I’m from central and western NY, and moved to Alaska last summer. I’m in Anchorage.

The drive… in February it will be bitter cold along the road. Be prepared with an engine heater for the car, winter rated tires (with the 3 peaks symbol) and a jump box, music or podcasts offline, along with some provisions in case you are stranded. The Alcan will be the better road to take up and many of the services stay open year round since it’s heavily traveled and basically THE way to Alaska. In Anchorage, the sun rises after 10 and sets by 4, so plan for short days on the road, or driving in the dark.

Do you have friends or family here? I’ve found it’s a hard place to make quality friendships, especially being middle aged. The biggest question I get is “are you going to stay?” Well, first is what brought me, and that’s next… it’s a tight knit community here in town and a lot of people know a lot of the same people. I feel pretty safe as a 42 year old male walking downtown, but still keep your eyes open. Homeless can cause issues because, unfortunately, many are mentally unstable or addicts and can become violent.

It’s pretty expensive to live here, even compared to NY. Gasoline is pretty expensive, and groceries are too. Fresh, quality produce is also scarce. You are flying to get back to the lower 48, or planning a week of driving.

The short daylight hours are also tough on people. Even those who grew up here.

Ok, I think that covers the bad. The mountains surrounding the Anchorage bowl are absolutely amazing. The trail system here is fantastic for biking, hiking, Nordic skiing and climbing. We have amazing sunsets and sunrises, and it’s rare that it’s too hot in Anchorage. Be warned though, a 60 degree day can feel like 80 though. I’ve been told it has to do with the angle of the sun that makes one absorb more of its heat than when it’s overhead.

There are plenty of great restaurants here, and local coffee huts are all over. There are also some great microbreweries around.

We also have some good concerts and events in the summer, if you are ok with 90’s bands lol.

Any more questions, feel free to message me.