It’s not the most “adventurous” of activities but there’s something incomparable about seeing some of the planet’s largest animals gracefully swimming nearby. Find a boat trip and if you can do it on a zodiac then you’ll have an even closer encounter.

There’s world-class fly fishing, deep sea fishing, and fishing from the dock in Alaska for the opportunity to catch and grill up some rainbow trout or salmon. While there are some fishing rivers in the Denali area, you may want to focus your trip around Homer, and closer to the Katmai coast for a well-varied experience.

We don’t shy away from the amazing forest world of Alaska, and wholeheartedly encourage you to have quiet time when you take in the calmness of your surroundings. With that said, nothing is quite as invigorating as cruising through the trees at high speeds along a metal rope. Woo!

Rafting isn’t a common thought when thinking about Alaska but that’s probably simply because of its inaccessibility to us lower-48ers. Truth is there are some of the best rapids in the country throughout the state, including those in Denali, and several spots nearer to Anchorage.

There are quite a few stellar mountain biking trails in the state, but don’t overlook the cities either. Head to Skagway where you can rent a bike and leisurely cruise through town, enjoying the ocean meeting the forest and the quaint cottages and buildings along the way.

The largest brown bears (grizzlies) in the world are found in Alaska and along the British Columbia coast. You can go to Brooks Falls to see them fishing for salmon, or you can peruse Katmai where they will often clam as well as do bear-things; like roll around. Beyond that, it’s one of the only places on earth where you can see polar bears in the wild. Plan to fly into Fairbanks and work your way north for such and experience, but it’s possible!

Yes, there is skiing in Alaska! Alyeska is the most accessible, close to Anchorage, with “steep and deep” runs and an annual snowfall of an astounding 669 inches. It also has some proximity to heli ski options. The daylight is short, so make sure you get first chair, and keep your eyes peeled as the sun goes down for northern lights.

You may as well call it a “sight seeing flight” but it’s way cooler to suggest that this is just normal commuting. Book a small Cessna or a float plane and enjoy this state’s splendor from above. Heli tours are super too.

Ice climbing is a “badass” activity in its own right, but to do it on a giant, earth changing island of ice Chuck Norris level of badassery. Strap on some spikes and grab an ice axe or two and show that glacier who is boss!

The forest and wilderness of Alaska just screams to be explored on foot. Better yet, on foot for multiple days in a row. When you’re in Alaska you can’t help the need to be one with nature and the best way to do that is to fully immerse yourself into its dense flora.