About Anchorage, AK

Anchorage accounts for over 40% of the population of the entire state of Alaska. Its 200,000 residents form a close community of people who share a love of wintersports due to the long winter months. Winter in Anchorage lasts over 7 months and the winter days last only 5 hours from about 10am in the morning to around 3:30pm in the afternoon. Festivities during the winter months include sledding and the famous Iditarod dog sledding race, the World Ice Bowling Championships, and the Fur Rendezvous (or the "Fur Rondy" as the locals call it). People in Anchorage also take snowmachining to a new level, as well as snowmen building and ice sculpting.

During the summer the days are longer than usual, lasting about 20 hours from 4am in the morning to midnight. This offers a reprieve from the long winter and a good opportunity to enjoy all the things that Anchorage has to offer.

There are more than 50 glaciers in the city limits. The most popular of them is the Portage Glacier which is also the main attraction in Anchorage. The Portage Glacier makes a lot of lists of things people should see at least once in their lives.

Another popular feature of Anchorage is the Northern Lights (otherwise known as the Aurora Borealis) which is a natural phenomenon that shows beautiful streaks of light in the nighttime sky as solar wind passes through the magnetosphere resulting in beautiful optical emissions. Fall and winter are the best seasons to view the Northern Lights but they can also be seen in the spring around midnight when the temperature dips to sub-zero temperatures.

The Kenai Fjords consist of almost 700,000 acres including the U.S. Chugach State Park which is one of the largest fields of ice and the 3rd largest state park in America with nearly 500,000 acres. There are about 30 trails that are great for anything from short day hikes to week-long backpacking trips.

The most popular hike in Anchorage is the Flattop Mountain which offers an amazing 360 degree view of the Alaska Range, Chugach Range, and the Anchorage skyline. It is not an easy climb but the rewards are worth it. Aside from the views, the berry picking can be good as well if you choose the right time of season to make the hike.

Food-wise, the defining entre of Anchorage is Alaska King Crab. You can get it in Anchorage before it's frozen and shipped. Not only does fresh Alaska Kind Crab taste better in Anchorage, but you can get it at a much better price than the rest of the lower 48 since it is caught locally. Every Saturday and Sunday, head to the heart of downtown for Alaska's largest outdoor market. The Anchorage Market & Festival provides fresh produce grown locally. Don't be surprised if you see giant-sized vegetables here, as the long summer days allow excellent opportunities for ordinary vegetables to grow abnormally large.

Crab may be cheaper in Anchorage, but groceries in general are not. Many groceries have to be imported which raises their price for locals. It's also expensive to get plane tickets to/from Anchorage as well due to long distances to other major cities.

But there's no sales tax in Anchorage. It's actually known for being one of the most tax-friendly cities in the country which helps even out the mark-ups on imported items.

Anchorage is also known for moose and bear. Drivers need to keep a constant lookout for them. But moose and bear also make their way into the city itself. If you find yourself up close and personal with one, don't take them lightly. Moose are considered one of the most dangerous wild animals due to their territorial and paternal instincts. Bears can also get aggressive when threatened, especially when a mother's cubs are involved. But if you're looking to get a safe glimpse of a grizzly bear, Alaska is the place to see them since the state accounts for about 98% of the entire grizzly population in the United States. Other spectacular wildlife include bald eagles, bison, oxen, elk, whales, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises, orcas, seals, mountain goats and more. Many of which can be seen in the Kenai Fjords National Park which offers cruises for easy viewing.