Page 726 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

724  ALASK A & HA W AI ‘ I

northernmost ice-free port.
The Trans-Alaska Pipeline,
which runs above ground
for 800 miles (1,288 km) across
the state from Prudhoe Bay on
the Arctic Ocean, ends here,
from where it is transferred to
oil tankers. The Exxon Valdez
ran aground in 1989, spilling
millions of gallons of oil into the
Sound. A huge cleanup effort
has attempted to restore the
Sound, and although there
are no obvious signs of the
spill today, its adverse effect
Clan house in the Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage on birds, fish, and marine
mammals persists. A cruise of
6 Anchorage E Anchorage Museum the Sound passes the Columbia
625 C St. Tel (907) 929-9200.
* 300,000. ~ £ @ Open May–Sep: 9am–6pm daily; Glacier, which is more than
n 4th Ave at F St, (907) 257-2363. Oct–Apr: 10am–6pm Tue–Sat, 3 miles
_ Alaska State Fair (late Aug). noon–6pm Sun. & 7 (4.8 km)
∑ anchorage.net ∑ anchoragemuseum.org wide at
its 250-ft-
Lying between Cook Inlet and E Alaska Native Heritage Center (75-m-)
the Chugach Mountains, 8800 Heritage Center Dr. Tel (907) high face,
Anchorage is Alaska’s largest 330-8000, (800) 315-6608. Open early and contin-
city. Although this coastal urban May–early Sep: 9am–5pm daily. uously calves
sprawl is often described as Closed late Sep–early May. & 7 icebergs into
∑ alaskanative.net
being un-Alaskan, it is still worth the sea.
spending a little time in this Check with
northern metropolis. It also 7 Valdez the vistor
serves as Alaska’s financial and center for Bronze sculpture,
transportation hub. Most of * 4,000. ~ 4 downtown. summer tours. Valdez Museum
downtown was destroyed by n 309 Fairbanks Dr., (907) 835-2984. The town’s
the 1964 Good Friday earth- ∑ valdezalaska.org Valdez Museum explores the
quake (see p719), when the Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Native American culture,
north side of 4th Avenue sank Cruises departures: mid-May–mid- the importance of oil for the
10 ft (3 m). Interpretive displays Sep: daily, (907) 835-4731, local economy, the Exxon
at Earthquake Park, west of (866) 867-1297. 7 limited. Valdez oil spill, and the 1964
downtown toward the airport, ∑ stanstephenscruises.com Good Friday earthquake,
tell the story of the Big One. whose epicenter lay less than
One of Alaska’s finest museums, The picturesque town of Valdez 60 miles (97 km) from Valdez.
the Anchorage Museum nestles below snowcapped
houses exhibits on Alaskan peaks along an arm of Prince E Valdez Museum
history, science, and Native William Sound, a vast bay 217 Egan Dr. Tel (907) 835-2764. Open
American culture, along with encompassing islands, glaciers, mid-May–mid-Sep: 9am–5pm daily;
some of the state’s finest art, and icy waters teeming with mid-Sep–mid-May: noon–5pm Tue–
and the Imaginarium Discovery wildlife. This is North America’s Sun. & 7 ∑ valdezmuseum.org
Center. At the Alaska Native
Heritage Center, costumed
actors provide visitors with a
glimpse of Native American
culture through dance. An entire
section has been dedicated to
a re-created Native American
village set beside a pond.
Located 50 miles (80 km) south-
east of the city, Portage Glacier
is steadily retreating and is now
out of sight from the visitor
center. A tour boat plies the
lake close to the glacier.
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog
Race takes place in March. Re-creation of a traditional miner’s cabin, Valdez Museum
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp744–5 and pp746–7

724-725_EW_USA.indd 724 04/11/2016 15:28
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm