Activities for Families in Anchorage: Summer 2010

School's out!

For the fifth year in a row here is my list of free or inexpensive activities for children and families in Anchorage. Some of it you've seen before but quite a few things are new so read carefully.

If you wish to download this list in a pdf format for distributing you can click here. Just please leave the URL and credits in place (it is copyrighted after all).

1. Visit the Loussac Library
Sign up for the 2010 Summer Reading Program "Make a Splash" where children earn rewards for reading. Each Tuesday from noon-1pm there are local bands performing on the library lawn June 1-August 1. Some extra Loussac events throughout the summer held at 2pm in the Wilda Marston Theater (see the website for repeat performances at the other branches around town):

June 1 Mad Science
June 8 A Pirate Party
June 15 AK Zoo Critters
June 22 Dance on the Waves with Imamsuat
June 29 Read-Beard the Pirate

Join one of the reading groups at the story theater in the Loussac Library:

Mother Goose (birth-18 months) on Thurs 10:30 am, Fri 3:00 pm
Lapsit (18 months-3 years) Tues 10:30 am, 11:30 am Wed 10:30 am, Fri 10:30 am
Storytime (3-5 years) Thurs & Fri 11:30 am
Family Storytime (families and children under 5 year olds) Thurs 6:30 pm

2. Enjoy outdoor concerts at the "Music in the Park" concert series.
These free outdoor concerts run all week long from noon-1pm at Peratrovitch park in downtown Anchorage and this year they're doing things a little differently.

Each Monday features "Cruise Ship Entertainment" as follows:
May 24
11:00am — Robin Hopper
12 noon — AK Dance Theatre
1:15pm — Matt Hammer
2:15pm — Eagle River Jazz Band

June 7
11:00am — Robin Hopper
12 noon — Music for Little Ones
1:15pm — Matt Hammer

June 21
11:00am — Robin Hopper
12 noon — Music for Little Ones
1:15pm — Matt Hammer

July 5
11:00am — Suzy Crosby
12 noon — Music for Little Ones
1:15p Carhartt Brothers

July 19
11:00am — Robin Hopper
12 noon — Music for Little Ones
1:15pm — Matt Hammer

August 2
11:00am — Robin Hopper
12 noon — Music for Little Ones
1:15pm — Matt Hammer

August 16
11:00am — Carhartt Brothers
12 noon — Hurricane Dave
1:15pm — Carhartt Brothers

August 30
11:00am — Carhartt Brothers
12 noon — Sourdough Bisquits
1:15pm — Carhartt Brothers

September 13
11:00am — Suzy Crosby
12 noon — Hurricane Dave
1:15pm — Matt Hammer

Wednesdays Jun 2-Aug 25 noon-1pm are "Military Music in the Park"
Thursdays Jun 3-Jul 29 noon-1pm feature local artists
Fridays Jun 4-Aug 22 noon-1pm feature local artists too
Saturdays in July 10am-4pm "G Street Art Fair" on G Street between 4th and 5th Avenue

Also . . .
Jun 12 1pm-5pm is the Jazz Festival
Jun 26 1pm-5pm is the 9th Army Band Jubilee
Aug 7 is Galway Days for Irish music and festivities
Aug 14 1pm-3pm TBA theater company is presenting "Tribute to Broadway"

3. See auto racing at The Northstar Speedway.
This track in Wasilla has Saturday races May 22nd through September 11th. The gates open at 4 pm and races start at 6pm. GCI customers can go to any GCI store for free tickets to the July 17th race otherwise it’s $10 for adults, $5 for kids and free for kids 10 and under. We went a couple years ago and had a great time--there was even a demolition derby before the races.

Check the website for weekly events including free Coke day, Scout day, military day, free picnic day, etc. where you can sometimes get a discounted ticket price.

4. See a free movie at the Regal Theaters.
Twice a week at 10am the theaters hold their Free Family Film Festival where two movies are shown concurrently both days, no age limit. This year there are two lists--the first are the movies being shown at the Dimond Center 9 Regal and the second is the list of movies being shown at the Totem 8 theaters. Make sure you get the right one! If you're in Fairbanks the Goldstream Theaters have a similar program you can view here.

