Travel Planning Tips

When To Visit

Summer: Mid-May to mid-September is best. Not only will you find the longest days and the highest temperatures of the year, but this is when the Alaskan wilderness comes ablaze with color and life. Of course, this is also when there is the greatest variety of tours. In Denali, the season is shorter: mid-June to the end of August, with peak season from June 10 to the last week in August. Before and after, you’ll find shoulder-season discounts.

Maximum daylight is June 21; Anchorage sees 19 hours of daylight, and further north, even more. But Alaska’s sky is lit up practically all night long from late May to late July.

Weather: Daytime temperatures range from the 50’s to the 70’s from June through late August. Nighttime temperatures dip about 10 degrees cooler, as do daytime temperatures in the Arctic (our Nome and Barrow tours). The number of rainy days increases about 25% per month as summer progresses. May and June are historically the driest months; August the wettest.

Winter/Spring: For many of us Alaskans, our favorite season is Spring. The days grow long by early March, and you can enjoy thrilling winter activities: Northern Lights viewing, flightseeing, snowmobiling, skiing, winter festivals, and dogsled races, including the world-famous Iditarod Sled Dog Trail Race.

Set Your Trip Length

We recommend at least a full week or more to really get a flavor for Alaska (of course, more is always better!). Plan on 7 days to see Denali and Kenai Fjords National Park with one of our shorter itineraries. Adding three more days allows you take advantage of our more complete, more relaxed 9- to 10-day itineraries—it’s well worth the time.

Spend 2 weeks or more, and your options really open up. You can take a one-way cruise, combine it with an exciting land tour, and even have time to tack on an Alaska Airlines Vacations Arctic Tour. You can explore by car or rail on your own, see more than one area of the state, and take in-depth day trips into the Alaskan wilderness or overnight stays at a wilderness lodge.

How To Budget

Alaska boasts amazing scenery, but some of it is only accessible by plane or boat. So reserve more of your Alaska vacation budget (up to 40%) for optional excursions than you would when visiting other destinations. Here are a few tips on what to budget for.

• Unique trips into the otherwise inaccessible wilderness. Alaska has some amazing options: a rafting trip ($80-$150 per person, 2-4 hours); flightseeing ($150-$350 pp, 1-3 hours); fly-in fishing or bear-viewing ($400-$650 for 4-8 hours). Prices may seem high, but you’ve come this far, and you’ll cherish the memories long after you’ve forgotten the cost.
• Hotels. They can be pricey in the high season. Count on $150-$200 for budget lodging and $200-$250 per night for a luxury hotel. Come in May or September and you can save $50-$90 per night. Wilderness lodges are in a different category: you may have to fly in, and they include all meals, activities, and guides—and are priced accordingly.
• Getting here. The cost of airfare can vary widely, depending on when you’re coming, how far you’re traveling, and when you book. But it generally comes in at less than 20-25% of your total Alaska vacation cost, so we recommend you plan your ground itinerary first. When it comes time to book air, remember that Alaska Airlines offers more connections to Alaska than any other carrier, along with some of the best airfares. And with our booking engine, you can add air after customizing the exact ground itinerary you want.
• Other tips if you’re on a budget: Rent a car instead of taking buses and trains. Take high-value day tours like glacier cruises and rafting, or go hiking and visit museums. Go in the shoulder season (before June 10 or in September). Visit a roadside glacier rather than take a helicopter tour. Take an ocean or river fishing charter rather than a fly-in fishing excursion.

Mosquitoes

Alaska mosquitoes aren’t as bad as some would have you believe, and they’re really only a nuisance from mid-June to the end of July. There’s more good news: it’s less buggy in the places you’re likely to spend most of your time, like towns, planes, boats, and anyplace with a breeze.

But, just to be prepared, plan on bringing shoes, long sleeves and long pants, made of tight-weave cotton and in khaki or neutral colors. Don’t pack scented soaps, lotions, or shampoos. Bring bug spray that has DEET; 20-30% is probably adequate (you can rub it on your clothes if you don’t want it on your body, and don’t put DEET products on small children’s skin).

What's Your Travel Style

Here in Alaska, you have a couple choices for land tours: you can travel independently on a self-guided tour, or travel with a group on an escorted tour. In both cases, Alaska Airlines Vacations lets you pre-book your hotels and day tours so you’re sure not to miss Alaska’s best attractions. Which one is for you?

Take a self-guided tour if you:

• Relish traveling at your own pace, spending more time at Denali, for example, or taking time to watch wildlife along the road.
• Want the value of a package tour with the flexibility of independent travel.
• Want more opportunities to meet local Alaskans and get off-the-beaten path.

Take escorted land tour if you:

• Like having a tour director with you at all times.
• Don’t mind adhering to a set schedule.
• Enjoy the camaraderie of a tour group.

Cruise or Land Tour?

With tons of land and massive seas, Alaska can pose a travel dilemma. You can take a cruise and visit glaciers and wildlife on a luxurious ship, or rumble over the tundra by train, motorcoach, or car. With so much territory to explore, how can you possibly choose? Of course, you don’t really have to—it’s easy to book both a cruise and a land tour (we call ’em cruisetours). This way you can see the very best that Alaska has to offer. But if you only have time for one, here are some tips on helping you choose.

Take a cruise if you:

• Like accommodations, transportation, meals, and tours planned out for you—and only want to unpack once.
• Are interested in exploring the Alaskan coastline from the sea.
• Want to watch immense glaciers crash into the water and look for Alaska’s unique marine wildlife, like humpbacks, orcas, sea otters, Dall porpoise, and puffins.

Take a land tour if you:

• Want to explore the interior of Alaska, from the magic of Denali National Park to funky towns like Talkeetna and the wilds of the Arctic Circle.
• Are interested in looking for Alaskan creatures that wander the tundra: moose, caribou, bear, Dall sheep, wolves, and many more.
• Enjoy experiencing hotels and restaurants in different areas.

What To Wear

The basic rule of thumb: dress in layers. With temperatures in the 50s-70s, you could be warm while out on a day hike and cool at night (just bring a daypack to stuff anything you don’t need). Bring sturdy shoes, and oh yes, don’t forget that wind and rain happen. Keeping all that in mind, you don’t have to worry too much about the weather unless you’re planning on some serious hiking. Many day tours will be in planes, boats, and buses, and outdoor-oriented activities often provide appropriate gear. So…here’s what we recommend:

• Long underwear. In the summer at least, you usually won’t need this for warmth, but Capilene or other such fabrics wick away moisture and sweat, so you can even wear it in place of a cotton shirt.
• Fleece/sweater. For nighttime or a sudden shift in the daytime weather. This is key, especially if you’re planning on traveling north. We recommend something synthetic—it’s lighter.
• Outer layer. Think waterproof and wind-blocking (for additional warmth). Gore-Tex is best: waterproof and breathable.
• Shoes. Leave the big, heavy things at home. Lightweight, Gore-Tex hikers with Vibram soles (or other reliable traction) are your top option.
• Hat. The sun isn’t so intense up here, but there is more of it—almost nonstop! A lightweight, brimmed hat works to keep the rays off your face.