Best time to visit Alaska

• “For most first-time visitors, mid-June through early September is the best time to experience Alaska.” handpickedalaska.com
• “the best and busiest months to visit Alaska are from June to August” enchantingtravels.com
• “For most people, the best time to visit Alaska is during the summer months.” historicanchoragehotel.com

5 of the 12 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January20°F / 2°FChecking fares…January is often the coldest month; Fairbanks averages 17 below zero for lows.December to February are the peak months for viewing the aurora.Deepest snowpacks run January to March, the time for winter sports.World ice art championships
2. February26°F / 4°FChecking fares…The 10-day Fur Rondy festival runs from late February into March, with dog sled races.The Festival of Native Arts and World Ice Art Championship are held around February and March.February and March are popular for winter activities and aurora viewing as days lengthen.Iditarod ceremonial start
3. March35°F / 9°FChecking fares…The Iditarod Sled Dog Race starts in early March.One source names March as the best month for northern lights.March is when temperatures start to rise, with a high near 34 in Anchorage and snow still on the ground.
4. April45°F / 22°FChecking fares…April is breakup season: bright, mildly cold and slushy as the snowpack melts.Small cruise ships start sailing in April, with low prices and almost no crowds.Herring migration draws humpback whales and orca, and bears wake from hibernation.
5. May58°F / 33°FChecking fares…May is one of the driest months, but interior national parks are still closed.May is a transition month: not everything is open and trails may still be snowy or muddy.May is Alaska's driest month.
6. Best timeJune66°F / 41°FChecking fares…The Denali park road opens in June, and interior land trips begin.June brings long days, the start of the main summer season, and generally drier weather than later.The summer solstice on June 21 marks the peak sunlight.Midnight Sun Game and solstice
7. Best timeJuly68°F / 47°FChecking fares…July is the busiest month, with the warmest and most settled weather and highest demand.Mid-June to late July is the busiest stretch; book lodging three to four months ahead for July.Fourth of July is a huge holiday, with the Mt. Marathon run in Seward.Brown bears at Brooks Falls
8. Best timeAugust65°F / 44°FChecking fares…August brings cooler temperatures and more rain than June and July, but wildlife stays active.August is often Alaska's wettest month.Mosquitoes thin out in August and crowds ease toward month's end.Alaska State Fair
9. September55°F / 35°FChecking fares…Visitor numbers drop, days shorten, fall colors arrive, and many operators close by the second half.Aurora becomes visible again in September as nights darken.Tourist season officially wraps in mid-September.Fat Bear Week
10. October41°F / 22°FChecking fares…Main tourism season ends; nights darken enough for northern lights and sandhill cranes migrate.First snow in Anchorage is often mid to late October, with little accumulation until November.Early winter brings the darkest time of year before snow arrives, and dramatic weather.Chilkat bald eagle gathering
11. November26°F / 7°FChecking fares…Ski resorts generally open in late November.The world's largest bald eagle gathering is near Haines along the Chilkat River in November.November is usually the true start of winter, with snow underfoot and waning daylight.
12. December22°F / 5°FChecking fares…December has the darkest day on the winter solstice, with clouds often blocking the little sun.Anchorage gets about 5.5 hours of sunlight on December 21.Thanksgiving to Christmas can feel like one continuous party, with light displays in Anchorage.

Weather: Anchorage averages from NOAA (long-term averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• World ice art championshipsFairbanks, AlaskaEvery January to March
• Iditarod ceremonial startAnchorage, AlaskaEvery February to March
• Midnight Sun Game and solsticeFairbanks, AlaskaEvery June
• Brown bears at Brooks FallsKatmai National Park, AlaskaEvery July
• Alaska State FairPalmer, AlaskaEvery August to September
• Fat Bear WeekKatmai National Park, AlaskaEvery September to October
• Chilkat bald eagle gatheringHaines, AlaskaEvery October to December

Are the Northern Lights visible in Alaska in May?

Unlikely. Nights are too light in summer; aurora season is roughly late August or September through early April.

What is considered the rainy season in Alaska?

August and September see the highest rainfall, though it varies by region.

What are some fun things to do in Alaska in October?

Camping, moose rut watching, hiking in the first frost, and aurora watching as nights darken.

• Best Places to Visit in Alaska13 places

• JapanApril and October to November
• IrelandApril to May and September
• IcelandJune to August
• ItalyApril to May and September to October
• Costa RicaDecember to April
• Puerto RicoDecember to April
• PortugalMay to June and September to October
• CancúnDecember to April
• GreeceMay to June and September to October
• ThailandNovember to February
• The Grand CanyonApril to May and September to October
• DisneylandJanuary to February and September to October
• MiamiDecember to April
• Myrtle BeachApril to May and September to October
• PragueApril to May and September to October
• EcuadorJune to September
• BaliApril to June and September to October
• TokyoMarch to May and October to November
• MoroccoMarch to May and September to November
• MauiApril to May and September to October
• MontrealMonth by month
• VeniceApril to June and September to October
• The NetherlandsApril to May and September to October
• ArubaApril to May
• New OrleansApril and October to November
• ChinaApril to May and September to October
• NashvilleApril to May and September to October
• Disney WorldJanuary to February and September
• BangkokNovember to February
• PolandMay to June and September
• New YorkApril to May and September to October
• CroatiaMay to June and September
• RomeApril to May and September to October
• San DiegoSeptember to October
• FranceMay to June and September to October
• PhuketNovember to April
• FinlandJune to August
• VietnamMarch to April
• BrazilMonth by month
• BostonSeptember to October
• DubaiNovember to March
• CanadaJuly to September
• SeoulApril to May and September to October
• New ZealandFebruary to April
• GuatemalaNovember to April
• The PhilippinesDecember to March
• FloridaNovember to April
• LisbonApril to May and September to October
• AustriaMay to June and September to October
• Los AngelesMarch to May and September to November
• ChicagoApril to May and September to October
• ParisApril to May and September to October
• Las VegasMarch to May and October to November
• San FranciscoSeptember to October
• EdinburghMay to June and September
• NapaSeptember to October
• SydneyMarch and October to November
• HawaiiApril to May and September to October
• ScotlandApril to May and September to October
• Punta CanaDecember to April
• MexicoDecember to April
• SavannahMarch to April and October to November
• Washington, DCApril to May and September to October
• ChileMarch to April and October to November
• SwitzerlandJune to September
• Mexico CityNovember to April
• Zion National ParkApril to May and September to October
• The Dominican RepublicDecember to April
• Turks and CaicosDecember to April
• Puerto VallartaNovember to April
• HonoluluApril to May and September to October
• BanffMonth by month
• SpainApril to June and September to October
• YosemiteMay to June and September
• FijiMay to October
• ColombiaDecember to March and July to August
• IndiaOctober to March
• TulumDecember to April
• The BahamasDecember to April
• NorwayMay to September
• SedonaMarch to May and September to November
• SeattleJune to September
• GermanyMay to June and September
• SantoriniMay to June and September to October
• Buenos AiresMarch to April and September to November
• The MaldivesNovember to April
• EgyptMarch to April and October to November
• LondonMay to June and September
• CharlestonMarch to May and October to November
• TaiwanMarch to April and October to November
• Rio de JaneiroApril to May and September to October
• Palm SpringsOctober to April
• YellowstoneMay and September
• South KoreaApril to May and October
• AmsterdamApril to May and September
• TurkeyApril to May and September to October
• ArgentinaMarch to April and October to November
• TorontoMonth by month
• IndonesiaMay to September
• PeruMay to October
• BelizeDecember to April
• Key WestMarch to May
• South AfricaMay to October
• KenyaJune to October
• OrlandoMarch to May and October to November
• AustraliaMarch to May and September to October
• JamaicaDecember to April
• St LuciaDecember to April
• TahitiMay to October
• EuropeMay to June and September to October
• TanzaniaJune to October
• AustinMarch to April and October to November
• Machu PicchuApril to May and September to October
• Cabo San LucasMarch to May
• Niagara FallsJune to August
• ColoradoJune to September
• OregonMonth by month
• SingaporeFebruary to April
• ArizonaMarch to April and October to November
• Acadia National ParkSeptember to October
• GalapagosDecember to May
• Lake TahoeJune and September
• MontanaJuly to September
• KauaiApril to June and September
• AzoresApril to June and September
• OkinawaMarch to April and October to November
• PanamaDecember to April
• US Virgin IslandsDecember to April
• Amalfi CoastApril to June and September to October
• Santa FeMonth by month
• DestinApril to May and September to October
• BarbadosDecember to April
• CuracaoDecember to April
• UtahApril to May and September to October
• Joshua TreeMarch to April and October to November
