The Best 5 Indoor Activities in Alaska

Are you tired of sitting around the same four walls, watching Netflix and not doing much else? There are so many fun activities that can be done from home, especially if you’re a resident of one of America’s most beautiful states – Alaska! From cozy dinners at unique eateries to exploring the outdoors with winter gear on your feet, here are 10 engaging indoor activities in Alaska for days when you just don’t feel like leaving.

The 10 Best Indoor Activities in Alaska

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Address: Mile 79, Seward Hwy, Girdwood, AK 99587, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.7 (4505)
Phone: +1 907-783-0058
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: Closed

Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Reviews:

Such a great place I went on a van tour. You can drive yourself and even walk through. If you drive through there are plenty of turnouts to pull over into and park so you can walk around to see the animals in that area. The animals look well cared for in the sanctuary. I saw so many beautiful animals it was lightly raining and was in the afternoon so some animals were under the cover of the open sheds. But just to see them at all is so wonderful. The restrooms were clean, the gift shop staff was super helpful. They had food options outside. I wish I had a little longer to look around but being on a tour you have only so long to look around. I will definitely go back on my next trip to Anchorage.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Stacie M. (2 months ago)

Wasn’t in the plan but stopped in anyway. Was very cool experience. Unlike zoos, you can tell the animals are happy. Very active. You can drive or walk the property. We walked and enjoyed it. Be sure to stop to see the brown bears a few times, they were playful and very active, doing something different each time we went.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Joel Collishaw (8 months ago)

Absolutely an amazing spot to see a lot of Alaskan species. Wood Bison, Moose, Elk, Caribou, Lynx, Porcupine, Grizzly Beat, Wolves, and Black Bears are all here and are treated well. We went here on a tour and loved it so much that we went back after a few days to make some donations and to see some more of the animals. They have a very nice gift shop as well. Some of the handcrafted knives were incredible!

✭✭✭✭✭ By Jesse Sade (4 months ago)

Reviewing this place on our second visit! Establishment recognized legal working service dog both times (no pets allowed). We loved the little food carts outside with items such as mac and cheese, reindeer sausage, chicken wraps. Hot and ready. Just grab and pay for it!
The animals are kept in such natural environments. We especially loved the bear exhibit as you can walk through it above on a bridge! Saw both bears both visits even with dense vegetation.
Many people bring their cameras for some great wildlife photos.
Was reading this place also helps rehabilitate and release wildlife as well. So true gem for Alaska!
Highly recommend supporting them and taking your family for a visit!
Someone told me even in the winter when it shows, it is beauitful to visit!

✭✭✭✭✭ By Candace Mosteller (4 months ago)

The family and I had a great time walking around enjoying the animals. We had seen the show Alaska Animal Rescue and it was so much fun seeing some of the animals that were featured. (Artemus the musk ox was one of our favorite! ) Staff was helpful. Only complaint would be that the gift shop was highly overpriced.

✭✭✭✭ By Matt Vigil (5 months ago)

Alaska SeaLife Center

Address: 301 Railway Ave, Seward, AK 99664, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.6 (2971)
Phone: +1 888-378-2525
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Friday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Saturday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Reviews:

A fun place to spend some time while in Seward. My son’s favorite part were the touch pools. They have a wide variety of small sea animals to interact with. It was fun. Seeing the seals and sea lions was entertaining , as well. It’s not a huge location and only took us about 30 minutes to get through. The staff was friendly and helpful. It’s worth checking out if you have some time to kill.

✭✭✭✭ By Norma Arnold (4 months ago)

Had a great time at the Aquarium in Seward. The staff throughout was super attentive and polite, all the displays were well kept and the fish and sea life was amazing to see. The observation deck is a must, athough it was cloudy at the time it was still a great view. The gift shop was a little pricey but having visited the New England Aquarium and Mystic Aquarium the prices are just the same.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Thomas Da Silva (5 months ago)

A great place to take a little over an hour to go through and enjoy it on two levels. The downstairs aquarium views are quite entertaining for what you see up upstairs. Don’t miss out on the touch tank and viewing all the creatures in the tanks.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Best Friends RVing-Sailing (5 months ago)

The SeaLife Center in Seward is a fun activity. Plenty of informative signs and tanks with interesting creatures. The biggest being seals, sea lions, and sea birds. We visited on a rainy day in August and the creatures were all very active. They even have touch pools for you to feel the aquatic life.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Zachariah Roberts (4 months ago)

To be honest, at first I was concerned about the price. However, I can say for myself and my children it was worth every penny. The steller sea lions were the highlight for us, they truly communicate with the people, they are so sweet, social and curious through the glass. I’ve never seen anything quite like that at any other aquarium. The puffins were also a favorite. The whole place is a gem.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Emily MacIntosh (5 months ago)

Alaska Native Heritage Center

Address: 8800 Heritage Center Dr, Anchorage, AK 99504, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.6 (1268)
Phone: +1 907-330-8000
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 1:30 – 4:30 PM

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: Closed

Friday: 1:30 – 4:30 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed
Reviews:

Such an amazing place! The attention to detail in every aspect of the center is evident. The trail outside with the six authentic homes / dwellings from the different Alaskan regions is such an awe-inspiring, immersive experience and was a highlight for my family. We also enjoyed the sports demonstrations, storytelling, “Teatime with an Elder” and the theater.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Elizabeth Angasan (a week ago)

Can’t recommend this center enough. Very informative, with many exhibits both inside and outside for all ages. Many “touchable” exhibits for little hands. My favorite part of the visit was storytelling/singing on the stage right inside the main door. And I absolutely love the fact that most of the exhibits we’re staffed by younger (teens – twenties) people. In my opinion, that demonstrates a desire to carry on traditions, but also makes the exhibits more approachable by you her visitors. Thank you for the informative center, exhibits, and staff.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Zachary W. (5 months ago)

Great guided tour of the village sites, wonderful performances and Alaska Native games presentations, and an ok Hall of Cultures. The village sites and performances were my favorite part of our visit. Look at the schedule and plan to attend a few of the performances/ presentations to get the best experience out of your visit. 8/10 Would recommend.

