The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail has a very unique planet walk that starts in downtown Anchorage and then runs the length of the Tony Knowles trail. It is an 11 mile scale model of the universe that really drives home the sizes of the various planets and how far apart they are.
Start at 5th St and G St. There is a model of the sun on the ground. Each step takes you forward at the speed of light -- 186,000 miles per second. It will take you 8 minutes to walk to the earth station at 5th and L. The same speed that it takes light from the sun to reach the earth. You won't believe the size of the earth relative to the sun and the distance from the sun. It is like a large marble. If you have the full five hours, you can go the full 11 miles to Pluto. I caught a cab home after I finished. :-)
The day after the trail was completed, Pluto lost its status as a planet. A funny story, but still an amazing experience.
