Around Anchorage, Alaska
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Most of Alaska is on Alaska Standard time, which is four hours earlier than the East Coast and one hour earlier than the West Coast states. Temperatures and lengths of daylight in Anchorage vary greatly during the four seasons. As an example, here are temperatures and day lengths during the summer months just to give you an idea of how different a summer is in The Great Land:
mid-May: average high temperature is 54 F with 17 hours of daylight.
mid-June: average high temperature is 62 F with 19 hours 18 minutes of daylight.
mid-July: average high temperature is 65 F with 18 hours 26 minutes daylight.
mid-August: average high temperature is 63 F with 15 hours 50 minutes daylight.
About one million travelers visit Alaska each summer, and over 80,000 arrive via the Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport, which explains my emphasis on places to see in and around Anchorage. When entertaining folks from "Outside" (a local term for any state other than Alaska), we use Anchorage as a base and usually drive to points not too far away.
Although Anchorage is rather young (established 1917) and isn’t finished filling out yet, it does some things very, very well. Her brilliant summer flower beds and huge hanging baskets, assisted by our long summer stretches of daylight, are award winners and can take a tourist’s breath away. Of course Anchorage is a winter recreation destination for skiers, but there are also many physical activities available during the spring and summer: baseball, basketball, bicycling, boating, climbing, fishing, gold panning, golf, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, ice skating, river rafting, scuba diving, skiing, swimming, and target shooting.
The Alaska Department of Tourism does a fine job for Alaska, and the folks who work there are eager to respond to requests for brochures and general information. They can be reached at (907) 274-3531.
The area code for the entire state is 907, so all local telephone numbers below are in the 907 area code. For further information, visit the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau at: http://www.anchorage.net
Sightseeing
Geographically, Anchorage sits in a bowl with Cook Inlet on one side and the Chugach Mountains on the other. The municipal boundaries encompass 1,955 square miles—about the size of Delaware.
Downtown Anchorage is on a grid, so it's very easy to find ones way around. East/west streets are alphabetical, while north/south streets are numbered. As Alaska's hub and largest city, it contains a 2005 population count of 270,000 people -- 40% of everyone in the entire state. Although not architecturally a pretty city, during the summer the Municipality of Anchorage puts on its jewelry, and rarely does anyone leave unimpressed. Many hours can be spent simply walking around town and admiring the flowers.
Alaska Botanical Garden
Campbell Airstrip Road off Tudor Road
770-3692
Speaking of flowers….While many cities can boast of a botanical garden, few have been created "from scratch," the way Anchorage’s has. The first garden beds, planted in 1992, are now mature. The Herb Garden is world class. Visitors are amazed by the large assortment of flowering plants that grow in this extreme climate (1,100 species of hardy perennials, and 150 native plant species), as well as the intense, vivid colors in which the flowers express themselves. ABG is a "work in progress." You won't find many ornamental trees and shrubs yet until an 8’ fence is built, due to browsing moose in the area. The Garden is in the midst of 110 acres of natural woodland. In keeping with its setting, there is a gorgeous 2 kilometer nature walk with interpretive signage on the garden grounds, so put on your walking shoes and insect repellent. The walk takes about 25 minutes. http://www.alaskabg.org/
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Phone: 800-315-6608 or 907-330-8000
www.alaskanative.net
The heritage center is located at the intersection of Muldoon Road and the Glenn Highway, 12 minutes from downtown Anchorage. Transportation is available from downtown hotels.
It is situated on 26 acres with lovely walking trails. A man-made pond behind the cultural center is surrounded by separate traditional native village settings. Either a home or village lodge has been replicated in the style traditionally used in the villages of that particular tribe. Native plants from all around Alaska have been transplanted to the site. Signage is excellent.
Inside the main building are multi-media interpretive exhibits, interactive displays, film and video presentations, craft studios where the visitor can watch a native craftsman work and, of course, a gift shop.
Ship Creek
Located conveniently downtown. It's fun to take a quick look to see if the salmon are running up the fish ladders and to watch the locals try to catch returning salmon. The fishermen are often more entertaining than the fish. http://www.alaska.net/~design/scenes/fishing/fishing.html
Elmendorf State Fish Hatchery
Post & Reeve (next to Ship Creek)
274-0065
See freshly-hatched salmon and all the other stages of salmon growth depending on time of year.
