Alaska, which has the largest area among the states of the United States and has a vast expanse of land, including the Arctic Circle, is one of the travel destinations where you can feel the wonders of nature up close. What are the must-see sights on your trip to Alaska, and when is the highest chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis? Please keep these points in mind and enjoy a wonderful experience and an inspiring journey.
I want to know before I go! Basic knowledge of Alaska tourism
Alaska is America’s largest state. The state has four time zones, and each city has a different climate.
The southern Pacific Ocean side, which is 55 degrees north latitude, is about the same latitude as Hokkaido. On the other hand, the northernmost part is located within the Arctic at 71 degrees north latitude, and most of the states belong to the same latitude as Sweden, Norway, and Finland in Northern Europe.
One of the highlights of Alaska is watching the Aurora Borealis. Traveling to enjoy glaciers and spectacular scenery using the Alaska Railroad and cruise ships is also popular.
There are three ways to get to Alaska from Japan.
Connecting flights via the United States (mainly Seattle)
Travel agency charter flight tour.
Ferry or cruise ship from USA or Canada
There are no direct flights, so it takes about 14 to 15 hours one way to travel via Seattle.
Travel agencies plan package tours using chartered flights for a limited period from summer vacation in July to September. With this, you can get to Alaska in 6 to 7 hours, so it’s very easy, and time is not wasted.
A third option is to take a luxury liner cruise from Seattle or Vancouver or a ferry from a city in the northern United States.
The advantage of a boat trip is that you can take your time and enjoy Alaska’s glaciers and nature from the sea. However, most of them operate from April to September, so please be careful when you travel.
Alaska tourism, seasonal attractions, what to bring, and what to wear
There are three main cities in Alaska that are attractive as tourist destinations.
Anchorage, the starting point for Alaska Railroad and glacier cruises
“Fairbanks,” where you can see the aurora 243 days a year
Juneau, the state capital where luxury cruise ships arrive and depart
Furthermore, based in each city, you can enjoy optional tours to northern towns where Eskimos live and ski resorts.
Also, depending on when you visit and what the purpose of your trip is, there are different ways to enjoy visiting the same city. Let’s introduce clothes and things to bring depending on the purpose of sightseeing, divided into summer and winter.
Summer Alaska Tourism
For those who love nature and the outdoors, May through September is the most attractive season in Alaska in the summer.
July and August are the hottest months in any city. In Japan, it is like April to May in Sapporo, so we recommend wearing light, long-sleeved clothes and long pants in spring and autumn.
Anchorage, located in central and southern Alaska, still has an average temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius in May. Therefore, down jackets, sweaters, and fleece are essential items.
Fairbanks, located in central Alaska, has an inland climate with extreme temperature differences, and the average temperature in May is around 10 degrees Celsius. June and July are the warmest months, with days up to 22°C.
If you’re going to see the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, the Midnight Sun ends in late August, so wear sweaters, fleece, down jackets, and boots to protect yourself from the wind.
Juneau, located in southeastern Alaska, is said to be relatively warm from around late May to early September. However, even in late July, which is the hottest, the average temperature is around 16 degrees.
Bring binoculars and raincoats for glacier cruises and wildlife viewing in Denali National Park. Remember to bring your bathing suit if you’re going to China Hot Springs.
In high-latitude Alaska, the sun never sets at midnight, so it might be a good idea to bring an eye mask.
Winter Alaska Tourism
Winter in Alaska is all about the Aurora Borealis. We also recommend activities such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, and skiing.
Fairbanks, China Hot Springs, near Aurora Berto (the area between 64° and 70° north latitude), is the best spot for viewing. The season is from November to April, with February being the high season.
The average temperature is around minus 13 degrees. Minus 20 degrees is not uncommon in Fairbanks.
When watching the aurora, take full protection against the cold with a down jacket, hat, earmuffs, face mask, muffler, and snow boots.
