Anchorage Budget Travel Guide helps you prepare for a visit to this city in Alaska. Through my description, I hope you will get to know Anchorage better, and will be able to determine what are the places you will be visiting while there. I list out the major places of interest of the city for your convenience.
About Anchorage
Anchorage is the biggest city, but not the capital, of the state of Alaska. It lies between the Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains. One in every two Alaskan lives in or around Anchorage - which isn't that many, as the state only has a population of 700,000 people.
Unlike other towns that came up in Alaska, Anchorage was devoid of minerals or fishing fleet. It came into being because of the railway construction of the Alaska Railroad. The site where the railroad headquarters was located became a frontier town, and on 23 November, 1920, Anchorage was incorporated. By the 1930's, it has become an important air transportation and military base. Its civilian airport opened in 1951.
A massive 9.2 magnitude earthquake hit Anchorage on Good Friday, 27 March, 1964 causing $1.8 billion in damage (in 2007 dollars), and substantial lost of lives. It was the second biggest earthquake in recorded history.
Most visitors come to Anchorage during the summer months, when the days are long and the temperature more "bearable". The best months to visit are between May and September.
The main international gateway to Anchorage is the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), which receives flights from most major cities in the United States. The airport has two terminals. A free shuttle bus connects the South (Domestic) terminal with the North (International) terminal. There are buses going between the airport and downtown Anchorage as well as to various locations in the city. For details, visit the People Mover Bus website.
Budget Travel within Anchorage
Although not a big city, Anchorage is quite spread out, making it not so convenient to explore on foot. I would encourage you to rent a car. It can be expensive, though, about $200 per day in summer for a large passenger vehicle. If you have the time and need to budget, then take the bus. It's not the most convenient option, but at $1.75 per journey or $4 per one-day pass, it is the cheapest form of travel.
Alaska Native Heritage Center Center where costumed guides offer visits a glimpse into the native culture, complete with a native village.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center A place where injured, orphaned or sick animals are given shelter and treatment.
Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center Center with displays of Alaska-themed paintings as well as dioramas of Alaska from prehistoric times to present day.
Earthquake Park Park with interpretive displays on the Good Friday earthquake of 1964.
Portage Glacier One of the nearest glaciers from Anchorage, can be visited by tour boat.
Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?
The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!
Our Flight Checker helps travelers compare flights and get the lowest fare for their trips. If you're flying somewhere, use our Flight Checker to compare the rates from different airlines. To use it, enter where you will be flying from, where you will be flying to, your departure date and return date. Select the number of passengers, and then click search.
Our engine will return you a list of possible flights that you can take. You can compare the fare of different airlines for your trip. Click on your selected airline, and we transfer you to the airline website.
