Anchorage Auto Detail LLC

Experience what it was like to pan for gold as you travel back in time to when Anchorage was the crossroads for gold rush adventurers. Maybe you'll hit the motherlode as you pan for gold in a setting that most closely resembles that of the early pioneers. It will be a fun afternoon of learning (and panning) for the whole family at Indian Valley Mine.

The Alaska Railroad Corporation is a great starting point for your journey. Alaska Railroad is the most scenic way to enjoy the 500 miles that stretch from Seward to Fairbanks up north. Buy your tickets for pre-planned tours or maybe customize your trip through your travel agent. Either way, before you get on board, check out the historic photos and other attractions and artifacts that are on display in the Depot. And don't forget to get a look outside at an authentic totem pole and a locomotive built in 1907.

The Fur Rendezvous Festival held in late February or early March dates back to the early 1900s when trappers and miners came back from the wilderness to trade, socialize and compete in survival-type games. The event has been updated somewhat, and now those games consist of a weight pull, sled dog races, snowshoe softball games, ice sculpture competitions and lots more. There's also the popular Miners and Trappers costume ball, so make plans to be a part of this fun, week-long event.

The Anchorage Museum gathers together some of Alaska's most dramatic traditions and transforms them into exhibits and attractions that allow them to come alive in various multi-dimensional presentations. One of the museum's galleries features 600 Alaska Native artifacts that are on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. Some of these items include ceremonial masks, battle armor and waterproof clothing made from the intestines of a seal. The museum features 80 exhibits that include an aurora machine, a marine animal touch tank and the very popular earthquake shake table. New additions include a planetarium and an Alaska Native contemporary art gallery.