Visit the Sterling Highway and the surrounding Kenai Peninsula for world-class recreational opportunities, including access to the Chugach National Forest, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and numerous Alaska State Parks. With access to fishing, hiking, camping, hunting, mountain biking, river rafting, sea and river kayaking, back-country and cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing, canoeing, snowmobiling, bird watching, and dog-mushing, this byway has earned its reputation as "Alaska's Playground" and "Premier Fishing Byway in North America."

Exceptional fishing opportunities are accessible along the entire length of the Sterling Highway. The northern segment provides easy access to two of Alaska’s largest river salmon fisheries, the Russian and Kenai Rivers, known by fishing enthusiasts as one of the world's most productive salmon river systems.

In addition to world-class freshwater fishing, hundreds of recreation opportunities exist along the byway. A vast majority of those who visit the Sterling Highway also take advantage of other outstanding recreation opportunities found in the area.