Anchorage is a rugged city beautifully settled between the base of the Chugach mountain range and Cook Inlet. An urbanized wilderness, humans are not the city's only inhabitants: We share the city with bears, moose and a small wolf pack. Year-round outdoor recreation is very accessible and venues are well-maintained to make the most of the city's setting. Anchorage is something rugged and wild, beautiful and urban all at once, so enjoy all it has to offer, and be sure to watch out for the wildlife!
Throughout the city are more than 400 miles of paved and unpaved trails maintained year-round for walking, running, in-line skating, biking and nordic skiing. The most popular trail systems include Kincaid Park, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Far North Bicentennial Park. Anchorage's most popular day hike is Flattop Mountain, accessible via the Glen Alps parking lot in Chugach State Park. Also accessible from the Glen Alps parking lot is Powerline Pass, an unpaved trail for biking, skiing or hiking that runs through a valley in the Chugach Mountains, connecting to Eagle River.
For fishermen, Ship Creek is a popular stream flowing from the Chugach Mountains through downtown Anchorage and into Cook Inlet. Silver and king salmon runs in June and July have the river lined on both sides from dawn to dusk (which are quite close together that time of year). It is also the site of the Slam'n Salm'n Derby, an annual contest to hook the heaviest fish.
For two weeks each February and March, Fur Rendezvous, or "Rondy," Anchorage's winter festival, celebrates Alaska's fur trading days with a sled dog race, carnival, parade, games and more. On the first Saturday in March, mushers and their dogs from around the world meet on Fourth Avenue for the ceremonial start of the "Last Great Race," the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Named for the sled dog route that supplied miners and villagers with goods from mail to medicine via dog sled, the actual race starts in Willow, about 70 miles north of Anchorage, and follows a trail more than 1,000 miles to Nome. Mushers traverse some of the most rugged terrain and face some of the harshest winter weather in North America.
Because of Alaska's vast and treacherous landscape, aviation is popular here and the state has a rich aviation heritage. Its infrastructure was built as a result of the bravery, skill and fortitude of those who tried its skies. For a modern or historic overview of the industry, visit Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world; Merrill Field, the first official airport in Anchorage, now serving small-plane traffic from recreational pilots to Bush air carriers; or stop by the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum to learn about legacy aircraft and pioneer pilots.
Anchorage's downtown and west-side landscape was changed dramatically by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, which registered 9.2 on the Richter scale and lasted five minutes. While tsunamis accounted for much of the damage elsewhere in the state, landslides caused property damage and nine deaths in Anchorage. Overlooking the Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range, a memorial at Earthquake Park commemorates this historic quake, and a visual aid shows the extent of the damage.
At night, whether your style is classy and cocktails or brawls and beer, there is something for everyone on the Anchorage nightlife scene. Popular Alaska-themed options include Humpy's, named after a popular species of local salmon, and F Street Station, a high-energy aviators' hang-out. For something calm and sophisticated, Simon & Seafort's or Sub Zero Bistro & Microlounge are excellent options. Seafood entrees and appetizers at any local bar are of the best quality you'll find anywhere, and almost every establishment has its own version of calamari with a custom dipping sauce. You'll find most places proudly serving beer from Anchorage-based Midnight Sun or Moose's Tooth brewing companies, and don't leave without trying some vodka from the Wasilla-based Alaska Distillery. Flavors include Permafrost, Frostbite and Smoked Salmon.
Anchorage Attractions:
Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum
The museum overlooks Lake Hood, the world's busiest float plane lake. It has 20 airplanes on display, including a 1944 Grumman Goose amphibian, a 1928 Stearman, a Stinson L-1 and an Army reconnaissance aircraft that's the only one still flying. The museum also offers a presentation of Alaska's aviation heritage and its flying pioneers and veterans. Exhibits include photo displays of early bush pilots and the Alaska Aviation Hall of Fame.
WHERE: 4721 Aircraft Drive
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May 15-Sept. 15; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday in the winter.
