5 Day Alaska Itinerary: Anchorage & Talkeetna

This 5 day Alaska itinerary combines city character with wide-open countryside, from Anchorage’s local bars and seafood institutions to Talkeetna’s creative, historic village with Denali views.

We travelled this route and shaped this itinerary around the places and experiences that stood out most.

Designed to work year-round, it’s a mix of classic Alaska, with no-frills bars, hearty comfort food, quirky locals, and big scenery that feels immediate and accessible.

If you want a trip that balances culture, local life, and outdoor adventure without feeling rushed, this itinerary will show you exactly how to do it.

5 Days in Alaska

Alaska Itinerary 5 Days:

Day 1: Arrive in Anchorage and dive straight into classic Alaska with seafood institutions and local neon-lit bars.

Day 2: Take a scenic coastal drive along Seward Highway, then head back to explore more of Anchorage’s best spots.

Day 3: Drive north to Talkeetna, walk its historic Main Street, take in Denali views, and soak up the town’s creative, music-filled energy.

Day 4: Choose an outdoor adventure - flightseeing or ATV/snowmobiling - then wind down with comfort food and a slow evening.

Day 5: Drive back to Anchorage and catch your flight home

5 Day Alaska Itinerary - Anchorage & Talkeetna

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Day 1: Anchorage

Sunset over downtown Anchorage with snow-covered Chugach Mountains glowing orange between glass office towers. — Sunset in Anchorage

Anchorage is a great place to ease into Alaska. It has real character with classic restaurants, no-frills bars, quirky locals, and immediate access to dramatic scenery.

It works well in any season. Summer offers long daylight hours and nicer weather, but draws a lot more visitors (cruise season is from May-September).

Winter is colder, but the city feels quieter and gives you a better sense of the local scene.

Pick up your rental car from the airport

Snow-covered coastal highway curving along Turnagain Arm near Anchorage, with icy guardrails, forested cliffs, and distant mountains under a dramatic winter sky. — Winter roads in Alaska

For this itinerary, you'll need to rent a car. Anchorage is straightforward to navigate, and having a car makes it easier to explore the beautiful surroundings.

❄️ Seasonal note: when it's snow season, book a 4×4 and request winter tires. You can never predict the weather. We booked our rental car with Avis.

🚗 Compare car rental rates from Anchorage Airport.

Check into your stay downtown Anchorage

Room with warm lighting at Hotel Captain Hook in downtown Anchorage with large window overlooking snow-covered mountains. — Our room at Hotel Captain Hook

For this itinerary, staying downtown makes it easy to walk to restaurants, bars, and shops.

We stayed at Hotel Captain Hook, a true Anchorage landmark that’s been part of downtown since the 1960s.

Our room felt classic and old-school in the best way, with warm lighting, traditional furnishings, and an incredible view of the mountains.

🛏️ Browse more stays in Anchorage

Dine at Club Paris - an Anchorage institution since the 50s

Club Paris neon sign glowing red at night in downtown Anchorage.

Alaskan king crab legs with baked potato and melted butter served at a marble bar at Club Paris in Anchorage. — Club Paris

Classic bar interior of Club Paris decorated with Christmas lights and vintage memorabilia. — Club Paris

For your first dinner, head to Club Paris - an Anchorage institution that’s been serving classic steakhouse and seafood fare since 1958.

The room feels timeless, and the menu is packed with the comforting, indulgent dishes Alaska is known for.

We ordered a few local favourites to share, like teriyaki tenderloin, halibut fingers, prime rib, and Alaskan king crab. Everything was delicious and exactly what we were craving.

Reservations are highly recommended and must be made by phone. They open reservations on the Monday of the week you want to dine, starting at 9:00 am.

If you can’t get a reservation, go early and sit at the bar - seats are first-come, first-served and put you right in the middle of the action.

🦀

A big shocker for us was the price of Alaskan King Crab in Anchorage. It runs roughly $130–$185 USD for 16 oz, which feeds one person. We thought it would be a bargain in Alaska, and were we ever wrong.

If you want a smaller taste, Club Paris lets you add a reduced portion of crab legs (10 oz) to your main.

Grab a drink at Darwin's Theory, a classic dive bar

Darwin’s Theory dive bar in Anchorage with bright yellow awning and neon beer signs at night. — Darwin's Theory dive bar

Bowl of popcorn on a bar counter at Darwin's Theory with holiday stockings and locals seated behind it. — Darwin's Theory dive bar

After dinner, walk over to Darwin’s Theory, a classic Anchorage dive bar.

The bartenders are quick-witted and no-nonsense, the space is small and intimate, and the wraparound bar fills up fast.

Drinks come with bowls of popcorn, and there’s a rock-leaning jukebox in the back setting the soundtrack.

Order a Duck Fart, an Anchorage-born bar staple from the 1980s. It's a layered shot of Kahlua, Baileys, and Crown Royal.

It was a great place to meet locals, and one drink easily turned into a few.

Day 2: Anchorage & Scenic Oceanside Drive

Winter drive along Seward Highway with golden sunlight hitting snow-dusted cliffs above Turnagain Arm in Alaska. — Scenic drive along Seward Highway

Today you'll set out on a scenic oceanside drive and explore more of Anchorage's best spots.

Fuel up at Snow City Cafe

Interior of Snow City Cafe in Anchorage, filled with diners in booths beneath colourful hanging lanterns. — Snow City Cafe, Anchorage

Start your day at Snow City Cafe, a longtime Anchorage breakfast favourite.

We came here with seven friends, and every dish at the table was a hit. I ordered the Nuevo Huevos with chorizo, and it was delicious.

Their signature OMG Bacon is worth ordering - it’s candied, peppered, and applewood smoked.

✔️ Top Tip: You can call ahead to put your name on the waiting list, which helps on busy mornings or if you have a big group.

Take a scenic drive along the Seward Highway

Snowy mountain range across Turnagain Arm viewed from the Seward Highway, with low clouds hanging over the peaks. — Gorgeous scenery along Seward Highway 1

Cec and Ari standing on snowy shoreline rocks along Turnagain Arm with snow-covered mountains and calm water in the background. — Gorgeous scenery along Seward Highway 1

After breakfast, head south on Seward Highway 1, one of Alaska’s most beautiful coastal drives.

The road follows Turnagain Arm, where mountains rise straight out of the water. Depending on the season, you’ll see snow-covered peaks, deep green slopes, or dramatic clouds rolling in off the inlet.

The light along this stretch is incredible, and even a short drive rewards you with big scenery.

☕ Stop for coffee at Alpenglow Coffee House in Girdwood, a small mountain town just south of Anchorage.

This A-frame cafe is a great place to grab locally roasted coffee and take a short break before heading back toward the city.

The drive from Anchorage to Girdwood takes about 50 minutes, with lots of scenic pullouts along the way.

Browse local shops in downtown Anchorage

Back in Anchorage, spend the afternoon exploring downtown on foot. From Hotel Captain Cook, there are plenty of shops within easy walking distance.

These were our favourite shops:

Trapper Jack’s Trading Post - A great stop for Alaska-themed clothing and gifts. I bought a cozy sweater and some gifts for kids.

Tiny Gallery - A small gallery shop with a thoughtful selection of artisan products by Alaskan makers.

Hotel Captain Cook also has a few shops on the main floor worth browsing.

Grab a halibut sandwich at the local pilots' bar

Group of friends seated at the lively F Street Station bar. — F Street Station

Head to F Street Station for their famous halibut sandwich. Often called Anchorage’s unofficial pilots’ bar, it draws a steady mix of locals and visitors.

The room is tight and social, with Alaska and aviation memorabilia covering the walls, and once it gets busy, the energy really picks up.

They don’t take reservations, so we recommend arriving early. We got one of the last seats.

End the night at one of Anchorage's eclectic bars

Pioneer Bar exterior in downtown Anchorage at dusk, glowing with red neon signage reading “Home of the Almost Perfect Bartenders.” — Pioneer Bar in Anchorage

Wrap up your time in Anchorage with drinks at one of these classic bars:

Pioneer Bar - A downtown classic with vintage neon, fun bartenders, a friendly crowd and plenty of character. The room is spacious, and there's a selection of games to play like pool, shuffleboard and darts.

Chilkoot Charlie’s - Big and very much an Anchorage experience. The bar is spread across multiple rooms, each with a different feel - including live music spaces, dance floors, an arcade room, and even an ice bar. Some rooms are only open on certain nights.

🌭 Top Tip: If you’re hungry late at night, keep an eye out for reindeer hot dog stands downtown - a classic Anchorage late-night snack.

Day 3: Drive to Talkeetna

A Vegas style Welcome to Talkeetna sign with snow on the ground and quirky pizza sculptures beside it. — Talkeetna's main street

It’s time to leave the city and head into the wild countryside. Your next stop is Talkeetna, an offbeat former railroad town with views of Denali.

Its walkable downtown is a historic district with early 20th-century frontier buildings and has long attracted artists, climbers, and musicians.

That creative, countercultural streak is easy to feel - the locals we met were eccentric and welcoming.

