We visited Alaska during February, Anchorage was the best option for the start of the adventure. At this time of year you will find that there are not a great deal of tourists to be seen.
When you first exit the airport terminal you can be forgiven for thinking you have entered a war zone. ... Read review
Only a short distance from many of Anchorage's popular attractions as well as a number of ... more
corporate offices, this all-suite hotel features spacious accommodations along with many modern amenities.The Alaska Zoo, the Anchorage Golf Course and the Anchorage Museum of History and Art can be found close to the Embassy Suites Anchorage. The offices of Tesoro, Alyeska Pipeline Service and British Petroleum are also located nearby. Guests can also easily discover breathtaking scenery near the waterfront as well as a number of area parks.The Anchorage Embassy Suites provides guests with a variety of on-site services and facilities, including a free cooked-to-order breakfast and a state-of-the-art fitness center.Guests at the hotel can also take advantage of in-room microwaves and refrigerators as well as the indoor swimming pool and free daily evening reception..
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
It’s an authentic vision of community that inspires the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel. This is ... more
a hotel that values the genuine over the generic. Original art and native sculpture keeps the old stories alive, while fine leather and native print fabrics warm and comfort. It is the staff, however that embodies a commitment to “Authentic Alaska” most vividly. They are true professionals, but also real people who understand that traveling to Alaska should mean more. It can, when you travel to the Sheraton Anchorage..
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Moments from Anchorage's main attractions and only a short drive from Anchorage ... more
International Airport, this hotel offers comfortable accommodations and numerous free amenities, including 24-hour airport shuttle service. Guests at the Hampton Inn Anchorage can discover exciting wildlife, breathtaking scenery and a variety of recreational activities only moments from the hotel's front doors. The Alaska Zoo, the Alaska Native Heritage Center and a number of museums are also nearby. The hotel also offers free shuttle service to sites within a 3 mile (4.8 km) radius.With a free hot breakfast buffet, free high-speed internet access and in-room microwaves and refrigerators, every stay at the Anchorage Hampton Inn is sure to be enjoyable. Guests at the hotel will also appreciate the indoor swimming pool as well as the modern fitness center..
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Conveniently located in the center of downtown Anchorage, and surrounded by area ... more
attractions, beautiful landscapes and exciting wildlife, this hotel provides comfortable guestrooms and free airport shuttle service.The Hilton Garden Inn Anchorage is only a short distance from Ted Stevens International Airport as well as Elmendorf Air Force Base. A variety of museums shopping centers, restaurants and recreational activities are also nearby.Modern amenities, including wireless internet access and a 24-hour fitness center, are standard and free at the Anchorage Hilton Garden Inn. Guests can also take advantage of free area shuttle service as well as on-site dining options..
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: Awe inspiring, lots of history, friendly people Disadvantages: Can get cold, sometimes noisy
We visited Alaska during February, Anchorage was the best option for the start of the adventure. At this time of year you will find that there are not a great deal of tourists to be seen.
When you first exit the airport terminal you can be forgiven for thinking you have entered a war zone. At least 50% of the cabs have some form of damage, ranging from dents to cracked windscreens. This however is down to the sometimes treacherous ... ...majority of the hotels in Anchorage have a TV channel dedicated to Alaska, explaining some of its history and also showcasing attractions, restaurants and bars you may want to visit. It repeats all day and you can watch all of it in around an hour. It was from this I discovered that Alaska is more prone to earthquakes than California, but don't panic the last one they had that was destructive was in 1964.
We visited Alaska during February, Anchorage was the best option for the start of the adventure. At this time of year you will find that there are not a great deal of tourists to be seen.
When you first exit the airport terminal you can be forgiven for thinking you have entered a war zone. At least 50% of the cabs have some form of damage, ranging from dents to cracked windscreens. This however is down to the sometimes treacherous road conditions and the fact that when they have a good fall of snow they put gravel down on it rather than salt as is done here in the UK. This can be compared with the tar & chippings method used in the UK but the snow takes the place of the tar.
