Situated on a peninsula in south central Alaska with the Pacific Ocean to the southwest and the Chugach Mountains to the east, Anchorage is the state’s biggest and most significant city. An ideal basis for exploring the enthralling Alaskan mountains, glaciers and boondocks, Anchorage has a great variety of accommodation plus some first-rate dining places, and also offers visitors various lively entertainment and night-time activities.
Ideal for a short stop, Anchorage and its enclosing countryside offer visitors a variety of cultural pursuits including museums, the Alaska Zoo and Anchorage Botanical Gardens. Anchorage offers a surprising variety of inspiring theater, music and other cultural happenings, not to mention numerous colorful festivals throughout the year. There is even a good selection of places to grab a drink, or indeed a strip show.
Various options for daytrips to the surrounding wilderness, or the ‘real’ Alaska, should not be missed, above all a visit to the most popular ski resort town of Girdwood in winter or take a hike along the famous Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in summer. After a few days out in the wild, Anchorage’s captivating Saturday Market’s fancy foods will have your mouth salivating.
Highlights
Anchorage Museum of History and Art: one of the state’s most frequented attractions displays an enormous collection of 10,000 years of Alaskan past, including artifacts from the oil boom of more recent times.
Alaska Zoo: apart from housing 85 different Arctic species on a 25-acre wooded area, the zoo’s most popular draw is a pair of bears – one brown and one polar - which were raised together as orphans.
Alaska Native Heritage Center: placed in a picturesque area opposite the Chugach Mountains, this attention-grabbing tourist pull exhibits innumerous artifacts regarding Alaska’s indigenous people.
Alaska Botanical Garden: this lovely spot is home to a large variety of native and Arctic flora. Picnic here in summer or ski through its woodlands in winter.
Anchorage Market: the vivacious Saturday Market houses about 300 different stands and attracts 15,000 visitors each week (mid-May until mid-September).
Imaginarium: an appealing interactive attraction for the entire family, this science detection center contains an insect section and a reptile alley among other exhibits.
Festivals: from folk to bear, blueberry and arts festivals, Anchorage has a busy year-round fiesta calendar.