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plenary Out and About in Anchorage + Exhibitions on an Upswing
Riding the Rails Spectacular scenic views of Turnagain Arm aboard the Alaska Railroad.
CONVENE ON SITE
Activities and Amenities in Anchorage
A
nchorage’s annual mid-Sep- tember fam trip usually falls during a time of great weather,
before the cold sets in and right when foliage begins to change color. When our group arrived for this year’s trip, our Visit Anchorage hosts pointed out “termination dust,” the first grazing of snow on the mountaintops that signals the end of summer and the beginning of a moderate fall season. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t
fully cooperate; wind and rain curtailed some of the optional activities, includ- ing four-wheeling and kayaking trips. But on the positive side, that meant our entire group — about 25 meeting planners and guests — was able to visit Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennels in Big Lake, Alaska, just an hour outside Anchorage. Buser is a four-time Idi- tarod Trail sled-dog race champion, and
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after he spoke to us about the trail, we met several dozen of his top dogs, cur- rently training to make his 16-dog team, which will start the race in March. Our host hotel was the Marriott
Anchorage Downtown, a 392-room property located just two blocks from the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center that offers mountain-view guest rooms, 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, and an 8,122-square- foot ballroom. Anchorage also boasts a number
of other hotels that are within easy walking distance of Dena’ina as well as of the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center. At the 606-room Hilton Anchorage, we were welcomed at a reception and dinner featuring a special Bloody Mary cocktail made with Alaska Distillery’s handcrafted, smoked-salmon–flavored vodka and
local seafood delicacies, including what might be the best halibut in the world. The 370-room Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa is home to the award-winning Ice Spa, where guests can enjoy signature treatments along with impressive views of Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains. The 198- room Westmark Anchorage and the 547-room Hotel Captain Cook com- plete a convenient selection in the core of downtown. Our visits to the newly built,
200,000-square-foot Dena’ina and to William A. Egan, which has more than 45,000 square feet of meeting space, revealed just how prepared Anchor- age is for larger events. The spirit of the native Dena’ina people is reflected through local artwork, open spaces, and traditional carvings that adorn both facilities.
PHOTOGRAPH BY NICOLE GEILS