Anchorage: The Great Outdoors
By Andrew Collins

Although it's a bit less than a century old, Anchorage has developed into Alaska's largest city, with a population of about 260,000. It's also an excellent jumping-off point for countless adventures into the surrounding wilderness, from sea kayaking in Prince William Sound to hiking at Denali National Park to skiing at Alyeska Prince Resort in nearby Girdwood. But don't overlook the city itself, a lively cultural hub with great shopping and dining and immediate access to the great outdoors. It's also the heart of the state's relatively nascent but increasingly visible gay scene.

Summer is the most popular time to come, when Anchorage abounds with flowers in private and public gardens as well as in window boxes and hanging baskets on porches. The sun rises around 4:30 in the morning and doesn't set again until almost midnight, allowing for ample time each day to see the sights. But snow-sports fans and bargain-seekers might want to consider a winter visit, when hotel rates drop precipitously along with temperatures (expect January highs of about 20 to 25 degrees, versus 60- to 65-degree highs in July).

Anchorage won't likely dazzle you - downtown was largely destroyed during a massive 1964 earthquake, and much of the reconstruction leaves a lot to be desired aesthetically. But it's nonetheless a culturally rich city that's home to the acclaimed Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (containing four different theaters), plus the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Opera, and Alaska Chamber Singers.

The Anchorage Museum of History and Art is a world-class facility with an extensive trove of art and artifacts that trace the history of the region right up through the modern age. And at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, you can learn about the state's myriad indigenous cultures through exhibits, classes and seminars, and performances.

Anchorage has long drawn outdoorsy types, as there are plenty of ways to get your blood pounding within city limits, and you're also within driving distance of many great destinations for recreation and nature-watching. You can hike miles of trails at Chugach State Park, which fringes the city and extends for some 60 miles into the wilderness to the south, offering climbs to numerous peaks with elevations as high as 8,000 feet. Another great venue is Eagle River Nature Center, which offers hikes, naturalist programs, and bird-watching outings among many other activities that showcase the region's abundant flora and fauna. And that's just scratching the surface - don't overlook the Alaska Zoo (an excellent place to see black bears up close) and the Alaska Botanical Gardens.

From a culinary standpoint, Anchorage has truly blossomed of late. There are certain foods that appear routinely on area menus, particularly reindeer (often in the form of sausage), elk, and other area game along with plenty of local seafood, from wild salmon to raw oysters to fresh berries. Kincaid Grill has been a pioneer in creative regional dining, as chef Al Levinsohn is constantly coming up with exciting new takes on Alaskan cuisine, from Kodiak scallops served with an Asian ponzu sauce and stir-fried veggies to roasted halibut Nicoise with olive tapenade. Another top choice is Sack's, a slick contemporary dining room filled with modern art and serving such innovative creations as pan-seared New Zealand rack of lamb with blueberry-port demiglace. Grab a table along the sidewalk in good weather.
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