Alaska Secrets Only Locals Know

Sighting a moose is high on the wish lists of many Alaska travelers, and you can find them within minutes of departing the 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).

Ever seen a 100-pound cabbage? With long summer hours that yield unbelievably 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 of land, 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, pick your own. Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm , located on the Bodenburg Loop Road in Palmer, invites visitors to share inthe fruits of their labor. And from May through August, farmers' markets operate in Wasilla (Wednesdays) and Palmer (Fridays).

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 refuel on Thai food. No one can pinpoint exactly what sparked the trend, but around 20 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.

A haven for injured and orphaned wildlife, the nonprofit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is "better than any zoo," says Michelle Sparck, a founder of the 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 are brown and 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 removed from the endangered species list.

Big, beautiful mountains can be unpredictable, what with their loftiest heights frequently cloaked in clouds. But locals swear 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.

Chugach State Park, just 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage, is home to 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."

The Walter Soboleff Center at the Sealaska Heritage Institute is a don't-miss spot for visitors to Alaska's state capital.

The sleek cedar-and-glass building has an exhibit space highlighting the 10,000-year history of Southeast Alaska's three native groups—Tlingit, 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."

A favorite fishing spot for black bears can be found 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 former 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.

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