From my fifth-floor room at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel, I watched one floatplane after another make their upward climb into the sky. From dusk until dawn they took off — metallic ducks in a row headed out for Alaskan adventures, with the Chugach Mountains behind them.
Scenic escapes — by foot, rail, cruise, floatplane, trolley, helicopter and more — abound in and around Anchorage, creating a multitude of must-dos for anyone with an adventurous spirit. And in just a few short days, Future Leaders in Travel attendees got to channel their inner Alaskan on local excursions, with special help from Visit Anchorage (and a flannel shirt or two).
The multiday conference had travel advisors and suppliers learning and connecting in the Sheraton's meeting spaces by day — interactive content ranged from how to use AI more effectively to how to best handle client crises — and out and about in greater Anchorage by night. Getting outdoors was a must, according to Tia Froehle, director of tourism sales for Visit Anchorage and a native Alaskan.
A scenic chair lift ride was an option at Hilltop Ski Area.
Credit: 2025 Generikal Design
“This is a special place, with so many trails, state parks and national parks,” she said. “Anchorage is surrounded by six mountain ranges. Just the Chugach range is 700 miles of peaks to play in — and you have to play in them.”
Here’s how Froehle and her team got Future Leaders into the mountains, and beyond.
A Trip to Hilltop Ski Area
Summer in Alaska may deliver long sunny days and verdant green landscapes, but there’s nothing quite like observing the leaves turn golden in the fall — a sight we were privy to at Hilltop Ski Area.
After a full day of conference content, Anchorage Trolley Tours whisked travel advisors and suppliers to the mountain park at sunset for a choose-your-own-adventure type of evening. Some guests hopped on a chairlift, which took them up to gorgeous views of the coastal plain below and a downward trailhead. Others headed to the bar, where Alaskan beers and cider were at the ready. Those famished from a day of learning joined the queue for savory hand pies or tacos from local food trucks High Five Hand Pies and Ventura’s Tavern.
But really, no one had to choose — there was ample time to do it all. As the sky darkened, the fire pits got more crowded as voices got louder and smiles got bigger. For many of us, it was our first-ever night outside in Alaska, and we were smitten.
“Seeing people come to my home and fall in love with it is by far my favorite part of this job,” Froehle said. “These sparks happen. Being here opens their eyes to all the possibilities.”
All Aboard the Alaska Railroad
According to Froehle, riding the Alaska Railroad is a quintessential experience while in the state. The iconic train has carried passengers through beguiling (and sometimes otherwise inaccessible) landscapes for a century, and rides are brought to life with the help of expert storytellers and glass-domed cars that showcase the surrounding scenery.
Hopping on the Alaska Railroad is a must when in the state, and these Future Leaders attendees did just that.
Credit: 2025 Generikal Design
For Future Leaders attendees, the Alaska Railroad team threw a party on the rails. Drinks flowed, the karaoke car was packed as tight as a sardine can and observation decks were equally busy, as we jostled to capture the uncapturable beauty of the mountains, fall foliage and the waters of Turnagain Arm as we whizzed by them.
At one point in our journey, the conductor halted the train, reversed slowly and came to a stop again so that we might catch a glimpse of a group of white Dall sheep hoofing their way along an invisible path on the mountainside, some 1,000 feet up. Another inspiring spark, Froehle says.
Glacier-Spotting on Prince William Sound
The “Alaska factor” — or the good chance that things won’t go exactly as planned — reared its head on our final day outside together. We left the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel via bus, with dark grey skies above and rain coming down, and arrived at Whittier Cruise Port just in time to get soaked while speed walking from bus to terminal.
A cruise on Prince William Sound allowed for plenty of photo opportunities.
Credit: 2025 Generikal Design
The staffers with Phillips Cruises and Tours paid the weather no mind; they welcomed us onboard the Bravest, a 127-foot catamaran, and watched us line up for boozy hot chocolate even before the vessel had set sail. Our next aim? To spot as many glaciers on Prince William Sound as we could manage in a very rainy couple of hours, and to sip on glacial-ice margaritas as we went.
While some folks cozied up indoors near panoramic windows, others embraced the inclement weather and gathered on the bow. We watched rushing waterfalls come into view, hollered with excitement when a small group of otters surfaced and played in the waves and stood in awe as the boat neared tidal glaciers that terminate right at the sound’s edge. Rain or shine, these crystalline ice sculptures are prized sights — and each of us felt wildly fortunate to see them.
Sheraton Anchorage Hotel
This high-rise hotel in downtown Anchorage is a strategic home base for city excursions and nearby outdoor adventures. The Alaska Railroad Depot is less than one mile away, and Lake Hood — where local floatplane operators such as Rust’s Flying Service take off — is just 15 minutes away by car.
On site, guests can expect comfortable rooms, a lobby-level coffee counter, the fire-lit Ptarmigan Lounge and Bar (great for a post-hike cocktail) and more than 25,000 square feet of event space, including The Summit, a spacious room on the 15th floor with great views of Cook Inlet.
