Page 8 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska
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6 HOW T O USE THIS GUIDE
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
This guide helps you get the most from your important sights described and illustrated in
visit to Alaska with expert recommendations rich detail. Restaurant and hotel recommend-
and detailed practical information. The first ations and information about cruising the
section, Introducing Alaska, maps the state and coastlines, hiking in the interior, and other
sets it in its historical and cultural context. outdoor activities can be found in Travelers’
Alaska Area by Area focuses first on Alaska’s Needs. The Survival Guide contains practical
largest city, Anchorage, then on the state’s tips on everything, from transport around
main regions, with all the major towns and the country to the Alaskan word for “Great!”
Anchorage Colored thumb tabs
ALASK A AREA B Y AREA 67 continue through the extent
The first section of Alaska Area ANCHORAGE of each section.
by Area concentrates on the Spread across an alluvial plain between the lofty Chugach
Range and the waters of Cook Inlet, Anchorage is Alaska’s
vibrant, culturally rich city of largest city. In less than a century since its founding in
1914, this former tent city has grown into the economic,
commercial, and transport hub of the state. With excellent
museums, theaters, parks, and shops, Anchorage is not only
Anchorage and its municipality, the perfect urban foil for Alaska’s wilderness, but an ideal Introduction The
jumping-off point for adventures farther afield.
from the sights and bustle of The original tent city on the shores of city proper, but also the Elmendorf Air 1city’s geographical
Force Base and Fort Richardson Military
setting and economic
Ship Creek was a service camp for the
Reservation, several vil lages along
Alaska Railroad. An early sale of lots led to
the historic center to places the growth of downtown Anchorage on Turnagain Arm, and a string of suburbs,
the nearby bluffs, while the banks of Ship
includ ing Eagle River and Eklutna, along
Creek developed into the town’s port, Knik Arm. It also takes in the vast swathe life are described, as
of interest in the wider city and shipping, and industrial district. of Chugach State Park, which brings the well as its historical
“real Alaska” right to the city’s back door.
The massive Good Friday earthquake of
To the north, the growing Matanuska-
1964 destroyed parts of Anchorage, but
the rural communities, historical construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Susitna (Mat-Su) Borough provides space development and
and a more outdoorsy lifestyle than is
in the 1970s completely changed the
profile of the city. A large share of oil
possible in Anchorage proper.
attractions, and many areas of revenue came to Anchorage, leading to an numerous good hotels and excellent features of interest
All year round, travelers will find
explosion of growth. The downtown area
restaurants. In the summer, however,
was revitalized with new sports arenas,
outstanding natural beauty in civic centers, and performing arts venues, downtown Anchorage comes into its
and outlying suburbs were integrated into own, bustling with visitors from across
the urban area. Today, the municipality of the world who stop off to see the sights to the visitor.
the surrounding landscape. Anchorage, with a population of over and prepare for adventures in the more
remote parts of the state.
300,000 people, includes not only the
A country map shows
the city’s location in Alaska.
Native Alaskans performing traditional dances at the Alaska Native Heritage Center
68 ALASK A AREA B Y AREA ANCHOR A GE 69
Crystal Lattice, a contemporary sculpture by Robert Pfitzenmeier, Anchorage Museum
Exploring Anchorage Beyond Anchorage Getting Around Greater Anchorage
066-067_EW_Alaska.indd All Pages The main sights, concentrated Mat-Su 05/05/2015 14:28
The historic downtown area and the older Glennallen in downtown Anchorage, are 0 km 1 E 5TH AVE GLENN HWY 30 miles Valley
neighborhoods of Smuggler’s Cove and Willow 17 miles 132 miles best explored on foot. While 0 miles 1 BONIFACE PKWY
Turnagain form the core of Anchorage. The main People Mover buses connect City Map For easy reference,
the Dimond Center, Downtown,
sights of interest – including the Alaska Public GLENN H W Y Matanuska and Muldoon Transit Centers W NORTHERN LIGHTS BLVD E NORTHERN LIGHTS BLVD
Lands Information Center, Anchorage Museum, WASILLA FISHHOOK RD with most parts of town, the Spenard
and Town Square – are centered around this Wasilla Lake most convenient way to explore TUDOR ROAD 2the sights are numbered and
core, within walking distance of one another. GEORGE PARKS HWY WASILLA HWY OLD GLENN HWY farther afield is by car. The Seward
Avenues in this central area run east-west and Highway is the main north-south Anchorage
International
are numbered. Streets run north-south and are GLENN HWY Knik corridor, while the main east- Airport SEWARD HIGHWAY located on a map. The main
west route is the Glenn Highway.