✭✭✭✭ By Jesse James White (5 months ago)

Its great place to get an understanding on their culture and way of life in history and today. I was lucky to meet some native artists with very talented skills. Worth a visit. Only need about an hour there.
Wish they would expand the coffee snack shop.

✭✭✭✭ By Valerie Fallon (5 months ago)

Fantastic museum! The tour was fantastic; our young guide was super knowledgeable and amazing. The exhibits inside were interesting. They also had native vendors selling their art which was wonderful.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Robby Ticknor (TicknorPhoto) (2 months ago)

Extreme Fun Center – Wasilla

Address: 3501 E Old Matanuska Rd, Wasilla, AK 99654, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.2 (899)
Phone: +1 907-376-7223
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Thursday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Friday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Reviews:

Such a cool facility. They have an arcade, go-karts, bumper cars, laser tag, a food court and a really cool maze that’s fun for kids of all ages. My teens enjoyed it as much as the baby did!

✭✭✭✭✭ By Elizabeth Angasan (4 months ago)

My hubby and I took our great daughter for birthday w/her parents and baby sister. She had fun, but lot was Not Working (very disappointed especially when you paid alot). Few other games out of services, the race car was down (?). So yes very disappointed ?. The next time I hope every games works especially if you going to spend $$ there…

✭✭✭✭✭ By Mel U (Bebang) (3 months ago)

Good time for the kids as always. If you have littler ones come before school is out and it will be far more enjoyable. After 6pm the teenagers roll in and it becomes more of a hangout place for them. Which is okay I rather our teenagers hanging out in the fun center then some of the other options.

Go karts are fun and they change the track often. The corndogs are amazing but don’t expect a world class salad at a movie theater type food place.

✭✭✭✭ By Frozen Buckeye (4 months ago)

Reserved a party for my daughter a month in advance, dropped off decorations 24 hours prior tagged with name, date and time…

Day of – I showed up one hour and 15 min prior of my reservation for the room. They wouldn’t let me in early to make sure the setup was good nor drop off presents/cake.

Got to the room – NONE of the personal decorations were out, they were still boxed away, tagged. Instead, they had set up their own decorations. Took an hour to take down then set up our own room. I was very disappointed.

Had party game times reserved into our room reservation time due to other reservations.

April (manager) did what she could considering the circumstances. I get it, you’re busy. I didn’t get the other management team member’s name that insisted to usher us out rudely while my child unwrapped their presents because of another party reservation for that room. My party was moved to the food court area during our 2nd reservation game made by management.

I don’t recommend making a party reservation unless you do so during the weekday and you don’t purchase your own decorations.

A large number of arcade games were not working either.

This left a bad mark for the management team, communication, and organization.

I do not intend to spend a large amount for a party reservation here again.

✭ By Shelly Edwards (3 weeks ago)

it was the weekend so of course it was crowded. however, so crowded that you had to wait in-line for any games. plus it is so very expensive. the funnest thing is Lazer tag and it’s absurd to buy more than 1 game. we spent over $100 and was only there about 30 minutes most of it spent in-line. all the lower ticket prizes were gone so we couldn’t get anything with the tickets we had. will go back but only to finish off what we had already bought. I won’t be spending money again.

✭✭✭ By Rebecca Poppino (3 months ago)

Fortress of the Bear

Address: 4639 Sawmill Creek Rd, Sitka, AK 99835, United States
Map: Click here
Rating: 4.7 (792)
Phone: +1 907-747-3550
Website: Link
Opening hours:

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: Closed

Friday: Closed

Saturday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Reviews:

I would give this place 6 stars if I could. Absolutely blows me away how close you can get to the various bears. I like how staff all know their facts and are polite. The facility is well laid out and clean for both humans and bears alike. Definitely a must see and remember to donate a few bucks they deserve it!

✭✭✭✭✭ By Joseph Rosenberg (2 months ago)

We absolutely loved seeing the rescued bears up close. They have ramps everywhere, so those with mobility issues can still enjoy the experience. They even have step stools so the vertically challenged don’t miss anything. They have a great gift shop as well.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Christine C (6 months ago)

We did an off ship tour and went here. I think it was well worth the visit. You could tell everyone working there cared about the bears and had a bond with them. It showed how intelligent they were when the bears paid attention when someone they recognized came to the edge of the enclosure. Very neat place to visit and I would go back.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Peter Collins (5 months ago)

What a wonderful place to see a variety of bears in a fairly natural habitat. There isn’t the roaming in the wild for them but a great setup for them none the less. You can see them up close if you are patient and wait for them to roam by and the workers provide excellent information. Lots to learn about here.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Cal Caldwell (5 months ago)

Go see Toby – such a cute posing bear! Nice huge reserve for black and brown bears who are on the mend, orphaned or permanently in refuge. They do a great job at maintaining a natural environment for these beautiful creatures and educating the public regarding preservation of habitat and animals.

✭✭✭✭✭ By Andrea W (5 months ago)

If you’re looking for some indoor activities to keep you busy during your stay in Alaska, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best indoor activities in the state, so you can make the most of your time here. Whether you’re into history, art, or science, there’s something for everyone on this list. So what are you waiting for? Start exploring!