Stretching from Portage Glacier to Eklutna, Anchorage sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains along the coast of Cook Inlet in South Central Alaska. On a clear day, the peak of 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley can be seen, the tallest mountain in North America.
There’s plenty to see and do—adventure and ecological tours by boat, floatplane and helicopter, kayaking, canoeing, glacier cruises and wildlife viewing at Kenai Fjords National Park, Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound, sport fishing charters, Denali tours, Alaska Railroad scenic tours, or take the 60-passenger tram up Mt. Alyeska. Diehard golfers can even take a few swings at the Anchorage Golf Course. Don’t miss the Downtown Saturday Market.
Fishing lodges, wilderness camps, RV parks, bed and breakfasts or luxury hotels—all are plentiful in Anchorage and include Alaska Chalet Bed & Breakfast, Muddy Moose Bed & Breakfast, 15 Chandeliers Bed & Breakfast, Anchorage RV Park, Creekwood Inn, Golden Nugget RV Park, Alyeska Resort, Riversong Lodge, the Hilton Anchorage, Sheraton Anchorage Hotel, Westmark Anchorage, and Tyonek Lodge with fly-in service.
With the freshest seafood as the main fare from cold-water Kachemak Bay oysters to Alaska king crab, fresh-caught halibut, and wild Alaska salmon, Anchorage offers casual to fine dining as well as international flavors. Cafes and restaurants include Alaska Salmon Chowder House, Café Nordstrom, Josephine’s, Mumbo Gumbo, Corsair Restaurant, Crow’s Nest, Flying Machine Restaurant, Kincaid Grill, Orso, Turnagain House, and Top of the World at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel.
Historic landmarks and museums include the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, Alaska Masonic Library and Museum, Alaska Museum of Natural History, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska State Trooper Museum, Alaska Zoo, Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Elmendorf Museum, Alaska Heritage Museum at Wells Fargo, the Imaginarium, Oscar Anderson House Museum, and the Russian Orthodox Museum. Visit the Alaska Mint with its gold and silver commemorative coins; some are very collectible.
Popular events include the Women’s World Championship Sled Dog Race, Symphony of Seafood, Anchorage Folk Festival, Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, the Iditarod Dog Sled Race--1,049-mile marathon to Nome, OctoBear Fest at the Alaska Zoo, International Film Festival, Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival, Oscar Anderson House Museum Swedish Christmas Festival, Greek Festival, Native Youth Olympics, Spirit Days, and the Alaska Botanical Garden Fair.