Dimond Center 9 (showing Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Jun 22-23 Tale of Despereaux (G) and Coraline (PG)
Jun 29-30 Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G) and Astro Boy (PG)
Jul 6-7 Charlotte's Web (G) and Planet 51 (PG)
Jul 13-14 The Movie (G) and Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)
Jul 20-21 Rugrats In Paris (G) and Kung Fu Panda (PG)
Jul 27-28 Wallace and Gromit (G) and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
Aug 3-4 Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G) and Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)
Aug 10-11 Doogal (G) and Hotel For Dogs (PG)
Agu 17-18 Muppets From Space (G) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
Aug 24-25 Muppets Take Manhattan (G) and Aliens In The Attic (PG)

Totem 8 (showing Mondays and Tuesdays)
Jun 21-22 Muppets Take Manhattan (G) and Aliens In The Attic (PG)
Jun 28-29 Tale of Despereaux (G) and Coraline (PG)
Jul 5-6 The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G) and Astro Boy (PG)
Jul 12-13 Charlotte's Web (G) and Planet 51 (PG)
Jul 19-20 Rugrats The Movie (G) and Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)
Jul 26-27 Rugrats In Paris (G) and Kung Fu Panda (PG)
Aug 2-3 Wallace and Gromit (G) and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
Aug 9-10 Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G) and Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)
Aug 16-17 Doogal (G) and Hotel For Dogs (PG)
Aug 23-24 Muppets From Space (G) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)

Also note: The Century 16 theater also has a summer movie clubhouse event running all summer long where shows are $1 at 10 am or prepay for 10 shows for $5 and get 50% off.

May 27 The Tale of Despereaux
Jun 3 The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
Jun 10 Horton Hears a Who
Jun 17 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Jun 24 Space Chimps
Jul 1 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Jul 8 Everyone's Hero
Jul 15 Shrek the Third
Jul 22 Alvin and the Chimpmunks: The Squeakquel
Jul 29 Charlotte's Web

5. Catch a Bucs Baseball game.
Playing at Mulcahy Stadium several evenings a week (usually at 7pm) June 6-August 3 (see their schedule here), this is great fun. Bring a big bag of peanuts and show your kids what baseball at sunny 10pm feels like. The library's summer reading program often gives out free passes for four to the games otherwise admission is $5, six and under are free.

6. Go gold panning at Indian Valley Mine or at Crow Creek Mine.
Off of the Seward Highway just before the turnoff to Indian and open from May 15th-September 15th 9am-9pm. Admission is $1 per person for the mine and museum and then $5 and up for a bucket of dirt to pan--depending on the amount of dirt. It's very clean and very easy for small children and the views of Turnagain Arm are worth the trip. This isn't quite free but it's nearly so.

You might also try Crow Creek Mine a bit further down the road for a couple dollars more. We went last summer and you can see pictures here.

7. Build something at The Home Depot and Lowe’s kid clubs.
Free to children of all ages, each store's kids' club provide aprons (to keep), tools, safety goggles and kits to build various easy woodworking projects such as birdhouses, bookshelves and wooden toys. Home Depot on Abbott holds their kids' club the first Saturday of every month 9am-12pm while supplies last (and I've never seen them run out but it can get crowded around the tables). Lowe’s on Old Seward and O’Malley holds theirs the 2nd Saturday at 10am. Children get certificates of completion and patches to put on their aprons each time they complete a project. It's great fun and our kids have loved participating.

8. Go fossil hunting in Sutton.
Anywhere where the rock is layered and loose you can find plant fossils from the late Cenozoic period (50-70 million years old). Bring a good map, take any road into the Talkeetna Mountains, find a good place to turn off and you'll find fossils. The kids like carrying picks and buckets--but the picks are more for fun than necessity. It's just fun banging rocks. I've got a post coming on this one later this summer with pictures from when we went.

There is also a Rock Hound class at Spenard Recreation Center on Thursday Aug 4 and Friday August 6 6:30-8:30pm for kids 12 and under ($15) that teaches about rock identification and all sorts of other rock-related things. Call 343-4160 for details.

9. Visit some of Anchorage's lakes.
Rent paddle boats at Cheney Lake (on Baxter road), swim at Goose Lake (the corner of East Northern Lights and Providence Drive) or picnic at Lake Hood (near the airport) and watch the planes take off at the world’s largest and busiest float plane harbor. Friday June 18 1-3pm there's a family day at Goose Lake that the library is organizing. Register at 343-4138 to take part in the games and fun.

10. See paragliders jumping off the mountains.
In Girdwood (near the Alyeska Prince Hotel) on a clear day the updrafts start around noon and though it's free to sit and watch them land down around the hotel grounds for the best view take the tram ride ($14 with an Alaska ID, $7 for kids 7 and under) up the mountain for a picnic and first-hand view of their takeoffs. Hatcher’s Pass is a bit farther from Anchorage in the opposite direction but also has a great view and is popular with the paragliders--and it's free from all viewpoints.

