Anchorage, Alaska

You don't have to go looking for breathtaking scenery in Anchorage; it is everywhere, and will surprise you at every turn. The horizon is glorious, and the mountains and ocean create magnificent backdrops.

While Anchorage may be rather built up, and sections of it are somewhat commercial, you do not have to go far to find yourself deep in the Alaskan wilderness. In fact, a tour on a floatplane will take you into regions that are remarkably remote, where the only life you will see is a bear hunting the Alaskan waters for a fresh salmon dinner.

• 1784 Russian explorers had established themselves in southern Alaska
  
  
• 1778 English explorer Captain James Cook is credited with first exploring and describing the Anchorage area during his third voyage of discovery.
  
  
• 1867 Problems at home forced the sale of Russian America to the United States for $7,200,000.
  
  
• 1915 President Woodrow Wilson authorized the construction of the Alaska Railroad. Ship Creek Landing in Anchorage was selected as the headquarters of this effort. Soon a 'Tent City' sprang up at the mouth of Ship Creek and the population increased to more than 2,000. Entrepreneurs flocked to this bustling frontier town, and brought with them everything necessary to build a city. Although the area had been known by various names, the U.S. Post Office Department formalized the use of the name 'Anchorage,' and despite some protests the name stuck.
  
  
• 1920 Anchorage is incorporated as a city
  
  
• 1964 A natural disaster of incredible proportions strikes Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska: the Good Friday earthquake strikes Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska. Measuring 9.2 on the Richter Scale, it is the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America and, because Anchorage lay only 80 miles from the epicenter, damages ran to the hundreds of millions of dollars.
  
  
• 1984 Hilltop Ski Area is established, which along with the Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood and Alpenglow Ski Area gave residents three fully operational skiing areas.

• Glacier Cruise: Take the Blackstone Glacier Adventure Cruise through Prince William Sound up to the face of two active tidewater glaciers. View spectacular alpine glaciers and waterfalls while trying to glimpse grazing black bears along the beaches or napping harbor seals on floating icebergs.
  
  
• Knik Glacier Flightseeing: Board a seaplane for a flightseeing adventure to the areas beyond Anchorage. Your flight will take you over the Knik and Colony glaciers, which are noted for their striking features. Search for moose, bear, and eagles. You may even see some Beluga whales.
  
  
• Redoubt Bay Bear Viewing Tour: Fly in a floatplane 70 miles southwest of Anchorage to the entrance of Lake Clark Wilderness Preserve, home of the Redoubt Bay Lodge and incredible bear viewing opportunities. An experienced natural history guide will take you by boat through bear country looking for bears as they fish for salmon.