Moving to Anchorage for 6 months (Fairbanks, Palmer: home, transfer, movie theaters)

[TX2AK]

I’ll be moving to Anchorage for 6 months starting in February and was hoping to get an overall feel for the city. Having never been to Alaska, what city in the lower 48 would you compare Anchorage to? I was thinking Denver, but, again don’t really know. What is the overall vibe of the city?

[Northrick]

Couldn't say. It's kind of it's own place. Of course other commenters might compare it to Los Angles, as Los Anchorage, is a common moniker, but they'd be wrong. This place is nothing like LA.

[Haolejohn]

Seattle 2.0 Possibly. Though not really same vibe. Anchorage is unique and It has some nice qualities about it. Crowded? Sure, but not compared to most lower48 cities.

Crime? Sure and that seems to be on the uprise.
There is a fairly large military base, and if you’ve ever lived near a military base you’d get that vibe from the city.

[riceme]

I have not spent a whole lot of time there, but I agree with these guys that there is not really a good comparison. As far as cities go, I don't hate it. It is not a place I would choose to live, but I generally do not get along well in cities at all. I had a Level 10 Meltdown trying to drive in Fairbanks traffic on NYE. I was later reminded that we do not actually have traffic and that the worst traffic jam I had previously been in in Alaska was at the transfer site (which is like the dump) on an unusually nice fall day right before winter.

I might describe Anchorage as an imaginary city in Colorado. Not Denver, not Boulder, not Durango... but it seems like it belongs there, and not here. Maybe a bigger, newer Flagstaff?? I would also agree with Seattle 2.0 or Portland Jr., and that it is not actually anything like Los Angeles, which is a disgusting cesspool.

[Frostnip]

Imagine Denver was a person, and he had a grimy little brother who was super unambitious, habitually referred to women as "broads," and drank a lot. That'd be Anchorage.

I mean, it's not BAD. I think the problem with Anchorage is that for people who like big cities, it doesn't really have big city amenities and attractions, but it still has most of the downsides of big cities, so people who don't like big cities won't like it either.

Upsides are that it's surrounded by fantastic natural beauty and it's more affordable than most of the rest of the state. If you're outdoorsy and/or can make your own fun it's a decent place to live.

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

Imagine Denver was a person, and he had a grimy little brother who was super unambitious, habitually referred to women as "broads," and drank a lot. That'd be Anchorage.

I mean, it's not BAD. I think the problem with Anchorage is that for people who like big cities, it doesn't really have big city amenities and attractions, but it still has most of the downsides of big cities, so people who don't like big cities won't like it either.

Upsides are that it's surrounded by fantastic natural beauty and it's more affordable than most of the rest of the state. If you're outdoorsy and/or can make your own fun it's a decent place to live.

I'd agree with much of that. I'd disagree with the statement that "it doesn't really have big city amenities and attractions." We do, just not as many or as big. We have nice restaurants, a nice museum, the performing arts center that gets a variety of shows, plenty of movie theaters, malls, stores, etc. What we don't get are big name bands or any pro sports teams, other than minor league baseball. We also don't have traffic congestion anywhere near the scale of places like Seattle, LA, or DC.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Northrick

We also don't have traffic congestion anywhere near the scale of places like Seattle, LA, or DC.

Unless of course you are one of those people who insist on living close enough to the city to commute or be entertained, but also insist on living in what they imagine is real Alaska. They pick suburban places like Eagle River or Palmer, then complain when they get stuck on one of the only two commuting routes for a couple of hours when someone inevitably loses control of their car and causes a traffic pileup. They want city amenities but they also want AK. Sort of an anachronism.

I still tend to think of Anchorage as a "service town"...just a more elaborate service town with more things to do while you wait. Guess that's because I only seem to go there when I need something no one else can provide. Last trip was a medivac out of Homer to Providence in the middle of the night. The bills are just starting to arrive. So much fun.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Northrick

We also don't have traffic congestion anywhere near the scale of places like Seattle, LA, or DC.

Unless of course you are one of those people who insist on living close enough to the city to commute or be entertained, but also insist on living in what they imagine is real Alaska. They pick suburban places like Eagle River or Palmer, then complain when they get stuck on one of the only two commuting routes for a couple of hours when someone inevitably loses control of their car and causes a traffic pileup. They want city amenities but they also want AK. Sort of an anachronism.

I still tend to think of Anchorage as a "service town"...just a more elaborate service town with more things to do while you wait. Guess that's because I only seem to go there when I need something no one else can provide. Last trip was a medivac out of Homer to Providence in the middle of the night. The bills are just starting to arrive. So much fun. I'm not bashing Anchorage even though it sounds a little like it.

[mike1003]

All I know is 2 things:


1) We only visited Anchorage for a week and both of us loved the city. Good (although expensive) restaurants and some big city amenities. Beautiful scenery and the people we came in contact with were very friendly. That is all I know on a personal level.


2) We have six, or seven, professional friends. Some single - some married.



They all took 6 month contracts (pharmacists, nurses and doctors) to work in Anchorage. ALL stayed! One for over 10 years and only moved back was because her parents were ill. The rest over 5 years. (The married couples moved back home because they had kids while in Alaska and it was a burden for them to be with older grand-parents. And, the last one to move home was because he had terminal cancer and wanted to be near his children and grand children


ALL LOVED Alaska and Anchorage

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

Unless of course you are one of those people who insist on living close enough to the city to commute or be entertained, but also insist on living in what they imagine is real Alaska. They pick suburban places like Eagle River or Palmer, then complain when they get stuck on one of the only two commuting routes for a couple of hours when someone inevitably loses control of their car and causes a traffic pileup. They want city amenities but they also want AK. Sort of an anachronism.

I still tend to think of Anchorage as a "service town"...just a more elaborate service town with more things to do while you wait. Guess that's because I only seem to go there when I need something no one else can provide. Last trip was a medivac out of Homer to Providence in the middle of the night. The bills are just starting to arrive. So much fun.

Sorry to hear about your medical bills. No fun for sure in the highest health cost state in the highest health cost country.

I've been stuck in traffic outbound on the Glen Hwy on a Friday afternoon several times. I commuted in DC metropolitan traffic for over 7 years back in the 80's and 90's (it's even worse now). A backed up Glen still is not on the scale of a backed up I-495. That said, I live and work in Anchorage. About 12 mins to get to work and 15 to get home. Except when I ride my bike. That takes about 20 min each way.