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When I was in school, I had taken a liking to a big blue jacket at home and I remember everyone joking if I had plans to travel to Alaska right away. Alaska is known all over the world for its extreme temperature during winter and the joke had sown in that curiosity to experience it one day. I never imagined back then, that it would really happen. If you have that desire to visit this winter wonderland, then this is Your Winter Travel Guide to Alaska!
The northernmost and the westernmost state of the U.S.A., Alaska, is famous for its unforgiving yet beautiful winter weather. Alaska is also the largest U.S. State by area with many beautiful cities. Picking a city or few cities to cover during winter might be a task. Read more to find out why we picked October to go to Fairbanks!
When is the Best Time to visit Alaska in Winter?
Winter in Alaska is approximately from October through March. September is autumn/fall in Alaska with cold starting to creep in.
I will talk about Late August and September as well because you have a slight probability of catching the famous Northern lights, Aurora Borealis, in Fairbanks, AK. This is one of the most prominent winter activities.
How is the temperature in Alaska during Winter?
Late August- September: If you want bearable cold days with no snow then this is the time to visit. Although it might not be an ideal time to experience winter in Alaska, you might catch the beautiful fall colors of the Tundra. Temperatures (High/Low) in Anchorage, AK : 57/46 F (13/8 C) and in Fairbanks, AK : 55/35 F (13/2 C)
October: We visited Fairbanks in late October for our winter vacation and we loved it. The temperature in Fairbanks was oscillating between a high of 32/33 F (0/1 C) and a low of 0/15 F (-19 /-9 C). Brrr, it was cold and snowy yet perfect to experience the Alaskan winter. The temperatures are a little higher in SouthCentral Alaska and coastal regions with high of 42 F (6 C) and low of 33 F (1 C). You can expect more precipitation in October and cloudy days.
November: Winter is in full swing. All of Alaska is mostly covered in snow. The temperatures dip further below, Anchorage, AK: 28/19 F (-2/-7 C), and Fairbanks, AK: 10/-4 F (-12/-20 C). You can expect breathtaking landscapes, and Northern lights dancing in Fairbanks.
December: Right in the middle of winter. Temperatures in Anchorage, AK: 24/15 F (-4/-9 C) and Fairbanks, AK: 5/-9 F (-15/-23 C). It is really cold with very less precipitation.
January: Winter is still happily settled in with temperatures dropping further below, Anchorage, AK: 23/14 F (-5/-10 C) and Fairbanks, AK: -0/-14 F (-18/-26 C). There is still not much precipitation but clear starry nights with Northern lights gleaming down.
February: Temperatures start to rise in february with Anchorage, AK:26/17 F (-3/-8 C), Fairbanks, AK : 14/-7 F (-10/-22 C). Famous winter carnival starts in Anchorage, AK. Late february is a good time for a winter vacation!
March: The last month of winter is also a good time to visit Alaska. The temperatures are higher, Anchorage, AK: 32/19 F (0/-7 C) and Fairbanks, AK: 26/-2 F (-3/-19 C).
How many hours of Daylight in Alaska during winter?
Late August- September: It is still fall and hence you will get an average daylight of 12 hours or a little bit more as you go north in Alaska.
October: It is the beginning of winter with more precipitation and cloudy skies. Daylight averages about 10 hours each day. It is a good time to experience the wintry mood of the state as well as get around with enough daylight.
November: It is officially winter. Daylight (including twilight) is about an average of 8 hours.
December: Winter Solstice is on December 21st, the darkest day. Since Alaska is so close to the North Pole, you can expect long, cold, dark nights during december with very little daylight. Fairbanks has an average of 3 hours of sun with 6 hours of visible light. Barrow, the northernmost town experiences 65/67 days of total darkness in winter :O
January: Daylight is about 5 hours on an average.
February: Winter is edging away slowly. Bit more cloud cover and less darkness. Daylight starts to increase to about 6-7 hours a day.
March: Winter is almost over. There will be more daylight, about 8 hours a day, as spring approaches with less chance of snowfall albeit cold.
Is Travelling to Alaska in Winter Expensive?
Not many venture out to spend their vacation in frigid cold temperatures (nonetheless beautiful). The prices drop significantly compared to summer in Alaska. The Flight tickets and accommodation can be found at reasonable prices since the state tends to be less crowded.
We use the Alaska Airlines credit card which offers great prices for flight tickets. Email us for a referral!
$ Winter Travel Guide To Alaska Thrifty Tip $: We found that late October had a good balance with being less expensive and tolerable winter temperatures. People usually pick late september/early October and late Feb/early march for winter vacation.
What are the Top Winter Destinations in Alaska?
Each city in Alaska has a unique offering of its own during winter. The most popular cities to travel during winter include :
Anchorage
Anchorage is one of the Big cities of Alaska. If you are looking for great amenities, restaurants and resorts to spend your winter vacation then this is the city. Traditional Winter Carnival and the famous dog race – Itidarod, takes place here in February/March.
Anchorage is a good place to be for winter activities such as Skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, etc. For Northern Lights you might have to drive up north or if you visit in December/January and early February, you might catch them close to Anchorage!
Fairbanks
Our Recommended Essential Winter Gear Below
If you want to experience the far north, arctic winter with frigid temperatures, then Fairbanks is the place to be. It is not as busy as Anchorage during winter, but still has good hotels/AirBnbs. You can experience Alaskan winter in its bare form. The Northern Lights dance overhead on most nights during winter. Fairbanks is known for its mineral hot springs, ice museum and is 6 hours away from the Arctic Circle.
