On a clear day, you can see six different mountain ranges from Anchorage: The Alaska, Aleutian, Chugach, Kenai, Talkeetna, and Tordrillo ranges.

Approximately 250 black bears and 60 grizzly bears live in the area. Bears are regularly sighted within the city. Moose are also a common sight, with a summer population of approximately 250 moose, increasing to as many as 1,000 during the winter. Approximately thirty northern timber wolves also reside in the Anchorage area. In 2007, several dogs were killed by timber wolves while on walks with their owners.

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the US state of Alaska. Mushers and a team of 14 dogs, of which at least 5 must be on the towline at the finish line, cover the distance in 8-15 days or more.

In 1915, territorial governor John Franklin Alexander Strong encouraged residents to change the city's name to one that had "more significance and local associations". In the summer of that year, residents held a vote to change the city's name, with a plurality of residents favoring "Alaska City", but the territorial government ultimately rejected the name change.

The Good Friday earthquake of March 27, 1964, hit Anchorage hard at a magnitude of 9.2, killing 115 people and causing $116 million in damages. The earth-shaking event, which lasted nearly five minutes, was the world's second-largest earthquake in recorded history. Broadcaster Genie Chance has been credited with holding Anchorage together, as she immediately rushed to the Anchorage Public Safety Building and stayed on the KENI airwaves for almost 24 continuous hours, coordinating response efforts, disseminating information of available shelters and food sources, and passing messages among loved ones over the air, reuniting families.

Summers are typically mild, with average daytime summer temperatures ranging from approximately 55 to 78 °F (12.8 to 25.6 °C). The hottest reading ever recorded was a steamy 90 °F or 32.2 °C on July 4, 2019.

Kiplinger, a publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, has named Anchorage (which does not levy a sales tax) the most tax-friendly city in the United States.