Definitely the weirdest thing to stumble across while walking around downtown anchorage.read more

STAR! Star is…read moresomewhat of an Anchorage mascot (the one that's not a moose). He/she (they all have horns, how do you TELL?!) lies quietly in the hay, unnoticed by many. Star has his/her own Facebook page. If you go take a look at Star, Star will pretend to not care about you. However, if you wait 5-10 minutes and talk sweetly, Star will get up and walk over to the chain-link fence to say hello. Supposedly Star is "walked" in the neighborhood, but I've never observed this yet. If you're at the Park Strip, you may as well come see Star.

I'm reviewing a SOLAR EVENT?! WUT…read more Yep, you can see the Aurora Borealis (or "Northern Lights" if you're a simpleton like me) from Anchorage! Can you see it reliably? Not really. You're going to have to do some work. The farther north you go, the higher your odds. You'd have slightly better luck up at Hatcher Pass. Better still up at Talkeetna. Better still up in Healy. The ultimate place to see them reliably is Fairbanks. The downside is: you're in Fairbanks. Anyway, to see them in Anchorage, you'll have to hunt. You'll have to stay up late. You'll have to wait for a really good forecast, you'll have to get clear skies. Contrary to popular belief, the equinoxes (March and September) are the best times to see them. Everyone says January, but they are wrong. It's suggested mainly because it's the darkest month, not necessarily because the green and pink displays are the most brilliant. I've seen them so brilliant that you could see them over Moose's Tooth, the restaurant (note: this is very uncommon). Will post a photo of it later!

You can see the Northern Lights from a few different places in the world. I was fortunate enough to…read moresee them several times when living in Alaska. I can see why the cultures that developed in the arctic regions came to believe that they lived in a magical and sacred place. One look up at the divine light display on a clear winter's night will convert anyone.

This sculpture is the work of Leo Vait of Homer, Alaska who made the piece in 2006. It is located…read morein downtown anchorage, in a small Plaza area in front of the Atwood State Office Building. It is a duplication of another piece, also by Valt, that is located in his hometown of Homer. The "bones" are arranged much like the whale bone huts in some of the native Alaskan villages. They are made of 3/16 inch steel, coated in zinc and then painted. The sculpture is part of the Alaska State Council on the Arts' a Percent for Art Dedication collection. I find this piece very unique and intriguing. It is illuminated at night and has some large rocks placed under it to add to its aesthetics. It is a simple piece and it reminded me of an exhibit at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, around the lake. It is in decent shape, especial for being 16 years old. It is definitely attention getting and hard to miss. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. This is defiantly not a destination piece that you make a special trip to see, but is nice to take a look at if you find yourself in the area. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the Land Management Center and Anchorage Tourist Center or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This attraction is located in front of the Anchorage visitor's Center. It is a metal abstract arch…read morededicated in memory of Robert L. Hartig, one of the principals of the law firm of Hartig Rhodes Hoge & Lekisch, a leading corporate and business law firm in Anchorage. The spiraling arch is made of stainless steel and granite and is the work of sculptor Roger Barr, who received the commission for the piece in 1985. It is illuminated at night, which I think makes it more impressive to view after dark. One of the arch's pillars are inscribed with the following: Spirit Bridge In Memory Of Robert L. Hartig 1928 - 1980 A Leader In Law And Community Affairs His Dedication Provided A Bridge For A New Generation In designing the piece Barr drew upon Hartig aviation background and went with somewhat of an aviation theme. Barr "sought to create a sculpture that would soar, reflecting and seeming to dissolve in the changing light, large but not massive." Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. Fortunately, most people visiting this attraction will be there visiting the Anchorage Visitors Center and this will be a subsequent visit. If you do choose to make this a destination stop, which I do not suggest, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

I really like this town. It is the state's largest city and a gorgeous place. It has a lot of…read morepersonality, great food, lots to do, and picturesque scenery that would make Instagram proud. They have a tourist information center that can help your plan your visit. There is tons to do here, like hunting, fishing, visit a glacier, jet ski, snow mobile, ski, hike, and helicopter tours. The people here are so very friendly. This is one of a few cities that I have been to that people actually speak to you as you pass them. The snow capped mountains in the background are awesome. And giving the right weather conditions at the right time of year, you can see the Northern Lights. You will have to venture out to darker area of the city such as Flat Top Park. The city does have a huge urban camper problem and pockets that are trashed and graffitied. But they also have an expansive public art collection throughout the downtown area that consists of a bunch of awesome murals and sculptures. Most of them are very nice. The downtown area, like most major cities, does not have free parking. There is metered street parking, commercial lots and garages that you will have to pay to park. Fun Fact: Anchorage lies within 10 hours by air of nearly 90% of the industrialized world. Between its bars, breweries and pubs, the town has a decent nightlife scene. and souvenir shops, tours, and restaurants are o' plenty. You will find a lot of trails to hike here as well as scenic look out points and mountains. You can not possibly do them all. You will have to prioritize them. I had been avoiding this city for so long, but it is an awesome place and I will definitely be back. I will say though, that your experience during the summer will be totally different than your experience in the winter.

