Anchorage | Marijuana Travel Guide

Source: Wikimedia

The central heartbeat of the city, historic 4th Avenue in downtown Anchorage is a cornerstone of culture in the 49th state. Packed with open-air stalls with locals selling their various wares, plenty of interesting traditional shops, and even a few lovely places to grab a quick bite to eat, there’s a little bit of something for everyone on 4th Avenue.

And on top of its historical nature, it will soon benefit from a significant historic overhaul, dubbed the so-called “Block 41” project. The overhaul will include commercial office space, brand new retail shops and areas, luxury housing options like modern, window-heavy high-rises, and entertainment venues in the still-beating heart of downtown Anchorage. 

Not only has 4th Avenue had a storied and exciting past, but this heartbeat of the community in downtown Anchorage has a fantastic future ahead of it as well!  

No matter how you slice it, a trip to and throughout the exploration of historic 4th avenue is a can’t-miss experience for anyone spending their time in Anchorage!

Source: Wikimedia

Suppose you’re into outdoor winter sports, rough and rugged topography, great natural forms, and looking to spend some time in nature just outside downtown Anchorage. In that case, Girdwood is a fantastic option. 

More exciting and diverse than your typical ski town, this beautiful tourist destination is well-known for its Alyeska resort, one of the best and brightest ski resorts in the state. On top of the rental options and ski slopes, however, there’s a lot to do in Girdwood. Whether it’s biking, rafting, fishing, hiking, sightseeing out in the gorgeous wilderness, or even panning for gold like prospectors of the past, this top-notch tourism hub located only about half an hour South of the heart of Anchorage, we very highly recommend paying a visit to Girdwood. 

Whether you’re on the hunt for Alaskan wilderness adventures in gorgeous parts of the state like the Kenai Peninsula, Kenai Fjords, Chugach Mountains, and Denali National Park, looking to break into the brand new Nordic Loop hiking/running trail, or explore the Seward Highway that connects the mainland to the ocean, Girdwood has been consistently voted one of the ten more beautiful towns in Alaska for excellent reason. 

While it might be a little bit out of the way, there’s no denying that Girdwood is a must-see for any sporty, outdoorsy person looking to make the most of their time in the general Anchorage area!

Source: Alaska

While many might find the Alaskan wilderness widely appealing for many reasons, others might want to check out the animals and see wildlife in a more controlled environment. That’s where the Alaska Zoo comes in! 

Founded by a grocer purchasing a baby circus Asian elephant, the state’s namesake Zoo has stood as a pillar for the community since and has worked tirelessly to become a place for locals and visitors to make lasting, meaningful memories alongside the animals housed there. 

Whether it’s moose, polar, black, brown bears, seals, or wild wolves, the Alaska Zoo is a fantastic place to learn about and get close to some of the most beautiful wild animals that the 49th state in the union has to offer! 

Open essentially every day between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and offering military and group discounts, most folks can get in, hang out with the animals, and enjoy every other Zoo offering for less than $20 bucks per person. 

If you’re looking to see some nature without having to strap on your snowshoes and wander into the cold wilderness, then you can’t go wrong with the Alaska Zoo!

Source: Anchorage

Dedicated to promoting the active observation of Alaska’s Native culture, the Alaska Native Heritage Museum is a must-see for anyone spending their time in Anchorage. Located in the heart of Anchorage, the museum is fantastic for celebrating and supporting Alaskan Native cultures from every corner of the state like Iñupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax̂, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik, and Cup’ik.

Whether it’s permanent collectives and exhibits, life-sized interactive villages, or immersive educational programs that enlighten and inform visitors about the rich and diverse Native culture, the Alaska Native Heritage Museum is a fantastic option! 

Open from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and with admission costing no more than $30 per person, supporting and learning from the museum is a fantastic option for learning about Alaska’s Native culture and populations while you’re visiting. We highly recommend carving out some time to stop by during your next trip to Anchorage!

Source: Visit Anchorage

Whether running along coastal marshes, biking over forested hills, or taking in Anchorage's astounding landscape, let’s say sightseeing and being active outdoors is your thing. Then the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail should be high on your to-do list! 

