The bronze Captain Cook Monument has the famed explorer standing on a large wooden deck, looking out to sea -- toward the route he used when he explored Cook Inlet in 1778 aboard HMS Resolution. Captain Cook never actually reached Anchorage, but he sent his ship's master, William Bligh (known more famously for his inspiration of mutiny on the HMS Bounty). Cook failed to find the Northwest Passage in the inlet, so he was happy to leave the area after two weeks of exploring the channel.
From this park you can take in the same gorgeous views that Cook and his crew experienced. Susitna mountain, known to locals as the Sleeping Lady, is visible straight across the water. If you look towards the north on a clear day you're likely to see Denali (Mt. McKinley) towering over everything else. Other fun things to see here are the Anchorage dock and sunsets any time of year.
