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Grizzly bears catching salmon at Brooks Falls
Anchorage
Situated on the shores of Cook Inlet with a
panoramic backdrop of the Chugach Mountains,
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska and home to
approximately 260,000 people - nearly half the state’s
population. There are some excellent museums, such
as the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the
Alaska Heritage Museum and the Alaska Native
Heritage Centre. Thanks in part to the oil industry
the city has the broadest variety of entertainment,
restaurants and shops in Alaska but between the
salmon-rich waters of Cook Inlet and the mighty
peaks of the Chugach Mountains its apparent
sophistication is paper-thin. Here you can often see
moose grazing on suburban flower gardens - this is
truly a city on the edge of the wilderness.
THE CAPTAIN COOK HOTEL,
ANCHORAGE
The Captain Cook Hotel is one of Anchorage’s
most luxurious properties and is situated in the
bustling heart of the city. This award-winning
hotel has a total of 547 rooms and suites, many
with a view of either the Chugach Mountains or
Cook Inlet. The Crow’s Nest restaurant is one of
the finest restaurants in the city and the hotel also
offers an English pub, an Italian restaurant and a
coffee shop. Downstairs there is a collection of
pictures charting the life of Captain Cook who
explored Alaska’s coastline in 1778.
THE HISTORIC ANCHORAGE
HOTEL, ANCHORAGE
Situated in the heart of downtown Anchorage,
this hotel was built in 1916 when the city was
in its infancy: now it is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places and is the most
atmospheric of the city’s hotels. For many years
the hotel was the only place in town you could
be served a meal on china with linen and silver:
it has always served as Anchorage’s primary
meeting and gathering place. Today the hotel has
26 comfortable rooms and suites. A gift shop, bar
and restaurant are situated just a few steps away
across the street.
Chugach Mountains & Knik
Glacier Float-plane Trip
Discover the Chugach Mountain range and its
secluded valleys on this sensational float-plane
trip. Soar over Captain Cook’s Turnagain Arm
in search of beluga whales and get a new
perspective of the bustling metropolis of
Anchorage in its setting between mountains and
water whilst being given a full commentary by
your experienced pilot. The flight will take you
over the expansive Knik Glacier, rimmed with
magnificent hanging glaciers, where you can sense
the motion of the ice and see how it has shaped
the land whilst scanning the ground for mountain
goats and moose.
Kenai Peninsula
The huge Kenai Peninsula, stretches out into the
sea immediately south of Anchorage. Small by
Alaska standards, it encompasses a taste of all
the state has to offer including whale watching,
outstanding fishing, tidewater glaciers and
character small towns. Homer is a bustling
community known for its halibut fishing and the
stunning views from the ‘spit’ that juts into
Kachemak Bay. Girdwood, set on Turnagain Arm,
is famed for its tidal bore and its proximity to the
Portage Glacier whilst Soldotna is renowned for
its king salmon fishing. Nearby Kenai has a tangible
sense of history exemplified by its Russian
Orthodox church. Other highlights include the
lovely town of Seldovia, just a short ferry trip away
from Homer and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
LANDS END RESORT, HOMER
With a spectacular beachfront location at the
tip of the Homer Spit, the Lands End Resort is
situated over six kilometres out into the middle
of Kachemak Bay, with 180 degree views of the
Kenai Mountains and its glaciers. Many of the 108
rooms have a private deck where you can enjoy a
glass of wine and look out for otters, seals, whales
and eagles. After a day of sightseeing you can
relax in the health and fitness spa with its outdoor
hot tub overlooking the bay, or enjoy dinner at
the Chart Room restaurant.
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