These 11 miles of paved track are close to the Alaskan coast, giving folks fantastic water views and natural landmarks like the Sleeping Lady and Susitna Mountains. On clear days, you can even go as far as seeing Denali and Mount Foraker along the way. And if you’re a history buff, the trail even leads to the site of the worst damage of the 1964 earthquake, the correctly named “Earthquake Park.” 

On top of its natural beauty, the Coastal Trail is the site of some of the most significant and most exciting events in all of Anchorage. Whether it’s the Mayor’s Marathon, Anchorage RunFest, and countless other running and cycling events, local birdwatching, segway, or group walking events, there’s a little bit of something for everyone if you’re an outdoorsy person looking to get a sweat in a while spending your time in Anchorage!

Source: Alaska Public Media

Smack dab in the heart of Anchorage, this pocket of 495,000 acres of outdoor beauty in Southcentral Alaska, is one of the four largest state parks in the United States. A fantastic option for those looking to explore the untouched Alaskan wilderness, packed with rugged topography, tucked against the ocean shoreline, and filled with lakes, massive glaciers, and ice fields. 

Located only seven miles to the East of the heart of downtown Anchorage, the park is full of campgrounds, public-use cabins, and facilities to enjoy during your time in Anchorage. Named for the Native communities that lived on the land initially, the park is made up of the Knik Arm to the north, the Turnagain Arm to the south, and the Upper and Lower Lake George and Chugach National Forest to the east. 

This excellent wilderness pocket is captured and preserved only minutes from downtown Anchorage. It’s tough to go wrong with spending some time in Chugach State Park!  

Source: Great Northern Cannabis

Located right in the heart of downtown Anchorage, Great Northern Cannabis is a fantastic resource for picking up some cannabis products on your next trip to Anchorage. Located only a stone's throw away from Historic 4th Avenue, this dispensary is right at the city's heart. 

They offer a vast mix of cannabis products like cannabis flower, edibles, disposable vapes, concentrates, and even cannabis-related accessories and gear, and they can accept and process pre-orders. That means that while you’re enjoying some of the other activities on this list, you can quickly and easily register a pre-order and then pick up your bud of choice on the way. 

For a dispensary that’s right in the mix of the city, you’re likely to pass by it anyways. So why not set aside some time and grab top-notch products at half-decent prices?

Source: Alaska Buds

Widely considered one of the very best dispensaries in all of Anchorage, AlaskaBuds is a rock-solid option when it comes to spots to pick up your bud during your trip. And that’s a reputation they’re worked hard to earn, from their high-quality products to their top-notch ingredients. 

Whether it’s cartridges, concentrates, edibles, cannabis flower, pre-rolled joints, topicals, or anything else, they offer the best when it comes to affordable, reasonable cannabis options. On top of this, their online menu is immensely customer-friendly, allowing visitors to shop by THC and CBD strength, price range, strain type, and even look up their favorites by name to see if they’re in stock. 

No matter how you slice it, AlaskaBuds is one of the best dispensary options you can stop into while you’re spending your time in Anchorage!

Source: AK Frost

Last but certainly not least, in our selection of some of the best dispensaries in Anchorage, we have the always local AK Frost. The dispensary is locally owned, all of its cannabis flowers are grown in-house, and another local facility makes its concentrates. Located only a stone’s throw away from the airport, AK Frost is well-set up to be your first and last stop on your way in and out of town once you touch down in Anchorage. 

While they offer a more limited selection than some of the other dispensaries on this list, their products are about as good as you’ll get from a local Anchorage dispensary. This stuff is top-notch, whether it’s their cannabis flower, pre-rolls, or well-crafted concentrates. 

We highly recommend stopping in and supporting local businesses like AK Frost. They’re not only a staple of the legal cannabis community in the city but a success story for the power of local, well-regulated legal cannabis. We love the AK Frost products here at Where’s Weed and can’t recommend them enough to those visiting Anchorage! 

Source: Anchorage Museum

When it comes to art and culture in the state of Alaska, there’s no comparison to what the Anchorage Museum can offer its visitors. Far and away the largest in the state, this museum sits on the traditional homeland of the Eklutna Dena’ina Alaskan Natives. With a mission of recognizing and honoring the land, culture, and language of the Eklutna Dena’ina, the museum stands as a bridge and connection between Indigenous people’s land, waters, and communities to the modern world. 

Whether it’s their programs and exhibits that introduce visitors to the ideas, spaces, and discussions of Native Alaskans from multiple perspectives, their one-of-a-kind museum journal for the latest breaking news, fresh photos, and top relevant headlines about and from the Anchorage Museum, or their Seed Lab, a collaborative project that embeds equity and diversity through art and design, the Anchorage Museum has a little bit of something for pretty much everybody! 

Committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices, the museum is a fantastic resource for those looking to learn, grow, and explore pretty much everything Alaska has to offer in terms of art, culture, and all things interesting about the U.S.’s furthest Northern part of the Union.  

Open pretty much every day of the week all year from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and costing visitors no more than about $20, the Anchorage Museum is a fantastic resource and a must-see while spending your time in Anchorage.

Source: Anchorage Markets

These days, outdoor stuff is all the rage. Whether it’s outdoor dining, outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or jogging, or just getting outside to touch some grass and better your mental health, there’s a lot to be said about the advantages of open-air activities and things to do. 

In the spirit of those outdoor adventures, we think paying a visit to the wonderful Anchorage Market should be high on your priority list regarding stuff to do during your trip. Alaska’s largest open-air market is free for everyone, offers ample parking options and reasonable pricing options, and shines as a family-oriented, clean, safe space with top-notch staff and excellent service. 

Plain and simply put, we think you should stop in and carve out some time to visit the lovely Anchorage Market. 

Source: Girdwood Center for the Visual Arts

For those looking to enjoy a slice of arts and culture while in lovely Girdwood, we highly recommend the beautiful Center for Visual Arts. This non-profit cooperative art gallery hosts the work of more than 30 artists who live and keep the spirit of art alive in Alaska. For more than 25 years, the Visual Arts Center has stood as a testament to local Alaskan visual arts works. 

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Visual Arts Center is a fantastic place to stop in, enjoy the arts, and support local Alaskan artists and their work! We highly recommend visiting the Girdwood Center for the Visual Arts.

Source: Kincaid Grill and Wine Bar

If you’re on the hunt for somewhere to grab a bite to eat that’s on the fancier, pricier side, then you can’t go wrong with a top-notch spot like the Kincaid Grill and Wine Bar. 

Offering a vast menu full of fresh seafood like salmon, scallops, halibut, and oysters, just to name a few, and tasty luxury items like pork belly bruschetta, fondue, duck, and perfectly cooked steaks, there’s a little bit of something for everyone. On top of that, as their name suggests, they’ll likely have a perfect wine pairing to go with whatever you order! 

No matter how you slice it, the Kincaid Grill and Wine Bar is one of the go-to spots to grab a bite to eat and drink in an up-scaled setting!

Source: Moose's Tooth

If you’re looking for a casual, yet-homey pub-style earth to grab a quick bite to eat, then the Moose’s Tooth Pub is a great option. Whether you’re just looking to grab a quick bite to eat like tasty salad, appetizers, and food options like Philly Cheesesteaks, Cuban sandwiches, or just split a fresh-baked pizza with some buddies, there’s something for you at the Moose’s Tooth. 

Also offering a massive drinks menu, this little hole in the wall is about as good as it gets when it comes to good vibes, affordable drinks and food, and a great place to spend some time with buddies in between some other activities on this list while spending your time in Anchorage.

Source: Facebook

Diners are a cornerstone of American food culture. It’s hard to visit any town in America without finding an ageless diner that’s open pretty much all day, every day, offers a seemingly impossibly extensive menu, and has the comfort food we’re often looking for either early in the morning or late at night. For Anchorage, that diner-style spot is the Snow City Cafe. 

While their hours might be a little different than the typical diner-style menu, they’re a fantastic option for grabbing a bite to eat between activities. Offering breakfast and lunch options, quick eats like salads and pastries, daily specials, and a kids menu, they’ve got a little bit of something for everyone who stops in. 

A diverse and affordable option for quick and easy bites to eat in Anchorage, it’s hard to go wrong with an option like the Snow City Cafe!