• PatagoniaNovember to February
• SicilyApril to June and September to October
• St. ThomasDecember to April
• Florida KeysDecember to April
• Smoky MountainsApril to May and September to October
• Hong KongNovember
• CopenhagenMay to June and September
• Sri LankaDecember to March
• Death ValleyNovember to March
• MallorcaMay to June and September
• MadeiraApril to May and October
• AntiguaDecember to April
• Cape TownMarch to May and September to November
• El SalvadorNovember to April
• IbizaJune to August
• ZanzibarJune to October
• Lake ComoMay to June and September to October
• MadridApril to May and September to October
• OaxacaNovember to April
• MalaysiaMarch to September
• SeychellesApril to May and October to November
• New MexicoSeptember to October
• TennesseeApril to May and September to October
• VermontSeptember to October
• WyomingJune to September
• Bryce CanyonOctober
• OahuApril to May and September to October
• St. MartinDecember to May
• Hilton HeadApril to May and September to October
• TuscanyApril to June and September to October
• DolomitesJune and September
• Cape CodSeptember to October
• United KingdomMay to September
• SwedenMay to September
• ShanghaiMarch to May and September to November
• San AntonioMonth by month
• Rocky Mountain National ParkJuly to September
• MaltaApril to June and September to October
• GreenlandJune to August
• DublinSeptember to October
• Cayman IslandsDecember to April
• Catalina IslandMonth by month
• CartagenaDecember to April
• CambodiaNovember to February
• AthensApril to May and September to October
• AshevilleOctober
• TexasMarch to May and October
• South AmericaNovember to February
• SloveniaJune to September
• Shenandoah National ParkMay to June and September to October
• SardiniaMay to June and September to October
• RoatánMarch to May
• PhoenixMonth by month
• North CarolinaMonth by month
• NepalMarch to April and October to November
• NamibiaMay to October
• MontenegroMay to June and September
• MedellínDecember to March and July to August
• MauritiusMay to June and September to November
• MadagascarMay to October
• JordanMarch to May and September to November
• IsraelMarch to May and October to November
• French PolynesiaMay and September to October
• CairoOctober to April
• BudapestMay to June and September to October
• Arches National ParkApril to May and September to October
• ViennaApril to May and September to October
• UzbekistanApril to May and September to October
• TaipeiSeptember to November
• St. JohnDecember to April
• South CarolinaMarch to May and September to November
• ReykjavikJune to August
• NicaraguaNovember to April
• MykonosMay to June and September to October
• MilanMarch to May and September to October
• HoustonFebruary to April and October to November
• HanoiMarch to April and September to November
• GrenadaJanuary to April
• GhanaDecember to February
• Faroe IslandsJune to August
• Cook IslandsApril and September to November
• Canary IslandsMonth by month
• BoliviaMay to October
• Big Island of HawaiiSeptember to October
• BerlinMay to June and September
• BeijingApril to May and September to October
• AtlantaSeptember to November
• AlbaniaMay to June and September
• The CaribbeanDecember to April
• St. BartsMonth by month
• South DakotaSeptember
• SerengetiJune to October
• Rhode IslandMay and September to October
• New EnglandSeptember to October
• NassauDecember to April
• LimaDecember to March
• KyotoApril and September to November
• Koh SamuiJanuary to April
• DenmarkMay to June and September
• CreteApril to June and September to October
• Colorado SpringsMonth by month
• Chiang MaiNovember to February
• BelgiumMay to June and September
• UruguayNovember to March
• StockholmJune to August
• PortoMay to June and September
• PalawanNovember to May
• Montego BayDecember to April
• MichiganJune to August
• MelbourneMarch to May
• LouisianaMarch to May
• LaosNovember to February
• Kuala LumpurJune to August
• Kruger National ParkMay to September
• JejuMarch to May and September to November
• HondurasJanuary to April
• FlorenceMay and September to October
• DallasMarch to May and September to October
• Cape VerdeNovember to June
• BotswanaMay to October
• ZurichMay to September
• TunisiaApril to June and September to October
• TampaMonth by month
• St. KittsJanuary to April
• OsakaMarch to May and October to November
• OmanOctober to April
• MunichMonth by month
• MooreaMay to October
• KyrgyzstanJune to September
• KazakhstanMay to June and September
• Kailua-KonaApril to May and September to October
• GoaNovember to February
• EvergladesDecember to March
• Door CountySeptember to October
• DominicaJanuary to April
• CuscoApril to May and September to October
• CalgaryJune to August
• BoracayNovember to April
• BonaireMonth by month
• Swiss AlpsJune and September
• St. CroixMonth by month
• SevilleMarch to May
• San Juan IslandsMonth by month
• RomaniaApril to May and September to October
• PalauNovember to April
• New HampshireSeptember to October
• MinnesotaSeptember
