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Destination Guide | Alaska
THE LAST FRONTIER AT AGE 51
By Renee Brincks
Apr 28, 2010
Now, into its 51st anniversary as the 49th state, the land of the midnight sun still lures travelers with
legendary natural beauty: everything from active glaciers and arctic terrain to temperate rainforests
and rare wildlife.

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“People always want to come to Alaska, and conferences here give them that opportunity,” says
Karen Zak, general manager of Visions Meeting & Event Management in Anchorage. Delegates often
bring spouses to events and, she adds, they tend to come early or stay late to explore. “In general, we
see a 20% increase in attendance for national events in Alaska, because it’s such a draw.”
Planners also appreciate the state’s no-nonsense appeal. Shoulder-season deals offer cost savings
(some attractions and accommodations are seasonal, so always confirm before visiting), while major
venues trade neon lights for mountain views, educational exhibits and authentic cultural experiences.
Alaskan wildlife.
You’ll find extreme cold and short days if you’d like, but mild weather is common too, particularly in
the southeast. And, Alaska is surprisingly accessible. Direct flights link Anchorage and Fairbanks
with America’s major mainland cities, and the trip from Seattle to Juneau only takes about two hours
by air.
“For years, people have been going to Hawaii or traveling from the west coast to the east coast for
conferences. But we’re only seven hours from Atlanta, nonstop, and once you get here it’s all worth
it,” Zak says.
Southeast: Inside Passage (Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka)
Tucked in the Tongass National Forest, downtown Juneau sits between the Gastineau Channel and
3,800-foot mountain peaks. Because the water and a 1,500-square-mile glacial ice field encircle

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Alaska’s state capital, guests arrive by ferry or flight.
“Just about everything people want to see on a trip to Alaska is right here in town,” says Ken Hill,
convention sales manager for the Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We have whale watching,
the auroras in the winter, the nature that everyone wants to see, the mining history...and what really
stands out is the Alaskan Native culture. It’s such a big part of the Southeast, and it’s very accessible
here.”
Native and Russian relics are on display at the Alaska State Museum, and the Juneau-Douglas City
Museum holds up to 285 for receptions. Each is a short walk from Juneau’s main event venue, the
20,000-square-foot Centennial Hall Convention Center. Inside, the Sheffield Ballroom seats 700 for
banquets, while several smaller rooms accommodate receptions and breakout affairs.
Nearby, The Silverbow Inn and Westmark Baranof Juneau are among downtown properties with
meeting space, while surrounding restaurants serve up local fare and are well situated for group dinearound
events.
Ice Cave on Mendenhall Glacier.
Nature is another big Inside Passage draw. In Juneau, hop on the Mount Roberts Tramway to reach a
visitor complex 1,800 feet above town (May–September only). Take a car, coach or helicopter to the
Mendenhall Glacier. Embark on whale-watching, wildlife-viewing and glacier tours for up to 150
with Allen Marine Tours, or customize kayak outings and glacier treks for smaller groups with Above
& Beyond Alaska.
Planners can get the best deals by being flexible with dates. Hill suggests booking in April and May,
after the legislative season, or September and October, after the summer tourist push. “Regardless of
the time of year, you’ll see something here that you wouldn’t at another destination,” he says.
To the south, Ketchikan maintains its historic fishing and frontier-town feel. Walking tour maps
available from the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau introduce downtown, while floatplane tours and cruises
explore the region and provide access to the 2.3-million acre Misty Fjords National Monument. Sportfishing
opportunities abound from May to September, and vendors such as Anglers Adventures &
Outfitters can assist with cleaning, processing and shipping of the day’s catch.
Natural light pours through dormers in Ketchikan’s main meeting facility, the Ted Ferry Civic Center,
which has a 4,500-square-foot ballroom and an adjoining 1,500-foot stage. The Cape Fox Lodge and
Best Western Landing Hotel each hold up to 250 for events.

