Anchorage Farmer's Market

The Anchorage Farmer's Market grounds.

My mom buying fresh fruit.

The Anchorage Farmer's Market is located in the downtown area of the city and is open every Saturday between 9 am and 2 pm. Although the market isn't large, there are a wide variety of goods available, especially food and crafts.

On the day my parents and I visited, it was warm out by Alaska standards, but certainly not ours. It was kind of awkward being the only people in long sleeves and scarfs, but Alaskans seem to be acclimated to temperatures below 60F (15C) in the summer.

Perfect peaches!

Homemade candies.

The food stalls with gorgeous mountains in the background.

Chocolates and fresh fruit are the main food items at the market. The fruit was delicious and not suspiciously large or overly sweet. There is also a myriad of hot foods available from several different culinary styles and cultures. Nachos were on sale not far from Vietnamese pho noodles. 

Selling T-shirts and other miscellaneous items. 

If you're looking for a souvenir for yourself, or for your family or friends, Anchorage Farmer's Market is the best place to visit. There are several interesting stalls which offer both generic gifts (e.g., T-shirts, keychains) and more unique pieces.

An assortment of headgear.

A wolf hat.

Cute earmuffs!

By far, my favorite stall was one run by a Russian woman. She was selling adorable hats and other winter gear, jewelry, and a wide assortment of Russian dolls, both with traditional designs and famous characters.

For some odd reason, I held off from buying anything from her. The prices weren't necessarily cheap, but the items were special; I should have purchased a hat at least! Oh well, maybe next time.

Classic Russian dolls.

Wooden signs.

Another interesting shop was owned by a man who sold handmade woodcrafts in a wide variety of shapes. Most of his inventory was comprised of signs and plaques. However, there were more intricate items, like doll houses. Naturally, the larger creations and commissions were more expensive.

My dad bought one of the plaques for his desk. Each item is packed and padded throughly since the wood snaps easily. If you have the money for it, you could buy a larger item and get it shipped to you from Alaska!

A wooden doll house.

The Anchorage Farmer's Market is a great place to spend a morning or early afternoon. Additionally, it's quite family friendly, and it's proximity to downtown Anchorage makes it a great first activity on a day of site-seeing.