Things to Do in Alaska

Rockin’ B Riding Club’s 2.5-acre ranch boasts an indoor and an outdoor arena as well as a network of wooded paths for private rides. These facilities are home to seven school horses, who help teach young riders equestrian basics during camps and lessons alongside veteran instructors. Using the Certified Horsemanship Association curriculum, teachers focus on the basics of English- or Western-style riding but also throw in lessons on how to groom horses and how to tell the difference between a mare and a tall four-legged table.

A soldier hears a rustling in the distant trees. He turns his head expecting to exchange glances with a family of squirrels or maybe a bear. Then, he hears a quick burst of air, shifts his gaze downward, and finds a splatter of blue paint on his T-shirt. Ambushes by paint-slinging sharpshooters occur regularly at Wasilla SplatterHouse Paintball, where groups gather to stage colorful tactical operations on a woodsy landscape dotted with plentiful obstacles and hiding places. While ducking under paintball fire, players crawl through cement tubes and crouch behind walls to plot their next move or patch up their multicolored wounds with whiteout. Before being unleashed onto the battlegrounds, players are supplied with paintballs and Tippmann 98 and electronic-trigger Smart Parts Vibe equipment.

What began as a colony farm built by the U.S. Army in 1935 became, by the mid-1950s, the childhood home of Reindeer Farm's head honcho, Tom Williams. After studying the habits of Scandinavian and Siberian reindeer herders in high school, Tom began to understand why the antlered creatures were considered the "cattle of the North": The brisk Alaskan climate suited their dense coats and languid presence at pool parties. In 1987, after years of practicing law throughout Alaska, Tom ventured to Canada to meet his first herd of reindeer, which he kept corralled next to a tiny sign and donation jar on the modest farm. Since then, that initial herd has blossomed into 150 reindeer, who graze beside 35 elk, 13 horses, one bull moose, and one surprisingly well-adjusted bison. Now a petting zoo, the farm has grown alongside the herd, with guided tours, scavenger hunts, and horseback rides treating guests to an up-close and hands-on experience with the majestic animals. Located in the colony's original chicken coop, a gift shop provides guests with any number of collectibles to commemorate their visits.

The sporting aficionados at Bearpaw Archery believe the art of the arrow can and should be a family-oriented activity. They frequently populate the 20- and 30-yard ranges on their Wasilla facility with activities, instruction, and events that involve archers as young as 5. Youth leagues and 10-week homeschool classes accustom kids to the sport, and veteran competitors and recreational archers are treated to league play and a pro shop outfitted with equipment from brands including Excalibur Crossbow, Genesis, and Parker Compound Bows. The archers also welcome high-level competition by hosting the state shoots—an event where skilled archers plant their arrows precisely where they want them: holding up that slipping poster from Woodstock ‘69.