Spenard & Turnagain

Rich with Anchorage history and local flavor, Spenard and the adjacent Turnagain neighborhood are studded with popular parks and community gathering places. Explore walkable commercial corridors. Find some of the city’s favorite eateries, bike paths, and green spaces.

Winding Spenard Road (and the neighborhood around it) got its name from Joe Spenard, the infamous bootlegger and businessman who developed a resort on the shores of Lake Spenard — formerly Jeter Lake — in 1916.

More than 100 years later, the area is still a lively microcosm of Alaska life. Stroll the renovated pedestrian corridor at the north end of Spenard Road to find the Bear Tooth Theatrepub (the only dinner movie theater in the city), plus an eclectic collection of small shops and family restaurants. Motor-powered bikes are available to rent at Alaska eBike Electric Bike Rentals (2229 Spenard Rd.) — cross the road to Hillcrest Dr. for picturesque views of downtown Anchorage, plus a downhill connection to both the Lanie Fleischer Chester Creek Trail and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.

At the south end of Spenard Road, Lake Hood and Lake Spenard are prime plane-spotting locations. The adjacent Turnagain neighborhood features a handful of cozy parks and Coastal Trail access points: Make time to watch the sunset from Point Woronzof or Lyn Ary Park, or stroll through a chapter of Anchorage’s natural history at Earthquake Park. Stay for an afternoon or the whole weekend; this neighborhood has routes to suit all speeds and modes of exploration.