Anchorage

Overview

An American city that’s totally intertwined with wilderness and magnificent nature. Anchorage, Alaska is unlike any place you’ve ever experienced. It’s a city of nearly 300,000 people, but also is home to thousands of moose, bears, sheep and even lynx. You can go fishing for salmon in the middle of the city, or use Anchorage as a base to explore wondrous mountains and glaciers.

The Chugach Mountains are just a few minutes outside of town. You’ll find awe-inspiring glaciers, fast-flowing rivers, mountain trails and tons of wildlife.

Anchorage also is the jumping-off point for airplane and helicopter tours of the rugged interior of Alaska. Yet, there’s also an urban side to Anchorage. The city has a symphony orchestra and an opera company, something you don’t often find in a city this size. The Center for the Performing Arts attracts world-class talent. There’s also a ton of street art, museums, galleries and artist workspaces in a city that contains roughly 40% of the state’s population.

Indigenous peoples have lived here for centuries. Stop by the Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn more about the remarkable indigenous culture of the Anchorage region. Being on the ocean, you’ll find plenty of amazing seafood in town, including fresh salmon, crab, cod, clams and scallops. There’s also great Thai, German and even Polynesian cuisine to be found. You can even take a city tour and try smoked salmon and reindeer sausage. Anchorage also is home to several craft breweries, where you can sample everything from lagers to deep, dark stouts, and to local distilleries that make crisp vodka or gin.