Life in Anchorage

[T.S.]

What can anybody tell me about living in the Anchorage metro area? Jobs, Crime, Housing, Culture, Entertainment, Weather, Snowfall, and things like that.

I don't think that I would actually move to Alaska, but I am curious about it since Anchorage came up #1 when my wife took the "Find Your Spot" quiz.

[atlantagh]

Originally Posted by T.S.

What can anybody tell me about living in the Anchorage metro area? Jobs, Crime, Housing, Culture, Entertainment, Weather, Snowfall, and things like that.

I don't think that I would actually move to Alaska, but I am curious about it since Anchorage came up #1 when my wife took the "Find Your Spot" quiz.

---------------------------

A friend of mine spent some time up there for a job and I think he spent a total of 4-5 weeks up there on two trips. He said it was ok, but said it wasn't his idea of an "attractive" city. Keeping in mind he lives in a pretty well-to-do area of Atlanta that's lush and heavily landscaped though - but compared to that, he called it "stark".

Overall he didn't hate it or anything, he just made several comments like it felt a bit depressing. Remember they get earthquakes up there, too. ;-)

He loved Juneau, Alaska, though. It's livelier due to tourism and he said felt more vibrant - kind of like a Gatlinburg, TN surrounded by huge mountains and moose.

[T.S.]

Originally Posted by atlantagh

A friend of mine spent some time up there for a job and I think he spent a total of 4-5 weeks up there on two trips. He said it was ok, but said it wasn't his idea of an "attractive" city. Keeping in mind he lives in a pretty well-to-do area of Atlanta that's lush and heavily landscaped though - but compared to that, he called it "stark".

Overall he didn't hate it or anything, he just made several comments like it felt a bit depressing. Remember they get earthquakes up there, too. ;-)

He loved Juneau, Alaska, though. It's livelier due to tourism and he said felt more vibrant - kind of like a Gatlinburg, TN surrounded by huge mountains and moose.

Interesting. Thanks for the reply.

Does anybody else have any information to share?

[Sekretgardengal]

Oh Gatlinburg TN is so pretty. It's great for vacationing.
We want to take a cruise to Alaska. We can't wait till we can. It looks so beautiful there. They say to go in June. We need to save up for that trip.

[CandyApple]

Anchorage looks the ugliest during the spring when the snow is melting/ has just melted. The place looks drab and bleak and ugly with concrete, dead grass, and bare trees. Plus that's when the trash begins to bloom. Fortunately we have a city cleanup day- that helps.

Summer is pretty, fall is pretty, winter is pretty but cold. I'd write more but I'm under baby attack.

[CandyApple]

Ok, I posted this in the "other" forum, and think it might be tacky to post the same thing in two places (is it?), but considering the lack of info about Anchorage I'll include it here, too.

I have a song I made up...

The sky is clear
And it is noon
But the light is dim
The sun will go down soon

We live in the land of snow and ice
The land of Alaska, a paradise
A paradise with mosquito bites
That's where we live, in paradise

There's some nice things about Alaska, there's some not so nice things. But considering my choices were to move to Alaska or stay with my mom... OH GOD NO I DON'T REGRET MOVING HERE!!!!! I'd live just about anywhere to not live with my mom.

Alaska is a pretty special place. Once you stop and think about it, you realize that 6 months of snow is kind of nifty, and the summers have these long periods of twilight that are always fun to go walking in, or bicycling. The thing is, you have to actually go out and experience, like, and appreciate the uniqueness and beauty in Alaska. Since I DON'T do that, this really isn't the place for me. If I'm not out of here next summer, I will be so mad at myself.

Heck, I live twenty minutes from the mountains, I LOVE the mountains, and I only went there ONCE last summer. During the winter I hibernate in my house. The darkness sucks my energy and I don't get things done. I never go skiing, I haven't gone for a ride in the horse carriage that trots along downtown, I don't even go for walks because getting ready with all those layers, and getting my daughter ready, is such a chore. And pushing a stroller through several feet of snow is... difficult. And I tolerate heat a lot better than the cold.

It was so nice visiting Arizona- I just slipped on my sandals and my daughter's shoes and stepped outside. And with the light I actually had some energy.

It's really a matter of temperament. Some people will come to Alaska and thrive, others will come here and hate it, and some will have something in between. The question is, what kind of person are you? What do you like? What are you naturally inclined to do? What do you have to make yourself do? What sorts of inconveniences are intolerable, and which ones are just inconvenient?

If you're serious, visit during the winter for about a month or two, see what you think. Oh, and Anchorage gets really icy during the winter, which is worse than the cold AND the dark, because I'm afraid to walk without something to hold onto, even with my Yak Tracks ice grips. I think, if I ever had to run for my life, I don't think I could.

[MyAzi]

Originally Posted by CandyApple

Anchorage looks the ugliest during the spring when the snow is melting/ has just melted. The place looks drab and bleak and ugly with concrete, dead grass, and bare trees. Plus that's when the trash begins to bloom.

When I read this post it took me back to the spring I was 14 and living in Anchorage... That is how I remember it... The drab Concrete city... but get out of the city and WOW Beautiful!!!