10 Alaska Secrets Only Locals Know

Moose Viewing in Anchorage

Sighting a moose is high on the wish lists of many Alaska travelers, and Dee Buchanon knows where to find them within minutes of picking up her guests at Ted Stevens International Airport. Kincaid Park, a 1,400-acre forested expanse just south of the airport, is almost certain to harbor the magnificent beasts.

Bonus: a vista that takes in 4,500-foot Mount Susitna (aka The Sleeping Lady). "I've never taken a visitor there and not seen a moose," says Buchanon, marketing director for CIRI Alaska Tourism Corp. "It's an excursion in itself."

Giant Vegetables in the Mat-Su Valley

Ever seen a 100-pound cabbage? With long summer hours that yield freakishly big produce, this is the place to look. The region, 40 miles north of Anchorage, has been an agricultural hub since the New Deal era, when Midwest farm families settled in Palmer in exchange for 40 acres, a house, and a barn.

Vegetables of epic proportions command the spotlight at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. It runs for 11 days ending on Labor Day. Or follow Mat-Su tourism director Bonnie Quill's advice and pick your own. Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm on the Bodenburg Loop Road in Palmer invites visitors to share the fruits of their labor. And from May through August, farmers' markets operate in Wasilla (Wednesdays) and Palmer (Fridays).

Related: 22 Photos That Will Make You Fall in Love with Alaska

Hot Springs and Thai Food in Fairbanks

Cheena Hot Springs, 60 miles from Fairbanks, is a year-round retreat. Even winter temperatures that can drop to 40 below (and freeze your hair) don't deter the determined. A cold-season bonus: Stay a few days and your chances of seeing the Northern Lights are about 90 percent.

Closer to town, Amy Geiger of Explore Fairbanks, favors the Murphy Dome and Estes Dome trails with their forgiving terrain and long-distance views. After the hike, head into Fairbanks to re-fuel on Thai food. No one can pinpoint exactly what sparked the trend, but 19 Thai restaurants, including three drive-thrus co-exist in this city of about 100,000. "You can't get better Thai in Seattle or New York," Geiger declares.

Bears, Bison, And Musk Oxen In Girdwood

A haven for injured and orphaned wildlife, the nonprofit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is "better than any zoo," says native Alaskan Michelle Sparck, a founder of the Alaskan skincare line, ArXotica.

Animals that can't be reintroduced into the wild remain here, and boardwalks lead to several viewing areas on the 220-acre campus near Girdwood, 40 miles south of Anchorage. Among the 200 or so permanent residents: three brown and two black bears. Moose calves are almost a certainty in spring. In April 2015, the center released 100 wood bison into the wild. It's the Western Hemisphere's largest land animal and one of the few to be taken off the extinction list.

A Bird's-Eye View of Mount McKinley (Denali)

Big, beautiful mountains can be unpredictable, what with their loftiest heights frequently cloaked in clouds. But David Griffin of Alaska State Parks swears the best angle from which to view North America's highest peak is from Milepost 135 in Denali State Park on the George Parks Highway, which runs north of Anchorage to Fairbanks.

Milepost 135 is the locale of the new Kesugi Ken Campground sporting 32 sites with electrical hookups, 10 walk-in tent sites and a half-mile interpretive trail. Settle in and enjoy the view.

Glaciers and Sled Dogs Near Anchorage

Chugach State Park, just 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage, harbors a plethora of Alaska icons, including glaciers, sled dogs, and bears.

"Someone says, 'state park,' and you think of two barbecue grills and an RV pad," says Jack Bonney of Visit Anchorage. "But this one has half a million acres for hiking [and] mountain biking, and there's even a summer dog-sledding camp."

Related: Quiz: How Well Do You Know Alaska?

Southeast Native Culture in Juneau

The new Walter Soboleff Center at the Sealaska Heritage Institute is certain to become a don't-miss spot for visitors to Alaska's state capital. But it's still under the radar since its opening in May 2015.

The sleek cedar-and-glass building has an exhibit space highlighting the 10,000-year history of Southeast Alaska's three native groups—Tlinget, Haida and Tsimshian. There's also a full-size replica of a Tlingit clan house. Have a seat and watch videos of age-old ceremonies that continue to this day. "I'm biased," admits Rosita Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute, "but the building itself is a work of art."

Bear Sightings in Ketchikan

A favorite fishing spot for black bears lies near this small Inside Passage burg where the end of the road reaches Settlers Cove State Recreation Area.

"You can stand on the bank and watch black bears on the other side scooping salmon," says Ketchikan Visitors Bureau president Patti Mackey. She's spotted as many as 10 bears at once. "It's interesting to see people's reactions," she says.

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'Private' Lakes on the Kenai Peninsula

How big is Alaska? Big enough to provide you with your own lake, if you're willing to portage.

When John Quinley, an avid canoer and spokesman for the National Park Service's Alaska Region, seeks close-to-home solitude on the water, he heads down the road from Anchorage to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, where nearly 60 lakes are connected by portages. After paddling through the first few lakes, you're unlikely to encounter another soul, he says.

Wandering in Endless Wilderness

It's easy to get away from it all in this vast, wilderness state. And that's at the heart of Alaska's appeal. To that end, Robert Banghart, deputy director of the Alaska State Museums, has this advice: Go outside and get into the deep bigness of the place. You won't have to go far.

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