If you are flying into Alaska for a land-only trip not combined with a cruise, chances are you will fly in or out of Anchorage. The other popular airport for Alaska land trips is Fairbanks.
Anchorage is the gateway for flying in and starting a journey into interior Alaska.
Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, is in the south-central part of the state on the Cook Inlet, with a population of 288,121.
You are greeted at the airport by a Moose!
Getting Around
There are a few ways that you can be picked up from the airport.
If you are on a cruise tour or group land tour, you will likely be picked up by the tour company at the airport. I have done this and it is one of the easiest.
If you rent a car, you usually pick it up at the airport.
Your Travel Planner can set up a private transfer. There are also a few hotels that offer transfers.
You can grab a taxi to take you where you would like to go. I have tried Uber and Lyft, but when I was there, they were limited and kept canceling out, so I took a taxi.
How Long Should You Stay?
Most Guests stay 1 to 3 nights in Anchorage for pre or post-cruise, railway, or land tour starts and finishes. Some guests stay the entire time in Anchorage, but due to how big Alaska is, I don’t suggest staying in one town.
Hotels in Anchorage
I have a few of our favorite hotels in Anchorage.
Hotel Captain Cook
This is a historic hotel in a great location.
Marriott Anchorage Downtown
This is where many cruise tours, such as Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, stay at the start of a Cruise Tour.
The Lakefront Anchorage
While this hotel is not downtown, it is exciting with a floatplane landing area so you can eat breakfast and watch the float planes land.
If you want to know more about Alaska hotels, our team of Alaska experts would love to help you find the perfect place to rest your head.
Top Activities in Anchorage
Walk around downtown and explore, which is free, and where else can you get a reindeer hot dog?
Learn About Alaska Native Cultures
For this tour, your guide selects the best location to see and photograph moose in the vicinity of Anchorage. You will be transported to the hillside above Anchorage, where your guide will take you on a hike into the heart of the moose rutting area in Chugach State Park.
Get up close and personal with Portage Glacier or journey north of Anchorage and explore the Matanuska Glacier.
Most popular mountain biking tour! Great for active travelers who want a little adventure!
Anchorage Brews Beer Tasting Tour
These tours are as much about the history of Alaskan beers, the masters who brew them, and the locals who drink them, as they are about tasting the beers themselves.
During your 4-hour adventure, your Big Swig Hoperator will escort you around town and off the beaten path as you explore 3 of Anchorage’s finest breweries.
Tickets include a minimum of 14 beer tastings from 3 different brewery stops, a selection of appetizers at Midnight Sun Brewing Co., roundtrip transportation, and 4 hours of stories you’ll be sure to recount to your friends back home.
Check out the local artwork around downtown.
Our team of experts would love to help you plan. If you want to learn more, reach out to our team via this link.