A single-lens reflex camera is best for aurora photography. A tripod is essential to prevent camera shake.
Even during the daytime, the winter cold is severe, so it is recommended to wear outdoor clothes that do not let the wind through so that your skin does not come into direct contact with the outside air.
In Barrow, a city in the far north where the Eskimos live, the polar night continues from November to January when the sun does not rise even during the day. During the coldest period of winter, the temperature can drop to minus 50 degrees!
It would be difficult to find clothing suitable for such an extreme environment. However, there are places where you can rent cold-weather gear for optional tours, so it’s a good idea to make use of them.
Top 10 Spots to Visit in Alaska
Alaska is full of attractions and activities to enjoy. The four main cities are:
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
arctic city
Now, let’s take a look at the ways to enjoy each and their charms in a digest.
1. Anchorage Tourist Spot: Anchorage Museum
Alaska’s largest museum is where you can learn about “Alaska-ness” from various perspectives, such as art, differentiation, history, science, and nature. The museum shop has been selected as one of the top 10 in the world by Conde Nast Traveler, a travel magazine published by a major American publisher.
Anchorage Museum
Address: 625 C St, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone number: 907-929-9200
Business hours: Summer (May to September) 9:00 to 18:00; Winter (October to April) 10:00 to 18:00
*Sunday only 12:00-18:00
Regular holiday: Monday
Admission: $15, Alaska Resident Adult $12,
Senior/Military/Student (student ID required) $10, ages 3-12 $7, 2 and under free
2. Anchorage Tourist Spot: Alaska Railroad
Two southern routes from Anchorage to Seward or Whittier, where glacier cruises depart. Talkeetna, the base for climbing Mt. Denali (formerly McKinley), and the Northern Route through Denali to Fairbanks through the wilderness.
There are regular seats and Gold Star (observation car), and the price varies depending on the peak season and value season, boarding section, and destination.
Alaska railroad
Address: 411 W 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone number: 800-266-8625
*Please refer to the official website for fares.
3. Anchorage Tourist Spot: Girdwood Alyeska Resort
About an hour’s drive south of Anchorage. Girdwood Alyeska is on the way to Whittier on the Alaska Railroad.
Girdwood Alyeska Resort, a four-star luxury resort in Alaska, attracts skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer. In addition, activities such as mountain biking, rafting, and summer glacier dog sledding tours are available.
Girdwood Alyeska Resort
Address: 1000 Arlberg Ave, Girdwood, AK 99587
Phone number: 907-75p-insta:
4. Anchorage Tourist Spot: Kenai Fjords National Park
Seward, which can be reached on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage, is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.
Covering 240,000 hectares of the glacier, the Harding Icefield forms a spectacular fjord. You can also trail the Exit Glacier for the fitter and enjoy the views there.
We recommend the pleasure boat cruise if you want to see sea otters, Steller sea lions, seals, killer whales, and whales.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Address: Kenai Fjords National Park, AK
Phone number: 907-422-0500
1. Fairbanks Sightseeing Area: Denali National Park and Preserve
A national park with a magnificent view of the tallest mountain in North America, Mt. Denali (formerly McKinley).
A little larger than Massachusetts, the vast park is home to 37 species of mammals, including lynx, marmots, moose, caribou, wolves, and grizzly bears.
Denali National Park
Address: Parks Hwy, Denali National Park and Preserve, AK
Phone number: 907-683-9532
2. Sightseeing spot: Running Raidia Ranch (reindeer ranch)
A family-run farm in the wild north of Fairbanks. The tour where you can walk with reindeer in a beautiful forest is very popular.
They also give detailed lectures on the ecology of reindeer.
Running Radia Ranch (Reindeer Ranch)
Address: 1470 Ivans Alley, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone number: 907-455-4998
Fairbanks Tourist Destination: China Hot Springs Resort
Along with Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs is famous for viewing the Northern Lights. There is a 100% free-flowing open-air bath, which is said to be the only one in North America, and you can enjoy it on a day trip.
