You didn't say WHEN you are going. Alaska has only two seasons, summer and winter. June is a bad mosquito month, July and early August tend to be the warmest times, but in August the rains begin. Last year my 11 year old granddaughter told me last year that "next year" she wants to make a quilt that celebrates autumn leaves because they don't have them in Alaska! The grandkids came down this week (to California) and tell us there is still snow on the ground now (and at this time 3 years ago it was really warm!). Try to understand the basketball games that start at midnight, family picnics in the park from 10pm to 1am... (drove us crazy on our first trip!) Don't try to stay awake for them. Alaskans can sleep more in winter and very little in summer, but it takes time to be able to do that. Hope you get to Denali, it is really beautiful! The train from Seward (or Anchorage) to Denali (or Fairbanks) is a treat (it passes a lot of homesteads because being near the track is a bonus for getting out to get groceries, etc.).
"The best part about Anchorage is that it is only a half hour from Alaska." There are fabric stores just about in every town. My favorite is in Kenai... and they do feature their native state in their fabrics! Probably most of them do. Enjoy!