About Anchorage

Anchorage is a cosmopolitan city with all the amenities you would expect in a city of 300,000 people. You will find many of the major department stores including Nordstrom, JC Penney, Sears, REI, Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart. There are pharmacies, health food stores, bookstores and more throughout Anchorage.

Even with all the modern conveniences of a large city you can get a taste of the Alaska outdoors right outside your hotel. Stroll or jog the 11-mile paved Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, accessible just 3 blocks from the Hotel Captain Cook. The trail offers views of the front range of the Chugach Mountains as well as Mount Susitna and Mount McKinley (at 20,320' the highest peak in North America).

You can shop for fine Native Alaskan art at many small galleries located within blocks of our host hotels. For authentic Alaskan arts and crafts, be sure to look for one of two official symbols. The "Silver Hand" emblem indicates the item was hand crafted by an Alaska Eskimo, Aleut, or Indian craftsperson or artist. The "Made in Alaska" emblem indicates that the article was made in Alaska by a resident artist, craftsperson or manufacturer. Wherever possible, items bearing these emblems have been made with Alaskan materials.

October climate and daylight hours

The Anchorage area is protected by the Chugach Mountains and warmed by currents of the Pacific Ocean. The average daytime temperature in October is 43 F (6 C). At this time of year, Anchorage enjoys more than 10 hours of daylight. This gives you lots of time to enjoy everything that Anchorage has to offer.

What to wear

On an Alaskan fall day, remember to dress in layers. Bring sweaters, a warm coat, a hat, gloves and warm socks for any outside adventures and to make your boat cruises more enjoyable. A raincoat is also advised. Bring comfortable walking shoes for short hikes or for strolling or biking along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. With all of this you will be prepared for any Alaska adventure. Don’t forget to bring a camera: there will be many photo opportunities during your stay!  The host hotel, Captain Cook, have indoor pools and workout equipment so bring a swim suit and workout clothes.

Did you know ...?

The first inhabitants of Alaska crossed the Bering Land Bridge in approximately 12,000 BC.   |    As the largest state in the union, Alaska is nearly twice the size of Texas, the second largest state.   |   Within the state, there is one bear for every 21 Alaskans.   |   The 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline is the largest privately financed construction project in history. So far, more than 14 billion barrels of oil have moved through the pipeline.   |   Eighty-five percent of the state budget is supported by revenue from oil.   |   There is no state sales tax or income tax.   |   The oil field located on the North Slope of Alaska is the most productive in North America, yielding on average 400,000 barrels per day.   |   The Alaska Permanent Fund was established in 1976 with $734,000. This year, the fund will gain that amount nearly every 60 minutes.   |   Alaska has six times as many pilots and 16 times as many aircraft per capita than anywhere else in the United States.   |   Alaska is the only state whose capital is not accessible by roads.   |   Nearly one-third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle.

Photos courtesy Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The purpose of the 2009 International Arctic Fisheries Symposium was
to initiate international discussions for conserving and managing future fisheries in the Arctic Ocean,
including managing migratory, transboundary and straddling fish stocks.
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