The resort has an aurora waiting area open 24 hours a day, which is convenient for winter viewing.
The Aurora Ice Museum, which has ice sculptures and an ice bar made entirely of ice, is a popular spot.
China Hot Springs Resort (China Hot Springs)
Address: 56.5 Chena Hot Springs Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99712
Phone number: 907-451-8104
1. Juneau Sightseeing Area: Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau
Juneau, the capital of Alaska, is the most prominent tourist destination in the Inside Passage.
Inside Passage means an “inland sea route” that connects many islands and seas, and although there is access by rail or air, there is no access by road.
The Mendenhall Glacier, about 20 kilometers northeast of Juneau, is known for its glacier caves.
Inside the cave is a blue world! It is a mysterious beauty where the water that melts under the ice ceiling flows like a river.
Mendenhall Glacier
Address: Juneau, AK 99801
2. Juneau Tourist Destination: Glacier Bay National Park
Registered as a World Heritage Site in 1992. Located on the west side of Juneau, between the Chilkat and Fairweather Mountains, it is inaccessible by land and must be reached by small plane or cruise.
Glacier Bay is known as a gigantic iceberg port. The sight of 16 glaciers flowing down the steep slopes is truly spectacular. See marine life, such as seals, dolphins, whales, and orcas, as well as wildlife, such as mountain goats and bears.
Glacier Bay National Park
Address: 1 Park Road Gustavus, AK 99826
Phone number: 907-697-2230
1. Arctic Tourist Destination: Barrow
Located in the Arctic Ocean, Barrow (Utkiagvik) is the northernmost town in the United States. Most of the inhabitants are Inupiat (Eskimos). It has a long history as a whaling and fur trading area.
Currently, local tours are popular as tourist destinations where you can experience the culture of the indigenous people, such as the midnight sun from May to August, the northern lights in winter, and the polar nights when the sun never rises from November to January.
There are no paved roads, so you’ll have to take a buggy along the way. These include Point Barrow (Cape Barrow), the northernmost point in the United States, and the Inupiat Heritage Center.
Cape Barrow
Address: Point Borrow, Alaska
2. Arctic Tourist Destination: Cotsview
80% of the inhabitants are Inupiat Eskimos, one of the largest indigenous communities in Alaska’s far north. It is located 42 km north of the Arctic Circle. You can also experience white nights and polar nights here.
The gateway to the Gates of the Arctic National Park, the largest in the United States. A popular local tour is the Dalton Highway, which extends from Fairbank to the Arctic Circle.
Cotsview
Address: Kotzebue, AK 99752
Highlights of sightseeing in Alaska Conditions for seeing the Aurora
If you go all the way to Alaska, you want to see the beautiful Aurora Borealis. The following four conditions are necessary for the best viewing.
close to the aurora belt,
the weather is clear
no street lights nearby
the new moon is best
The Aurora Belt is a donut-shaped region that surrounds the Earth’s magnetic field.
A place with a “strong magnetic field” that attracts a lot of plasma emitted by the Sun is called an “aurobelt” because it is located around 65 to 70 degrees north latitude.
In Alaska, Fairbanks and China Hot Springs are the same. In addition, Betelth, which is directly below Aurora Vert, is said to be the best spot for aurora viewing as it satisfies all four conditions.
When it’s snowing or raining, we can’t see the Northern Lights because we’re under the clouds.
In addition, it is difficult to see in bright places, so streetlights and moonlight are prohibited.
The chances of seeing the Northern Lights are higher in winter than in summer because the nights are longer. That’s why December to March is said to be the best time.
By the way, the appearance rate is high from around 23:00 to around 3:00, but it is the work of nature. So after dark, you must check the sky every hour and wait.
Recommended souvenirs and places to buy when sightseeing in Alaska
Where should you go if you want to buy souvenirs to remember your trip?
