See Alaska's highlights by railroad or motorcoach in a group of up to 50, Travel in small groups, stay at exclusive wilderness lodges, and spend more time outdoors, All-inclusive multi-day vacation packages at a remote wilderness lodge, Travel with a professional photographer to the best photo locations around the state, Trips range from backpacking, rafting, to upscale remote lodge retreats, Cruises depart Juneau or Sitka. Several glaciers actually become easier to approach once their lakes freeze solid. To be sure, mountain and rural roads can be more challenging. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins, Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse!). Alaska has always been known as a land of extremes when it comes to weather and climate. When compared to high readings near 90°, Alaska temperatures range is an astonishing 170°. After all, this is a place that once registered a record cold temperature of -79.8 degrees Fahrenheit in the winner and a record summer high of 100 degrees Fahrenheit as well. Also look for the tracks of snowshoe hares, lynx, foxes, coyotes, weasels and (sometimes) wolves in the fresh snow. Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. Please check your email to verify your subscription. Alaska weather and daylight varies wildly by region and season, from short-sleeves in summer to down jackets in winter; from 7 rainy days in May in Southcentral to 17 rainy days in the Inside Passage. Stops include Seward (Kenai Fjords), Girdwood, Whittier & Spencer Glacier, Stops include Wasilla, Talkeetna, Denali National Park & Fairbanks. During winter you can also view the artistic masterpieces created by ice carvers and try or watch some dog mushing. Turnagain Arm’s Portage Glacier—approachable only by tour boat in summer—morphs into a popular destination for hikers, skaters, snow-bikers, and skiers after the ice sets up. The northern lights can be … Find how many days you need based on what you want to see and do in Alaska. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookies, Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival, Grand Teton National Park Weather in January. Visit our winter activities page for our full list of recommendations. Get real-time condition reports from Alaska’s Road Weather System and the state’s 511 traveler alert site. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. Lazy Otter Charters in Whittier has a Blackstone Bay tour, for instance. Cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks are full of activities and shopping. Based on weather reports collected during 1985–2015. If you love deep, dark winter punctuated by the dazzle of holiday activities, December is an exhilarating time to visit…. Some Seward operators will run charters into Kenai Fjords National Park. Overwhelmed by choices? Anchorage lights up with colored lights, including a giant star on the mountain east of town. Rent a car and travel independently on a set itinerary, with lodging and tours booked in advance. The Alaska Peninsula lies further to the south, so it has a milder winter, but the summer is still cold, so the vegetation is still tundra, that is, made of mosses and lichens. Travel on a set itinerary with lodging and tours booked in advance. Yes! It’s a great time to visit. Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. There was a problem with your submission. November in Alaska has its upsides, but comes with challenges like plunging temperatures and increased darkness. Averages are for Juneau International Airport, which is 7 miles from Juneau. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. You probably won’t see hibernating bears or glimpse Alaska’s tremendous migratory bird life. The Southcentral core area—Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, and A few tour operations sometimes maintain limited winter schedules, but you’ll have to call. Check out our winter clothing tips before you embark on a road trip into more remote areas. Temperatures in Southcentral Alaska are no more extreme than other wintry states; the average is 20 degrees. The northern lights can be observed from September through mid-April. The two-week year-end period can feel like one continuous holiday, with public events almost every day. State and local crews Monthly: 1981-2010 normals As soon as the first snowflakes fall, Alaskans start chomping at the bit to get outside and play! Hundreds of people converge on sunny weekends in March and April. The warmest months are June, July and August with temperatures around a range of 45-70°F. But many moose roam Alaska’s winter landscape—including in city neighborhoods and parks, and in any brushy, low-snow area like the Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. 7-10 days is the most common. The annual average temperature in Alaska has increased 3.5°F from 1949 to 2005. But Alaska is also a popular destination for summer vacations where you can visit various national parks, explore glaciers all year round, see wildlife such as brown bears, mooses and hawks and the breathtaking extent of untouched nature. Station Data. Highlights plus less visited destinations. The temperature change varies from one climatic zone … Alaska's Caribou Lodge in Talkeetna is dramatic in winter. Please try again. Ravens are common, too—especially inside cities, where they scavenge for morsels. But after snow covers them in late fall, they become much more difficult to discern. Here are the marquee bashes that draw thousands of spectators and participants every year. As soon as the first snowflakes fall, Alaskans start chomping at the bit to get outside and play! Monthly averages Anchorage Longitude: -149.9, Latitude: 61.2181 Average weather Anchorage, AK - 99502. Spring is the best season to go on a cruise and see some gray whales. Always check individual park websites for details and conditions. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Alaska has dozens of festivals and winter sports contests, including many in Anchorage. Use our calculator to find out, Stay casual, dress in layers, and get proper footwear, Guides to the best locations around the state to view wildlife. Alaskans fully embrace the dark solstice with family gatherings and parties. This page features the trends in mean annual and seasonal temperatures for Alaska's first-order observing stations since 1949, the time period for which the most reliable meteorological data are available. You can take advantage of the longer nights to ski by moonlight, enjoy a bonfire on the beach, or watch for the mysterious auroras. Not everything is open, however, so if you're thinking about traveling to Alaska over the winter months, here's what to keep in mind. If you still want to be outdoors, you can discover exquisitely lit ice carvings in Anchorage and Fairbanks; meanwhile, many of the main ski trails, hockey rinks, and sledding areas are lit. Free personal GPS–driven travel guide to Alaska. Alaska’s climate is changing. If you're traveling north to Fairbanks or the Copper River Basin, you can expect much colder conditions, but here too, road conditions are often good and traffic is light. Just use common sense. The state is seeing record case numbers, adding to evidence that the virus is poised to thrive as the weather grows colder. Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, but it’s still relatively easy to get around, travel to remote sites with a bush pilot or charter operator, dozens of festivals and winter sports contests, the state’s extensive network of do-it-yourself public use cabins, If you're prepared to go off-grid and deal with the winter travel logistics required to reach a public use cabin, check out our.