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/
McHugh Peak
A 15-20 minute drive outside Anchorage, or about 30 minutes from downtown. It has a fantastic picnic area, a waterfall, great hiking trails and a spectacular view of Cook Inlet. Because of past bear problems, it is not recommended that hikers stray too far from the picnic area unless in a group of six or more (there are no known grizzly attacks on groups this size). The picnic area is framed by impressively large, gorgeous rock walls. Don’t forget to take a lunch. For the hikes suggested in this area of the Chugach Mountain range, go to: http://www.trails.com/activity.asp?areaid=11830
Gwennie's Old Alaska Restaurant
4333 Spenard Road
243-2090
Gwennie's is historically very Alaskana and situated near the airport. Upstairs used to be a brothel. This Anchorage staple musters sheer nostalgia—and also provides good, basic food. You can find a great review for Gwennies at
http://www.activediner.com/restaurant/homepage.cfm?CID=367163&WRID=119&CBID=
Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary
This is a man made marsh located just on the southern outskirts of Anchorage. It boasts interpretive signs and viewing amenities, so it's easy to watch for birds, mostly waterfowl, comfortably. During July you can catch sight of spawning salmon, as well. It's usually breezy to windy, so dress for it. Binoculars recommended. http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.potter
Alaska Wild Berry Products
5225 Juneau Street
800/280-2927 or 907/562-8858
Popular for its one-of-a-kind chocolate waterfall, which is actually buckets 'o chocolate. If you're interested in watching things being made, there are large windows where one can watch candy being made with local berries, etc. Alaska Wild Berry Products is an Alaskan institution, and used to purchase berries and rose hips from locals for their candies. Located across from the Sourdough Mining Co. Restaurant, this chocolate factory is especially good for children and has a large assortment of gift items to take back to the Lower 48 for friends. http://www.alaskawildberryproducts.com/
Earthquake Park
At the west end of Northern Lights Boulevard you can see what an earthquake can do from the bottom looking up. Clever park amenities were added summer of 1997, as well as very interesting interpretive signs. If you like to walk, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail connects with the park. Take bug repellent and your camera. There's also a classic view of the whole of downtown Anchorage from the trail. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/eihd/earthquk.htm
Glen Alps, Chugach State Park
If you enjoy good views, wild looking alpine terrain and hiking, you must visit this beautiful site overlooking Anchorage. Be sure to take bells to scare away any bears. A walk up to Hidden Lake, one of the more popular trails, is about four miles each way and crosses a stream. Dress in layers and take a lunch. http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/units/chugach/
Parking is $5.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
Anchorage has a lovely bike trail system. The 10 miles of Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is the most spectacular part of this system. Carved along the seacoast of Cook Inlet, you'll see locals enjoying walking, rollerblading, skating, bike riding. It's a happening place. Occasionally you can catch a glimpse of milk white beluga whales in the Inlet. http://www.trailsofanchorage.com/
Golf
For those staying around Anchorage with a relaxing, non-touring day, play a game of golf. Anchorage has seven public golf courses. Golf at O'Malley's on the Green, actually called Anchorage Golf Course, 522-3363; Moose Run Golf Course, at Ft. Richardson Army Base,
428-0056; Eagle Glen at Elmendorf Air Force Base; Russian Jack Springs, 333-8338; Tanglewood Lakes Golf Course, 345-4600; or, within an hour's drive of Anchorage proper, Settlers Bay Golf Club, 376-5466; Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, 376-5948; or the Palmer Golf Course, 745-4653.
http://www.google.com/
Anchorage Museum of History and Art
121 West 7th Avenue
343-4326
Located downtown near Nordstrom, Anchorage's only "fine" department store. The museum has a very educational and interesting permanent exhibit about the history of Alaska and its native cultures in the second floor gallery, and a series of rotating exhibits and permanent Alaska landscape paintings on the main floor. Eat at its cafe, which serves excellent and creative lunches, and visit its small but great gift shop. http://www.anchoragemuseum.org/
Alaska Zoo
4731 O'Malley Road
346-2133
Just in case you haven't seen enough wildlife on the loose, the Alaska Zoo is open from 9 to 6 seven days a week. There are many indigenous animals on view--all saved as orphans or injured animals in the wild. The zoo also boasts rare Amur tigers and snow leopards, but the musk-oxen are probably the rarest animals here, so don't miss them. http://www.alaskazoo.org/
Flightseeing
Don't overlook the possibility of arranging a flightseeing day for yourselves. There are many pilots in the business to show you as much of Alaska as you're prepared to pay to see. There are inexpensive tours of the Anchorage bowl and wildlife in the Chugach Mountains or take the flight of a lifetime over Mt. McKinley and land on a glacier. For an exhaustive list of flight services in Anchorage, see
http://www.alaskayellowpages.com/
Leaving Anchorage proper, there are more things to see and do.....
