Car Rental Anchorage

Take in all the fascinating scenery this city and the surrounding Alaskan area have to offer with Anchorage car rental. Rolling hills speckled with plush green forests, spectacular snow-capped mountain peaks and a welcoming city centre make this a place to remember.

Winding down the west coast of the inlet and skirting around the coastline in the south, Highway 1 is the main route in and out of Anchorage. If you’re planning to take in some of the surrounding places, such as Sterling in the south or Wasilla to the north, this is the road you’ll be travelling along.

If you’re visiting the captivating Chugach State Park, you’ll also use Highway 1 to reach the southern side. As the fourth largest state park in the whole of the US, this natural playground will ignite your imagination.

The park stretches the whole way from Anchorage to Canada and is filled with local wildlife like Lynx, hares and stoats and chances to indulge in adventurous activities, such as ATV riding and snowmobiling.

Driving in Anchorage and around Alaska is much like home – you’ll use the right-hand side of the road and must wear your seatbelt at all times. It’s also essential to drive with cautious if the weather is snowy or icy. This is especially important when driving in areas where wildlife may be on the road, so watch out for warning signs.

Speed limits vary throughout the state and are marked in miles per hour. The interstate and some of the more rural highways will have a speed limit of 65mph (104km/h), dropping down to 20mph (32km/h) or lower in some residential areas of the city. Speed limits are sign-posted so always check the road you’re driving on.

A metropolis with many faces, Anchorage combines sapphire blue lakes and glistening glaciers with botanical gardens and historical museums. Renting a car in Anchorage will help you travel around this vast hub, exploring everything there is to do and see.

It’s a grizzly old place

With black, brown and polar bears all calling Anchorage home, a trip to this city wouldn’t be complete without trying to spot a few grizzlies roaming through the open flats. If you fancy venturing out with the experts to see these magnificent animals out in the wild, there are tours you can take to watch the bears hunting salmon along the river.

For a more up close look, observe black and brown bears from a safe distance at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The AWCC opened its doors in 1993 and works hard to preserve the state’s furry residents, along with bison, wolves and reindeers, through conservation and quality care, alongside education and research.

Gleaming glaciers

Alaska is jam-packed with glaciers and some of the most accessible ones are in and around the city. Use your rental car to head out on an Anchorage glacier hunt – with 60 dotted around an 80-kilometre radius, you’ll be able to spend the day visiting as many as you can manage.

Ancient Metanuska Glacier is just under two hours away and has an impressive six-kilometre-wide face which you can actually walk up to and touch. If you’re heading here in summer, look out for the ice-climbers who scale the face of the glacier.

The history of Anchorage

Showcasing the best of Alaska to the world, the Anchorage Museum combines history, culture, science, art and design. From exhibits displaying life for the first people of the state to masterpieces from the north of America, this museum will give you a new perspective on the area.

Be sure to check out the Alaska Exhibition and follow the story of the state through different voices and perspectives to get an insight into how people have thrived in the Last Frontier state.

For a walk further into the past, head downtown to see the Oscar Anderson House Museum. Built by a local pioneering family more than 100 years ago, the house gives an insight into how life was back in 1915. Tours are available here by appointment only but it’s well worth booking on to get a glimpse of what it was like.  

Take to the north

Travel two hours north of Anchorage in the direction of Denali State Park. An area of outstanding beauty, this incredible enormous parkland is lined with Alaska mountains in the west and the Talkeetna Mountains to the east.

You’ll find a whole host of activities to keep you entertained during your time here. Go hiking through the snow-dusted peaks, camp among the serene forest and spot animals grazing in the alpine meadows.   

From the mountainous terrain to the bustle of city life, make the most of your visit with Anchorage car rental from Hertz.