News Release
Traveling solo? Six Ways Anchorage Makes It Easy To Go It Alone In Alaska
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – June 4, 2007 -- Alaska is no stranger to welcoming solo travelers. Nearly 20 percent of visitors to Alaska travel alone for either business or pleasure. Those who love to vacation alone know that going solo offers unique opportunities for spontaneous discovery unburdened by the demands of others. Travelers looking for a big adventure in the great outdoors or the intimate experience of a immersing themselves in a place steeped in beauty and rich with culture find Anchorage makes it easy to vacation on their own. Here’s why solo travelers want to make Anchorage their base camp to adventure:
Adventure on a shoestring – Alaska may be large, but the best the state has to offer is easy to experience on a solo budget, especially from Anchorage. In fact, there’s no need to leave Anchorage to experience Big Wild Life. Embraced by six mountain ranges and warmed by a maritime climate, Anchorage is alive year round with recreation, seasonal festivities, wildlife and sightseeing opportunities. In the Anchorage area solo travelers can go bear viewing, bird watching, whale watching and watch for other Alaska wildlife, including moose, dall sheep, black bear, brown bear, grizzlies, orca whales and more. Unarguably the state’s most scenic highway, the Seward Highway, leads from Anchorage to the bedroom community of Girdwood and the Alyeska Ski Resort. Glaciers surround the Girdwood valley, which features numerous scenic hiking and biking trails, parasailing and horseback riding activities, dog mushing in winter and a visual arts center.
Culture without a cab ride – One of the most compelling joys of going it alone on vacation is the chance to immerse oneself in the culture of a place without the distractions of traveling in a large group. Anchorage’s many museums and cultural heritage centers are designed to encourage one-on-one interaction with Alaska Native artists and craftspeople. Numerous free shuttles between cultural attractions provide remarkable access to Alaska’s cultural heritage. It is entirely possible to visit Alaska’s largest museum, it’s Native heritage center and numerous attractions offering films and educational programs on the state’s history within one or two days and without ever having to take a taxi or rent a car.
Self-guided made simple – In downtown Anchorage alone there are dozens of self-guided walking tours of the city’s surrounding wilderness and recreation areas and culture and heritage venues. Anchorage’s extensive trail system is one of the best in the United States, according to a past issue of Bicycling Magazine. The American Hiking Society agrees, naming Anchorage second on a recent list of Top Trail Towns. Anchorage’s well-kept trail system offers 120 miles (193 km) of paved and 300 miles (482 km) unpaved and wilderness trails. Every trail is accessible via public transportation. The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau offers free walking maps of the city and trail system at www.anchorage.net. For those wanting a guide, Alaska’s Public Lands Information Center offers guided walks to historic downtown sights daily in summer and has information on all of Alaska's public lands, including national and state parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges.
Clean, safe and friendly – Anchorage has a reputation for the congeniality of its residents as well as its walk-able and tourist-friendly downtown center. Committed to the philosophy that a clean, attractive and vital city enhances its public safety and enjoyment, this self-proclaimed City of Lights and Flowers is filled with thousands of twinkle lights in winter and colorful blooms in summer – in fact, city gardeners plant 461 flowerbeds and hanging baskets at 81 sights—to the delight of visitors. The presence of the city’s team of friendly security ambassadors clad in bright yellow jackets enhance safety and security downtown, patrolling streets, welcoming and assisting thousands of visitors and helping keep the city clean.
Base camp to adventure - Anchorage is the perfect base camp for solo travelers who want to venture farther into the great outdoors. Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park and the Chugach National Forest are all within a few hours drive from the city’s downtown area. Alaska has the nation’s greatest concentration of glaciers, covering almost 30,000 square miles, and Alaska's top visitor attraction featuring Alaska glaciers is just a short, spectacular drive away from Anchorage - Portage Glacier and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center are located just 50 miles south of Anchorage. Dependable operations offer year-round charters from Anchorage via floatplane, fixed wing and helicopter. Flights depart from the Anchorage International Airport, Merrill Field, and Lake Hood Air Harbor – the world’s busiest floatplane base.
Planning Tools - The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s award-winning Web site (www.anchorage.net) is the perfect tool for travelers to plan itineraries step-by-step and learn about travel packages, local events and activities. The city’s cartoon moose mascot, Seymour of Anchorage, leads online visitors through a seven-day Anchorage adventure with recommendations for morning, afternoon and evening activities based on seasons and interests. Explore the virtual visitors guide or order the Official Anchorage Visitors Guide.
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage. ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by the lodging association. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund and one-third goes to the Anchorage Civic and Convention construction project. ACVB receives no state or federal funds.
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Media Contacts:
Nance Larsen, APR
Vice President, Communications & Marketing Programs
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
pr@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
Explore www.Anchorage.net
