In a state where culture, from local theater to artisan crafts, is profoundly influenced by natural surroundings, the wonders of the outdoors are not to be ignored. In 2012, NASA predicts the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) will be the brightest they have been in 50 years, and given the state’s northerly latitude, Alaska is the best place in the U.S. from which to view the natural phenomenon.
In cities like Anchorage, visitors see the Northern Lights frequently on clear, dark nights, and although Alaska is known as a rugged, wilderness destination, guests won’t be shivering in the snow as they watch the sky. Local hotels make it easy and comfortable to view the lights, with services ranging from evening wake-up calls to heated viewing cabins. At the 100-year-old Chena Hot Springs Resort outside of Fairbanks, guests can watch the sky sparkle overhead from the warmth of a hot spring rumored to have legendary healing powers.
Treating attendees to the Northern Lights is just one of the many ways planners can incorporate the state’s distinctive natural riches and unique cultural energy into agendas. Shaped by glaciers, gold, fishing, oil and the enduring presence of native tribes, the Last Frontier is worth exploring.
Anchorage
First used thousands of years ago, the innovative ulu knife, made from thin, flat rocks, once served as the main cutting tool of Eskimo society. The 12,000-square-foot Ulu Knife Factory continues to produce the knives today, using a simple two-step process. The factory has been operating in Alaska’s most populous city for more than 25 years and is open year-round, offering group tours and demonstrations.
For a broad sense of state history, groups can visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Opened in 1999 after years of planning by the Alaska Federation of Natives, the center chronicles the history of the more than 21 different Alaskan cultures.
Teen interns from rural villages come to the center during the winter to study. In the summer, they share what they have learned with tourists and visitors.
The center offers group rentals, including entertainment such as private dance performances, native game demonstrations and village site rentals where guests visit six replica homes, such as the wood-sided Athabascan Ceremonial House, speak with native interpreters and return to the main building for dinner or drinks.
“Groups will take away an understanding of how diverse and rich in culture Alaska is,” says Kyle Roberts, sales and events coordinator for the center. “The Heritage Center is different from a museum because though there are thousands of years of tradition here, many of these things are still practiced today.”
Juneau
“People think of glaciers and whales when they think of Alaska, but Juneau actually has a very vibrant arts community,” says Ken Hill, convention sales manager for the Juneau CVB. “Juneau is a small area geographically, so when someone comes here as a visitor the native community is much more visible than it is in a big city.”
To take in a pinnacle of local culture, Hill suggests catching a show at Alaska’s largest community theater, the nationally-recognized Perseverance Theater. Dedicated to plays for, by and about Alaskans, Perseverance performs classic shows as well as quirky originals. In 33 seasons the theater has produced more than 65 new plays by Alaskan playwrights.
For spectacular views and intriguing cultural experiences, groups can travel on the Mt. Roberts Tramway. Owned and operated by the Goldbelt Native Corporation, the tram rises 1,800 feet from the city’s cruise ship docks.
At the upper terminal, hiking trails wind away from the tram, and visitors can stand on bear-watching platforms, watch weaving, woodworking and jewelry-making demonstrations or view a screening of Seeking Daylight, a locally produced film highlighting Tlingit culture.
Also at the summit, the Timberline Restaurant provides a unique group setting and can accommodate up to 235 for a reception and 210 for a banquet.
Around the turn of the 20th century, the Juneau-area mines were the largest producing gold mines in the world. These days, your best chance of striking it rich comes at the Westmark Baranof Hotel in the Gold Room restaurant, which serves dinner and hosts opulent themed dining experiences.
One of nine Westmark properties throughout Alaska and the Yukon, the 195-room hotel has more than 5,000 square feet of event space in seven meeting rooms, accommodating groups of up to 400.
Another highlight of the Juneau culinary scene is the great seafood, including crab, salmon and halibut.
“All of the restaurants in town take advantage of being located right down the street from a large seafood processor and serve very fresh, locally caught seafood,” Hill says.
A few miles outside the center of downtown, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery, known as DIPAC (Douglas Island Pink and Chum), offers a glimpse into the region’s lucrative fishing industry and can be rented for private events. Built in 1989, the hatchery allows visitors to watch the harvesting and fertilization of the salmon eggs and view the 450-foot fish ladder from a series of outdoor decks.
Tours led by local guides educate guests on the spawning process and include the opportunity to taste a variety of samples, including king salmon dip, salmon caviar, salmon jerky and canned salmon. Inside, touch tanks and saltwater aquariums hold 150 local aquatic species.
Fairbanks
For intrepid groups, Fairbanks is home to many unique cultural activities and is a jumping-off site for unique adventures in the northern part of the state.
The Northern Alaska Tour Co. operates out of Fairbanks and leads immersive tours of the state’s arctic communities. On the Barrow Adventure trip, groups fly to Barrow, the northernmost city in the U.S. at the foot of the Arctic Ocean, where they meet Inupiat Eskimo people, watch ceremonial song and dance, learn local games and crafts, and visit the Inupiat Heritage Center.
Located along the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center can accommodate a variety of midsize events. Guests can tour the gallery or visit the Elder’s Hall to learn about Athabascan culture and view historic and contemporary art and tools.
Sixty miles northeast of Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort embodies the state’s rugged entrepreneurial spirit.
“Chena is a very old historic site,” says Diane Carrio, who leads group sales and special events for the hot springs. “Prospectors used the hot springs [during early mining days] to warm their aching backs. The property has been in operation almost continuously since then.”
Now owned and operated by local entrepreneur Bernie Karl and his wife Connie, the resort has continued to grow and adapt. After taking over the resort in 2008, Karl wanted to harness the natural power of the hot springs to create electricity, but many engineers deemed it impossible. Today the resort has its own power plant on the property, and Chena is one of the few Alaskan resorts open year-round, in part because it can heat buildings using geothermal energy. This innovation has brought worldwide attention to the resort and helped to move the industry forward in terms of sustainable energy.
Ketchikan
Only 90 minutes by plane from Seattle, Ketchikan is a cultural focal point of Alaska and home to the Totem Heritage Center, which was established in 1976 to preserve endangered totem poles retrieved from neighboring village sites.
Dragon London, the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau’s tourism marketing coordinator, explains how 33 poles have been collected there.
“Totems have a life cycle,” she says. “They come from the Earth and return to the Earth. Preserving them removes them from this cycle, but the elders allow these polls to be brought in from the villages for education.”
Groups can walk through the center independently or follow a docent-led tour.
“Culturally speaking, our city is in the top 100 arts towns in the U.S.,” London says. “Art is everywhere.”
Two master carvers are in residence year-round, and during the summer season many shops and galleries are open. Ketchikan’s location makes it a good place for groups with attendees coming north from Seattle and south from inland Alaskan towns to converge.
Matanuska-Susitna
The Mat-Su Valley, home to the growing cities of Wasilla, Palmer and Big Lake, has long been a hot spot for team-building and dog-mushing tours. The region’s culture and development have historical ties to the network of trails, roads and corridors running across the valley’s 23,000 square miles. Groups can go dog-sledding, snow shoeing or cross-country skiing along the same routes formerly used by the miners, loggers and prospectors that once populated the area.
Sitka
Sitka National Historic Park, Alaska’s smallest and oldest national park, celebrated its centennial in 2010. The 113-acre park is within walking distance of downtown Sitka and marks the site where Russians defeated the Tlingit people in 1804. The original fort and battlefield are still standing, and visitors can stroll along the Totem Trail. American, Russian and the Tlingit settlements all thrived in Sitka throughout history, and the town reflects the merging of cultures.
