The 5 Most Fun Things To Do in Denali National Park
If you have a vacation to Alaska planned, you probably want to find out what you can do in the remote wonderland that is the 49th state! Fortunately for you, as someone who lives in one of Alaska’s most beautiful areas, I have insights into the most fun things to do in Denali National Park. Today we will go through my top 5 picks for the things you have to do while you’re in the Park!
1. Go on a Hiking Tour!
Okay, I might be a little biased on this one, but even if I wasn’t writing this for a hiking guiding company I would still recommend it. Not only will you get views that you won’t see anywhere else, you’ll also get knowledge and information about the world around you presented in a hands-on way that you’ll actually remember. Haven’t you ever wondered about what plants were edible? Which ones would kill you? Your guide will know all of that and much, much more.
With all the things you’ll learn, you’re sure to see dozens of examples of what your guide talks about as you continue your Alaskan vacation. You’ll know so much, you’ll practically be giving the people around you a tour of your own!
2. Go to Moose Aka’s!
Going out to eat is fun wherever you are, but Moose Aka’s in Denali is something special. The restaurant was originally opened as a Serbian food truck that offered a different option than the usual “cruise ship food” of burgers, fries, and pizza. It quickly got so popular that they opened a physical location, and it has only gotten better since. When you go to Moose Aka’s, you don’t just get a delicious meal (and it IS delicious!) but a full experience. The ambiance is incredible, the servers are fantastic, and the food is exquisite!
In fact, they’re so good that they’ve managed to get some much wider acclaim than just the Denali area. Being rated Number 7 in the country for casual dining is no small feat in a market as small and remote as Denali National Park. They have been rated in the top 1% of restaurants in the entire world by TripAdvisor, and ranked Number 28 out of all restaurants in the USA by Yelp. So what are you waiting for??? Go get yourself a bite to eat!
3. Take a rafting trip!
Craving some excitement on your vacation? Good news, you’ve got it! The beautiful and powerful Nenana River runs along the edge of Denali National Park, offering rapids up to Class IV in difficulty! The level of the river fluctuates frequently throughout the summer due to glacial melt and rainfall, so every day will be a different experience. The guides at Denali Raft Adventures have been guiding professionally for years, and know the river like the backs of their calloused hands, making them some of the best people to go down a river with anywhere.
4. Do a Glacier Landing in a Helicopter!
Okay, we can all agree that it’s pretty cool to fly in a helicopter, right? Good. Now we can get to the even better part. You’ll be flying over the Denali tundra, where caribou, grizzlies, wolves, Dall sheep, and moose roam free over the steep mountains. Once you get to the glacier itself, you’ll be awestruck by the size and majesty of the ice under your feet. Drink straight from literal glacial rivers that flow through the ice. Surrounded by striking snow-covered peaks, you’re sure to be left with a feeling of gratitude for the ability to experience this wild place first hand. Oh yeah, the pilots are awesome too! Their sense of humor would have you rolling on the floor of the helicopter with laughter if you weren’t seatbelted in!
5. Take the Bus Into the Park!
This last one feels like a no-brainer, but many park visitors never go past mile 15 of the Park Road, the point where passenger vehicles start getting turned back. Here’s the thing, though. You need to know HOW to take the bus into the Park. The readily available Tundra Wilderness Tour is very popular, and features excellent information, but it isn’t my personal recommendation.
I recommend that you take a hiking tour first, learn all about the area in a hands-on and interesting way, then take the shuttle bus into the Park. This will also give you more freedom to explore deeper into the Park since you won’t be on a guided tour. Most of the bad reviews for the buses are from people who took the tour and ended up getting stuck in a smelly bus watching the scenery pass by through a window instead of actually experiencing it. Don’t be those people. Do it right, and enjoy it! Denali is an incredible place, and it deserves your full attention!