COST: $10 adults with discounts for military, $8 seniors and students over 12, $6 children
PHONE: 907-248-5325
WEB: www.alaskaairmuseum.org
Alaska Heritage Museum at Wells Fargo
The free museum is home to some beautiful and historical Alaska items. Visitors will see more than 900 Alaska Native artifacts and baskets that date back hundreds of years, ivory carvings, baleen baskets and artwork by Sydney Laurence, Fred Machetanz, Ted Lambert and others. A 46-troy-ounce gold nugget is featured. The nugget is 5 inches long and is the largest on display in Alaska.
WHERE: Wells Fargo Bank building, 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd.
WHEN: Noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Memorial Day to Labor Day; noon-4 p.m. Monday through Friday in winter.
COST: Free
PHONE: 907-265-2834
WEB: www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/museum_anchorage.html
Alaska Native Heritage Center
The world-class culture and education center shares the diverse cultures of Alaska's 11 indigenous groups. Visitors can experience Alaska Native culture firsthand through storytelling, Native song and dance, artist demonstrations, Native games demonstrations and six life-size replicas of Native dwellings.
WHERE: 8800 Heritage Center Drive
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, May 9 to mid-September
COST: $24.95 adults, $21.15 military and seniors 65 and older, $16.95 children ages 7-16, free ages 6 and younger; resident rates are $9.95 adults and $6.95 children, free ages 6 and younger
PHONE: 907-330-8000
WEB: www.alaskanative.net
Alaska State Troopers Museum
The museum tells the history of law enforcement in Alaska as a territory and as a state. It features exhibits, original art, memorabilia and photographs, including trooper uniforms and a restored 1952 Hudson Hornet police car. There is a gift shop.
WHERE: 245 W. Fifth Ave.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays
COST: Free
PHONE: 800-770-5050, 907-279-5050
WEB: www.alaskatroopermuseum.com
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
The state's largest museum brings thousands of years of history and beautiful artwork together in one place. The Smithsonian Institute has loaned more than 600 indigenous Alaska artifacts for exhibition in the new Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center. The 10,000-square-foot exhibit features many objects never before displayed, including an 1866 Gwich'in Athabascan tunic with dyed quill designs, one of the Smithsonian's oldest objects; an 1880s Inupiaq caribou skin parka; and a 1903 Tlingit crest hat made of woven spruce root.
WHERE: 625 C St.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, May 8 through Sept. 13; winter hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays, noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
COST: $10 adults; $8 seniors, students and military; $7 ages 3 to 12; and free for ages 2 and younger
PHONE: 907-929-9200
WEB: www.anchoragemuseum.org
Alaska Museum of Natural History
Explore 1 billion years of Alaska's natural history with a touchable collection of Alaska rocks, minerals and fossils. The permanent collection includes a paleontology/archaeology pit, dinosaur and Ice Age fossils and many touchable mounts of Alaska animals. Explore Alaska's birds, dinosaurs, geology and more.
WHERE: 201 N. Bragaw St.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays
COST: $5 adults, $3 children and students, $4 military and seniors, kids under 5 free
PHONE: 907-274-2400
WEB: www.alaskamuseum.org
Oscar Anderson House Museum
The house, built in 1915 by Swedish immigrant Oscar Anderson, is one of the city's first. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is Anchorage's only house museum. Many of the original artifacts belonging to the family are in the home.
WHERE: 420 M St.
WHEN: Guided tours from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday from mid-May to mid-September
COST: $3 adults, $1 children under 12
PHONE: 907-274-2336
Airport Visitor Information Centers
The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau's airport centers can be the first stop for tourists on their Alaska adventure. Knowledgeable volunteers are ready to assist with answers, information and planning. There is a center in the airport's South Terminal baggage claim area, one in the North Terminal's lobby area and one in the North Terminal's secure area.
WHERE: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in South Terminal; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. mid-May through mid-September in North
COST: Free
PHONE: 907-266-2437
Alaska Botanical Garden
Nestled in the foothills of East Anchorage, the 110-acre garden delights visitors, inspires gardeners and educates adults and children. Nature trails through the boreal forest connect three perennial gardens, a rock garden, a formal herb garden and forested areas with native wildflowers. A 1.1-mile nature trail with interpretive signs crosses the Iditarod Trail and has views of Campbell Creek, the Chugach Mountains and a natural wetland. Guided tours are offered at 1 p.m. daily June through August or by appointment. The annual Garden Fair is June 25-26 and includes a children's village, music, food, plant and craft vendors, garden speakers and a garden art show and sale.
WHERE: 4601 Campbell Airstrip Road, south of Tudor Road
WHEN: Daily (daylight hours)
COST: $5 adult, $10 family, free for children under 2
PHONE: 907-770-3692
WEB: www.alaskabg.org
Alaska Zoo
The zoo provides homes for orphaned and injured animals and educates the public on natural history and conservation. Visitors can see and photograph Alaska wildlife including polar bears, wolves, brown bears, moose, caribou and raptors. Exotic species include Amur tigers, snow leopards, Bactrian camels and Tibetan yaks. Other animals include musk oxen, Dall sheep, lynx, black bears and porcupines. Daily Discovery Tours and Family Program Nights on Tuesdays and Fridays are popular summer events. Free shuttle service is provided to and from downtown Anchorage from May 15 through Sept. 19.
WHERE: 4731 O'Malley Road
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, May 1 to Sept. 14; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 1 through April 30 and Sept. 15 through Oct. 31; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., November; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., December through February.
COST: $12 adults, $9 seniors 65 and older and military, $6 ages 3-17, free for children under 3. Annual passes available.
PHONE: 907-346-2133
WEB: www.alaskazoo.org
Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge
More than 130 species of birds have been sighted in the refuge, so bird-watchers will love it. The refuge stretches 16 miles along the Anchorage coastline, but its most popular spot is Potter Marsh. At the marsh, boardwalks take visitors into the heart of the wetland for easy bird-watching, complete with interpretive displays of the refuge's animals and plant life. Some of the birds that call the Potter Marsh area home are arctic terns, Canada geese, trumpeter swans, grebes, bald eagles, owls, gulls, ducks and other waterfowl. Salmon also return to the area. Nearby is the Potter Section House Historic Site, which once served the railroad.
WHERE: Mile 115 Seward Highway
WHEN: Open daily
COST: Free
WEB: www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=refuge.anch_coastal
Chugach State Park
The 500,000-acre state park is the third-largest state park in the country and serves as Anchorage's backyard playground, with access points from Eklutna in the north to Girdwood in the south, including several in Anchorage. The park is great for hiking, camping, mountain biking, wildlife viewing and fishing. From the Glen Alps parking lot, it is an easy walk to the Anchorage overlook, offering 360-degree views of the city, Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains.
WHERE: East of Anchorage
WHEN: Daily
COST: Free; parking fee of $5 or a $40 annual pass
PHONE: 907-345-5014
WEB: www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/chugach/
Earthquake Park
When the 1964 Good Friday earthquake struck Alaska, this portion of Anchorage was full of homes. The 9.2- magnitude earthquake destroyed the area, dropping many of the homes into Cook Inlet. The quake, the largest recorded in North America, caused $68 million in damage in Anchorage. Today, the area is a peaceful park with outstanding views of downtown Anchorage and the Alaska Range. The park has a trail system with interpretive signs to help visitors understand the destructive power of the earthquake. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail cuts through the park, connecting with downtown and Kincaid Park.
WHERE: West on Northern Lights Boulevard near Aircraft Drive
WHEN: Open daily
COST: Free
Far North Bicentennial Park/Hillside Park
The parks include more than 4,000 acres of rolling, forested hills. Miles of trails are perfect for hiking or mountain biking. Campbell Creek flows through Bicentennial Park. From the Spencer Loop trail, there is an outstanding view of Mount McKinley. Wildlife encounters are possible; be bear-aware during the summer when salmon are in the creek.
WHERE: Off Tudor and Abbott roads
WHEN: Open daily
COST: Free
PHONE: 907-343-4355
WEB: www.muni.org/parks/index.cfm
Fort Richardson Hatchery
See five different fish species in a variety of life stages and sizes in both indoor and outdoor tanks. The hatchery is home to silver salmon, king salmon, rainbow trout, arctic grayling and arctic char. The char can be up to 4 years old. To access the hatchery, visitors must enter Fort Richardson; a valid driver's license, proof of insurance and registration are required. Access policies can change without notice. Call ahead for organized tours.
WHERE: Hatchery Drive, Fort Richardson
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
COST: Free
PHONE: 428-1348
