The Alaska adventure travel season has lengthened in recent years. With more options and offerings in regions including the famed Inside Passage, Southcentral Alaska, Southwest Alaska and the Central Interior—plus variable weather conditions—it’s important to consider timing. At AdventureSmith Explorations, we are frequently asked “when is the best time to visit Alaska?” or “what month has the most sun?” While Alaska weather is notoriously unpredictable, what follows are some tips to get you thinking about what month to visit.
March & April in Alaska
Small ship cruises begin as early as mid-March, with most early spring departures running regularly starting in mid-April. Our early spring offerings center on the Inside Passage, with most spanning a week. During this time, you can also consider a longer 15-day cruise, traveling with boats positioning from Seattle up to Alaska.
Nights still may reveal the northern lights, while days are longer and animals are beginning to stir.
Nights are still long enough to possibly catch the northern lights, while days are getting longer and animals are beginning to stir. The annual early spring herring migration makes for optimal wildlife viewing opportunities, as hungry bears awake from hibernation and go looking for food. Snowcapped peaks drive mountain goats and other creatures to the shoreline to forage.
Average Coastal Weather:
30-45 °F and 11 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Low prices & Alaska travel deals
- Non-existent crowds
- Increased offerings for themed cruises & onboard special guests
- Longer cruises from Seattle
Emerging Wildlife:
- Water: Steller sea lions, orca, humpback whales
- Birds: chickadees, wrens, jays, grouse, thrushes, ducks, loons, swans, geese, owls, bald eagles
- Land: mountain goats, brown & black bears
May in Alaska
May is considered Alaska’s early shoulder season. Many small ship cruises begin operating, but with kids in school, you can still feel like Alaska is all yours. The Inside Passage remains the focus as many more 6-8-day departures start in earnest, as well as opportunities for longer sailings from Seattle to Alaska, passing British Columbia along the way.
May is an optimal month to view wildlife awakening.
May is one of the driest months and an optimal one to view wildlife awakening, with lots of babies being born, spring migrations ramping up, snow melting and the landscape budding. Mid-month, the shops and attractions also return to life after a winter slumber.
Average Coastal Weather:
40-55 °F and 16 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Driest month on average
- Low prices & Alaska travel deals
- Few crowds
- Optional longer cruises embarking in Seattle
Emerging Wildlife:
- Water: gray whales, harbor seals
- Birds: migratory songbirds & seabirds
- Land: Dall sheep, moose, wolves, lynx
June in Alaska
June is when the Alaska tourist season comes into full swing, especially in the latter part of the month. Cruises in the southcentral and southwestern part of the state begin operating, offering adventures along Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island, Katmai National Park and the Aleutian Islands. Some departures even focus in the Arctic waters of the Bering Sea, bringing guests ashore at various points along Russia’s Siberian coastline—you might even spot a polar bear on Wrangel Island.
June is the month to begin taking land trips in Alaska.
June is the month to begin taking land trips in Alaska. The Denali National Park road opens, bear viewing in Katmai is optimal with various salmon runs underway, the Kenai peninsula (including Kenai Fjords National Park) is lush with greenery and the weather is more reliable for flightseeing, floatplane rides, scenic Alaska railroad trips and other special modes of transit for reaching remote wilderness lodges.
Average Weather:
- Coastal: 40-60 °F and 18 hours of daylight
- Denali: 50-70 °F and 20 hours of daylight
- Arctic: 30-40 °F and nearly 24 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Longest daylight hours
- Land + sea tour combinations
- Opportunities to view an abundance of young wildlife
- Melted snow enables higher altitude hikes
Emerging Wildlife:
- Water: habor seal pups, ducks hatching, beluga whales
- Birds: optimal seabird and alpine bird rookerie viewing
- Land: caribou, mountain goat kids, black bear cubs, moose calves
July in Alaska
July is a choice time to visit Alaska, with wildlife fully active, all trails accessible, long days and Alaska’s warmest average temperatures. This translates into a busy time for The Great Land, with a swell of visitors.