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On the outer coast of the Inside Passage, winding waterways and dense forests surround scenic Sitka.
Harrigan Centennial Hall overlooks Sitka Sound and houses a historical museum, wildlife display and
18,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Its main auditorium holds 500. Native artifacts and traditions take
center stage at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Community House, which accommodates up to 300.
You’ll find plenty of spousal activities and post-trip options in Sitka, too. Start with displays that
honor the region’s Native, Russian and American cultures at the Sitka National Historic Park, which
includes the meticulously restored Russian Bishop’s House. Enjoy up-close access to bald eagles and
other birds at the Alaska Raptor Center. Hiking, ATV and boat excursions are ideal for exploring and
snapping photos of Mt. Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano that dominates the local skyline.
Interior: Fairbanks and Denali
Jennifer Jolis, director of meetings and conventions of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau
(explorefairbanks.com), calls Fairbanks “the jumping off place for so much of the Alaska
experience.”
“We have 24 hours of daylight in the summer; we have the high and low temperatures. People who
come here are energized by the quality of light. It’s a very exciting place, with a spirit and warmth
that set us apart,” she says.
Outings here include skiing, hiking and gold panning tours, plus opportunities to watch birds, polar
bears and, of course, the northern lights. PAWS for Adventure’s dog-mushing classes make for a truly
memorable team-building option. Riverboat Discovery’s summertime sternwheeler cruises take guests
for a leisurely trip down the Chena and Tanana Rivers.
Fairbanks trades traditional convention center facilities for a selection of distinctive venues. The
newest is the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, a riverfront facility celebrating the
character and citizens of Alaska’s interior. Visitor information, a theater, classroom facilities and
space for artisan demonstrations are among interior highlights.
A 35,000-square-foot arena and 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting facilities are offered at the Carlson Center,
while the University of Alaska Museum of the North holds up to 800 reception guests. A narrowgauge
train, several museums, mini-golf and several restaurants surround 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting
space at Fairbanks’ Pioneer Park.
Of the local hotels with function rooms, several stand out with exceptional amenities. The 105-degree
waters at Chena Hot Springs Resort once soothed prospectors’ sore muscles. Today, guests soak in
the springs, which generate geothermal power for the resort and heat greenhouses where produce
flourishes year-round. Also on-site, the Aurora Ice Museum has intricate ice sculptures and martinis
served in carved ice glasses. The 30,000-square-foot Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, at the
Wedgewood Resort, offers event space and a scenic location adjacent to the 75-acre Wedgewood
Wildlife Sanctuary.
When folks from the lower 48 think of Alaska, they often picture the diverse wildlife and majestic
peaks of Denali National Park and Preserve. With herds of moose and caribou, curly-horned Dall
rams and grizzly bears that feast on plump berries, plus more than 1,500 species of plants, lichens and
mosses, the park’s living marvels alone impress. Add to that an assortment of glaciers, lakes and
mountain streams, and the 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley (locally, North America’s highest peak is
referred to as Denali or just “the mountain”), and you’ve got an awe-inspiring getaway.

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The redesigned Eielson Visitor Center, which reopened in 2008, is one of several showcasing
Denali’s history, ecology and highlights. Private vehicles are only allowed on 15 miles of the 90-mile
Denali Park Road, but buses and trains make for easy exploration. A cluster of hotels sits near the
park entrance, 120 miles south of Fairbanks. The McKinley Chalet Resort has 345 rooms and several
dining venues. A dinner theater and outdoor hot tubs are among amenities at the 656-room Denali
Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Jolis says some groups fly into Anchorage and take the Alaska Railroad north, with a two- or threeday
stop in Denali. Then, they end up in Fairbanks for their meeting. The train is a potential
conference venue on the rails, as well.
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage.
“We’ve had groups who got two cars on the train and had their meeting on the way up from
Anchorage to Fairbanks,” says Jolis, noting that train schedules vary by season. “It’s the most
incredible scenery. The railroad goes where cars don’t run.”
Southcentral: Anchorage and Valdez
Recently, 700 American Association of Port Authorities conference delegates were treated to a formal
evening on the Alaska Railroad.
“We chartered 20 rail cars with huge, panorama-view windows, and guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner
as we traveled along Turnagain Arm,” says event planner Karen Zak. After dinner, attendees
wandered through entertainment cars outfitted with live music, desserts and dancing. “It was
spectacular. It was the highlight of our conference.”
Based at the Hilton Anchorage, the five-day convention also featured a last frontier-themed opening
reception, tours and a salmon bake at the Alaska Native Heritage Center and a northern lights gala at
Anchorage’s new Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center. Among the facility’s 200,000 sq. ft. of
function space are a 50,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 25,000-square-foot mountain-view ballroom and
heated outdoor deck. The Dena’ina Center also features enclosed access to the William A. Egan
Convention Center and the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, and ups the city’s convention
capacity by 300%. Remarkable views and grand art installations, including one with 660 strands of
beads and 4,000 pieces of stained glass, add to the allure.

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“The new facility was designed with the idea that since attendees are in Alaska, they should see
Alaska. The exhibit hall has huge windows and skylights, so there’s lots of natural light, and one
whole wall of windows looks at the Chugach Mountains,” says Julie Dodds, director of convention
sales for the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Guestroom at Captain Hook.
A short stroll from the convention district is the 547-room Hotel Captain Cook, which recently
completed $2 million in room upgrades and athletic club renovations. Nearby, the Sheraton
Anchorage Hotel & Spa wrapped up a $15-million project that refreshed the business center and
Ptarmigan Lounge, brought new flat-screen, high-definition televisions to all guest rooms and created
a new steak and seafood restaurant. The property also introduced the new 5,500-square-foot Ice Spa.
A 165-room Crowne Plaza Hotel opened in Anchorage last fall.
Forty miles down the road, the full-service Alyeska Resort has 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting facilities, chic
chateau-style accommodations, a spa and fitness center and year-round skiing and recreation in the
Chugach Mountains.
Set against those same mountains in Prince William Sound, the community of Valdez is pure
backcountry beauty with glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and deepwater fjords. More than 300 inches of
snow blanket Valdez each winter, while the average annual snowfall doubles just 30 miles away at
Thompson Pass. With the arrival of warm spring temperatures, however, hiking, white-water rafting
and fishing replace skiing, snowboarding and ice climbing.
The Valdez Convention & Civic Center accommodates groups of up to 450. A three-section ballroom
and 487-seat theater are at the center of the 20,000-square-foot facility. Three conference rooms
overlooking Port Valdez accommodate breakouts, and a commercial kitchen is available for catering.
For off-site meetings and spousal activities, the Valdez Museum & Historical Archive hosts
receptions and tours of exhibits exploring the gold rush, the 1964 Alaska Earthquake and the Trans-
Alaska Pipeline, as well as Native culture and Alaska’s first highway. Art, artifacts and dramatic
wildlife mounts fill the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum at Prince William Sound Community
College. Pangea Adventures leads kayak trips, glacier hikes and multiday backpacking excursions in
the Chugach Mountains and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve.