11. Pick blueberries on Flat Top or at Hatcher's Pass.
The Flat Top Trailhead starts at the top of Upper Huffman Road and though the entire trail (2 miles) may not be suitable for small children, the lower alpine area known as Blueberry Hill is great for picking berries in town. It's best to check about the first week of August to see if the berries are ripe, if you wait too long they'll be all gone.

Hatcher's Pass, though farther, has more blueberries than you could ever pick if you're up for a two-hour drive. For an easy hike (even with a stroller) try the beautiful Thunderbird Falls. Follow the signs from the Glenn Highway twenty minutes north of Anchorage. For a longer hike that has a spectacular prize at the end try the Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood. Andrew and I were there for our anniversary last year.

12. Ride Alaska Live Steamers miniature train.
In Wasilla between the Museum of Transportation and the airport this 7.5 gauge miniature train is big enough for children and adults to sit on the individual cars as the train travels through the woods on a 20 minute train ride.

The train runs the 1st and 3rd Saturdays the middle of May through the middle of September 10am-4pm. Cost isn't free (they don't accept credit cards) but it's minimal ($4 for adults, children under 2 are free) children under 3 need a car seat but the owners have one to loan in a pinch. We did this in 2007 and had a fun time if you'd like pictures and video footage.

13. Attend the summer solstice celebrations.
Celebrate the longest weekend of the year in downtown Anchorage at the Summer Solstice Festival on Saturday June 19th from noon to midnight on 4th Avenue and in Town Square.

Enjoy the Hero Games, live music, professional skateboard demonstrations, Rage City Roller Derby Girls Solstice Showdown, children’s activities, a car show, plus a midnight concert in Town Square featuring Wild Child. All free.

Then of course there are also festivities for the Independence Day celebration July 4th which will include a parade, kite flying, fireworks, all free to the public. The governor's picnic is an annual event usually held toward the end of July at the Delaney Parkstrip between 9th and 10th Avenues downtown with activities and free food for all. Check the Anchorage Daily News for times as July draws closer.

14. Visit the Eagle River Nature Center.
I have wanted to visit ever since I discovered their claim to be home to Alaska's 27 indigenous species of orchids (or something close to that, the details were sketchy). Who would have thought? Open every day from 9am-5pm (7pm on Fridays and Saturdays) the center has nine miles of hiking trails and conducts free nature events for kids all summer long. See following for June:

Jun 5 2pm "Loony Tunes"
Jun 12 2pm "Catch and Release Insect Hunt"
Jun 15 10-noon "Explorer's Club" (K-2, $8 fee)
Jun 16 10-noon "Explorer's Club" (3-6, $8 fee)
Jun 19 2pm "Flowers and Their Pollinators"

Each Monday through Friday from June 2 through August 29th 1-2:30 pm they have guided nature hikes on their trails. Then there are also their "Junior Naturalist" programs on Saturdays at 2pm for children ages 5 and up where they can earn a Junior Naturalist Badge after attending 12 sessions.

Here in Anchorage there is also the Campbell Creek Science Center that has trails of its own where you can see eagles and bunnies and even eagles eating bunnies (seen it). Check their calender for lectures and programs or take part in their free Moms, Pops and Toddlers Outdoor Program with instructors that lead "brief hands-on activities outside in natural areas around the Science Center" and parents also receive resource materials for continued study with their kids. Schedule is below:

Jun 19 10-noon
Jun 24 3-5pm
Jul 17 10-noon
Jul 27 10-noon
Aug 5 10-noon

15. Visit Seward for the 82nd Annual Mountain Marathon.
Every 4th of July Seward, Alaska hosts the Mountain Marathon and though you may not be prepared to participate it's fun to see. I quote from the website:

The foot race is a climb and descent on Mt. Marathon - a mile and a half up and a mile and a half down, complete with cliffs, scree fields, waterfalls, and a spectacular view. This annual event draws runners from around the world.

Over the years, this home town historical event has drawn increased participation ~ resulted in new milestones. 54 women finished the first-ever women's race in 1985, juniors began logging their records in 1994, and 2005 heralded the beginning of the "staggered start" for the senior races. The popular Mini Marathon race starts them out young - toddling just a few feet to victory!

The tradition of the Mt. Marathon Race, according to folklore, began when two sourdoughs had an argument about whether it was possible to climb and descend the mountain in less than one hour.

If you think running is hard, you need to see running Alaskan style. When they come down they're sliding and skidding and tumbling--usually a bit cut up--but it's quite the sporting event to see.