In the case of Alaska, there are not many large shopping malls, so most purchases are made in major cities.
Sportsman’s Warehouse
Anchorage Museum Museum Shop
Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall
Alaska railroad
Anchorage Market and Festival
Fred Meyer (Airport Street store)
The Great Alaskan Ball Company
Santa Claus house
Alaska shirt company
glacier smoothie soap
Let’s introduce recommended shopping spots and popular souvenirs in each city.
Sportsman’s Warehouse
“Sportsman’s Warehouse” is an outdoor sporting goods store that operates all over the United States. In Alaska, in addition to our Anchorage store, we also have locations in Wassilia and Fairbanks.
We have a large selection of outdoor and fishing gear. Hunting supplies such as guns, ammunition, traps, and bows are also available in the store! It’s a fun shop just to look at.
Sportsman’s Warehouse
Address: 8681 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage, AK 99515
Phone number: 907-644-1400
Business hours: 9:00 to 22:00 (until 20:00 on Sundays)
Anchorage Museum Museum Shop
If you want to buy native Alaskan art, this is the place to go. Although the price is a little high, plenty of jewelry, artwork, and crafts can only be purchased here.
Anchorage Museum Museum Shop
Address: 625 C Street Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone number: 907-929-9262
Business hours: Summer (May to September) 9:00 to 18:00; Winter (October to April) 10:00 to 18:00
*Sunday only 12:00-18:00
Regular holiday: Monday
Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall
A large shopping mall with American brands famous in Japan, such as Coach, Banana Republic, and H&M.
There is also an American department store called “Nordstrom” with a wide selection of products, and “Alaska Wild Berry Products,” where wild Alaskan blueberry products are available.
Alaska has no state sales tax, and Anchorage and Fairbanks also have no local sales tax. So shopping is a great spot.
Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall
Address: 320 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone number: 907-265-2326
Business hours: 9:00 to 21:00
Alaska Railroad Anchorage Station
The Alaska Railroad is famous for its retro appearance. The gift shop at Anchorage Station has a wide selection of goods, and you can find goods you can’t get at other souvenir shops.
T-shirts with logos, hats, toys, magnets, pin badges, etc., are perfect for looking for souvenirs to distribute.
Alaska Railroad Anchorage Station
Address: 411 W 1st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone number: 907-258-4003 Business hours: Summer (mid-May to mid-September) 6:00-1:00, winter (mid-September to mid-May) Saturdays 7:30-8:30
*Closed on Sundays and Mondays in winter and by reservation only from Tuesday to Friday; business hours may change depending on the day.
Anchorage Market and Festival
Alaska’s largest open-air market, open only in the summer, in the heart of Anchorage.
More than 300 stalls are lined up, offering a wide variety of handmade clothing and accessories, homemade sweets and jams, and works by artists.
Anchorage Market and Festival
Address: 225 E Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone number: 907-272-5634
Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays from May to September, 10:00-18:00 on Saturdays, 10:00-17:00 on Sundays
Fred Meyer (Airport Street store)
Fred Meyer is a large supermarket operating in Portland. Food, miscellaneous goods, electrical appliances, clothing, and shoes are available.
Fred Meyer near the airport is more spacious, and you can easily procure sweets for sowing roses, smoked salmon, Alaska’s classic souvenir, birch syrup, and snacks during your stay.
There is another store downtown near the visitor center.
Fred Meyer (Airport Street store)
Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone number: 907-474-1400
Business hours: 7:00 to 23:00
The Great Alaskan Ball Company
Fairbanks has many birch trees.
A shop that sells wooden tableware, carvings, and birch syrup made from this local birch. There are also knives and skin care products.
The Great Alaskan Ball Company
Address: 3755 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Phone number: 907-474-9663
Business hours: Weekdays 9:00-19:00, Saturdays until 18:00, Sundays 10:00-17:00
Santa Claus House
Santa Claus is said to live in an icy place near the North Pole. In the United States, it is an established theory that people live at the North Pole, where the Earth’s rotation axis and the surface of the earth intersect.