Talkeetna may have a small population of 1,000 people, but it has a big personality, like when it famously elected a cat named Stubbs as honorary mayor.

From Anchorage, it's an easy 2 hour drive.

Where to stay in Talkeetna

Exterior of a two-story log cabin in Talkeetna with wooden deck and small bush plane parked nearby.

Interior of a custom log cabin in Talkeetna with leather sofa, open kitchen, exposed beams, and warm lighting. — Our cozy cabin stay in Talkeetna

Cozy log cabin living room with wood-burning stove, stone fireplace surround, and staircase leading to loft. — Our cozy cabin stay in Talkeetna

We lucked out with our stay in Talkeetna, a custom log cabin with an outdoor hot tub overlooking the local airstrip. We ran into our Airbnb host at one of the bars in town, and turns out he’s a pilot himself!

Inside, the cabin felt luxurious and well thought out, with a sauna, luxe bathroom, fireplace and full kitchen.

It was the perfect place to celebrate our anniversary. We would definitely stay there again.

There are lots of other options in Talkeetna as well, from rustic lodges to cozy cabins. We recommend choosing a place that is within walking distance of Main Street.

🛏️ Browse more lodge and cabin stays in Talkeetna

Hang out at Conscious Cafe for lunch

Rustic wooden exterior of Conscious Coffee in Anchorage, surrounded by snow and birch trees, with hand-painted espresso and breakfast signage. — Our laidback lunch at Conscious Cafe

Latte on wooden table beside Ari reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas at Conscious Cafe in Talkeetna. — Our laidback lunch at Conscious Cafe

Spend the day exploring Talkeetna on foot and stop for lunch at Conscious Cafe.

The cafe is set in a wooden shack with rustic outdoor seating, a lived-in interior, and shelves of books - Ari picked up Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to read while we were there.

We ordered coffees, Nutella and banana crepes, and a bagel with homemade cream cheese. I also ended up buying one of their upcycled sweaters with the cafe’s logo.

Walk and shop along Main Street

Rustic log cabin storefront in Talkeetna with a vintage clothing sign and wreath on the wooden door during winter. — Lots of cute shops on Talkeetna's main strip

After lunch, wander along Main Street, popping into quirky gift shops, vintage stores, and small galleries.

Nearly every place we visited led to a fun conversation - from learning about the annual Bachelor Auction that’s been running for 45 years to answering amusing survey questions like which superpower we'd pick.

Walk to the Denali lookout

Snow-covered Denali rising above a frozen river and tree line in soft evening light at the Denali Lookout in Talkeetna.

Cec in yellow jacket standing on a snowy riverbank looking toward Denali and surrounding mountain peaks at golden hour. — The Denali viewpoint at the end of Talkeetna's Main Street

At the very end of Main Street, walk out to the Denali viewpoint (search Talkeetna Riverfront Park on Google Maps).

On a clear day, you can see Denali and the surrounding Alaska Range, with the river stretching out in the foreground.

It’s an easy walk from town and worth checking out more than once.

Grab comfort food and local beer at Denali Brewpub

BBQ ribs, curly fries, and buffalo wings with beer inside a rustic log cabin brewpub in Talkeetna. — Tasty food and artwork we bought by Carvin' Marvin

Ari smiling holding a hand-carved wooden branch sculpture inside a cozy log cabin restaurant with timber walls and warm lighting in Talkeetna. — Tasty food and artwork we bought by Carvin' Marvin

For dinner, head to Denali Brewpub, set inside a log-cabin-style building right in town.

We ordered BBQ ribs with curly fries and buffalo wings, along with beers poured on-site from Denali Brewing Company. It was exactly what we were craving after a full day of exploring,

We ended up chatting with a local pilot, which seemed to happen naturally here, and noticed a particularly peculiar piece of art on the wall - a branch with a face carved into it by local artist Carvin Marvin.

It felt so perfectly Talkeetna that we ended up bringing it home with us.

Catch live music at the Fairview Inn

Two musicians performing live music on a small stage in a colourful, neon-lit Talkeetna Inn decorated with framed photos and antlers. — Live music at Fairview Inn

Talkeetna’s music scene shows up in unexpected ways. A local we met earlier in the day shared her Talkeetna Spotify playlist of local artists.

And even deep into winter, on a quiet Tuesday, there was an open mic night at Fairview Inn with talented musicians.

Music feels like part of everyday life here, not something scheduled for weekends or special occasions.

