Highest-rated free things to do in Alaska by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Alaska.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Alaska using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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1 / 30

#30. Lower Dewey Lake Hiking Trail

- Rating: 4.5/5 (182 reviews)
- City: Skagway
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2 / 30

#29. Keystone Canyon

- Rating: 4.8/5 (200 reviews)
- City: Valdez
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3 / 30

#28. Visit Anchorage Log Cabin Visitor Information Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (854 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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4 / 30

#27. Santa Claus House

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,118 reviews)
- City: North Pole
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5 / 30

#26. Kachemak Bay State Park

- Rating: 4.9/5 (202 reviews)
- City: Homer
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6 / 30

#25. Kincaid Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (379 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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7 / 30

#24. The Ulu Factory

- Rating: 3.9/5 (740 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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8 / 30

#23. The Solomon Gulch Hatchery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (302 reviews)
- City: Valdez
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9 / 30

#22. James Dalton Highway

- Rating: 4.5/5 (201 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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10 / 30

#21. Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (639 reviews)
- City: Homer
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11 / 30

#20. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (390 reviews)
- City: Skagway
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12 / 30

#19. Harding Ice Field Trail

- Rating: 4.9/5 (208 reviews)
- City: Kenai Fjords National Park
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13 / 30

#18. Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge

- Rating: 4.4/5 (538 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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14 / 30

#17. Iditarod Headquarters

- Rating: 4.3/5 (470 reviews)
- City: Wasilla
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15 / 30

#16. Pioneer Park

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1,286 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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16 / 30

#15. Byron Glacier Trail

- Rating: 4.6/5 (295 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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17 / 30

#14. Lower Reid Falls

- Rating: 4.6/5 (270 reviews)
- City: Skagway
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18 / 30

#13. Hatcher Pass

- Rating: 4.8/5 (196 reviews)
- City: not available
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19 / 30

#12. Chugach State Park

- Rating: 4.8/5 (789 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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20 / 30

#11. National Shrine of St. Therese

- Rating: 4.6/5 (643 reviews)
- City: Juneau
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21 / 30

#10. Denali Visitor Center

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,586 reviews)
- City: Denali National Park and Preserve
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#9. Flattop Mountain Trail

- Rating: 4.6/5 (952 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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#8. Homer Spit

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,836 reviews)
- City: Homer
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#7. Exit Glacier

- Rating: 4.7/5 (942 reviews)
- City: Kenai Fjords National Park
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25 / 30

#6. Totem Bight State Historical Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,034 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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26 / 30

#5. Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,865 reviews)
- City: Fairbanks
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27 / 30

#4. Sitka National Historic Park/Totem Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,006 reviews)
- City: Sitka
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#3. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,908 reviews)
- City: Anchorage
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#2. Nugget Falls

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,492 reviews)
- City: Juneau
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30 / 30

#1. Creek Street

- Rating: 4.2/5 (2,488 reviews)
- City: Ketchikan
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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