Alaska’s “Santa Claus House” is not at the North Pole but at the “North Pole” in Fairbanks.
From here, you can send a letter to Santa Claus and purchase Christmas-related goods.
Santa Claus House
Address: 101 St Nicholas Dr, North Pole, AK 99705
Phone number: 907-488-2200
Business hours: 10:00 to 18:00
Alaska Shirt Company
A shop in front of the cruise ship dock in the port town of Juneau. A famous souvenir shop sells T-shirts, jackets, miscellaneous goods, and more.
It is located along Franklin Street, the main street, and there are other attractive shops such as the handmade fudge shop “Alaskan Fudge Company” and the popular crab dish “King Crab Shack.” We recommend walking.
Alaska Shirt Company
Address: 489 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801
Phone number: 907-586-9510
Business hours: 8:00 to 20:00
Glacier Smoothie Soap
Port of Juneau, where luxury cruise ships call. A shop downtown, “Glacier Silt Soap 4 (R)”, which has a registered trademark in the United States, is attracting attention as a unique product.
Silt is between clay and sand and can absorb dirt in the pores. Soap containing glacier silt lathers well and is reputed to wash the skin smoothly, and recommended as a souvenir!
Glacier Smoothie Soap
Address: Downtown Juneau, AK 99803
Phone number: 888-456-8325
Business hours: 10:00 to 18:00
Regular holiday: Sunday
Alaska Tourism Board Recommended Day Trips to Alaska
What kind of plans are there for a one-day “Alaska sightseeing tour” that you can easily participate in locally? Tours offered by the Alaska Visitors Bureau include:
Aurora tour (summer)
Northern Lights Tracking Photo Tour
Chena Hot Springs Evening Tour
Dalton Highway Arctic Driving Tour
Paddlewheeler Discovery Tanana River Cruise
Panning Tour/Gold Dredge NO.8
26 glacier cruise
Let’s take a closer look at each tour.
Aurora tour (summer)
Aiming from around August 15th to September 30th, when the daylight hours are shorter, this is a tour where you can enjoy aurora hunting at an aurora observation lodge with a great view on the outskirts of Fairbanks.
Skiland, Aurora Borealis Lodge, Shandalar Ranch, Aurora House, etc.
Plan a lodge (cannot be specified).
Leave the hotel at 22:00 and return at 3:00, about 5 hours, with hot drinks; the minimum number of participants is two people.
Aurora tour (summer)
Tour Company: America & Pacific Tours
Phone: 907-272-9401 (Alaska toll-free: 888-605-9401)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
Tour price: $120
Japanese tour: With a Japanese guide
Northern Lights Tracking Photo Tour
A tour that departs from Fairbanks in the evening and goes out to see and photograph the aurora. A guide will teach you how to shoot the aurora and aim for the best shots. Free pick-up from hotels in Fairbanks.
Aurora Chasing Photography Tour
Tour company: Fairbanks Aurora Tours
Phone number: 907-978-1766
Application method: Online reservation from the homepage
Tour price: $155
Optional Fees: $100 per portrait shoot (plus $25 for each additional person), $55 Nikon D610 rental package
*Subject to change without notice.
Japanese tour availability: None
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Chena Hot Springs Evening Tour
We left Fairbanks around 4:00 in the evening and went to China Hot Springs, about 1 hour and 30 minutes away. While enjoying the hot springs in the open-air bath, wait to see the aurora.
Meals and a tour of the Aurora Ice Museum are also available for an additional fee. Pick-up and drop-off from Fairbanks hotels are included. The minimum number of participants is two people.
Chena Hot Springs Evening Tour
Tour Company: America & Pacific Tours
Phone: 907-272-9401 (Alaska toll-free: 888-605-9401)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
Tour price: $220
Japanese tour available: English driver for pick-up, Japanese staff at China Hot Springs
Address: 56.5 Chena Hot Springs Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99712
Dalton Highway Arctic Driving Tour
Drive north from Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway, driving through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the icy Yukon River, and the tundra.