• MazatlánMonth by month
• ManilaDecember to May
• KentuckyApril to May and September to October
• Isla MujeresDecember to March
• GuamJanuary to May
• French RivieraMay to June and September
• Fort LauderdaleMonth by month
• CubaNovember to April
• Cinque TerreMay to June and September
• AsiaNovember to March
• AlgarveMay to June and September to October
• VirginiaMonth by month
• Trinidad and TobagoMonth by month
• TenerifeMarch to May and September to October
• TasmaniaDecember to March
• SapporoMonth by month
• RwandaDecember to February and June to September
• NormandyMonth by month
• NairobiJanuary to February and July to October
• MumbaiNovember to February
• The HamptonsMonth by month
• Grand Teton National ParkSeptember
• Finger LakesSeptember to October
• EthiopiaOctober to February
• CyprusApril to May and September to October
• CharlotteMonth by month
• BogotáDecember to February and July to August
• AucklandMarch
• MaineJune to September
• BermudaApril to June and September to October
• Bora BoraMay to October
• Olympic National ParkJune to September
• Redwood National ParkMonth by month
• Sequoia National ParkSeptember
• Big Bend National ParkNovember
• Mackinac IslandMonth by month
• BhutanMarch to May and September to November
• Sint MaartenDecember to May
• NantucketMonth by month
• Outer BanksSeptember to October
• CaliforniaApril to May and September to October
• Big SurMonth by month
• Crater LakeMonth by month
• AnguillaDecember to March
• ScottsdaleJanuary to March
• NiceJuly to September
• Mount RainierJuly to September
• MongoliaJune to September
• CozumelJanuary to April
• Badlands National ParkMonth by month
• Salt Lake CitySeptember to October
• DenaliJune to August
• PhiladelphiaApril to May and September to October
• TucsonMarch to April and October to November
• ProvenceJune
• GuadalajaraMonth by month
• AlbuquerqueMonth by month
• Upper PeninsulaMonth by month
• UgandaDecember to February and June to August
• SonomaMonth by month
• MemphisMonth by month
• IdahoMonth by month
• Da NangFebruary to May
• CotswoldsMonth by month
• ArkansasMonth by month
• St. LouisMonth by month
• CapriMonth by month
• British Virgin IslandsDecember to April
• Glacier National ParkJuly to September
• BarcelonaMay to June
• VancouverJuly to September
• Quebec CityJuly to August
• DenverJune
• IstanbulApril to May and September to October
• Riviera MayaMonth by month
• Carmel-by-the-SeaSeptember to October
• Victoria, British ColumbiaMonth by month
• Mérida, YucatánNovember to March
• Santiago, ChileMarch to April and September to November
• Naples, ItalyApril to May and September to October
• Central AmericaDecember to April
• MinneapolisMonth by month
• SarasotaMarch to May and October to November
• Halifax, Nova ScotiaJune and September to October
• PittsburghMonth by month
• HelsinkiJune to August
• PensacolaApril to May and September to November
• JohannesburgMarch to May and September to November
• BrisbaneMarch to May and September to October
• MálagaApril to May and September to October
• Phu QuocNovember to April
• PerthMarch and October to November
• DubrovnikApril to May and September to October
• Corpus ChristiMonth by month
• American SamoaJune to September
• EstoniaMay to July and September
• SenegalNovember to April
• MassachusettsSeptember to October
• OklahomaMonth by month
• Torres del PaineDecember to March
• Czech RepublicApril to June and September to October
• HungaryMay and September to October
• Ho Chi Minh CityDecember to April
• São PauloApril to May and September to October
• AnchorageJune to August
• BoiseMay to June and September to October
• Abu DhabiNovember to March
• LouisvilleMonth by month
• OsloMonth by month
• JuneauMay to September
• QuitoJune to September
• Bosnia and HerzegovinaMay to June and September
• LatviaJune to August
• QatarNovember to March
• RussiaMay to September
• SamoaMonth by month
• Saudi ArabiaNovember to February
• ZambiaMay to October
• ZimbabweMay to October
• West VirginiaSeptember to October
• WisconsinJune to October
• Canyonlands National ParkApril to May and September to October
• YucatánNovember to March
• Baja CaliforniaDecember to April
• Blue Ridge MountainsApril to May and October
• Fort MyersNovember to April
• DetroitMonth by month
• Kansas City, MissouriMonth by month
• KathmanduMarch to April and September to November
• RenoMonth by month
• CebuJanuary to April
• Durango, ColoradoMonth by month
• BrusselsApril to June and September
• GuangzhouOctober to December
• ChattanoogaApril to May and October
• AntalyaMay to June and September to October
• Daytona BeachMonth by month
• CorfuMay to June and September
• CairnsMay to September
• HiloApril to June and September to October
• ArmeniaMay to June and September to October
• BulgariaMay to June and September
• GuyanaFebruary to March and August to October
• AlabamaMarch to May and September to November
• ConnecticutOctober
• New JerseySeptember
• PennsylvaniaMonth by month
• Capitol Reef National ParkMonth by month
• LangkawiNovember to March