Best time for Alaska Trip

[lovesny]

We are planning on going to Alaska in 2014. Going mainly for the scenery. We will not be hiking or fishing.

So, which time would be the best to go...... June 21, or August 18?

I know my friends on Budget Boards will have some good info for me.

I have been reading a lot on Alaska on Trip Advisor, but just wanted your thoughts.

 

[meajuly5]

From what I have read, aug can be beautiful and June can still be cold. Went in July, gorgeous is an understatement!!!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Are you cruising? Not that it makes a huge difference I guess but just curious for the port/cities you'd be visiting.

We cruised with DCL this past June and the weather was *perfect*! We cruised 6/17-6/24 and we did not have a single drop of rain the entire trip and it was in the 60/70's the entire time. The only cooler day we experienced was cruising through Tracy Arm but it's a glacier and expected to be cooler!

From a budget perspective June was cheaper than August so that's another reason we picked the timeframe we did and we were very pleased. Alaska was simply amazing - you'll love it!

Heather

 

[lovesny]

Sounds like either month would be good.

We will be doing both land and sea---- 7 days each.

Norweigian Sun will be the cruise ship--Flying to Anchorage -- 7 days on land and then southward to Vancouver on the ship for 7 days.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I lived in Alaska for many years. June can still be a little cool, but very pretty. August is sometimes hotter, it just depends on the year. You should be fine with either. All the major attractions are operating through early September.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have been up there a couple of times on business.

I found that I liked the later time better.

Because of the weather June is still "spring" in terms of the plants etc. There were lots more flowers and 'green" when I went later.

But either way it's great!

 

[ariel71]

I would go to the Alaska board on cruisecritic.com. I did almost all of my planning for the land/cruise trip I did in July based on information from that site. They are true experts over there.

 

[jstbcuz]

I have a friend up there and have been 3 times. The first time was in June ofr her wedding..........beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!! There was still snow on the mountains making some beautiful scenery. I dont remember it being cool other than at night. Flowers in bloom, long days of summer solstice. Couldnt have asked for a better time to go!

The second time I went was in March! Can you believe there was NO SNOW on the ground until the day before I left? Then they got a record snowfall of 25" in less than 24 hours. Things were rather brown and yucky from the melted snow.

Last time I went was in September. The first couple days I was there were beautiful. Not warm by any means & I needed a sweatshirt off and on throughout the day, but nice enough I could wear capris and still be ok outside. Then the weather shifted and it became much cooler! Not as much in bloom then either and not usually snow on the mountains!

You will love it no matter when you go!!

 

[bookgirl]

I just went on a cruise the first week of September. It's considered a rainy time of year and we were about 50/50 on actual rain days, though it was overcast/foggy just about everyday.

It was beautiful weather for me. I pretty much lived in a pair of jeans, ss tshirt and a light weight zip up hodie. (on the day we cruised up to the glaciers I had to wear winter gear: thermals, gloves, hat, heavy hoodie but only while I was on deck and we were in the actual glacier area)

I did invest in a WATERPROOF jacket as I was going in the rainy season and we had one day of actual rain. I wore the jacket another day due to chance of rain, it was misty and foggy and it worked great then as well. It was so worth it. I was completly dry and with my zip hoody and a tshirt underneath I was warm without being hot.

Layers are the way to go up there. I saw the locals dressing that way as well. I would go from bare arms to hoodie to rain jacket and never felt too cold or too warm.