Anchorage Alaska

    Anchorage can be a fun city. Most Expeditions Alaska guests are not looking to spend a lot of time in town and I’ve kept that in mind for this page. If you’d like more info look at the Links page.

    Places to Stay

    This is a tough one because different people are looking for (sometimes) very different experiences. I’ve run trips where the first client I picked up was at the Sheraton Hotel and the next one was a backpacker hostel for $40/night. And both were perfectly happy with their choices.

    If you don’t have a car, some of the BnBs and similar places can be a pit of a pain for you to get to restaurants and so on. Downtown is very walkable though. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity of 2nd —15th st its easy enough. It you’re in the midtown area near northern lights – south to tudor there are a number of walkable places as well. Just bear that in mind if you’re not planning on renting a vehicle in Anchorage.

    A number of guests have recently started using Air BnB for their stay, as they’re really just looking for a bed for the night before/after the trip. Everyone I know who used the service here has been happy with it.

    Similarly for places to eat .. food choices can be so subjective it’s impossible to really make a recommendation. I’ll list a couple of choices that I like.

    Anchorage Guided Hikes

    Anchorage area hiking trip, Chugach Mountains, Alaska.

    Anchorage Area Dayhikes

    A Day To Spare? Walk in the Alaska Mountains.

    Categories Day TripsHiking
    Duration 1 Day
    Group Size 1-5 people
    Difficulty

    Mild

    On a scale of 1 – 5, five being the most challenging, two hiking boots is at the easier end of the spectrum.

    1 boot = basecamp/dayhike easy
    2 boots = easier backpacking trip
    3 boots = intermediate level trip
    4 boots = intermediate to advanced backpacking
    5 boots = ask yourself are you really ready for this?

    Expect whatever level you think might best fit you to be one level LOWER on our scale. Hiking here in Alaska is generally a step or three above what you’ll find in the Lower 48 states.

    Realize that backpacking is never “easy”. You’re carrying from 35-50+ pounds on your back day after day. You’ll be hiking for a number of hours each day (varies trip to trip, day to day), and that’s not “easy” for most people.

    Easier section of a tougher backpacking route. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
    Easier section of a tougher route. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

    That said, our “2 hiking boots” level should meet the need for most novice backpackers, and are generally what I recommend for families with younger kids, etc as well. Terrain challenges aren’t usually a problem, and the walking is somewhat more orthodox. You won’t be traversing 1 mile of steep sidehill covered in slippery rocks, or snaking through dense thickets of alder and willow.

    A collection of hikes

    Basic Info

    Accommodations

    Cheaper places first

    Basecamp Hostel
    International Hostel
    Anchorage Downtown B&B
    Susitna Place (B&B)
    Arctic Fox Inn (B&B)
    Alaska Wildflower Inn

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    Stuff To Do

    There’s always something going on

    Tony Knowles Coastal Trail … a fun, easy walk, handy to downtown. Walk as far or as short as you want
    Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
    Alaska Native Heritage Center
    Downtown Market .. every Saturday and Sunday

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    Places to Eat

    In no particular order

    Midnight Sun Brewing Company
    Glacier Brewhouse
    Snow City Cafe
    Serranos
    Spenard Roadhouse
    Bear Tooth

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    Expeditions Alaska
    Visit the wild