16. Visit Elmendorf State Fish Hatchery.
Here you can view fish at various stages of growth at the facilities located at the corner of Reeve Boulevard and Post Road. The best time for viewing coho salmon is September but the hatchery is open from late May-September 8am-10pm.

17. Join a bookstore reading club.
Most bookstores in town have a reading hour for kids, some with crafts and other activities. Many have reading programs that offer rewards in the form of coupons and free books to children who complete the reading goals. Barnes and Noble has Preschool Story Time on Wednesdays at 11am and Beginning Readers Story Time on Saturdays at 1pm. Borders has their Story Time on Tuesdays at 11am and 1pm and Saturdays at 11am, call the stores for more details.

18. See dogs catching frisbees.
Skyhoundz is the organization for dogs who love to catch frisbees and the local canine frisbee catching championship (not to be confused with the canine catching frisbee championship--watch those modifiers folks) will be held June 11, 12-4pm at Delaney Park strip on the soccer field at 10th and L Street. All the cool dogs will be there.

19. Bike the coastal trail.
The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail reaches 10.5 miles from downtown Anchorage, along the coast of Cook Inlet and down to Kincaid Park. With easy terrain and beautiful scenery it's a great bike ride for kids--there are plenty of parks along the way as good places to stop for a picnic if little legs get tired. The Copper Whale Inn on L Street above Elderberry Park near the beginning of the trail has bike rentals. Pictures of one of our trips can be seen here.

20. See some flowers.
Saturday June 5th noon-6pm in Town Square there will be a fund raising event (free to the public) for Anchorage parks with seminars from master gardeners, live music, activities for kids, flower walks, and raffles. Call 279-5650 for more details.

Also, the Alaska Botanical Gardens gets better each year and I particularly love the herb gardens with their gorgeous raised beds. There are lots of events going on all summer long (check the website for details but May 29th, July 10th and July 11th are "free days," May 22-September 18 Tuesdays through Sundays families with children ages 4-9 can rent $5 "Discovery Duffles" that are filled with activities for children (presumably related to the botanical gardens). I haven't tried it but it sounds like it could be fun.

Also, June 2-September 25 each Wednesday at 6 pm is Story Time in the Garden for children ages 3-5 (weather permitting). They meet in the lower perennial garden area.

21. View some wildlife.
Eleven miles past the turnoff for Girdwood on the Seward Highway is the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center with 140 acres of room for the buffalo to roam. Or rather the moose. You can see all sorts of Alaskan animals from 8 am to 8 pm May to September.

I've heard several people say it's a great trip--be sure to bring cameras, warm layers, binoculars and shoes for walking. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $5 for kids or $25 per car load.

Of course you can always visit the Alaska Zoo for about the same price and they also have Story Time at the Zoo on 10:30 am each Wednesday April 1-September 1 which is free with the price of admission.

22. Study the planets.
From the website which explains it best: "The Anchorage Light Speed Planet Walk is a scale model of our solar system. Taking the walk, you experience the relative size of the planets and their distance from the Sun. The scale was chosen so that a leisurely walking pace mimics the speed of light. On this scale, each step equals the distance light travels in one second (300,000 kilometers or 186,000 miles).

"It should take you about 8 minutes to walk from the Sun station at 5th and G to the Earth station at 5th and K, just as it takes 8 minutes for a light beam to travel from the real Sun to the real Earth. Similarly, it takes you and a light beam 5 1/2 hours to reach Pluto at Kincaid Park."

Sounds like a fun activity for a sunny summer day, huh?

23. See some salmon.
Anchorage has lots of waterways within the city and if you haven't already you must go down to Ship Creek and see the salmon run. The hatchery is just up the road and last time we were there we spent time watching a beaver at work above the bridge making a dam. You can read more about the activity at the link above.

24. See some glaciers.
You might be really adventurous and head all the way down to Seward to hike out on Exit Glacier (we did that several years ago and had a great time) but closer to Anchorage there are always the billions of glaciers you can see around Portage. The Begich-Boggs visitors center is free and always has fun things for the kids to see and you can walk into Williwa campground to see salmon at the right time of year.

You can even take a trip through the Whittier tunnel. It's not as if there's really lots and lots to see in Whittier once you get there, but if you want to see a very long tunnel that would be the place for it.

25. Visit some museums.
Now everyone knows about the Anchorage Museum at the Rasmussen Center but there are a few other little museums around town that can be fun.

