Jump to other pages in the Programs section
Summer is the perfect time to visit. And Anchorage is the perfect place to start.
Set at the base of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage (pop. 260,000) is Alaska's largest and most cosmopolitan city. It boasts a mild climate, friendly people, and one of the best backyards in the world. Locals and summer visitors alike enjoy the city's many restaurants, museums, art galleries, movie theatres, bookstores, coffee shops, and specialty stores. A system of bike trails connects much of the city, including the UAA campus, the downtown shopping area, and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.
And just outside the city limits is Alaska. Within easy weekend reach of Anchorage are some of the state's greatest adventures: the foothills and mountains of the 495,000-acre Chugach State Park; Denali, four hours north and home of North America's highest mountain; and the rivers and towns of the Kenai Peninsula.
Best of all, there is 19 hours a day of daylight in the summer to enjoy it all. As Alaskans say, there is plenty of time to sleep…in the fall!
Outdoor Activities
Anchorage is the ideal place for the outdoor enthusiast. There are miles of mountain bike trails and excellent canoeing, kayaking, and camping close to the city. The University of Alaska Anchorage rents equipment at very reasonable prices. Mountain bikes, roller blades, canoes, and kayaks as well as everything that you would need for camping are available by the day, weekend, or week at the UAA Campus Center.
For information about Alaska, please visit the following resources:
The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.anchorage.net
Municipality of Anchorage
www.muni.org
Denali National Park and Reserve
www.nps.gov/dena
Alaska Visitors Guide
www.adn.com/visitors
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska's largest news daily newspaper
www.adn.com
Anchorage Press: Alaska's largest free weekly publication
www.anchoragepress.com
University of Alaska Anchorage Summer Sessions
www.uaa.alaska.edu/summer
Anchorage is served by the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. For more leisurely travel (Anchorage is 2,435 miles from Seattle, and 3,712 miles from Los Angeles), The Alaska Highway links Alaska to Canada and the contiguous United States. The Milepost provides additional information on the Highway.