Eklutna Village Historical Park
688-6020
Heading north.…This is an old Athabascan village and Russian Orthodox cemetery with above ground burial houses, a restored church and a gift shop specializing in Russian Orthodox crafts. It's about a 20-minute drive north from downtown Anchorage and a good side-trip if you're on your way to see the sights in Palmer or the Matanuska Valley. http://www.eklutna-nsn.gov/Tours.htm
Girdwood
Mount Alyeska
Heading south…. 45-minute drive from Anchorage. Girdwood is the home of Mount Alyeska, a ski resort. Mount Alyeska, part of the Chugach mountain range, is the biggest skiing mountain in the state. Alyeska is a challenging mountain with a much higher percentage of advanced and expert runs than most other mountains in United States and Canada. It has a small section for the novice, but the rest of the mountain is almost entirely for the intermediate and the advanced skiers.
It's not cold enough in the summer to ski, but you can take the 6 minute tram ride from the Hotel Alyeska for spectacular views, a gourmet meal or just a burger. The hotel itself is worth a trip. http://www.alyeskaresort.com/.Also, not to be missed is Girdwood’s après ski eatery, The Bake Shop, which creates wonderful soups and very special cinnamon rolls. http://www.thebakeshop.com/restaurant_bakery.html In early July, Girdwood hosts a fun weekend Forest Fair – an event not to be missed if you’re in the area. http://www.girdwoodalaska.com/
Seven Glaciers Restaurant
Sophisticated restaurant near top of Alyeska ski mountain in Girdwood. Take the tram up to the restaurant and spend about $50 for dinner. The lift fee is deducted from your meal tab. Named such because you can literally see seven glaciers from its windows, the views are surpassed only by the beautifully presented cuisine.
http://www.skitown.com/
Katsura Teppanyaki
Alyeska Resort
754-2237
A must if you're in Girdwood. This restaurant was added a couple of years after the Japanese-owned Alyeska Prince Hotel opened in 1994. Although small, the teppanyaki bar is very elegant and unlike any other restaurant in Anchorage. The food is extremely fresh and is cooked right before your very eyes.
http://www.skitown.com/
Alyeska Chair lift
A summer ride to the top of Mt. Alyeska. What a view! Located by and run by the Hotel Alyeska.
Portage River Rafting and Salmon Bake
Class V. Scenic float trip followed by dinner. 4-5 hours. http://www.alaskanrafting.com/portage.html
Crow Creek Mine
278-8060
If the weather happens to be good, spend a delightful day gold panning, hiking or sightseeing. Squat by a cold water stream with a gold pan and soak in the atmosphere of Anchorage's history. There's something so intriguing about it, I had to literally drag my visiting brother away from the stream after he was afflicted with gold fever. http://www.akmining.com/mine/crow.htm
Portage Glacier and Begich-Boggs Welcome Center
During the summer take a Grayline boat ride up to the glacier which has receded drastically over the last decade—a clear and frightening example of global warming. Every 30 minutes the Welcome Center shows a 20 minute film about glaciers and how they were formed. Learn about the elusive ice worm. Just about a 30-minute drive from Girdwood.
http://travel.yahoo.com/
Miscellaneous
Musk Ox Farm
Mile 50.1, Glenn Hwy.
Palmer
745-4151
45 miles from Anchorage. They give an excellent guided tour for 30 minutes and this is probably the only chance you'll have to get acquainted with a musk ox--ever, unless you go to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. A small selection of products made from musk ox wool offered for sale. Musk ox kiviut (wool) is supposed to be the world's warmest fiber.
http://www.muskoxfarm.org/
Glacier Cruise by Phillips' Cruises
519 W. 4th Avenue
276-8023
If you flew to Anchorage and now want to try every other mode of transportation, drive 46 miles south of Anchorage, board the Alaska Railroad train at Portage for nearby Whittier or drive through the tunnel directly into Whittier. Once there, catch a high-speed catamaran for Phillips' 6-hour long "26 Glacier Cruise". A gorgeous trip, plenty of wildlife and a good lunch. http://www.26glaciers.com/
Restaurants
The following are my favorites and they all offer either very good food or a worthy ambiance.
Humpy's Great Alaskan Ale House
610 West 6th
276-2337
The first of the pub additions to Anchorage's restaurant/bar scene, Humpy's is located across from the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts building. If you enjoy beer, it offers 36 on tap--more than any other bar in Anchorage. They serve good pub grub and don't over charge for it. Their halibut burger, which is dipped in an ale batter and deep fat fried, is my favorite. http://www.humpys.com/
Sacks Cafe
625 West Fifth Avenue
276-3546
Classy, small, contemporary restaurant in the heart of downtown Anchorage, near the Performing Arts Center (and next to another good place to visit if you like art: The Artique).
