Alaska is no stranger to welcoming solo travelers. Nearly 20 percent of visitors to Alaska travel alone for either business or pleasure. Here are a few reasons why solo travelers like to make Anchorage their base camp:
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. Geocache journeys, hiking and biking, salmon fishing, festivals, outdoor concerts, fresh air markets and more – there's so much to do!
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 summer shuttles between cultural attractions provide remarkable access to Alaska’s cultural heritage. It is entirely possible to visit Alaska’s largest museum, its 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. Free walking maps of the city and trail system are available at the Visit Anchorage Information Centers.
Clean, safe and friendly
Anchorage has a reputation for the congeniality of its residents as well as its walkable and tourist-friendly downtown core. City leaders recognize that a clean, attractive and vital city enhances its public safety and enjoyment. In the summer, colorful blooms fill open spaces - in fact, city gardeners plant more than 1,000 flowerbeds and hanging baskets at 81 sites - 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 by 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 downtown.
Alaska has the nation’s greatest concentration of glaciers, covering almost 30,000 square miles, and Alaska's top visitor attraction 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 flightseeing charters from Anchorage via floatplane, fixed wing and helicopter. Flights depart from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Merrill Field and Lake Hood, the world’s busiest floatplane base.