Coastal Alaska
Cities such as Seward and Homer are along the Alaskan coast. The water doesn’t freeze in winter and you can experience the Alaskan wintry beaches, probably watch marine mammals and birds. The coastal areas are also famous for fishing and seafood. It gives you a small town laid back feeling.
$ Winter Travel Guide To Alaska Thrifty tip$ : Fairbanks gets you the true Alaska winter experience at a lesser price compared to big cities.
How to get around in Alaska during winter?
Travelling within a City
Renting a Car – This is by far the easiest and convenient option to travel within a city in Alaska during winter. However, be aware the road conditions from late October – early march can be treacherous. I cannot stress enough for the need of a 4 wheel drive. The temperatures can drop below freezing and the roads can be blanketed with black ice.
Since we were in Fairbanks, the rental car companies had limited options for a 4 wheel drive. We settled with a rear wheel drive and later realized it was a mistake. We had to change to a 4 wheel drive later (will tell you why in another post soon!).
Also, there are a few roads that you are not allowed to take a rental car such as the Dalton Highway, irrespective of the season. You will need to rent a special car for that road. So make sure you check with the rental company on what roads you can take the car.
Uber/Lyft/Taxis – These options are available as well although the wait times might increase during winter. We never imagined we would be travelling via uber (not frequent) in Fairbanks. It took 45 minutes to be assigned to a driver.
Public Transportation – Alaska does have public transportation. However, I am not sure if I would recommend standing in a very cold bus stop waiting for a bus. The websites we checked out was – http://dot.alaska.gov/stwdplng/transit/rcs_providers.shtml and https://www.muni.org/Departments/Transit/Pages/default.aspx
Travelling between Cities
Take a Flight – You can book cheap flight tickets to fly between cities. Most of the airlines are unaffected during winter. If you want to fly to a remote site, charter private planes are also available year round.
Ride the Train – Alaskan Railroad – https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ is famous for its train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and Vice versa. We took this train from Fairbanks to Anchorage. This route traverses through Denali National Park, snow capped peaks, and frozen rivers. There are other routes offered as well. Mind you it can be an expensive affair.
Rent a Car – If you are comfortable driving in winter conditions with ice, then renting a car might be convenient. It can be a bit more expensive than taking a flight though.
Things to do in Alaska during Winter
There are plenty of things to do in Alaska during winter. It is great for winter activities like Skiing, Snowshoeing and dog sledding. Winter festivals and the famous dog race – Itidarod, take place in February/March if you want to immerse yourself in local Alaskan traditions. Coastal Alaskan cities cater for a laid back, quaint small town experience with fishing.
If you want to get more adventurous you can travel north to Fairbanks and further to catch the emerald dancing Northern lights, go past the Arctic Circle, stay in an ice museum/hotel, relax in a natural hot spring surrounded by snow and run into Alaskan wildlife.
$ Winter Travel Guide To To Alaska Thrifty Tip $: Call to book activities rather than book online, you might just get a good deal!
Where to Stay in Alaska during Winter?
South Central Alaska, which includes Anchorage, Homer, Seward, etc. and Southeast Alaska, which includes Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, etc. are very popular among tourists and hence finding accommodation in any season won’t be a problem. There are plenty of AirBnbs, resorts and hotels.
Interior Alaska, which includes Fairbanks and surrounding areas, is a bit low-key and you might not find luxury resorts. Although we found great AirBnbs, secluded on top of a hill for great prices! It makes for a perfect romantic getaway.
Southwest Alaska and North Slope are sparsely inhabited with very few villages and minimal transportation. These regions are rarely visited by tourists.
Food in Alaska during Winter
If you are a fan of Seafood, then coastal cities such as Homer and Seward are famous for Salmon fishing. Big cities like Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau have a fair number of restaurants open all year round.
We stayed in an AirBnb for about a week in Fairbanks and cooked half the time at our stay. The one Restaurant that stood out was – Hari Om Restaurant in downtown Fairbanks. It offers both Vegetarian as well as Non-Vegetarian food. The atmosphere was warm and the owner was kind enough to give us some useful tips about winter travel and spots to check out.
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Alaska isn’t the westernmost state…
Alaska happens to be the western most state. If you are claiming it’s Hawaii! Guess you might be correct there too! 😃
Hi Joe, thanks for reading the article! Yes, I guess the definition of the westernmost state is ambiguous given there are multiple interpretations of it. We were going by the fact that Alaska is the westernmost point in all US territories by longitude (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extreme_points_of_the_United_States)
Loved the article. Newbie here and planning a trip to Fairbanks this year for the lights. Airbnb for a week sounds good. By clicking on referral, takes me to Airbnb page but not the property. Can you share the link for the property. Also, if we book our adventures, are there pick up drop services available from the tour operators as we don’t want to drive. It’s more of a relaxed getaway to see the lights with few activities and not really cover everything in this trip itself.
Thank you Rinku for taking the time to read the article, glad it was helpful. Here is the link to the airbnb – https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25890511?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=0992f9a9-e8fd-41d0-83ef-20a7e928632e
It would be great if you can go via my referral link and search for this property! Yes, there are tour operators who pick and drop from your accommodation, we had googled Northern wilderness tour company at the time we went. There is also an option to stay at Chena Hot Spring Resort where they take you on tours from the resort itself.
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