lettered from A Street west ward and named OLD GLENN HWY 0 km 5 Anchorage International Airport, MINNESOTA DR
alphabetically for Alaskan towns from Barrow Knik Arm Anchorage 0 miles 5 4 miles (6 km) southwest of the ABBOTT ROAD
Street eastward. 14 miles city center, handles domestic and South
international flights and is served Anchorage streets, bus stations and railway
Sights at a Glance by taxis and buses. Alaska Railroad O‘MALLEY ROAD Hillside
Areas of Natural Beauty Museums and Theaters operates a year-round service
between Anchorage and Fairbanks
q Ship Creek Salmon Viewing Platform 1 Anchorage Museum pp72–3 and summer trains to Seward Key stations, parking areas, and
w Tony Knowles Coastal Trail 2 FOAST Law Enforcement Museum and Whittier. Area of the main map
r Lake Hood and Lake Spenard 6 4th Avenue Theater
o Hilltop Ski Area 9 Alaska Native Heritage Center pp76–7 Key 0 meters 200 civic buildings are also shown.
h Bodenburg Butte e Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum 0 yards 200
z Hatcher Pass Place of interest
Buildings, Neighborhoods, and Towns
Parks and Theme Parks 3 Anchorage Market & Festival
7 Resolution Park 4 Log Cabin Visitor Information Center E WHITNEY ROAD
u H2Oasis 5 Alaska Public Lands Information Center
i Alaska Zoo 8 Oscar Anderson House
p Chugach State Park pp82–3 0 St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral S h i p C r e e k
a Alaska Botanical Garden t Spenard N C S T R E E T
d Eklutna Historical Park y Alaska Wild Berry Products P O R T A C C E S S R O A D
Alaska
g Reindeer Farm f Palmer Railroad Station W A R E H O U S E A V E N U E
j Musk Ox Farm k Wasilla
l Independence Mine State Historical Tour W 1 S T A V E N U E E 1 S T A V E N U E
Park pp90–91
s Turnagain Arm Tour Tony Knowles Coastal Trail Alaska Statehood
Monument
pp84–5 W 2 N D A V E N U E
W 2 N D A V E N U E Historic Anchorage
Homes
W 3 R D A V E N U E The Anchorage E 3 R D A V E N U E
RESOLUTION Hotel
PARK
Hotel Captain Ship Creek
K STREET K STREET
ELDERBERRY Cook W 4 T H A V E N U E F S T R E E T Old City Center Wendler E 4 T H A V E N U E
PARK W 5 T H A V E N U E Alaska Alaska Center for Hall Egan Civic Building B S T R E E T E 5 T H A V E N U E B A R R O W S T R E E T C O R D O V A S T R E E T D E N A L I S T R E E T
H S T R E E T H S T
Center
I STREET
N S T R E E T L S T R E E T W 6 T H A V E Ox Producers Co-op Holy Family Theater Experience New City Hall the Performing Arts Town Square Kimball’s/Kobuk Coffee C S T R E E T C
Cathedral
E S T R E E T
Oomingmak Musk
A S T R E E T
Downtown
Transit Center
M STREET W 7 T H A V E F S T R E E T D S T R E E T Federal Building/ ALASK A AREA Anchorage ANCHOR A GE 75
74
E 7 T H A V E B Y AREA
US Courthouse
W 8 T H A V E Dena’ina Civic and E 8 T H A V E Cemetery
Convention Center
15 national parks, the nation’s 8 Oscar Anderson
Signpost reflecting the city’s self-proclaimed 2 largest national forests, Urban Wildlife in Anchorage House
status as an air crossroads 16 national wildlife refuges, and While Anchorage may not
millions of acres of other public be representative of the 420 M St. Map B4. Tel 2742336.