Sacks provides a varied menu of healthfully prepared (don't expect fried), and unusual, adventurous food. Their dinner service is professional and they use nothing but the best ingredients. Easy to walk to if you're staying at a downtown hotel. They stay open till 11 p.m. weekends. http://www.sackscafe.com/
Orso
Fifth Avenue & G Street
222-3232
Also in the heart of downtown Anchorage, Orso is a lovely Italian Restaurant with beautiful décor and fairly authentic Italian cuisine. It’s almost as great as the Orso in Chicago! http://www.orsoalaska.com/
Sullivans Steakhouse
320 West Fifth Avenue
258-2882
The food in this restaurant, rich in ambiance, is rich and very good. Portions of side dishes are meant to be shared—as are the desserts. Great steaks. http://www.sullivansteakhouse.com/anchorage/
Simon & Seaforts Saloon & Grill
420 L Street
274-3502
Owned by the same restaurant company that runs Palomino's in San Francisco and Minneapolis and Clinkerdagger's in Spokane, Simon's is one of Anchorage's most popular restaurants. It’s within walking distance of the very popular Captain Cook Hotel. A wait in their saloon is almost always required, even with reservations. Very cordial staff is most eager to please, serving the best hot cracked wheat sourdough bread I've ever eaten. Their dishes are consistently good. Many of their recipes are available upon request. http://www.r-u-i.com/sim/
Sourdough Mining Company
5200 Juneau Street
563-2272
Sourdough Mining Company is south of downtown Anchorage, but they provide transportation. Once there, you'll savor the feel of a rustic mining operation -- unpolished wood floors, high, open ceilings, player piano. Sourdough Mining Co. has great hush puppies, ribs, beef and pork. Food is moderately priced. Its most popular meal is a half rack of baby back ribs with corn fritters and sourdough bread. By the way, it's located across the street from Alaska Wild berry Products, so you can do two tourist things at once if you go early enough in the day! http://www.alaskaone.com/aksourdough/
Lodging Due to Anchorage's short summers, hotels are packed between June and August and they expect to make all of their profits during this short period of time. Book your reservations in advance. Below are the more popular hotels and the ones I visit most frequently for meetings and events. Since Anchorage is becoming more and more like many other large cities, it now has a plethora of less expensive chain hotels, too.
The Captain Cook Hotel
276-6000
Very traditional and amply decorated with dark paneling and interesting artwork of Alaska native peoples. This is a full service hotel with a great gym, three restaurants, a beauty parlor, and a few very nice boutiques. The view from its premier restaurant, the Crows Nest, is excellent as is the view from the rooftop. Even if you don’t stay here, do visit. http://www.captaincook.com/
The Anchorage Hilton
272-7411 or 800-445-8667
Formerly the Westward Hotel, this is probably the second most popular tourist hotel, after the Captain Cook. One of the Hilton's most popular features with me is its Berry Patch Restaurant downstairs off the lobby. http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=ANCAHHF
The Sheraton Hotel
800-478-8700
Although not within the very heart of downtown, it’s not especially far to walk to downtown entertainment sites from the Sheraton. Its jade staircase is the most unusual feature of this hotel, so be sure to look down and take notice. http://www.sheratonanchoragehotel.com/home.htm
The Anchorage Marriott Downtown
279-8000
The Marriott boasts that all guestrooms offer striking views of Cook Inlet, surrounding mountain ranges and majestic Mt. McKinley...North America's tallest mountain. I’ve never stayed in this relatively new property, but did have a very good dinner at its restaurant and it is, indeed, very much in the heart of downtown Anchorage. http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/ANCDT
The Copper Whale
866-258-7999
This is a small inn conveniently situated downtown in a summer home built by a local doctor in 1939. This makes it historic by Anchorage standards, since Anchorage was founded in 1917. They built well in 1939. It survived the 1964 earthquake—and that was a hum dinger! http://www.copperwhale.com/ B&Bs abound in Anchorage as locals capitalize on the tourist trade, and they are usually less expensive than hotels. There is also an American Youth Hostel conveniently located downtown at 276-3635, and an International Backpackers Inn at 274-3870. More rural and most expensive are rustic lodges, which specialize in outdoor sports and sumptuous cuisine.
Janice Carter Shamberg (jcshamberg@gci.net) is a member of the Anchorage Assembly, an avid cook, painter and traveler.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
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