Travel Budget for Anchorage Visit Anchorage on a Budget or Travel in Style

Anchorage On a Budget

Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, is in the south-central part of the state on the Cook Inlet. It's known for its cultural sites and also as a gateway to nearby wilderness areas and mountains. From the sparkling waters of Cook Inlet to the tallest peaks of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage encompasses incredible adventures and metropolitan appeals that are larger than life. With 1,500 moose, incredible national parks nearby and 60 glaciers a short drive away, it's a dream destination in Alaska.

Dive into this city of parks, museums and restaurants and you'll see why almost half the state's population calls it home.

Sights

Alaska is full of natural beauty. It's all around you, but there are some places you may want to explore in anchorage for even better vistas.

Kenai Fjords National Park is a National Park that covers an area of 669,984 acres on the Kenai Peninsula. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier. Exit Glacier is reachable by road and is a popular tour destination. The remainder of the park is primarily accessible by boat. This is a sight you won't soon forget.

See Alaskan wildlife up close at the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation. The center's mission is to provide refuge for orphaned, injured, and ill animals-those that can't survive in the wild. Coyotes peer out from behind the brush while a bald eagle swoops in on the salmon remains left by a grizzly bear. Wood Bison plod through 65 acres of tidal flat terrain, as part of a program that will one day restore the species to the Alaskan wilderness. Come and watch these animals display their natural, "wild", behavior.

See the Chugach State Park. The park contains approximately 495,000 acres of land and is one of the four largest state parks in the United States. This is an area of diverse land forms and rugged topography, bounded on the north and west by the Alaska Range, and on the east by the Chugach and Wrangell Mountains and Prince William Sound. The region contains extensive ocean shoreline, abundant lakes, massive glaciers and ice fields. The park is full of natural beauty and is sure to leave you with feelings of amazement.

Neighborhoods

Anchorage Bowl
The northern region of the Anchorage Bowl contains the city center and eastern residential areas. With a great nightlife downtown and in surrounding areas, this location is a hotspot for professional, young, and mixed-aged singles.

The Northeast Anchorage/Nunaka Valley is one of the wealthiest centers in the state. Also in the northeast area is Alaska Pacific University in the Northern Lights Boulevard area.

Central and Southern
The central region ranges from urban to residential settings and contains a mix of young singles to mixed ages. Abbott Loop is a residential area in Anchorage, good for families and young singles. Anchorage's southern region is primarily family-friendly and home to larger, upscale homes. The New/Old Seward area is also home larger homes and an executive lifestyle, but is a retiree-friendly community.

Eagle River and South of Anchorage
North of the Anchorage Bowl is the Eagle River area. It is largely an area for families and retirees, with mixed ages. South of Anchorage is a remote neighborhood located in the Chickaloon Bay, and it is home to mostly young, upper- to middle-class.

Activities

Alaska activities including famous wildlife, spectacular mountain vistas, fascinating cultures and icy blue glaciers all await your discovery. Metropolitan luxuries mix with unrivaled natural wonders to make Anchorage an unforgettable destination. Here are just a few options to keep you entertained on your trip:

The Alaska Native Heritage Center. This Anchorage museum offers an in-depth look at Alaskan Native life-with a big focus on Alaska Natives. Watch dancing, listen to stories, meet carvers and explore recreated winter dwellings. You'll see how Alaska Native history is not a collection of artifacts behind glass: this is a living, dynamic culture that you can experience firsthand.

The Alyeska Resort's Aerial Tramway is a seven-minute ride that lifts you to a viewing deck with breathtaking panoramic views of mountains, hanging glaciers, streams, spruce, and an array of wildlife. Enjoy a relaxed midday picnic or beautiful evening sunset on Mt. Alyeska's observation deck, more than 2,000 feet above sea level. Telescopes intensify the view. Go exploring, berry picking, and paragliding, and take a hike on the glacier.

Visit the Alaska Botanical Gardens. Walk, hike, watch for birds or paint a picture at this living field guide of Alaska flora and fauna. The 110 acres are set in a birch and spruce forest, where you might even see a bear or moose. Walk the Wildflower Trail, relax in the Herb Garden, delight in the perennial gardens, or explore the 1.1 mile Lowenfels Family Nature Trail.

Have a unique adventure with the Alaskan Experience Theatre. Learn about the massive 1964 Earthquake that rocked Alaska. Feel like you're soaring over the rugged terrain of the last frontier. Get up close to Alaska's wild animals-from the creatures of Arctic pack ice to the predators of the tundra. You can see it all on the big screen, from the comfort of this downtown Anchorage Theatre.

Food and Dining

Anchorage dining includes some of the freshest seafood in the world, which Alaska chefs offer up in a variety of mouth-watering creations in Anchorage restaurants. From plump, cold-water Kachemak Bay oysters, to Alaska king crab, fresh-caught halibut, and wild Alaska salmon – the staple of Alaska seafood, Anchorage restaurants have it all. And there's more to be found than just seafood. Enjoy steak slathered in peppercorn sauce or freshly-prepared Japanese yakisoba noodles.

Expect a very enjoyable and memorable experience at any of the dining options.

Transportation

Air transportation is the easiest way to get into Anchorage. The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, 6 miles south of downtown Anchorage, is the airline hub for the state, served by many national and international airlines, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines as well as many intrastate airlines and charter air services. Next to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the largest Seaplane Base in the world. Merrill Field, a general aviation airport on the edge of downtown, was the 87th-busiest airport in the nation in 2010. Anchorage has a bus system called People Mover, with a central hub in downtown Anchorage and satellite hubs at Diamond Center and Muldoon Mall. The People Mover provides carpool organization services. The public paratransit service known as AnchorRides provides point-to-point accessible transportation services to seniors and those who experience disabilities. The Alaska Railroad offers year-round freight service along the length of its rail system between Seward, Fairbanks, and Whittier. Daily passenger service is available during summer (May 15 – September 15), but is reduced to one round-trip per week between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter.