Anchorage Articles

Official team snowball fighting is coming to the U.S. for the first time, according to officials in Anchorage. "Yukigassen" is already popular in Japan and northern countries.

Anchorage, a gateway to the rest of Alaska, is the perfect starting point for family vacations with kids. Anchorage visitors will find clean air, snow capped mountains and breathtaking ocean vistas during the summer months, as well as moderate temperatures and eighteen hours of daylight. So, you're free to spend your time packing in activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, gold panning, wildlife viewing and glacier cruising without worrying about the sun going down and ruining your fun. A number of family-fun activities make trips to Anchorage with kids an unforgettable experience for all.

While Anchorage has tall buildings and traffic like any other larger city, its location between Cook Inlet and the wilderness of the Chugach Mountains means that it is not uncommon to spot a moose in traffic, salmon spawning in a stream or a bear walking down the road.

Family travel here affords opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world. Here's my idea of a perfect day in Anchorage.

Insider Tip: When booking your hotel room, make sure to book a room with blackout drapes. Otherwise, you will not be able to sleep since it doesn't actually get dark.

Alaska is a land untamed by the industrialized world. Its snow-capped mountains, deep valleys and icy waters offer a serene backdrop for endless adventures and outdoor activities. Anchorage, the state's largest city, provides visitors with extreme opportunities to explore this equally extreme landscape. Try an adventure activity in Anchorage when you visit.

One sure way to distinguish between a visitor and a local in any city is to listen out for slang terms and slang phrases. Anchorage, Alaska is no different. In some ways, there are even more peculiar expressions used in Alaskan lingo than in American slang because of the Native influence.

(While we're on the subject of Anchorage local language, remember that "Native" is always capitalized.)

We all strive to make our vacation time enjoyable for the whole family, but let's face it, traveling with a pre-teen can be a daunting task. Part of the time, your little darling is perfect, but there are times when their eye-rolling, grumpy alter ego takes over and all hope seems lost. But I assure you, while visiting Anchorage with tweens, you'll find plenty of things to do.

First of all, stay in a child-friendly hotel, preferably one that can offer you and your kids a bit of relaxation and fun without leaving the property. My favorite spot to stay for a family vacation in Anchorage is the Fairfield Inn & Suites (5060 A Street, Anchorage, AK 99503, 907-222-9000 for reservations) in the midtown area of the city. Their rates are reasonable, the rooms are clean and comfortable, and the hotel has an indoor pool and hot tub. So while the kids are working off their end of the day energy in the pool, you can enjoy the steamy hot tub, all the while keeping an eye on those tweens.