City Smart: Anchorage

Rating:
Summary: A humorous, insider's look at Anchorage
Review: Every year I watch tour groups stream through this town. It's my hope that "City Smart Anchorage" will convince them to get off the bus! Even if you have only a day or two to spend here, and even if you don't have the physical ability to get into a true wilderness setting, there's a lot of what I think of as "scratch and sniff Alaska" available. All you have to do is know how to get to it. Besides, wilderness is never very far away, despite the old saw that Anchorage is "only half an hour away from Alaska." For instance, in the past week joggers have been encountering a brown bear at a popular city park. (It isn't clear who's more startled and apprehensive, the bear or the joggers.) Eagles swoop down to swipe food from bird feeders (and, potentially, to kidnap the family pet). Lynx and wolves may cross the road in front of startled motorists. Moose regularly show up in yards, playgrounds and even on front porches all over town. My book will tell you how to deal with such up-close and personal encounters, because real moose aren't as friendly as Bullwinkle, and Anchorage isn't one big petting zoo. Finally, the book gives the kind of advice that locals give to visiting friends and relatives. A standard guidebook (i.e. written by someone who doesn't live here) might not be able to tell you not to miss the "onion pieces" at the Arctic Roadrunner hamburger joint, or where to go for the most scenic photos or an entry-level mountain to climb, or what to do if there's an earthquake (yes, an earthquake: Alaska is the most seismic of the 50 states), or how to sign up to be an Iditarod volunteer. "City Smart Anchorage" does. A man who has lived here for 30 years recently called to tell me that my book told him things about his town that he didn't know, and as a result he was sending the book to a handful of friends who were planning to come and visit. I'm pleased beyond words at that sort of recommendation -- and I hope that anyone reading these comments will c! ome up to visit, too. I also hope you'll forgive the rather egregious puns I've scattered throughout the book.

Rating:
Summary: News from the author
Review: I just found out that "City Smart Anchorage" has won a bronze medal in the 16th annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, a national contest sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. Among the judges' comments: "An especially common-sense book that is well organized, concisely written and with much useful information...Contains a lot of "dos and don'ts" and local terms and trivia that will help a visitor quickly feel at home."

Rating:
Summary: very entertaining and helpful
Review: I read this book before my trip to Anchorage and was not disappointed with the advice. My friends and I found the info to be concise and accurate. The Arctic Roadrunner, a recommended restaurant, was every bit as good as the book says.

I would recommend this to anyone considering visiting or moving to the lovely city of Anchorage.

Rating:
Summary: Bought it, Readt it, Used it, Will buy other City Smarts
Review: Readable, fun, on the mark with inside, local info. Enjoyed the restraunts, pubs and suggested tours. After reading the book I, a city boy, knew exactly what to do when I met a moose in town. Clear maps and details. Thoughtful and funny personal insights by author

Rating:
Summary: Bought it, Readt it, Used it, Will buy other City Smarts
Review: Readable, fun, on the mark with inside, local info. Enjoyed the restraunts, pubs and suggested tours. After reading the book I, a city boy, knew exactly what to do when I met a moose in town. Clear maps and details. Thoughtful and funny personal insights by author

Rating:
Summary: Great Practical Tips
Review: This book is a great overview of Anchorage. It has good tips especially on entertainment and restaurants. I have been to Anchorage a lot, and this is my favorite overall book for practical advice...it is always in my bag when I go to Alaska. Others have said that it is getting out of date, which might be true in certain instances, but I personally haven't found any problems with currency.

For the money and practicality I love this book. It's small, generally accurate and inexpensive.

Rating:
Summary: Good but starting to get out-of-date
Review: We used this book for a trip we took in January of 2003 and found that a few of the items are starting to get out of date. i.e. one of the museums listed in the book no longer exists and resturant names have changed. The book is copyrighted in 2000 so it's time for a new edition.

I liked the format and the info it gave, just beware and double check the listings.

Rating:
Summary: Good but starting to get out-of-date
Review: We used this book for a trip we took in January of 2003 and found that a few of the items are starting to get out of date. i.e. one of the museums listed in the book no longer exists and resturant names have changed. The book is copyrighted in 2000 so it's time for a new edition.

I liked the format and the info it gave, just beware and double check the listings.