Alaska Wild Berry Products - Anchorage, Alaska - Store, Theater and Park

Alaska Wild Berry Products is a store, park and theater located at Juneau Street in Anchorage, Alaska. It is approximately a 20 minute drive from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The hours of opening for the store vary throughout the year but this attraction opens seven days a week all year except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

The company began back in 1946 when the Mayor of Homer, Hazel Heath and her husband started making jams and jellies from Alaskan berries. They continued making the produce and selling it until 1973 when they sold the business to Peter Eden, who is still the owner to this day. Eden moved the business to Anchorage in 1994 and it has become the largest manufacturer of candy in Alaska, and he has also added the Wild Berry Park and Theater.

In the store there are viewing windows where customers watch the four kitchens with staff preparing candies, jams and jellies. They can watch the molding of the chocolate candies, see the hand-made cream centers, decoration of the chocolate candies and making of popcorn amongst other things. The process takes the viewers through to the final stages of packaging and filling jars with hot jams and jellies.

One of the biggest attractions is the 20 foot chocolate waterfall, which incorporates over 3,000 pounds of chocolate, authentic copper candy kettles and a specially built warming and mixing system. The chocolate comes out of the fountain head and falls down and over the kettles before ending up in a pool of chocolate. Visitors should note this feature is a visual display only and they shouldn't be tempted to taste the chocolate.

The Wild Berry Park and Village is open between Memorial Day and Labor Day between 11am and 7pm every day of the week. Open since 2003 the park has a walking trail, reindeers and a 20-foot stone Inukshuk statue. Visitors can enjoy lunch here too at the Wild Berry Park Grill, which has a rustic beer and wine garden, while a little afternoon treat can be obtained from the Village Ice Cream Shop.

The Wild Berry theatre was added to the park in 2006 and shows various nature films about Alaska throughout the summer from 11am. The theatre features a state of the art Christie Digital Projection system and can seat up to 153 people. This facility can be rented for private functions such as music recitals, receptions, conferences and meetings as it has a stage as well as the screen and parking is free for guests.

There are a number of places in the area for visitors to stay overnight or longer such as the Residence Inn, which is less than two kilometers from Alaska Wild Berry Products. There are several hotels and inns within two and a half kilometers of this tourist attraction including Fairfield Inn & Suites and Crowne Plaza. Other attractions feature in the area such as Chugach National Forest and the Heritage Library and Museum, both less than four kilometers away.