EDITORS NOTE: Cruises to Anchorage, Alaska use one of three different cruise port terminals. The first is in Anchorage itself, and the other two are further afield at Seward and Whittier.
ANCHORAGE - ALASKA - USA
PORT INFORMATION
photo courtesy Regent Seven Seas Cruises
A modern city located in the heart of the great wilderness at the head of Cook Inlet and surrounded by six breathtaking mountain ranges, Anchorage is the ultimate base camp for Alaska adventure.
Its unofficial nickname is "The City of Lights and Flowers", a reference the thousands of buildings adorned by tiny white lights throughout winter and its spectacular displays of flowers in the summer.
Cruise Terminals in Anchorage, Alaska
Most cruises to and from Alaska use the ports of Seward and Whitter, but not all - and for them, the Anchorage Cruise Ship Terminal is located on the edge of downtown Anchorage, close to local downtwon attractions.
The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is located a covenient 7 miles southwest of downtown Anchorage and the dock, only about 20 minutes by car. More than 20 international airlines fly into Anchorage, Alaska from all corners of the world including ddestinations in Asia, Europe and most major cities in the USA.
Must See Attractions in Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska Native Heritage Center: The fascinating heritage of the Alaska Native people is portrayed in everyday life across Alaska and particularly so at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, just 10 minutes north of downtown Anchorage. This unique, interactive facility celebrates, perpetuates and shares the rich heritage of Alaska’s 11 distinct Native cultures through storytelling, song, dance and art. The 26-acre site is a mini-recreation of Native life that celebrates traditional and modern ways and includes tours, workshops and demonstrations and guided tours of indoor exhibits and outdoor village sites.
Anchorage Museum: Anchorage museums provide an introduction to the area’s fascinating blend of Russian, Native and pioneer history, among them the largest museum in Alaska, the Anchorage Museum. It is a community-based institution with exhibits and programs on the art, history and cultures of Alaska.
Other attractions in Anchorage include the Imaginarium Discovery Center, Alaska’s hands-on, minds-on science discovery center, a place where families and visitors of all ages can explore art, history and science through play, the Alaska Zoo in South Anchorage which features a wide variety of arctic and sub-arctic animals and the H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark.
Portage Lake Glacier: After visiting Anchorage, you may want to rent a car and drive some 50 miles south on the Seward Highway to tour the Begich Boggs Visitor Center and view Portage Lake Glacier, the most visited glacier in Alaska. Here visitors can learn about glaciers, glacial lakes, the arctic landscape and arctic wildlife from interpretive displays and from the Forest Service naturalists. The award-winning film “Voices From the Ice” has breathtaking images of calving glaciers. There are spectacular views of Portage Lake and the icebergs that calf from Portage Glacier at the far end of the lake.
