Destination: Alaska Meeting & Event Planning City Guide
Featured Venue
Valdez CVB
Po Box 1603. 104 Chenega St, Valdez, Alaska, 99686
0
18,000 sq ft
Even Mother Nature has Favorites. See Why. Meet in Valdez!
Destination Articles
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Transformative Meetings in Alaska
By Christine Loomis
April 27, 2012
One reward of meeting here: the humbling, restorative power of the land
It’s the famous travel-writing cliche: a land of contrasts—but here, so true.
There’s the hopelessly blurred line between urban offerings and wilderness, vast mountain ranges and glaciers tinged with electric blue in sight of city skylines. There’s the fact that you’re as likely to see moose moseying along riverbanks in town as in remote backcountry, and the appeal of endless hours of daylight when you don’t have to flip a switch at 11:30 p.m. to peruse your iPad or smart phone, contrasted with near endless winter night for long periods in the far north. Alaska is home to Mount McKinley, North America’s highest mountain at 20,320 feet, and to hump-shouldered brown bears the size of SUVs. Fields of fragile wildflowers bloom against an icy backdrop of sharp peaks, and visitors kick back from the overpowering scale of the landscape to focus in on the nuances of superbly crafted local cuisine. For attendees wanting a bonding or team-building experience, what is arguably the most productive salmon fishing in the world awaits. Then again, those tasty behemoths lying at the bottom of Cook Inlet force a decision: salmon or halibut?
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Snapshot: Anchorage, Alaska
By Carolyn Koenig
February 13, 2012
On the 10-minute drive from the airport to downtown, you get the whole Anchorage message. The city is easily accessible, it’s low-rise and it’s framed in the distance by picturesque mountains. Along the way, on Lake Hood, is the largest and busiest float-plane base in the world, a clue to a distinct way of life for residents and the city’s role as a gateway to the further frontier.
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The Superlative State
By Renee Brincks
April 22, 2011
America’s largest state sets many records. Alaska has the country’s highest mountain (Mount McKinley), two largest national forests (the Tongass and Chugach) and greatest concentration of bald eagles (they converge near Haines late each autumn), plus more active glaciers than anywhere in the inhabited world.
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The Last Frontier at Age 51
By Renee Brincks
April 28, 2010
Now, into its 51st anniversary as the 49th state, the land of the midnight sun still lures travelers with legendary natural beauty: everything from active glaciers and arctic terrain to temperate rainforests and rare wildlife.
Learn about Alaska for Event Venues, Services & Meeting Destinations
Destination Description
Thought of as a faraway icy land, Alaska is much closer than you think. While proximity to the North Pole does make for extreme seasons—and depending on when you visit, you might find yourself entirely in darkness or 24-hour daylight — this state is a lot more mainstream than its reputation suggests.
For all the lush settings and exotic natural spectacles (most notably the northern lights), Alaska is not all about roughing it — today’s visitors will find developed city centers and sophisticated cultural attractions befitting America’s largest state. Its legendary igloos and tribes are part of the mix, with some 22 native languages, principally of the Eskimo-Aleut and the Na-Dene families, still in use. The famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which runs all across the state, is both a celebration of a long-standing pastime and an indelible reminder of regional roots.
It’s elements like these that make our northernmost state a true smorgasbord of old and new, with a distinctly indigenous history you won’t find anywhere else.
