Going to be up in Anchorage for work the week of 18-21APR22 and may have some down time in the schedule. If you had a day to work with and a rental car, what would be your first picks? Too early for spring kings and/or bows, right?

Get the Alaskan Burger at Hamburger Haven.

Get out and drive, see as much as you can.

A lot of good recommendations here:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/16261985/1

On the list!




Think I've ticked most of those off at some point or another- not any fishing going on within an hour or two drive that time of year, is there?

Would avoid Hamburger Haven moved one years ago 1/2" of mold in soft drink fountain, could scrape grease 1/4" in the cooking area, sewage back up in one, they were stacking buns, that were floating in sewage, buns were in plastic, from floor to higher racks. Never been in one since!

Main event catering on 78th between the Old and New Seward highways has the best burger in ANC now.

You should be able to find a bear on hillsides to the south of town with a decent binocular. Nights will be quite short by then.

Drive toward Whittier, you don't have to go through the tunnel since you're short on time. Turn around at the tunnel and head down to Seward or Soldotna. Hopefully, it's a beautiful sunny day, Alaska is the most beautiful on a blue sunny day; and that's just my opinion. Food? Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth, or you can just Google best restaurant near me and decide. Have a great trip!

get on a boat in Homer and catch a couple winter kings out on the salt

🤢🤮

Haha check. Like the glassing bears idea, will throw a pair of binos in my bag

All you guys got is burgers and beer in Los Anchorage?

I know it's not really Alaska, but that's the best you guys can suggest ?

Nobody even has to suggest the Bush Co anymore, its famous already

I think getting out of town was a good recommendation. I guess if you like museums, we have a good museum. If you like aviation, Lake Hood can be a cool stop, but probably not a full day. If you like aviation and museums, we have a good aviation museum... or so I have heard.

For food and drink here is last years list:
https://www.adnbestofalaska.com/winners#food-and-drink

the best Alaskan food comes from all over the state and ya gotta kill & prepare it yourself

this was my dinner 10 min ago .....

Bbq'd Montague Island (Cape Clear) Red snapper, Thai jasmine rice, herring eggs on kelp from Sitka and Kenai River sockeye salmon eggs

....

A few points about some of the businesses listed here...

Spenard Roadhouse is not bad... however it is owned by a group of left wingers of the worst kind. Snow City Cafe, Crush, South, and a couple others are owned by the same group. One of the group of owners is our past mayor. Another was on a very small board which got to choose which restaurants got special dispensations during Covid shutdowns and were so obviously twisted. One restaurant got to put up a tent on city property, another to shut down a city street to set up their tent in the street. Many other restaurants were turned down though they wanted to use their own property!

Kriner's Diner is on the list and it is worthy! The food is good, portions are huge, and the owners are good conservative folks.

Turnagain Arm Pit used to be in a tiny building and they put out great BBQ. They got into a full-size restaurant and started up a small storefront in Anchorage also. They several times I have been to the new place the meat sucks. It seems rushed, bland, and not worth the money. The Smokehouse BBQ is on the list and it proves we do not understand BBQ in this town. AJs Ribs a GO GO is also on the list and is easily the best in town.

Lucky Wishbone has the best chicken in town.

Sullivan's Steakhouse is seriously overly pretensious, overly expensive, and the food is very mediocre. The steaks are way sub-par. Club Paris has the best steak in town. If you can get to Girdwood to the Double Muskie you can get the best steak around. About half the people eating there order the French Pepper Steak.

I agree with Sitka deer and his recommendations. I won’t go to places where the former mayor has an interest. I like Simon & Seafort’s and Charlie’s Bakery as well.

You will be about a month early for kings in Ship Creek (in Anchorage).

Kings can be found in Homer, but a bit far for a day trip. About 4-1/2 hrs each way.

Charters out of Seward typically start at the end of April or beginning of May (which ever lands closest to a weekend). You might try calling ProFish-n-Sea. Their website shows fishing from March to October. It will probably be hit or miss on when they can fill a boat. They may be able to steer you towards someplace else if they are not running then.

As already suggested, getting out of town for some sight seeing is probably your best bet. April is generally one of the sunnier months, and with snow still around the sights can be spectacular. Some brown spring ugliness to be found too. South towards Whittier or Seward will yield the most scenic views. If you have not seen Denali yet, you could make a trip north. There a couple viewing locations part way up to the park, or on the way to Talkeetna.

It might be a week or two early and a long trip if you go. Once roads have been cleared Denali NP allows access further in than during tourist season. Pre-season access is typically allowed past the Savage River to the Teklanika viewing area. You might be able to sight a bear or two?

It must be true. The sign on the front window of the building states that!

I have not yet been there, so can not attest to the accuracy of that proclamation. Tommy's would get my vote until then.

Nothing wrong with Tommy's burgers but they were serious maskholes during the Covid crap and way after...

Last visit was pre-covid and I was not aware of their actions in that regard. In retrospect I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. In support of their views I will continue to social distance from their establishment!

One of their burgers has two big patties, bacon, ham, and all sorts of stuff... then it is breaded and deep fried... the whole thing!

Arctic Roadrunner is my choice.

About what I figured. Got onto some pretty good dry fly fishing last summer down towards Seward, but I suppose it's probably a bit early for that to be happening too. Will probably take a spin down Turnagain and see some sights. Thanks for the input!

We have pretty much quit eating out at resturants, every place has a help wanted sign! Tough to find help that wants to work when they can stay home and make the same money. Been very dissapointed in formally great places here. Know its similar outside but here it seems more accute.

They are alright, though only a shade of what they were in the late 60's early 70's...
Would'nt pass one up though.

Had a Branch burger this afternoon... bacon cheese of course... ARR is ok... but not really in the running.

Moose’s tooth for pizza and craft beer. One of my favorite places in the big city.

Just took a drive to catch the Aurora. Not bad, but the moon is nearly full and washed out most of the action.