United States, North America

Alaska in February

Still shut for mainstream travel. Aurora season continues strong, and Anchorage's winter festival season warms things up locally.

Think twiceCold and brightening; Anchorage highs near 27F (-3C)

Snow and ice on Denali, Alaska — AlaskaPhoto: Rickmouser45, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

February is a month to think twice about visiting Alaska. Still shut for mainstream travel. Aurora season continues strong, and Anchorage's winter festival season warms things up locally.

Weather: Cold and brightening; Anchorage highs near 27F (-3C)
Crowds: 1 of 5
Prices: 1 of 5

What February is like in Alaska

February is still cold, but the days are brightening. Anchorage highs are near 27F (-3C), and the Interior stays well below freezing. Mainstream tourism remains shut, with no cruises, glacier boats, or Denali buses. Anchorage's winter festival season warms things up locally, and prices and crowds stay at their lowest.

This is another month to avoid for a summer-style Alaska trip. Winter travelers chasing the northern lights, dog sledding, and a local festival will find it rewarding. For wildlife, glaciers, and Denali, wait until June through August. Winter visitors should base in Fairbanks, where the lights, kennels, and hot springs are all close.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Alaska this month.

Strong aurora season

Dark, clear nights continue to deliver excellent northern lights odds in Fairbanks and the Interior.

Anchorage winter festivals

February brings a local winter festival season in Anchorage, a fun way to see how Alaskans enjoy the cold.

Longer daylight

Days are noticeably longer than in December, giving more time for dog sledding or a hot springs trip.

What to pack for February

A heavy insulated parka
Winter boots and wool socks
Thermal base layers
A neck gaiter and warm mittens

Our timing tip

Check the aurora forecast daily and keep your evenings open, since a clear night is worth more than any fixed plan.

Book Alaska for February.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Alaska
Opens a hotel search for Alaska in February, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for February
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Alaska
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Alaska
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Alaska for February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in February

Aurora season

Late August through April, best on clear dark nights around the equinoxes

Fairbanks and the Interior offer some of Earth's most dependable aurora odds, given patience and clear skies.

Things to do in Alaska

Full guide

Denali National Park

Private cars are barred beyond the road's first stretch; park transit and tour buses run roughly late May to mid September, and that is the season. Book buses and nearby lodging early.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Kenai Fjords glacier-and-whale cruise from Seward

Day boats run roughly May through September to calving tidewater glaciers, with whales, otters, and puffins en route. Dress for 20 degrees colder than Anchorage.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Bear viewing at Brooks Falls or Lake Clark

Fly-in day trips put you at close, managed range from wild brown bears. July is the famous salmon-run peak at Brooks Falls; book far ahead.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

The Alaska Railroad

The Anchorage-to-Denali and Anchorage-to-Seward runs are two of the world's great train rides, operating on a summer-heavy schedule with limited winter service.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

An Inside Passage cruise

Glacier Bay, whales, and roadless towns like Juneau and Ketchikan. The season runs roughly late April to October; May and September sailings cost less.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Matanuska Glacier and the Glenn Highway

A day-trip-scale taste of glacier country from Anchorage, with guided glacier walks available in season.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Shift to the shoulders: the first half of June or the last week of August into early September delivers most of peak Alaska with noticeably fewer people and better prices.
In cruise towns, the crowd is the ship schedule. Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan swell by thousands at midday, so do town sights before 10am or after 4pm and spend midday on a trail or the water.
Book the bottlenecks first: Denali buses, Brooks Falls lodging and flights, and Kenai Fjords boats sell out for peak July weeks months in advance, while the rest of the trip can be planned around them.
Drive-it-yourself Alaska beats the package-tour flow: the Kenai Peninsula, the Glenn Highway, and Hatcher Pass are spectacular and largely ignored by the motorcoach circuit.

Know before you go

Most of tourist Alaska effectively closes from October to April. Wilderness lodges, glacier day boats, seasonal hotels, and many restaurants in cruise towns shut entirely, and skeleton winter schedules replace summer transport.
Denali's park road runs on a hard season: transit and tour buses operate roughly late May to mid September, and private vehicles are barred beyond the first stretch of road year-round. Note also that a landslide has closed part of the road in recent years, so check the park's current road status when planning.
Cruise season runs roughly late April to October. Outside it, ships are gone and the most ship-dependent towns, Skagway above all, go into hibernation with many businesses shuttered.
Winter is not closed everywhere: Anchorage and Fairbanks function fully year-round, and Fairbanks builds a real winter economy around aurora tourism, dog mushing, and the Chena Hot Springs road.

Alaska in February, quick answers

Is February a good time to visit Alaska?

February is a month to think twice about visiting Alaska. Still shut for mainstream travel. Aurora season continues strong, and Anchorage's winter festival season warms things up locally.

What is the weather like in Alaska in February?

Cold and brightening; Anchorage highs near 27F (-3C).

Is Alaska crowded in February?

February is one of the quieter months in Alaska; most sights can be done without long waits.

What is happening in Alaska in February?

Aurora season (late august through april, best on clear dark nights around the equinoxes).