OT - What to do in Alaska?

[teamspatula]

OK, so Saturday I'm flying up to Anchorage, Alaska to spend 10 days with some friends up there. They'll be working some of the time, so I'll have some days by myself to wander around.
I was just wondering if there are any especially cool things to check out in the Anchorage area? Cheap/free is good, since I'm on a low-budget trip...I have some ideas, but figured that if any of y'all have been up there, or can recommend anything I shouldn't miss, that would be cool...
Any places to rent a jeep to abuse on some trails?
thanks...

[lomodyj]

Some of the car rental places have wranglers and/or grands. You can get way lost just outside of Anchorage, be careful, very careful about where you go, stay on the map and know where you are on that map.

Once you get into town from the airport, you can walk from one side of "downtown" to the other in about 25 minutes.

Look up the Sleeping Lady/Snow Goose Brewery and Resturant on 3rd ave. Skip the "glacier house brewery" food is better in Raleigh...

Anchorage museum of art and history is supposed to be good. It was closed for renovations when we were there. (on 7th ave at C street)

Town square park has lots of loitering...everything from hippies hanging out to skate punks to homeless people (who would want to be homeless in AK???)

If you can swing the dime, get a tour with Rust's! See photo's of our tour here. You will never forget the experience if the day is clear.

See more of our trip in 2004.

I'll think of some more stuff later.

There was a guy on the SWB board a while back (cj5pilot) who lived just north of Anchorage, he has not been on in a while, but I think I have his email, might be another person to hook up with.

[LoneWolf]

Hey Spat,
I've got several friends in Alaska also. I also
own a Hurst Jeepster that is in Alaska. You could go
by and work on it for me while your there. Better yet
you could just drive it home for me. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]
LW

[teamspatula]

Wow Galen - those pics are awesome...I'm hoping to kind of keep this a low-budget trip, since the ticket ate up a good chunk of my spending $$$, but that looks like a lot of fun.
Lone Wolf - I'm sure we could take the Hurst out for a spin & make sure it's being driven. I'd hate to try to fly with tools nowadays, though - I'm sure I'd get all kinds of searched.
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I'd love to drive it back, although between gas and time it may be a while before I can afford to. That would be awesome, though.

[PostalJeepster]

You could stop by my Mom and Dads house in Soldatna, about 3 hr drive, 1/2 hr flight, and get a free meal and say hi for me. Hav e a great trip, this is the perfect time to go. The Reds will be just sitting around in the lakes in a few weeks. And the Silver Salmon will be hitting hard. Aaron

[teamspatula]

Got back about 1 am, 3 hours late thanks to broken airplanes...at least they figured it out before we left the ground...
Alaska is AWESOME! Saw tons of Cherokees, Grands, etc, but 2 CJs were the only old Jeeps I saw...I'd love to have the Commando up there, though. Saw tons of trails around the mountains, and a couple of really muddy built up YJs & TJs...looks like there would be plenty of fun if you had your rig, and made friends with a few locals...
Anyway, now to catch up on all the posts, as well as some sleep. (Had to wake up for work at 3 am AK time)