Anchorage, Alaska
Located in south-central Alaska, Anchorage is home to the University of Alaska Anchorage. The waters of the Cook Inlet border the city to the northwest and southwest; the Chugach Mountains form the border to the east. Encompassing nearly 2,000 square miles, Anchorage is one of the largest cities in the country by area.

Bellingham, Wash.
Just 21 miles from the U.S.-Canadian border in northwest Washington state, Bellingham is situated between two of the world’s most beautiful cities – Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. Home to Western Washington University, Bellingham is the finishing point of the famous Ski to Sea Race, a 100-mile long competition that begins on the slopes of 10,800-foot Mount Baker and ends on the shores of Bellingham Bay.

Billings, Mont.
The largest city in Montana and among the fastest-growing cities in America, Billings was recently ranked as among the best places in the country to raise a family. The Lewis & Clark Expedition came through the area in 1806. Home to Montana State Billings, the geography is a mix of plains and mountains. The Rimrocks north and east of Billings are sandstone cliffs measuring 300 to 500 feet high.

Burnaby, B.C.
The home of Simon Fraser University, Burnaby is the third-largest city in British Columbia and just minutes from Vancouver. Burnaby is a short drive from the Pacific Ocean, world-famous Whistler, B.C., and many other attractions. Burnaby's ratio of parkland to residents is one of the highest in North America.

Ellensburg, Wash.
Situated in the heart of Washington state, Ellensburg is a 30-minute drive from the Columbia River and less than an hour from the Cascade mountains. Ellensburg and the Kittitas Valley are known internationally for the production of timothy hay. Home to Central Washington University, the city has hosted the Ellensburg Rodeo since 1923.

Fairbanks, Alaska
Alaska’s second-largest city, Fairbanks is located 110 miles from the Arctic Circle and 14 miles from the town of North Pole. The Yukon Quest is an annual 1,000-mile international sled dog race between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada that follows historic Gold Rush and mail delivery dogsledding routes. Home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, it is known the world over as the Golden Heart City.

Lacey, Wash.
Considered one of the most “green” cities in America, Lacey is located in Thurston County and is home to Saint Martin’s University. Nicknamed “Tree City, USA”, Lacey is just minutes from the state capital of Olympia.

Monmouth, Ore.
Located 11 miles southwest of the state capital of Salem and 54 miles southwest of Portland, Monmouth has been home to Western Oregon University since 1856. Nearby attractions include the Mission Mill Museum and the McLoughlin House National Historic Site.

Nampa, Idaho
The second-largest city in Idaho, Nampa is located just 20 miles from Boise in the southwestern part of the state. It is bordered on the north by the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and on the south by the Owyhee Mountains. It is home to Northwest Nazarene University.

Portland, Ore.
The Rose City has been the home to the GNAC headquarters since July 1, 2012, when the offices relocated from Spokane, Wash. Portland is located in northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Majestic Mt. Hood and the beautiful Oregon coast are within an hour’s drive of the city, which boasts a metropolitan population of nearly 2 million.

Seattle, Wash.
The state of Washington’s largest city, Seattle is home to Seattle Pacific University. Boeing, UPS, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Costco are just some of the major U.S. companies founded here. Seattle has more libraries and bookstores per capita than any other city in the country. The city’s most iconic landmark, the Space Needle, was introduced when Seattle hosted the 1962 World’s Fair.