Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson – or JBER – sits just north of Anchorage, Alaska’s “big city.” It also sits on the fringes of the wild, untamed, and vast Alaskan wilderness, with its diverse wildlife, majestic mountains, rivers, and rugged coastline. It truly is America’s last frontier. If you’re into the outdoors – hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and sightseeing – then you’ll think Alaska is heaven on Earth.
Sure, it gets a bit chilly during the wintertime, but that opens up a wide range of winter sports that you may not have considered trying, like snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, or maybe even taking a ride on a dog sled.
Many military members who complete an assignment at JBER never want to leave and, in fact, many of them stay or return after their military careers are over. This makes Anchorage and the surrounding area a very military-friendly place to live.
Let’s take a look at all the things that Anchorage and its environs have to offer military personnel, and even folks who aren’t associated with the military.
5 Places in Anchorage That Are Military Friendly
Chugach State Park
Location: Chugach State Park is huge – nearly half a million acres – but most of it lies within the municipality of Anchorage, within 15 minutes of JBER.
Entry Fee: There’s no specific entry fee, but you will be charged $5 to park. Or, you can buy an annual parking pass for $60.
Activities: Hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, camping, glacier viewing, horseback riding, gold-panning, ATV riding, snowmobiling, berry picking … and much more.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
Location: Access to the trail is available at the extreme northeast end of West 2nd Ave. near the railroad depot, at the extreme southwest end at Kincaid Chalet, and at several points in between.
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
- The trail is eleven miles long and, as the name implies, runs parallel along the coast of Knik Arm, offering beautiful views of Anchorage and, of course, the water.
- It’s perfect for hiking, biking, skiing, running, and rollerblading.
Anchorage Museum
Location: 625 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
Entry Fee: Military members, their family, and children aged 13-17 are $18 per person. Children aged 6-12 are $12 each, and children aged five and under are free.
Activities:
- The Anchorage Museum is a comprehensive art, history, ethnography, ecology, and science museum located in a modern building in the heart of Anchorage, Alaska. It is dedicated to studying and exploring the land, peoples, art, and history of Alaska.
- The museum displays material from its permanent collection, along with regular visiting exhibitions.
Alaska Aviation Museum
Location: 4721 Aircraft Drive, Anchorage, AK 99502
Entry Fee: $15 for military members and Veterans, $11 for children aged 3-13. Children aged two and under are free.
Activities:
- The Alaska Aviation Museum is located in the heart of Alaska aviation. It sits on the south shore of Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base in the world, with more than 87,000 takeoffs and landings per year. A half-mile away is Ted Stevens International Airport, the air crossroads of the world. You can watch takeoffs and landings right from the museum.
- The museum presents one of the finest displays of Alaskan aviation history with interactive displays, memorabilia, photographs, films, and artifacts from personal collections of Alaska’s pioneer aviators.
Kincaid Park
Location: 9401 Raspberry Rd, Anchorage, AK 99502
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
- Kincaid Park is situated among 1,400 acres of rolling, forested hills and beautiful scenery. Visitors are treated to spectacular views of Mt. Susitna across Cook Inlet; Fire Island; Denali and Mt. Foraker to the north; and the best sunsets in Anchorage! Many species of wildlife roam free within the park; so look for black and brown bears, moose, bald eagles, and a host of smaller wildlife like snowshoe hares, the occasional river otter, and songbirds.
- Kincaid's 60 kilometers of interwoven trails, of which nearly 20 kilometers are lighted, play host to four seasons of biking, hiking, biathlon, triathlon, walking, running, and skiing activities and competitions. Additionally, access to the 11-mile Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is within easy reach of the Outdoor Center.
5 Restaurants Near JBER That Are Sure to Please
Glacier BrewHouse
Location: 737 W. 5th Ave #110, Anchorage, AK 99501
Cost: Mid Range
Description:
The BrewHouse features rotisserie-grilled meats, seafood, wood-fired pizza, and award-winning brews. They also offer gluten-free, Keto, and vegetarian options. They are open for brunch on the weekend, and are known by their calling card, “Where Alaskans meet Alaskans.”
F Street Station
Location: 325 F Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
Cost: Mid Range
Description:
Their cozy and trendy venue perfectly balances casual dining with a vibrant bar atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for tourists, students, and locals alike.
One of the highlights of F Street Station is its exciting menu, which showcases an array of delectable dishes.
For seafood lovers, the Beer Battered Alaskan Halibut is a must-try. Another crowd favorite is the Sourdough Crab Sandwich, lauded for its fresh, sweet crab meat on warm sourdough. The French Onion Soup, cooked to bubbly perfection, is frequently mentioned by patrons, who appreciate its rich, cheesy goodness.
Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria
Location: 3300 Old Seward Highway, Anchorage, AK 99503
Cost: Mid Range
Description:
Founded in 1996, Moose’s Tooth serves pizza and beer. It offers a truly gourmet pizza experience, focusing on creative, high-quality food in a casual environment.
Be prepared to grab a pint and wait for a table. This place is busy.
Crow’s Nest
Location: 939 W. 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Cost: High
Description:
Perched atop the Captain Cook Hotel in downtown Anchorage, the Crow’s Nest is a four-diamond fine dining restaurant that offers French and New American cuisine, a cellar filled with an extensive wine selection, and stunning views of the city, Chugach Mountains, and Cook Inlet.
Snow City Cafe
Location: 1034 W. 4th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Cost: Mid Range
Description:
A popular downtown brunch spot where the staff is friendly, the food is tasty, and breakfast is served all day. Their mission is to use the freshest ingredients available and buy from local vendors.
They offer a variety of vegan & gluten-free options, as well as a range of healthy choices.
What Are Some Pet-Friendly Places Near JBER?
Anchorage is a pet-friendly city, offering many pet-friendly hotels like: The Lakefront Anchorage, Hyatt House Anchorage, and My Place Hotel-Anchorage.
You can also find pet-friendly apartments and explore the extensive trail systems, including Chugach State Park, where dogs are permitted on leash.
There are also seven off-leash dog parks listed below within the city of Anchorage.
Dog Park at Connor’s Bog
Location: 5404 Jewel Lake Rd, Anchorage, AK
Far North Bicentennial Park
Location: 4970 Campbell Airstrip Rd, Anchorage, AK
Russian Jack Springs Park
Location: 801 Pine St, Anchorage, AK
Dog Park at Arctic Benson Park
Location: 750 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK
Dog Park at Whisper Faith Kovach
Location: 1904 Lore Rd, Anchorage, AK
University Lake
Location: 4050 University Lake Dr, Anchorage, AK
Dog Park at South Anchorage Sports Park
Location: 779 W Klatt Rd, Anchorage, AK
5 Things For Couples to Do in Anchorage
Chilkoot Charlie’s
Location: 2435 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK 99503
Type: Nightclub / Bar
Description:
Chilkoot Charlie's features a rustic Alaska atmosphere with sawdust-covered floors, three stages, three dance floors, and ten bars.
Literally filled to the rafters with such things as famous band photos and autographs, huge beer can collections, hilarious gags, and tons of Alaska memorabilia, a person could wander around Chilkoot Charlie's for days and still not see everything.
Anchorage Chocolate and Wine Tasting Tour
Location: Meet in front of Egan Center on 5th Avenue in Anchorage
Type: Tour
Description:
Satisfy your sweet tooth while learning about the chocolate and how local ingredients are used. You can also sip on a curated wine tasting at 61 Degree North Winery in Anchorage, and pair your wine with a selection of handcrafted chocolates from Chugach.
Pink Cadillac
Location: 369 Muldoon Rd, Anchorage, AK 99504
Type: Nightclub / Bar
Description:
Pink Cadillac is Alaska’s hottest new country bar! Pink Cadillac brings you the best in line dancing, free dance lessons, and non-stop good vibes. Saddle up for dancing, drinks, and unforgettable nights.
Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
Location: Atwood Concert Hall, 621 W. 6th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501
Type: Live Music
Description:
Since 1946, the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra has matured from a small community orchestra to an exuberant and dedicated core of musicians, influencing the musical and artistic standards of symphonic music performance and education throughout the local community and the state of Alaska.
Girdwood Brewing Company
Location: 2700 Alyeska Hwy, Girdwood, AK 99587
Type: Brewery
Description:
Enjoy local brews and epic views of the Chugach mountains at Girdwood Brewing Company – a beautiful timber-framed taproom adorned with local art and ski relics. There’s an awesome beer garden with fire pits and plenty of seating. Food trucks are on-site every day, and there’s cool merchandise for customers to take home.
7 Things For Kids to Do in Anchorage
Discovery Center
Location: Anchorage Museum, 625 C Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
Type: Interactive Center
Entry Fee: (Included in Museum entry)
Activities:
Through hands-on exhibits, visitors of all ages can explore the science behind Alaska’s distinct landscape—observing, questioning, and experimenting to better understand its Northern environment.
Alaska Zoo
Location: 4731 O’Malley Road, Anchorage, AK 99507
Type: Zoo
Entry Fee: $16 for senior (age 65+) or military adult (Show proof of service for active duty or veteran), $12 for youth (age 3-15), and FREE for age 2 and under.