lands. This information center, Alaskan wilderness, it is @ to Downtown Transit Center.
& 8 7
For hotels and restaurants see pp242–5 and pp250–55 For keys to symbols see back flap which is housed within the old home to an array of wild Open Jun–Aug: noon–4pm Tue–Sun.
Federal Building, has displays on
denizens. Along with a
Alaska’s wildlife and natural host of birds and squirrels,
moose are resident across
areas, a plethora of books and the city. All year round, This historic home was built
other publications, and an lone bulls and mothers in 1915 by Oscar Anderson,
auditorium for nature videos with calves may be seen a Swede who is said to have
and talks. raiding gardens, snarling been the 18th resident of the
Sights at a Glance lists the city’s sights If you’re looking for advice on Urban moose climbing up the front steps of at traffic, and causing original tent city of Anchorage.
anything from buses into Denali
While still living on the beach
an Anchorage house
serious acci dents that
by category, from historic buildings to The picturesque Log Cabin Visitor Information Center spot for photos, and outside or bush flights into the Arctic often do more damage to the car than to the moose. In after his arrival in town,
Anderson established the Ship
National Wildlife Refuge, this is
addition, both brown and black bears inhabit city parks and
Creek Meat Company and the
a great place to ask experienced
have been known to harass joggers and cyclists on city trails,
3 Anchorage
Evan Jones Fuel Company.
staff. Daily historical walks are
while red foxes may be observed prowling the sidewalks.
hip neighborhoods, parks and outlying Market & Festival there are equally picturesque also offered. It is located across mathematics, Cook led several Due to a shortage of building
materials, his house, the first
the street from the Log Cabin
signposts showing the distance
3rd Ave at E St. Map D4. Tel 2725634.
Visitor Information Center. There
in miles to many international
permanent woodframe
@ to Downtown Transit Center. cities. The main visitor center are also branches in Fairbanks, expeditions around the world. structure in town, had only
wilderness areas, museums, theaters, and Open midMay–midSep: 10am–6pm fills a second building. Here Tok, and Ketchikan. In 1776, on his third voyage one and a half stories and
mea sured just 800 sq ft
you’ll find visitor brochures, free
in HMS Resolution, he sailed
Sat & Sun. 7
other publications, plus helpful
west coast in search of the
until his death in 1974, and
other visitor attractions. A favorite of both locals and guides to nearby parks, and 6 4th Avenue north along the continent’s (72 sq m). Anderson lived here
Theater
tourists, this weekend market
two years later, it was deeded
Northwest Passage (a naviga ble
staff to answer travel questions.
attracts hundreds of people on 630 W 4th Ave. Map D4. @ to link between the Atlantic and to the City of Anchorage by
summer weekends to a large Downtown Transit Center. Closed to Pacific Oceans), and passed the his widow.