I moved to Alaska sight-unseen…read more I got off the plane and grabbed a Taxi. Making my way through the dusty streets of Spenard, passing an adult bookstore and a sketchy motel, my heart sank. "What have I done?!" Over the past 6 years I've started to find "my tribe" here. I've helped build a small but strong Elite community. I joined the local mountaineering club. I started going to "Arctic Entries". I've seen a dozen breweries open. I've seen that adult bookstore transform into brand new community space: a combo coffee shop and bookstore. (that also has wine, beer, and delicious food) Does downtown still look a little busted? Sure. Is anyone going to fly to Anchorage to take photographs of the local architecture? Of the historic sites? No. Do I still wish more places would stay open past 10pm in the summer in this "Land of the Midnight Sun" we all brag about? I do. Is there a great community of people in this city that feels like a small town? Absolutely. But does the tired cliche that "the best part of livin' in Anchorage is that it's right next to Alaska! (har, har, har!)" still hold true? It does. Thanks for giving me a home in the beautiful 49th state, Anchorage. Thanks for continuing to grow and refine yourself. I'm glad I get to lay my head here! (on weekdays, at least)

This is a very interesting sculpture that is located at the entrance of the Alaska Native Heritage…read moreCenter. It was created by John Hoover in 1998. According to many Alaska Native and American Indian legends, Raven is the creator. This sculpture depicts a large raven stealing the stars, sun, and moon. It has Stars dangling from its beak, and has the sun and moon hanging from each wing. There is also a lot of symbolism in the piece. The human figures in the bird's claws represent icons used by the Russian Orthodox faith. Additionally, there is a face in the large Raven's belly that is supposed to be Mother Earth. The face on the back of Raven's head is representative of many transformations the Raven undergoes. Given its native symbolism, the sculpture is placed perfectly at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. The Center has a huge free parking lot that you can park in. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. I know that 99.9% of the viewers will visit this sculpture as part of their visit to the Center. It is too far off of the beaten path not to and is not something that you will just come across. It is still nice to see and the story and interpretation behind it gives it that much more value. It is definitely worth a peek.

This is a classic mural located in downtown Anchorage on the side of the David Green Master Furrier…read morebuilding. It has somewhat become the business signature and is overlooking a parking lot. It was painted in 1993 by Richard "Ziggy" Ziegler, an amateur muralist and master shoe repairman at the Arctic Treasures store in Anchorage. Ziegler is a charter and has run for mayor of Anchorage The mural is showing its age and has some severe fading and just has a nostalgic look about it. It depicts a group of jolly walruses hanging out on the ice on one end. On the other end you will find a polar bear standing on a glacier and the words "David Green" in front of it. Even though somewhat faded, the colors still complement each other very well with the blue sky, aqua water and white glacier combining to make a perfect background for the piece. I could use a good power washing and/or refresh though. The mural is very dirty and covered in what I believe to be soot. Parking to get a closer look at this mural is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. And as I mentioned, it overlooks a parking lot itself. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Super fun event despite some of my disloyal subjects not being able to make it. This was one of…read morethe more interesting Yelp events since we were on the move. We started downtown at the bike shop on 4th Ave, dodged some pedestrians and construction and headed down to Brown Bag to snag a pic-a-nic basket. Usually Brown Bag is so mobbed, but it was super quiet tonight so I got to explore while we waited for Andrew to mug Yogi and BooBoo. I didn't realize there was a game room. With legit old skool Donkey Kong and Skee Ball. Skee Ball people. SKEE BALL. I wish i had had quarters. I will go back for that alone. (And yes, the Thanksgiving Day sammy was amazing, as usual.) From Brown Bag we buzzed down to Elderberry and tapped into the Coastal Trail. Then we cruised through West Chester Lagoon and headed for Lyn Ary. Once we were there, we had a super duper ultra secret picnic on the beach whilst enjoying the view, company and conversation about all mystical and Yelpical. Check out my pics of the Yelp swag... those of you that missed it, well nanny nanny boo boo! Slightly disappointed we DIDN'T get rained on so we could sport our spiffy new Yelp ponchos. Maybe next time... Fat bikes anyone? Thank you Andrew and Yelp, as usual, for a memorable evening.

This larger than life mural has a lot going on. It is 120 feet wide and about 50 Feet high and is…read morethe work of Bob Patterson, the 1997 Northwest Magazine's Photographer of the Year. It was painted in 1997 and is located overlooking a parking lot behind City Hall. The mural is packed with images of notable local figures, iconic landmarks and military milestones. It also lists the donors that made the mural possible. You will see a bunch of military aircraft, Captain James Cook, Olympic skiers, and a very detailed image of Alaskan mountains and Anchorage's cityscape across the top. Across the bottom of the mural is the name of donors and other people/businesses that were instrumental in the completion of the project. It is a very nice mural with a lot to dissect. I really like the mural's detail. It is definitely a sight to see. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. As I mentioned, it overlooks a lot. Anyway, as with most mural that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the 5th Avenue Mall, Town Square Park, and Anchorage Visitor's Center, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This sculpture is the work of Hugh McPeck and was dedicated in 2000, Y2K. It weighs 1,200 pounds…read moreand stands 8 and a half feet tall. It depicts, as its title insinuates, a bear with a raven perched on its head looking down on him. The sculpture sits out front of the Bear and Raven Adventure Theater an interactive play space where children can get to know Alaskan history. The sculpture is in great shape and has a fun vibe. It looks like the animals are having a grand time.It has a plaque that gives it some context and reads, "The Bear and Raven, The Raven whispers to the Bear, "I really enjoy watching you fish for salmon in Ship Creek". The Bear's large smile and tummy, indicates that he loves it too! This sculpture is dedicated to the fun loving spirit of all Alaskans. Legend has it when you rub the Bear's tummy it will bring you good luck." Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

The location is very convenient. It's in downtown and there are shops and eateries all in walking…read moredistance. The visitor center is also near by. If you don't mind walking a bit, it's amazing. The place is very nice. I like how there are also some tour businesses in the area. We were able to walk there to book some tours. The accommodation is nice, clean, convenient and I loved the decor. Kitchen has glasses, dishes, refrigerator, utensils as well as extra blankets, tv, and more. Recommended