jolly fellow himself at the Santa Claus House store, but keep your evening free to go ice fishing under the glow of the northern lights.

In warm and toasty inside cabins that average around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, anglers can reel in salmon, trout, and char via a hole cut through multiple feet of ice.

“Guests and the guides swap tales of adventures only to be interrupted by everyone cheering on the next person reeling in a fish,” says Rodney Pangborn, owner of Rod’s Alaskan Guide Service.

When the aurora borealis dances across the sky, guests bundle up and head outside. The unique ice fishing and aurora-watching adventures are typically offered November through early April.

Get close to reindeer during year-round walking tours or yoga in the summer.

Explore Fairbanks

Fairbanks

You know Dasher and Dancer, but their trusty reindeer cousins are also making a name for themselves in Fairbanks. Running Reindeer Ranch offers year-round walking tours in the boreal forest with a herd of furry, four-legged guides. Come summer, reindeer yoga brings smiles and laughter to wellness seekers from near and far.

If your definition of wellness includes the wonders of warm water, snag a day pass to soak in the mineral-rich geothermal rock lake at Chena Hot Springs.

Home to more than 95 rare automobiles produced prior to World War II, you don’t have to be a car buff to enjoy Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Exhibits include vintage clothing, as well as historic photos and videos. Almost all the cars go on regular outings, so if you hear an engine rev up, be sure to investigate.

Tonglen Lake Lodge is a lodge and art gallery away from the Denali National Park crowds.

Tonglen Lake Lodge

Denali National Park & Preserve

Less than 10 miles from the main entrance of Denali National Park, but secluded from the crowds it attracts, Tonglen Lake Lodge is a lodge and art gallery rolled into one.

“This was a 5-acre canvas for me,” says owner and artist Donna Gates.

From custom-made log furnishings and stained glass windows to the handcrafted pottery that meals are served on in the café, the property showcases and sells the work of local artisans. You don’t have to be an overnight guest of the moose-studded property to shop, dine, or take advantage of events such as live music and yoga.

While the only road in Denali National Park & Preserve remains closed at mile 43 through the summer of 2026 due to a landslide, Camp Denali is the sole operator permitted to guide outings in the park wilderness beyond the road closure. Currently operating as a fly-in lodge, Camp Denali guests can explore the western half of the park with virtually no traffic, observing how wildlife such as grizzly bears, moose, porcupines, and beavers live when undisturbed by human visitors.

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Dana Rebmann lives in California’s Sonoma County wine country and writes about travel, nature and wine. Her work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, AFAR, Garden & Gun, TheTelegraph.com and more.

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