Receive the “Arctic Adventure Certificate” in the Arctic Circle at latitude 66°33’N. During the winter, you might be able to see the Aurora Borealis in the Arctic Circle!
Dalton Highway Arctic Driving Tour
Tour Company: Northern Alaska Tour Company
Phone: 907-474-4767 (Alaska toll-free: 800-474-19861)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
*America Pacific Tours can make reservations on your behalf (in that case, $270 per person)
Tour price: $219-$239
Japanese tour availability: None
430 K St, Anchorage, AK 99501
Paddlewheeler Discovery Tanana River Cruise
A 3-hour, 30-minute round-trip river cruise that runs during the summer from May 11th to September 20th. Along the way, stop at a Native American village.
It includes round-trip transportation from your hotel, boarding & guide fees, and onboard snacks (doughnuts & coffee).
Departure and arrival from the hotel are between 8:00 and 13:00 in the morning and between 13:00 to 18:00 in the evening. Also, it might be only once a day in September.
Paddlewheeler Discovery Tanana River Cruise
Organizer & Tour Company: Riverboat Discovery/America & Pacific Tours
Phone: 907-272-9401 (Alaska toll-free: 888-605-9401)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
Tour price: $135 per person for three or more ($95 for ages 2-11), $140 per person for two people
Japanese tour availability: None
1975 Discovery Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99709
Panning Tour/Gold Dredge NO.8
Fairbanks flourished during the gold rush. See Alaska’s oil pipelines before boarding a train to a gold mine. You can also experience gold panning on-site!
Round-trip transportation from the hotel, a Japanese guide fee, and the entrance fee are included. The tour runs from mid-May to September 21st and takes about 3 hours.
Panning Tour Gold Dredge 8
Organizer & tour company: America & Pacific Tours / Gold DREDGE #8
Phone: 907-272-9401 (Alaska toll-free: 888-605-9401)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
Tour price: $120 per person for a group of 3 or more ($100 for ages 2-11)
Japanese tour: With a Japanese guide
1803 Old Steese Hwy N, Fairbanks, AK 99712
26 Glacier cruise
From Anchorage, take the bus or Alaska Railroad to Whittier Harbor. It is a tour to enjoy a glacier cruise for about 5 hours from 12:30 to 17:30.
While enjoying lunch, you can observe sea otters, seals, whales, and more. The highlight is watching glaciers calving into the sea. It runs from May to late September.
Other options include the 3:45 ‘Glacier Quest Tour’ to see seven glaciers at Blackstone Bay.
26 glacier cruise
Tour Company: Phillips Cruises & Tours
Phone: 907-276-8023 (Alaska toll-free: 800-544-0529)
Application method: Phone or email ([email protected])
Tour price:
・Cruise only $178.95 for adults, $99.95 for ages 2-11
・Bus & Cruise $247.95 for adults, $139.95 for ages 2-11
・Train & Cruise Adult 281.95, 2-11 year old 151.95
*All prices include cruise tax and fees. Prices are subject to change without notice.
Japanese tour availability: None
519 W 4th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501
Best time to visit Alaska and recommended must-see spots summary
When you think of Alaska, the image of viewing the aurora is strong, but there are various sightseeing activities, such as summer glacier cruises and animal watching.
Alaska is where you can enjoy a trip that you can’t usually enjoy on a regular overseas trip, such as the Alaska Railroad, where you can enjoy the wonderful scenery of nature and the adventure experience that runs through the frozen land and rivers to the Arctic Circle.
You can easily participate in a tour from a travel agency or combine optional tours locally and enjoy your original trip.
Consider Alaska for your next trip.
We hope this list helped you and wish you a happy vacation. So what are you folks waiting for? To the airport!
