Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a municipality of 288,976 people in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska, founded in 1914.
Why visit Anchorage
Townapedia lists 33 museums and landmarks, 40 parks and trails, 170 places to eat, 16 places to stay and 244 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Alpenglow at Arctic Valley, Regal Dimond Center 9 Cinemas, Ceremonial Start of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and Site Summit.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 67°F; January lows average 6°F.
Weather in Anchorage
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Anchorage
Anchorage (Denaʼina: Dgheyay Kaq'; Dgheyaytnu), officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Matanuska-Susitna Borough, had a population of 398,328 in 2020, accounting for more than half the state's population. At 1,706 sq mi (4,420 km2) of land area, the city is the fourth-largest by area in the U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Anchorage, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do244
Alpenglow at Arctic Valley
Ski area · 9.7 mi
Ski area in Anchorage, Alaska
232 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks33
Ceremonial Start of Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Monument and historic site · 20.4 mi
Mar Sa[1] 10:00+
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Site Summit
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 10.1 mi
Historic military installation of the United States Army in Anchorage Borough, Alaska
Dos Manos
Museum · 20.9 mi
1317 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage
Mo-Su 11:00-18:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Eklutna Historical Park
Monument and historic site · 19.9 mi
26640 Eklutna Village Road
21 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds40
28 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes170
Great Alaska Pizza Company
Restaurant · Pizza · 22.3 mi
Pizzeria chain serving a menu of classic pies, wings & breadsticks in a low-key setting.
9001 Jewel Lake Road, Anchorage
Su-Th 10:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00
Pho Vietnam #3
Restaurant · Vietnamese, Thai · 22.3 mi
9001 Jewel Lake Road, Anchorage
Tu-Su 11:00-21:00
Ray's Place Vietnamese Cuisine
Restaurant · Vietnamese · 20.8 mi
2412 Spenard Road, Anchorage
Mo-Fr 10:00-15:00, Mo-Fr 17:00-20:30
Simon and Seafort's
Restaurant · Seafood, American · 20.9 mi
420 L Street, Anchorage
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 18.4 mi
110 West Tudor Rd, Anchorage
Mo-Fr 05:00-19:00, Sa 05:00-18:00, Su 06:00-18:00
Suite 100 Restaurant Bar & Lounge
Diner · American · 19.4 mi
1000 East Dimond Boulevard, Anchorage
Tu-Sa 16:00-22:00
Taco King - Gov Hill
Restaurant · Mexican, Tacos, Fast Food · 20.0 mi
848 East Loop Road, Anchorage
PH,Mo-Su 10:30-20:00
Taco King - Spenard
Restaurant · Mexican · 21.9 mi
3001 Tanglewood Drive, Anchorage
Mo-Sa 10:30-22:00; Su 11:00-22:00
158 more on the map.
History
Archaeological evidence discovered at Beluga Point just south of Anchorage, along the Turnagain Arm, suggests that habitation of the Cook Inlet began 5,000 years ago by a group of Alutiiq people who arrived by kayak. As this population moved on, they were followed by a second wave of Alutiiq occupation beginning roughly 4,000 years ago, followed by a third wave around 2,000 years ago. Around 500 AD the Chugach Alutiiq were displaced by the arrival of Dena'ina Athabaskans, who entered through the mountain passes. The Dena'ina had no fixed settlements, migrating throughout the area with the seasonal changes, fishing along coastal streams and rivers in the summer, hunting moose, mountain goats, and Dall sheep in early fall, and picking berries in late fall. They tended to winter near trading junctions along common travel routes, where they traded with other Dena'ina and Ahtna tribes from nearby areas.
From the History section of Anchorage, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay16
Shopping34
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Wayland Baptist University-Anchorage
School · 15.1 mi
7801 East 32nd Avenue, Anchorage
Healthcare23
Map of Anchorage
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 6°F | 2.3 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 12°F | 1.6 in |
| Mar | 35°F | 15°F | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 47°F | 26°F | 0.8 in |
| May | 58°F | 36°F | 0.9 in |
| Jun | 65°F | 44°F | 1.3 in |
| Jul | 67°F | 48°F | 1.7 in |
| Aug | 64°F | 45°F | 2.6 in |
| Sep | 56°F | 37°F | 3.6 in |
| Oct | 42°F | 26°F | 2.5 in |
| Nov | 26°F | 13°F | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 23°F | 9°F | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Eagle Rvr Nature Ctr (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Anchorage Municipality has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-01-31: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2018-11-30: Earthquake (Earthquake)
- 2003-04-26: Severe Winter Storm, Including High Winds And Freezing Temperatures (Severe Storm)
- 2000-02-17: Severe Winter Storms And Avalanches (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Willow Airport (WOW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 miles away.
- Eagle River Public Library map
- Knik River 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Knik-Fairview 26 mi northwest, about 41 min by car
- Gateway 27 mi north, about 44 min by car
- Butte 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Wasilla 29 mi north, about 46 min by car
- South Lakes 29 mi north, about 46 min by car
- Point MacKenzie 29 mi northwest, about 46 min by car
- Palmer 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
- North Lakes 31 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Tanaina 34 mi north, about 54 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Anchorage on an April evening, Frank K. from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Flight-Kenai To Anchorage-Chugach-AB-008 (52502994245), Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA, Public domain
- Site Summit and B-52 flyover, David W. Martin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Summit of Eagle Peak. Chugach State Park, Alaska (28228144582), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- "Balancing on the Brink." Eagle Peak summit, Chugach Mountains, Alaska (5434541912), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Climbing a high alpine valley off of Hurdygurdy - panoramio, Paxson Woelber, CC BY 3.0
- Flying over the Chugach Mountains (3246168107), Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lake Eklutna, Alaska (3246991188), Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Summit view from Cantata Peak. Chugach State Park, Alaska (29814639196), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Mirror Lake and rock glacier below Cantata Peak, Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Perilous on a ridge of Hurdygurdy Peak. Chugach Mountains, Alaska (5426412488), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Nordic-skates-eagle-lake-alaska, Mudflattop, CC BY 4.0
- Sarcodon imbricatus 92072686, pynklynx, CC0
- Laura-kottlowski-nordic-skating-eagle-lake-alaska, Mudflattop, CC BY 4.0
- Eagle Lake and Eagle Peak - panoramio, Paxson Woelber, CC BY 3.0
- EagleRiverWinter, RangerRichard, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paddling an Alpacka Gnarwhal across Symphony Lake. Chugach State Park, Alaska (43775119415), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Plicaturopsis crispa 92056051, pynklynx, CC0
- Plicaturopsis crispa 92056033, pynklynx, CC0
- Leccinum melaneum 1, pynklynx, CC0
- Dacrymyces stillatus 91211524, pynklynx, CC0
- South Fork Eagle River, Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Cantata Peak. Chugah State Park, Alaska (30508883118), Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Pass above Ewe Valley, Mount Ewe in the background. Chugach State Park, Alaska, Paxson Woelber, CC BY 2.0
- Thalictrum sparsiflorum 5984396, Connie Taylor, CC BY 4.0
- 10-13-11, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-09, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-08, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-10, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-13, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-14, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-05, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-03, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 10-13-02, untitled - panoramio, David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alces alces 8636, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alces alces 8632, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alces alces 8628, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Eagle River 8623, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cornus unalaschkensis 8558, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cornus unalaschkensis 8559, Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
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