Small ships avoid the crowds during this busy time for The Great Land.
Small ship cruises during this busy month mean you can still enjoy areas inaccessible to the large cruise ships, such as Kake and Wrangell Narrows; plus weather won’t affect your ability to access key Alaskan cities like Sitka. Our land tours, averaging 5-8 days, set you up to thoroughly enjoy some of Alaska’s best national parks during this ideal month.
Average Weather:
- Coastal: 50-65 °F and 18 hours of daylight
- Denali: 50-70 °F and 19 hours of daylight
- Arctic: 32-45 °F and nearly 24 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Land + sea tour combinations
- Long days enable more time to play
- Warmest temperatures
- Spawning salmon means ideal fishing
Must-See Wildlife:
- Water: prime month for humpback whales, salmon runs, sea otters
- Birds: puffins, shorebirds begin migrating (millions of birds possible in a flock)
- Land: grizzly, brown and black bears; mountain goats
August in Alaska
August is still a popular time to visit Alaska, with increased moisture improving the vibrancy of an already verdant landscape. Wildlife remains in abundance and all cruises and land tours are operating on a regular basis. As the month winds down, so do travelers to Alaska, with a shift in weather that signals fall has arrived.
Average Weather:
- Coastal: 50-60 °F and 18 hours of daylight
- Denali: 45-65 °F and 18 hours of daylight
- Arctic: 31-41 °F and 23 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Land + sea tour combinations
- Long days enable more time to play
- Ideal fishing conditions (halibut, rainbow trout, northern pike, salmon)
Must-See Wildlife:
- Water: beavers, humpback whales & orca,
- Birds: peak songbird migration, bald eagles, loons
- Land: caribou, black and brown bears (including grizzlies)
September in Alaska
September brings Alaska’s later shoulder season, with fewer visitors and often Alaska special offers. Longer nights again bring possible opportunities to view the aurora borealis. The cooler weather turns trees and tundra into explosive fall colors of red, gold and purple.
Fewer visitors, and animals busy preparing for winter.
Snow begins to dust mountain peaks. Animals are busy preparing for the oncoming winter—migrating, mating, marking territory, hunting and foraging for food—which increases your odds of viewing all manner of wildlife.
Average Weather:
- Coastal: 40-55 °F and 15hrs hours of daylight
- Denali: 35-55 °F and 17 hours of daylight
- Arctic: 30-32 °F and 19 hours of daylight
Benefits:
- Land + sea tour combinations
- Low prices & Alaska travel deals
- Few-to-no crowds
- Optional longer cruises disembarking in Seattle
Must-See Wildlife:
- Water: gray whales, harbor seals, sea lions
- Birds: gulls and raptors begin migrating, bald eagles, black oystercatchers
- Land: elk, moose, caribou, deer
A Word about Alaska Weather & Packing for Alaska
Weather in various Alaska destinations is unpredictable and travelers should prepare themselves for a range of conditions, no matter what month you travel. We have developed comprehensive Alaska planning guides for our booked clients, with expertise culled from years of our own living, working, guiding and traveling in Alaska.
Prepare for a range of conditions, no matter what month you travel.
Layers are essential for a comfortable Alaska vacation, using wicking materials that are fast-drying. A raincoat and rain pants are also must-haves, as is a warm hat and gloves. Many boats will provide rubber boots. With a well-packed bag, you can appreciate the opportunities created by varying weather, which in turn creates the cornucopia of landscapes and wildlife that brings travelers to the Last Frontier.
A Note About Timing & Latitude in Alaska
While this Alaska by Month guide is a valuable resource for planning when to go, wildlife and weather can never be fully predicted, especially in a land as powerful as Alaska. Life in Alaska is greatly affected by latitude variances, as slight latitude shifts can result in big seasonal and light changes. There is no best time to cruise Alaska. The nature of small ship cruising is to be flexible and nimble, and this ethos should be applied to any trip in Alaska, by land or sea. Afterall, the surprise in what you experience while in Alaska is a big part of the fun.
