Anchorage, Alaska

My family has lived in Eagle River, Alaska (just outside of Anchorage) for more than three decades. Over that timeframe, I have visited during every season and have enjoyed each and every visit. I only lived there for a few months before leaving for college in the 1980s. This review will touch on my experiences as a woman living, and traveling there, while Black.

I’ll start with an overarching statement: I have had no problems, Traveling While Black (TWB) in Alaska. That said, the experiences of others might vary from mine so this is purely my perspective. My most recent trip to Alaska was February 2-7 of this year, so my review will cover the places where I lodged and ate.
First, a few general tips:

1. Check ITA Software Matrix for airfares. I found a FIRST CLASS flight for only $864 round trip! I booked more than 3 weeks in advance & fares later tripled in price.
2. Alaska is a large state. Don’t restrict yourself to Anchorage! While it is Alaska’s most populous city and contains nearly 40% of the state’s population, there is much more to see outside of the main city.
3. Check out tours via air, rail and boat. Seward is a resort area where one could book day-long cruises to tour the fjords throughout the bay areas, in addition to many other activities.
4. Check out Alaska Railroad, which has daily summer departures connecting Anchorage, Denali, Fairbanks, Seward, and more.
5. For those who enjoy wildlife, marine animals, and other outdoor adventures, there is MUCH to do from mountains and glaciers to the Northern Lights.

Lodging: We stayed at Staybridge Suites Anchorage, located at 200 Calais Drive, Anchorage, AK 99503. I always read Trip Advisor and other reviews and noted that this hotel had a TA rating of 4.5 (Excellent). I take special note of the Poor/Terrible reviews as well. After weighing other options, we decided on this one for a few reasons, aside from reviews: 1) Complimentary laundry (free washers/dryers); 2) complimentary breakfast and evening socials, and 3) fairly new hotel. For those unfamiliar with the Staybridge brand, it’s a home-like environment, including a kitchen, complete with cookware/utensils, stove, and full-size fridge. This location also had a hot tub (not all of them do). The staff was wonderful and welcoming (a number of people of color worked there at the time).

Dining: We ate at a few places. In the interest of space, I’ll review two. We took a pleasant drive to Wasilla (yes, Sarah Palin country) to check out a place called Settlers Bay Lodge. The setting was absolutely stunning. I was a bit apprehensive about the place—White folks were everywhere and after all, this was big-time Republican territory. However, we had no negative or ignorant encounters; service was exceptional and the views of the water made up for fairly expensive but lackluster food. The place is mammoth but was still packed to capacity so reservations are highly recommended.

For a more casual dining experience, we went to The Gumbo House where I especially enjoyed the flavorful Angel Hair Pasta and Traditional Gumbo. My husband picked up carryout so we didn’t eat in but he observed that most of the staff were Black (not sure about the owners).

If you have any specific questions, I’ll be happy to respond if you want to reach out!