downtown parking lot across 5 Alaska Public the public. presentday site of Anchorage, The building has since
from the Hilton Hotel. The event Lands Information giving his name to Cook Inlet. been meticulously restored to
combines a farmers’ market, Designed in 1941 in classic Art Derek Freeborn’s lifesized reflect the period in which it
craft booths, food, and entertain Center Deco style by B Marcus Priteca, bronze statue, based on the was built, and is listed on the
ment. You’ll find more than 300 605 W 4th Ave. Map D4. Tel 6443661, the old 4th Avenue Theater, one in Whitby, UK, from where National Register of Historic
vendors selling madeinAlaska (866) 8696887. @ to Downtown also known as the Lathrop Cook first set sail, was donated Places. Various exhi bits reveal
pottery, nature photo graphy, Transit Center. Open last Mon May Building, is the quintessential to Anchorage during the the history of the city, and
clothing, homemade jams and (Memorial Day)–first Mon Sep (Labor Anchorage land mark. US Bicentennial celebrations many of Anderson’s original
birch syrup, Alaskan keepsakes, Day: 9am–5pm daily; remainder of Construction began in 1941 The Captain Cook Monument, a life-size in 1976. belongings are on display,
Detailed Information All the nesting dolls, colorful flowers, Memorial Day: 10am–5pm Mon–Fri. at the cost of one million US bronze statue in Resolution Park Just one block east, in front of including a working 1909
Sep: 9am–5pm Mon–Fri; Oct–
the CarrGottstein Building, is
dollars, and the building
player piano. A Swedish
and an array of fresh MatSu
opened to the public with the
Christmas open house is
Valley produce. There are
7 Resolution Park
Josef Princiotta’s fabulous 1973
∑ alaskacenters.gov
3sights in the city are described plenty of fast food stalls too, The Federal government film The Al Jolson Story. With 320 L St. Map B4. @ to Downtown bronze sculpture, The Last Blue held here in traditional style
each December. Next to the
Whale. Adding a wonderful
960 seats spread over its main
selling a range of tasty snacks
Transit Center. Open 24 hrs daily. 7
house, Elderberry Park offers
from pizza slices and Kachemak
sense of perspec tive is a small
floor and the balcony, the
manages more than 60 percent
Named after Captain Cook’s
of Alaska lands, including
Bay oysters to sweet funnel
beleaguered boat on the ripples great views of Knik Arm
4th Avenue Theater served as
individually. Addresses, telephone cakes. The market is open rain the city’s only movie house for flagship, Resolution Park offers of water near the tail of the and the chance to spot
or shine.
over four decades. Remarkably,
beluga whales.
gigantic whale.
visitors one of the best views in
Anchorage, taking in Cook Inlet
the theater survived the
enormously destructive 1964
and both Mount Susitna (a
4 Log Cabin Visitor
numbers, opening hours, admission Information Center Good Friday earthquake (see magnificent low mountain to
the northwest, also known as
p29), which leveled other
buildings along 4th Avenue.
The Sleeping Lady) and spectac
546 W 4th Ave. Map D4. Tel 2572363.
@ to Downtown Transit Center. A restoration project in the ular Mount McKinley on a clear
charges, and information on how Open Jun–Aug: 8am–7pm daily (to mid1980s revived its opulent day. The active volcanoes south
of Mount McKinley, Mount Spur
Italian marble and walnut
6pm first and last 2 weeks of season);
and Redoubt, are also visible.
wood interiors, which are
May & Sep: 8am–6pm daily; Oct–Apr:
9am–4pm daily. 7 ∑ anchorage.net adorned with impressive The centerpiece of this
to get there are given for each Operated by the Anchorage bronze relief murals depicting small park is the Captain Cook
Monument, commemo rating
scenes from Alaskan history.
Though currently closed, there
the 200th anniversary of James
Convention and Visitors Bureau,
this helpful center is in the are plans to redevelop the Cook’s exploration of Alaska.
sight. The key to symbols is shown heart of downtown Anchorage. Classic neon sign of Anchorage’s building; however, the theater’s An 18thcentury British naval Oscar Anderson House, Anchorage’s oldest wood-frame building
The flowerbedecked, sod
officer and explorer with a
historic significance means that
this has met with opposition.
roofed log cabin is a favorite
natural talent for physics and
4th Avenue Theater
on the back flap. For hotels and restaurants see pp242–5 and pp250–55
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