Whenever our family goes on vacation we want to find those special places within the area we are visiting that provide amazing memories of an unforgettable experience. Our off-the-beaten-path alaska vacation packages are perfect for a local family like ours. We have found our hidden gems in Alaska to visit by almost 25 years of exploring south central Alaska, from north of Anchorage to everything the Kenai Peninsula has to offer. Book your Alaska tour with Silvertip to enjoy some of these gems while traveling and vacationing in Alaska so your group will see the last frontier with a different lens then most travelers!
Finding the right Alaska person to help you discover these hidden gems will provide you a fast track to opening your vacations best opportunities to explore Alaska from a local’s perspective. A local’s insight is vetted because we have gone through the ups and downs of trying to explore new places and have a short list of our favorites. You can also do the right research to find the special places Alaskan’s seek. Time consuming, yet often productive, you can look through state and federal websites about different public lands, state parks, national parks, and the secret spots that are buried in the massive amount of intel online. In this article we are going to break down a few hidden gems in Alaska to visit by region of the area.
Eklutna Lake: A Hidden Gem in Chugach State Park Near Anchorage
One of our favorite places in the Anchorage bowl is Eklutna Lake, which less than an hour drive north of Anchorage nestled in Chugach State Park. The drive there itself if breathtaking and once you get to the state park site it gets even better. This state park gem has picnic tables to have a relaxing outdoor picnic lunch with your family, multiple trails you can hike, campsites, and public use cabins. The lakeside trail is nice because it offers open views along the lake with access to the shoreline and you can pick how long you are hiking as you backtrack once you have made it far enough for your group.
Upper Kenai River Trail: Cooper Landing’s Best Kept Secret
One of our favorite trails in the Cooper Landing area that isn’t as well known is the Kenai River (upper) Trail, off of Skilak Lake Road. There are 3 sections to it but really I’m talking about from the trail restroom until you get to the river overlook from above. You end up through section 1 and then take section 2 until you reach the canyon overlook. From there you have incredible views of the Kenai River canyon and beyond towards the Kenai mountains and Skilak Lake. You can keep going but we typically reserve this hike for when we are driving by and it’s a beautiful day. The short hike to the spot I’m talking about is only about 20 minutes or so each way and is a quick activity with so much reward.
Cook Inlet North Beach: Soldotna’s Most Scenic Spot
When the Kenai River meets cook inlet there is the north beach that offers some of the best views of the the mountains and volcanoes across the inlet. It’s fairly simple to get to and you can bring a blanket to sit on, take a walk down the beach, watch the sunset (depending on time of year), and even have a cook out or picnic. The only time you want to avoid is about July 15-August 10 as there will be lots of dip netters and commercial fishing going on. Now we do go down there to watch the craziness but a little limited on walking the beach without the smell of salmon. Also you need to be time it properly if you walk the beach north so you don’t get stuck with a big high tide coming in against the beach cliff walls.
Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail: Homer’s Hidden Gem Across the Bay
We go to Homer almost every summer to do the Glacier Lake Trail, which is across the inlet in Kachemak Bay State Park, and only accessible by water taxi. This particular hike leads you to Grewingk Glacier Lake, which is one of the closest things to heaven we frequent. The hike starts after your water taxi drops you on the beach of the bay. Then you have an easier 3.2 mile hike into the glacial lake where you see glacier ice floating in the lake (recently broke off glacier and floated to the shoreline. If you schedule your water taxi with some extra time before pickup then you can have some hang out time on the beach of the lake before you head back. You will be backtracking a half mile or so to connect with the saddle trail where the water taxi picks you up in a small cove with steps to get down to the boat.
Hidden Things to Do Near Seward Beyond the Tourist Trail
We visit Seward at least once to twice per summer because it has something for everyone in our family. Some activities include Exit Glacier, the Sealife Center, whale watching tours, city parks for the kids to play, walking along the shoreline of Resurrection Bay, hiking various trails, and enjoying the town life. One hidden gem in the Seward area is a beach on the opposite side of the bay then the town and harbor in the Afognak beach. It’s a nice change of pace and place to spend a few hours. There are also a few nice pull offs up Exit Glacier road, specifically the trailhead for Resurrection River trail, which is a fun little trail that’s super easy to stop and stretch your legs. Lost lake trail is also very close to Seward and offers great views, fun hiking, berry picking, and the ability to get away from the crowds for an afternoon.
These are just a few of the hidden gems in Alaska to visit but places like this are around all over the state and if you are coming to visit our area we specialize in helping you find special places for any free time you have while in Alaska. Locations like these offer relaxing & quality time with your group, amazing postcard views, and the hint of remoteness that makes you feel alive in the outdoors! Remember you can find these hidden gems on your own but sometimes working with a tour operator like us helps you find the ones that are right for you!
We are Andrea and Jeremy Anderson. The summer of 2026 marks our 23rd year in the tourism industry helping people plan the best fishing and sightseeing vacations on the Kenai Peninsula, and our 11th season operating Alaska Silvertip Lodge and Cabins. In the spring of 2016, we purchased Silvertip Lodge and Cabins from Dean and Mary Talley, who built the first cabin in 1999.
Andrea grew up in California but fell in love with Alaska after visiting her grandparents in Cooper Landing. After graduating college in 2004, she moved up to Cooper Landing and worked in nearby Moose Pass. Jeremy grew up in Wisconsin, and in 2001 he spent his first summer in Alaska working at the Russian River Campground. Jeremy spent the next few years working as a rafting guide on the Upper Kenai River. In July 2004, Andrea and Jeremy met and began a great adventure on the Kenai Peninsula.
Over the past 23 years, Andrea and Jeremy have developed a diverse set of skills in the Alaskan tourism industry and have spent countless hours recreating outdoors. Andrea has worked as a guide for several rafting companies, ran a fishing lodge, and currently manages reservations, logistics, and accounting for Alaska Drift Away Fishing. Jeremy is co-owner of Alaska Drift Away Fishing and guides on the river for trout and salmon.