The Alaska Heritage Museum at Wells Fargo (301 W. Northern Lights) has 900 pieces of Native artifacts, gold and fine art. The Anchorage Fire Department (100 E. 4th) has fire department memorabilia. The Oscar Anderson House Museum (420 M. Street near Elderberry Park) is open for tours for seeing what life was like in the early days of Anchorage. The Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum (4721 Aircraft Drive) has exhibits on aviation and a flight simulator and of course there's always the Imaginarium has fun science exhibits for kids and is now part of the Anchorage Museum at the Rasmussen Center.

However, the one I'd like to check out is the Alaska Museum of Natural History which has a summer line up of classes for kids that looks pretty interesting (dinosaurs, whales and space) and the activity fees are reasonable ($1 for ages 3-5, $3 for 6-12, $5 for over 12 and $15 per family).

June 8-13 Treasure Trove
June 15-20 Rock Art
June 22-27 Living Fossils
July 6-11 Ice Age Alaska Style
July 13-18 Violent Volcanoes
July 20-25 Monsters of the Air
July 27-August 1 Monsters of the Land
Aug 3-8 Monsters of the Sea

26. Visit some markets.
The outdoor farmer's market on 3rd and E street runs May 8-Sep 5, 10am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Not only can you get great produce but there's now entertainment, food and more with over 300 booths.

If that doesn't appeal then there's the indoor flea market. 3:30-8:30pm on Fridays and 10am-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays it's at 7521 Brayton Drive and claims "a variety of food, arts & crafts, specialty, clothing and antique vendors display their products and services each weekend. Free entertainment available."

27. Learn the drums.
April 24-May 24 at Grass Roots Fair Trade Store you can learn to play the drums with free drum lessons 2-4pm. They even say that they'll provide the drums if you don't have any. This weekend may be the last chance on this one so get busy if you're interested. Call 929-5835 for more details.

28. Learn archery.
Free for kids 8 years and up at Kincaid park and running on Saturdays Jun 5-Jul 24 this is a great deal and you can bet I've signed my own kids up. Call Margaret at 343-4217 for an over-the-phone registration but hurry, space is limited.

29. Learn swordsmanship.
Free for kids 14 and up at Fairview Rec Center you can take either a beginner's class in German Longsword wielding or 18th century Highland broadsword. "Freedom!"

It cannot get cooler than that. Call 343-4130 for more details.

30. Learn to garden.
Kids can take the Chickweed and Beyond class (ages 12+), the Composting 101 class (ages 12+) or the Fairview Rec Center gardening club (ages 8-16) and get your fill of seeds and all sorts of growing things. Again, call my friend Margaret at 343-4217 for details.

The Chugach-Eagle River branch of the library is offering a family gardening workshop (free) May 22nd at 1pm where there will be crafts and activities all around the garden. Small kids need their parents but it's open to kids of all ages.

31. Take a hike.
The Fairview Rec Center is also offering a youth hiking series May 26-Aug 11 1:30-3:30pm where they hike all over the Anchorage bowl area on various trails. It's free to join and it's for ages 7-13 years. You can also join in the "Parent and Me" walks for parents and kids of all ages at trail systems around Anchorage on Tuesdays May 11-July 20, 11am-noon. Call 343-4130 for details on all programs.

There is also their free Nature's Encounters series for ages 12+ that explores different life forms around town according to the schedule below:

Sat Jun 5 10-1pm "Migratory Wetland and Shore Birds" at Goose Lake parking lot
Sat Aug 28 10-1pm repeated at Westchester Lagoon
Wed Jun 30 6:30-8:30am "Trailside Plants and Wildflowers" at Kincaid outdoor center
Wed Jul 28 6:30-8:30am repeated at Hilltop Chalet Center
Wed Aug 11 6:30-8:30am "Mushrooms and Lichen" at Goose Lake parking lot
Wed Aug 18 6:30-8:30am repeated at Hilltop Ski Area

Call 343-4160 for details.

32. Go geocaching or letterboxing.
There's a geocaching clinic and a letterbox clinic to teach you all about this fabulously fun family activity. Geocaching is Sat Jun 5 and 12 10am-noon ($15 per family) and letterboxing is Thursday Jun 3-July 29 6:30-8:30pm ($20 per family). Call 343-4130 for details.

33. See the airshow.
The Elmendorf AFB airshow is back this year with Arctic Thunder July 31 and August 1. Not only will the Blue Angels be performing this year but the Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be flying as well. Can't wait! Bring the earplugs--no really, I'm serious. Make sure you have earplugs for everyone, especially the kids or it might damage their ears.

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