rali

I will be in Alaska in June, flying in and out of ANC. My friends are leaving on a red eye and I am leaving the following day around 4p (we will return our rental car at the time of their departure so I will be carless).

Assuming I want to be at the airport by 2p on my day of departure (a Tuesday), could you recommend a place or part of town to stay...

• a good location for eating / strolling / shopping (by the water? or cool neighborhood)
• "easy" part of town to get to airport (public transportation or ride share). Just trying to be smart with my choice without staying at an airport hotel. (Actually I don't care that it's super easy, I care that it's not super difficult / dumb... and a place that I can stroll and explore for an evening and morning by myself)
• Ideas for how to spend a few last great hours in Alaska (morning)?
• Restaurant recs in the area you suggest for dinner or lunch?

Thank you in advance!

tomfuller

Make a reservation at the Snow City Cafe for breakfast or lunch. President Obama stopped there once for cinnamon rolls for his entourage. The rolls were less than $20 but he left a $31 tip.
A nearby place to stay would be the Copper Whale. Along 5th Avenue is the Light Speed Planet Walk. You can also see Star the reindeer in Delany Park.
Try to visit the Wild Berry chocolate factory before you leave town.

mlgb

The hotels often have free shuttles but closest to the airport is the Coast Inn at Lake Hood.

Expedia will allow you to sort by including free shuttles.

Downtown Anchorage is pretty yucky. The museum downtown is open now but only Thurs through Sunday starting at 10am. So that won't work. If you do decide to book downtown, maybe Humpy's?

Another option is to eat at the airport. Maybe do some research on the inbound flight as to what is open there.