Discover more about our Alaska trips and then contact one of our Alaska experts to help match you with the best trip for your interests, budget and timeline.
Thanks for the well organized post which answers some planning questions on travel in Alaska. It saves me some research time, and serves as a focus to refer to as I weigh the options.
“There is no best time to cruise Alaska. The nature of small ship cruising is to be flexible and nimble, and this ethos should be applied to any trip in Alaska, by land or sea. Afterall, the surprise in what you experience while in Alaska is a big part of the fun.”
I appreciate your summarizing statement, as it confirms for me that booking with adventuresmithexplorations is the right choice!
Hello Eileen,
Thank you so much for your kind words; we are so glad we could be of assistance. Here at AdventureSmith we aim to offer as much helpful information for our readers and travelers so that they can thoroughly enjoy their time off. We look forward to working with you to find your ideal Alaska trip and an Alaska expert will be in touch with you to help you plan your vacation. In the meantime, check out our How to Choose Your Alaska Cruise for another helpful resource.
So I am trying to plan our first trip to Alaska next year – Flying into Anchorage, renting a car and seeing Homer, Seward and Denali. Just can’t decide what is the best month. We were thinking June 4-13, 2020. Is there snow on the mountain peaks still at this time? What do you think would be the best time to visit? We would to see snow covered mountains! 🙂 We’re from Florida (the Panhandle where Hurricane Michael hit last Oct) 🙁
Thank you so much!
Wendy Chambers
Hello Wendy,
As you read in this post, every month offers its benefits and as we know about weather, in Alaska especially, it can be quite unpredictable. Depending where you are in Alaska the snow on the mountains can last through the year, but the earlier in the season the better! If you need any assistance booking, we have incredible Alaska land trips, in addition to our small ship cruises, that get you deep into the wilderness of Denali, Kenai and other incredible Alaska destinations. We are so sorry to hear you were hit by the hurricane, we hope for a speedy recovery to you and your community!
Hello, and thanks for the info.
Do you know what time of year is when mosquitoes are all over?? Or is there any condition when they are not that annoying?
Thanks
Hi Sergio,
Mosquito density in Alaska varies by month and location. On Alaska small ship cruises there is no need to worry about mosquitos, but inland Alaska land tours do experience them, particularly in Denali National Park. To avoid inland mosquitos, travel outside of July and the first half of August. If you’re aiming to combine a land tour with a cruise, however, consider that whales are in abundance during that time. Contact one of our Alaska specialists to help you pinpoint the optimal timing for your Alaska trip.
Hello,
I want to see the ice caves, but flights in summer are too expensive for me. Can you suggest any other time?
Hi YM,
You’re likely referring to the Mendenhall Glacier out of Juneau, Alaska, which our team has experience visiting, but mostly en route to Alaska small ship cruises or other adventures in the Southeast Alaska region. While we’re not experts on ice caves, and conditions can vary any time of the year, the ice is most likely more stable (but the temperatures still bearable for travel & flights less expensive) in the spring and fall. Contact us to discuss planning and booking an Alaska trip like this further if you wish! Just know that our expertise is in adventure travel packages built for you to see the best of Alaska vs. day trips.
My husband and i are planning a cruise this coming year. My biggest goal is to see whales. When is the best time for whale watching.
Thank you S.D.
Hi Sharon,
Whale watching aboard an Alaska small ship is a spectacular goal! Our guide to Whale Watching Aboard Small Ship Cruises in Alaska recommends mid-June through mid-August, although whale sightings are possible throughout the season. Most of our small ship Alaska cruises offer opportunities to see whales. One of our Alaska Adventure Specialists will be in touch soon to discuss a trip that best suits your whale watching goals.
Comments will be moderated and will appear after they have been approved.