Where to stay · Anchorage · United States
Where to stay in Anchorage
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Christy747, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown. Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail. Best alternatives — budget: Midtown; nightlife: Spenard.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown
- Families
- Downtown
- Budget
- Midtown
- Nightlife
- Spenard
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown | Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail |
| Families | Downtown | Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail |
| Couples | Hillside and South Anchorage | Wooded residential slopes with B&Bs, city views and trail access |
| Budget | Midtown | Commercial heart with chain hotels, malls and easy road access |
| Luxury | Girdwood | Ski-resort village in a rainforest valley off Turnagain Arm |
| Nightlife | Spenard | Funky old roadhouse district of bars, food trucks and local cafés |
| Food lovers | Downtown | Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail |
| Solo travellers | Downtown | Grid of hotels, museums and restaurants above Ship Creek and the Coastal Trail |
| Shopping | Midtown | Commercial heart with chain hotels, malls and easy road access |
| Quiet stays | Hillside and South Anchorage | Wooded residential slopes with B&Bs, city views and trail access |
Anchorage neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, food lovers and solo travellers
Downtown
Downtown, roughly from 3rd to 9th Avenue between the inlet and Cordova Street, has most of the large hotels, the Anchorage Museum, the railroad depot and the Coastal Trail's start. 4th Avenue has the visitor log cabin, gift shops and the Iditarod's ceremonial start. It is the easiest base without a car.
- Good
- Walk to museums, trails and the train; Widest choice of restaurants; Tour pickups from hotels
- Watch out
- Hotel prices peak in summer; Some blocks feel empty late at night
- Nearby
- Anchorage Museum, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Alaska Railroad depot, Ship Creek
$$ · Best for budget, families and shopping
Midtown
Midtown, centred on the Northern Lights and Benson boulevards, is Anchorage's business and shopping district, with chain hotels, big-box stores and many of the city's cheaper restaurants. It is practical for drivers heading to Chugach trailheads or south on the Seward Highway.
- Good
- Lower hotel rates; Free parking at most hotels; Supermarkets and outdoor stores
- Watch out
- Car-oriented and featureless; Few sights within walking distance
- Nearby
- Cuddy Family Midtown Park, Fireweed Lane, Spenard
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and budget
Spenard
Spenard grew along the old road to Lake Spenard and keeps a slightly offbeat, local character, with independent restaurants, breweries, bars and live music venues along Spenard Road. It sits between Midtown and the airport, close to the Lake Hood floatplanes.
- Good
- Local restaurants and bars; Close to the airport; Good value
- Watch out
- Spread out; a car helps; Fewer hotels
- Nearby
- Lake Hood Seaplane Base, Spenard Road, Earthquake Park
$$ · Best for families and budget
Airport and Lake Hood
Hotels around Ted Stevens International Airport and Lake Hood suit early flights and floatplane trips; the lakeshore is busy with float-equipped bush planes taking off for fishing lodges and flightseeing all summer. Downtown is about 15 minutes by car.
- Good
- Convenient for early and late flights; Floatplane-watching on the doorstep; Free parking
- Watch out
- Aircraft noise; No walkable restaurants or sights
- Nearby
- Lake Hood Seaplane Base, Alaska Aviation Museum, Kincaid Park
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and families
Hillside and South Anchorage
The neighbourhoods climbing towards the Chugach in the city's south-east have bed-and-breakfasts and rental houses with views over Cook Inlet towards Denali on clear days. The Glen Alps trailhead for Flattop and the Alaska Zoo are close, and the Seward Highway is easy to reach.
- Good
- Mountain and inlet views; Quick access to trails and the Seward Highway; Peaceful
- Watch out
- Car essential; About 25 minutes from downtown
- Nearby
- Flattop Mountain, Alaska Zoo, Potter Marsh
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and families
Girdwood
Girdwood, within the municipality but about 60 km south of downtown, is a small mountain town built around Alyeska Resort, with an aerial tram, ski runs in winter, hiking and berry-picking in summer and a few well-regarded restaurants. It makes a scenic base between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula.
- Good
- Mountain setting and resort facilities; Skiing in winter, hiking in summer; Halfway to Whittier and Seward
- Watch out
- About 45 minutes from Anchorage; Limited dining choice
- Nearby
- Alyeska Resort, Winner Creek Trail, Turnagain Arm
$$ · Best for quiet stays, families and budget
Eagle River
About 25 km north of downtown on the Glenn Highway, Eagle River is a suburban community with a few hotels and quick access to the Eagle River Nature Center and northern Chugach State Park. It suits drivers heading towards Palmer, Hatcher Pass or the Matanuska Glacier.
- Good
- Close to trails and northern day trips; Lower prices; Quiet
- Watch out
- About 25 minutes from downtown; Few visitor services
- Nearby
- Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park, Glenn Highway
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | $$$ | Anchorage Museum, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Alaska Railroad depot, Ship Creek |
| Midtown | $$ | Cuddy Family Midtown Park, Fireweed Lane, Spenard |
| Spenard | $$ | Lake Hood Seaplane Base, Spenard Road, Earthquake Park |
| Airport and Lake Hood | $$ | Lake Hood Seaplane Base, Alaska Aviation Museum, Kincaid Park |
| Hillside and South Anchorage | $$$ | Flattop Mountain, Alaska Zoo, Potter Marsh |
| Girdwood | $$$ | Alyeska Resort, Winner Creek Trail, Turnagain Arm |
| Eagle River | $$ | Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park, Glenn Highway |
Getting to your hotel
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is about 8 km southwest of downtown, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing. Many hotels run shuttles, and People Mover buses serve the airport less frequently.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Anchorage for first-time visitors?
Downtown. Downtown, roughly from 3rd to 9th Avenue between the inlet and Cordova Street, has most of the large hotels, the Anchorage Museum, the railroad depot and the Coastal Trail's start.
+Where should families stay in Anchorage?
Downtown: Walk to museums, trails and the train.
+Which area of Anchorage is best for a budget stay?
Midtown ($$): Commercial heart with chain hotels, malls and easy road access.