Lifestyle
Regardless of the community you settle into within this vast and diverse area, outdoor adventures and world-class recreation will always be waiting just beyond the front doorstep. Anchorage is internationally famous for trophy fishing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding. The 500-acre Chugach State Park borders Anchorage for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and horseback riding opportunities. Within the city are vast acres of parks and greenbelts, sports complexes, and 120 miles of scenic trails. The George Sullivan Sports Arena hosts a full calendar of events from sports competition and tournaments to trade shows and concerts. The Mat-Su Valley is no less spectacular, drawing throngs of visitors to towering mountains, glacier valleys, abundant wildlife, first-class campsites, panoramic hiking trails, and fish-laden rivers and lakes. Even some of the competitive events in the Mat-Su are wild and rugged, including the Iditarod dog-sled wilderness trek and the Iron Dog, the world’s toughest snowmobile race.

With so much attention on natural beauty and outdoor activities, aficionados of the arts will not be disappointed. Alaska appropriates more funding to the arts than any other state, from public art to school programs and performance venues—and Anchorage is home to many of the state’s finest cultural resources. Residents are able to take in world-class performances and cultural presentations at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts or browse through collections at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art. Permanent companies include the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Anchorage Opera, Alaska Light Opera Theater, the Alaska Children’s Choir, and the Anchorage Concert Association. Other premier venues appeal to all ages, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Alaska SeaLife Center, The Imaginarium, and the ZJ Loussac Public Library. Mat-Su Valley enjoy first-rate community theater at  Machetanz Theatre in Wasilla and a new alternative theater in Palmer.

The communities in the Anchorage and Mat-Su regions are as diverse as the terrain, supporting every imaginable lifestyle choice. Historic homes, well-kept older residences, new subdivisions, custom builds, acreage properties, farm houses, and elegant enclaves are just a few of the options in urban or open settings. Expect the delightfully unusual in Alaska. The Mat-Su claims the nation’s highest concentration of public and private airports, so some subdivisions are designed to allow pilots to taxi through the neighborhood. Natural beauty, friendly people, unrivaled recreation, beautiful homes, and quick commutes all add up to a quality of life that grows richer with each passing year. Welcome home!