The gateway to Alaska and the state's most populous city, Anchorage combines all the amenities and entertainment you'd expect from a modern metropolis, surrounded by one of the world's great natural environments, all within easy reach of Anchorage Airport car rental. As well as many scenic drives, you can get back to nature and view stunning glaciers, see grizzly bears and watch whales or view North America's highest peak, before chilling out at one of Anchorage's superb restaurants.
No winter trip to Alaska would be complete without a chance to see the stunning Northern Lights. Usually viewable between September and April, there are many great viewing sites around Anchorage, with the Downtown Viewpoint a popular place to get a snap of the Anchorage skyline with Aurora Borealis in the background. You'll need the right conditions, so consider an organized tour to stand the best chance of success.
Whether you want to head inland or out to sea, there are plenty of opportunities to experience Alaska's nature up close and personal around Anchorage. Sign up for a bear viewing tour to see grizzlies in their natural habitat between early May and the end of September, or hop aboard one of Anchorage's whale watching boats for a chance to see beluga, fin, humpback and orca whales.
Anchorage is home to 223 municipal parks, while there are 250 miles of trails inside the city waiting to be explored. Kincaid Park attracts outdoors sports fans and you can hike, jog, cycle, or even ski your way around its 1,500 acres. Elsewhere, you can head to Earthquake Park to learn more about the 1964 tremor that was the most powerful recorded in North America - at 9.2 on the Richter Scale - and changed Anchorage's landscape forever.
Home of North America's highest peak, Denali towers to a height of more than 20,000 feet over Denali National Park. The surrounding landscape is an ideal destination when renting a car in Anchorage to take in all the scenery Alaska has to offer. It's a long trip, with the park entrance around five hours north of the city along Alaska Highway 3, but it's well worth it and once there, you can drive the full 92 miles of the Denali Park Road to enjoy the spectacular views.
Heading south from Anchorage, Seward is a pretty seaside community nestled between the glaciers and the ocean. But the journey there is just as enthralling as the town itself, and a great reason to secure car rental at Anchorage airport. The trip takes around two hours along the Seward Highway, though it's bound to take longer than you expect as you'll be tempted to pull over repeatedly to take in the amazing scenery. Beluga Point Lookout and Kenai Lake are among the most popular photo opportunities along the way.
Around two hours north of Anchorage, the Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier in the US you can reach by car and offers a great experience in either summer or winter. Pull off the Glenn Highway at the overlook for magnificent views, before stretching your legs on the trail through the Aspen forest to explore the secrets of the ice on your own, or as part of a guided tour - which is recommended if you've never hiked on ice before.
A four-wheel drive vehicle is best-suited to Anchorage conditions, where snow and ice are common hazards.
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
There are no congestion charges within the Anchorage area. Alaska's only toll is the Whittier Tunnel on the Portage Glacier Highway.
May, at an average of 288.7 hours.
August, at an average of 83 mm.
Anchorage International Film Festival, Fur Rendezvous Festival, Anchorage Market