Having spent the first day here I realised it is a very good way to get acclimatised to the country, normally the temperature is just hovering around -3C.
If you are staying in the downtown area you will find it quite easy to get around on foot in the immediate vicinity, but beware of icy pavements. For your first few walks out its advisable to overdress, you can always take off a layer or two if you get too warm.
The main shopping area downtown is on 5th avenue, with the 5th avenue mall in the centre of it, it has the usual mix of shops with a food court at the top. For shopaholics The Dimond Center is a 30 minute bus ride away and is a much larger scale out of town shopping area.
If you wish to take a look at Mt McKinley then you should walk along 5th avenue toward the Cook inlet, on a clear day you have a good view of the mountain in the distance and at this time of year it takes on a pinkish glow which is quite a sight.
The majority of the hotels in Anchorage have a TV channel dedicated to Alaska, explaining some of its history and also showcasing attractions, restaurants and bars you may want to visit. It repeats all day and you can watch all of it in around an hour. It was from this I discovered that Alaska is more prone to earthquakes than California, but don't panic the last one they had that was destructive was in 1964.
We had the opportunity to go out of town to watch the womens dog sled racing which was going on in the mid town area, its quite a sight to see 10 to 15 dogs hooked up to a tiny sled. The dogs bark and yelp and are constantly trying to pull, its an art just to keep the sled parked. Once the dogs are running they are silenced, apparently they are happiest when running.
We got to go dogsledding in Fairbanks and had the full experience, but thats another story.
I did find Anchorage to be quite a noisy place during the day, there is constant activity at Elmendorf Air Force Base a mile or so away with fighter jets & millitary transports constantly coming & going, add to that the international airport a few miles away in the other direction and you have a lot of rumbling to contend with. I found I got used to it during the first day or two.
All in all this was the ideal place to start an adventure in Alaska and to be honest when we boarded the plane to start the long journey home I was really sorry to be leaving. I WILL be going back someday.
Advantages: A beautiful country Disadvantages: None
Alaska is called the ?Land of the Midnight Sun?, because during the summer months, which is June to August, the sun can shine up to 24 hours a day, depending which part of Alaska you are in. The extreme artic of Alaska gets sun for 24 solid hours, while the city of Anchorage gets only 19. THAT IS STILL A LOT OF LIGHT!!
We visited Alaska by ship this time. Our ports of call were Juneau; the capital, Skagway; gateway to the gold rush, and Sitka; an island settled by Russian immigrants. We also visited Yakatuk Bay and saw the famous Hubbard Glacier. On a previous visit we saw Glacier Bay, which was bigger and far more impressive, but a glacier at any size is impressive.
Imagine a solid block of blue ice stretching across the horizon as far as you can see and several buildings high. Hear an enormous crack of thunder as the ice ...
CanadasCousin 30.07.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Alaska
Advantages: Cheap flights, on time, food was better than BA Disadvantages: DC10's getting old & creak a lot, nealy always full
you to leave your luggage open after check in, my luggage was opened & physically checked at Anchorage, Fairbanks & Barrow. The latter while flying with Alaska Airlines although its the airport security procedure rather than the airlines. ...
Advantages: Great customer service Disadvantages: somewhat cramped
As many of you very well know, I have been pretty much all over the world, the country, and have had the opportunity to fly on so many different airlines and so many different flights, it's just insane. One flight, that I happen to remember quite well, while still in the Air Force was my flight to Okinawa Japan, Kadena Air Force Base. We were all getting ready for a major deployment, so we flew from Anchorage to LA on Alaska Airlines, and then from LA to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, where we flew the rest of the way by some smaller company.
The flight from LA to Hong Kong, was going to be pretty exciting, as I had never really been to Hong Kong before and we were going to have a two day layover, so we'd actually have an opportunity to look around a little bit.
On the flight with me was myself and about fifteen other crew chiefs ...
