curious about alaska (Anchorage, Kenai, Sterling: travel, home, crime)

[calicocutie]

I have been curious about moving to Alaska for quite some time. Whenever the Discovery channel has something on Alaska I'm watching it. My favorite show was Northern Exposure! Is there such a town in Alaska like the fictitious Cicely? A small town where it seems people help each other and there is no crime to speak of? If there is, I'd love to know that towns name. Maybe someday my husband and I will make that move "North to Alaska"!! We both love the snow and the cold doesn't really bother us. We are quite close to retirement--looking for something quiet and different. I'm also new to this site--so, Hello, everyone Right now we live in New England. Cold is not new to us. Thanks for taking time to read this. Rosaire

[KWBoyd]

I don't think there is any place quite like Cicely, but Hope, Alaska has that friendly small town feel. Although it is just across Turnagain Arm from Anchorage, it is about an hour drive down the Seward Highway. A lot of people visit in summer, for the fishing, hiking, and fabulous views, but when the tourist season ends there is a small core group of people who remain. It would be a great place to live if you don't mind the long drive for major shopping.

[flu189]

After having had lived in AK for over 21 years a few words of advice. Yes, the scenery is incredible, but don't let magazine and travel/nature programs guide your decision to make such a major move. Visit and spend some time checking things out and do some research. At least today you can find so much unbiased information and data on the net to help guide your decision (climate, business, cost of living, utility information, etc) something that was not possible not that long ago. Also consider the cost of travel both in and out of state as I knew many folks to whom this was an important factor.

[mal_flisk]

The town used in Northern Exposure was the town of Roslyn, WA. Areas with the look and feel of Cicely - Kenai, Anchor Point, Clam Gulch, Sterling, Haines, Petersburg, Cordova, Delta Junction

[NoMoss]

I moved to AK in 1995 (when Northern Exposure was popular!). I thought it was going to be the answer to everything in my life! I lived in Seward a few months (go to Exit Glacier if you ever go there, and take a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park) and then in Anchorage for almost 3 years. I liked Anchorage a lot, and there are great places to visit (Denali, Homer). I have heard the places in the southeast are more "Northern Exposure-like", but I never went there. It is very isolating--be prepared to want to travel a lot (it is very expensive). I found that it was too far away from everyone else I knew. Try it!