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Distant Destinations: Fox Island, Kodiak and Nome
For a more edge-of-the-world experience, consider one of the state’s more secluded destinations.
Southwest of Valdez, about 45 minutes from Seward by boat, Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge
occupies prime Fox Island waterfront. The three-square-mile island in Resurrection Bay, near Kenai
Fjords National Park, houses a day lodge that holds up to 300 guests and a wilderness lodge that
accommodates 22 for board meetings and executive work sessions. Facilities are available between
mid-May and mid-September.
Small groups can sleep on the island in comfortable television- and telephone-free cabins. Larger
conventions often overnight at the Seward Windsong Lodge, a 180-room property that recently
introduced a new 120-person conference room. From there, they travel to Fox Island by catamaran.
Popular island meeting packages include a lunch buffet with wild Alaskan salmon, prime rib or
Alaskan King Crab, plus kayak outings, rock-skipping contests, wildlife viewing and beach combing.
“Fox Island has a 24- to 27-foot tide change every 24 hours, so you’ll see sea stars and jellyfish
washed up on shore,” says Lisa Frye, sales and marketing manager for Ciri Alaska Tourism. “It’s
quite common to see river otters and sea otters. Orcas swim right along the cove and the beach.”
Brown bears are the big draw on Kodiak Island, in the Gulf of Alaska. The Kodiak National Wildlife
Refuge covers two-thirds of the island; the Kodiak Island Convention & Visitors Bureau connects
groups with outfitters who run bear-viewing excursions. Lush hills and bustling harbors surround this
small port city, which shakes off winter with the lively Kodiak Crab Festival each May.
Kodiak’s Best Western and Comfort Inn offer harbor- and river-view event rooms. Additional
meeting venues here include the Fishery Industrial Technology Center and the United States Coast
Guard’s Golden Anchor banquet facility.
About 100 miles from the Arctic Circle, Nome is classic, remote Alaska, complete with reindeer, gold
panning, Eskimo villages and more than 21 hours of daylight on the year’s longest day. The annual
Iditarod sled dog race finishes here, so several small inns stand ready to host spectators and visitors
who venture north to explore unspoiled wilderness. The 54-room Aurora Inn & Suites seats 50 in a
600-square-foot conference room. Larger groups can book Pioneer Hall, which has a 250-person
capacity.
Downtown, the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum chronicles the region’s past. Nome Discovery
Tours leads excursions focused on Native culture, Gold Rush history and flora and fauna. The June
Midnight Sun Festival celebrates the solstice, and the community draws avid bird watchers in July,
says Mitch Erickson, head of the Nome Convention & Visitors Bureau. The bureau website suggests
activities by season, directing guests to annual events, outdoor recreation, mining displays and historic
landmarks.
Erickson recommends visiting during the April–May and September–October shoulder seasons.
“April is my favorite time here,” Erickson says. “There is no wind, we have 18 hours of sunshine and
it’s not so beastly cold—but it’s still below 30, so you can still go outside for snowmobiling, dog
sledding, skiing and fishing for King Crab through the ice.”
Freelance writer Renee Brincks lived in Iowa, Alaska, Australia and Spain before settling in
California, where she writes for travel and lifestyle publications.

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For more information on properties, venues and attractions in Alaska, visit
smartmeetings.com/showcases/alaska. Back to Top
Getting There
• By Air: Alaska Airlines serves Alaska’s major cities, as well as many smaller communities.
Regional carriers also provide flight service throughout the year. Year-round and seasonal
nonstop flights from the lower 48 originate in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Denver, Minneapolis,
Chicago and Atlanta, among other cities.
• The major gateway airports are Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Fairbanks
International Airport and Juneau International Airport.
• By Rail: The Alaska Railroad links Anchorage and Fairbanks and serves Denali National Park
and Preserve. Additional stops are added during the summer season.
• By Ferry: Ferries navigate more than 3,500 miles through the Inside Passage, Gulf of Alaska
and Aleutian Islands on the Alaska Marine Highway system. The southernmost ports are
Bellingham, Wash. and Prince Rupert, B.C.
Back to Top
• Details
• Getting There
Fast Facts
Population 30,987
Altitude 16 ft
Temperature 20°f - 64°f
Nearest Airport Juneau International Airport
Map
750mi
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