This Alaskan city, located on the Cook Inlet in the state’s south central region, is a veritable playground for those who love the great outdoors and getting active.
Hiking, fishing, dog sledding, rafting and horse riding - there are seemingly endless ways to experience this incredible landscape.
Experience the city sights
Although it's nestled amid some of America’s most incredible natural scenery, Anchorage doesn’t skimp on urban attractions.
For a good sense of Alaska’s cultural heritage, be sure to visit the Alaska Native Heritage Centre, which offers brilliant insight into the 11 major cultural groups that call this place home.
To really feel you’ve stepped back in time, wander the Oscar Anderson House Museum, which is downtown. Built in 1915 by Swedish pioneer Oscar Anderson, who arrived in Anchorage when it was still a ‘tent city’, the house was the very first wood frame structure in the area. Today its interior is exactly as it would have been when Anderson’s family lived there.
One of the factors that originally attracted people like Anderson to live on the ‘Last Frontier’ must have been the abundance of seafood. Delicious crab, cold-water oysters, salmon and halibut ... if you’re visiting Anchorage don’t miss the delectable fresh seafood restaurants.
Chugach State Park and Mountains
East of Anchorage, the Chugach State Park and Mountains present visitors and residents with a vast wealth of opportunities to get outdoors, get active and escape the day-to-day grind.
Varied trails, deep forest land, awesome glaciers, crystalline lakes and a range of dedicated activity centers make this the perfect place for families, or groups of adult friends.
Whether you’re into salmon fishing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking or a myriad other sports, you’ll find ample opportunity to indulge right here in one of America’s largest national parks.
Go wild
The animals that live in this part of the world are unquestionably one of the most appealing reasons to visit.
Take the chance to see polar bears in their natural habitat, get out on the water to spot whales and otters, or if you’re a keen ornithologist, spend delightful hours with your eyes to the sky admiring eagles, ravens, puffins, and kittiwake. You may even meet a moose wandering nonchalantly through the city.
For many, the animal most closely associated with Alaska is the grizzly bear. From Anchorage, it’s relatively simple to travel to a number of private lakeside lodges where you can stay in the hope of viewing these majestic animals.
Explore all that this corner of Alaska has to offer with car hire in Anchorage.