Day 4: Outdoor Excursion & Night in Talkeetna

Cec in yellow winter jacket and helmet standing on a frozen river beside ATV vehicles in Alaska. — ATVing on a frozen river in Hatcher Pass

Choose an outdoor adventure

Choose from one of these two exciting outdoor excursions that take you deep into nature.

Option 1: Take a Denali sightseeing flight

A classic Alaskan bush plane sits quietly on its skis in a snow-covered field, surrounded by tall, leafless trees under a crisp blue sky. — A local pilot's classic Alaskan bush plane on skis.

Talkeetna is widely considered the flightseeing capital of Denali.

Most small-plane tours around Denali depart from here, thanks to its proximity to the Alaska Range and reliable access for pilots.

From the air, you’ll see massive glaciers, jagged peaks, and deep valleys carved by ice - and on clear days, Denali dominates the landscape.

You may even have the chance to land on a glacier if conditions are right.

🏔️ Book your flightseeing tour through Viator - it offers free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

Option 2: Go on an ATV or snowmobile tour near Hatcher Pass

Group of snowmobilers riding through a wide alpine valley near Hatcher Pass at sunset, with snowy peaks and long winter shadows. — Snowmobiling with friends in Hatcher Pass

If you want something more hands-on, opt for an ATV or snowmobile tour near Hatcher Pass, depending on the season.

When there’s snow, you can choose between snowmobiling or enclosed, heated ATVs. In warmer months, open-air ATVs take over.

The 3-hour tour departs from the Willow area, just over an hour’s drive from Talkeetna, and can easily be booked online.

We went with a group of friends, and it was a blast. The scenery here is wide open with alpine ridgelines, broad valleys, and long sightlines.

❄️ Top Tip: If you’re travelling as a group in winter, stick to one type of vehicle. Snowmobiles can access areas ATVs can’t (and vice versa), so you might have to split up. That's what happened with us.

🥽 Book your Hatcher Pass ATV tour or snowmobile tour.

Dine at Latitude 62

Latitude 62 Motel and Restaurant exterior at dusk with string lights, snow on the roof, and glowing neon beer signs in the windows.

Pink Alaskan Brewing Co neon sign glowing inside a dimly lit log cabin-style restaurant. — Classic Alaskan roadhouse energy at Latitude 62.

Bright neon beer signs glowing in the window of a rustic wooden restaurant at Latitude 62 with framed musician portraits lining the walls. — Classic Alaskan roadhouse energy at Latitude 62.

For dinner, head to Latitude 62, located inside a lodge just outside town.

The rustic log-cabin interior, retro neon beer signs, and walls lined with old musician photos give it that classic Alaskan roadhouse energy.

The hearty comfort dishes were exactly what we wanted after a full day outside.

The chef even brought us a sample of his macaroni chilli to try, which was very tasty.

Wind down back at your stay

Log cabin in Talkeetna lit up at night with a small red bush plane parked beside it and the northern lights glowing overhead.

aint Northern Lights glowing green above bare winter trees under a dark Alaska sky. — The northern lights from our cabin!

After dinner, head back to your accommodation and take it easy. We spent the evening in the hot tub, which was the perfect way to end the day.

Keep an eye on the sky - this is a good area for spotting the Northern Lights when conditions line up.

Talkeetna in summer vs winter:

Summer

Easier driving with no snow or ice concerns
Long daylight hours
Most restaurants, tours, and shops are open
Busier with a lot more tourists
Warmer temperatures, but mosquitoes

Winter

Quieter and more local feel
Some businesses close for the season
Snowy landscapes and cozier
Short daylight hours, but better chance to see Northern Lights

Day 5: Drive Back to Anchorage & Fly Home

Scenic winter drive in Alaska with snow-covered Denali visible in the distance beyond forest and open valley. — The drive from Anchorage to Talkeetna

Drive back to Anchorage and give yourself buffer time to reach the airport, especially during snow season when weather and road conditions can change quickly.

❄️ Top Tip: If you’re travelling in winter, it can be worth staying one more night in Anchorage and flying out early the next morning, rather than feeling pressured to make it back for a same-day flight if conditions aren’t ideal.

Enjoy your 5 days in Alaska!

Get started on booking your trip to Alaska

🛏️ Book your accommodation: in Anchorage and Talkeetna.
🚗 Car rental: see DiscoverCars to compare car rental prices across different companies.
🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).

Don't forget about travel insurance

👩‍⚕️ For affordable travel insurance: go with SafetyWing - it's budget-friendly and you can even buy it while abroad, but note the max medical coverage is $250,000 USD.

🏥 For comprehensive travel insurance: go with World Nomads - it's more expensive, but the max emergency medical coverage is $5-10 million, depending on the plan.

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