Activities:
The Alaska Zoo is located on 25 acres of the Anchorage Hillside. It is a popular attraction in Alaska, with nearly 200,000 visitors per year. The zoo is currently home to more than 100 birds and mammals. In addition to viewing, the zoo specializes in education, research, wildlife conservation, and animal rehabilitation.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
Location: The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is in Portage Valley, about 60 miles south of Anchorage.
Type: Conservation Area
Entry Fee: $24 per person for military personnel and their dependents with military ID. Tickets for children aged 4-12 are $22 each, and children three and under enter free.
Activities:
The AWCC is a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, education, research, and quality animal care. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides them with spacious enclosures and quality animal care. The Center maintains over 200 acres of spacious habitats for animals to feel at home and display their natural wild behavior.
Fire Apple Orchard and Gardens
Location: 4214 South Andrea, Wasilla, AK 99654
Type: Orchard
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
Have fun with the whole family at this apple and cherry “you-pick” orchard. They also sell apple and cherry trees, along with other types of berries. In the spring, orchard employees teach grafting classes.
Elderberry Park
Location: 1297 W. 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Type: Park
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
Elderberry Park gets big points for convenience. It’s the closest playground to downtown Anchorage, and sits right next to both the Coastal Trail and the Alaska Railroad’s right-of-way.
Set along the Coastal Trail at the very end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Elderberry boasts 1.5 acres of scenic parkland with great views of Cook Inlet. Because it’s close to downtown, you can make this a rest stop while touring and shopping downtown. Come with a picnic, or take a walk while enjoying the view.
Portage Glacier (Begich Boggs Visitors Center)
Location: Portage Lake Loop, Girdwood, AK 99587
Type: Scenic View
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
One of the most visited glaciers in Alaska, Portage is legendary for its use by Alaska Natives and Gold Rush pioneers to “portage” between Prince William Sound and Turnagain Arm.
Its face is now behind the left-side mountain, about three miles from the lakeside parking. Portage remains a very active glacier, with its face regularly shattering and dropping great hunks of ice into the lake like a giant conveyor belt. Depending on recent events and weather, icebergs and brash will be visible in the lake near the visitor center.
Earthquake Park
Location: 5101 Point Woronzof Rd, Anchorage, AK 99502
Type: Historic Park
Entry Fee: Free
Activities:
Earthquake Park gives visitors insight into one of the pivotal moments in Alaska's history: the 1964 Earthquake. The quake on March 27 – Good Friday – measured 9.2 in magnitude and was the largest quake ever recorded in North America.
Informative displays tell the story of the geological forces at play that day, and Anchorage's history before and since the quake. A nearby interpretive walking trail gives pedestrians a close look at telltale signs of the shifted landscape that might otherwise be overlooked.
Don’t Miss These Anchorage Seasonal Events
Iditarod
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod, is an annual long-distance sled dog race held in Alaska in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers and a team of between 12 and 16 dogs, of which at least five must be on the towline at the finish line, cover the distance in 8–15 days or more.
The Iditarod began in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams, but it has evolved into today's highly competitive race. The race starts in Anchorage and creates a festival-like atmosphere for locals.
Alaska State Fair
The Alaska State Fair is an annual state fair held in Palmer, Alaska. The fairgrounds are located approximately one hour north of Anchorage and draw visitors from the entire Municipality of Anchorage and beyond for the popular one-and-a-half-week event beginning at the end of August.
The fair is famous for its record-setting giant vegetables and picturesque location at the foot of the Chugach Mountains in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
The event features amusement rides, food concessions, competitive exhibits, carnival games, live performances, and more.
Fur Rendezvous
The Fur Rendezvous Festival – called by the locals Fur Rondy, or simply Rondy – is an annual winter festival held in Anchorage in late February. Fur Rendezvous is highly anticipated by many Anchorage-area residents as marking the beginning of the end of a long winter and the approach of spring.
In 2012, Fur Rendezvous was selected as the number one winter carnival in the world by the National Geographic Traveler.
Don't Miss Out on These Fun Things to Do Near JBER!
There’s much more to do in the Anchorage area and across Alaska than what’s listed above. After all, it is the USA’s largest state. The annual salmon runs in early summer bring in fishermen from all over the world. You can see the Northern Lights from your backyard when the conditions are right.
While cross-country skiing is more popular in the Anchorage area, you can also go downhill skiing at the Alyeska Ski Resort about one hour south of Anchorage.
If you’re an outdoorsman, then your options in Alaska are almost endless. And, don’t be afraid of the cold and snowy winters; the hardy people of Alaska have found numerous ways to turn their state into a winter wonderland with lots of activities for the entire family.
After your assignment in Alaska, you may find, like many have before you, that you never want to leave!
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