United States, North America
Alaska in May
The season wakes up through the month. Early May is still half-closed; late May brings opening day at Denali and real shoulder value.
The straight answer
May is a quiet, good-value month to visit Alaska. The season wakes up through the month. Early May is still half-closed; late May brings opening day at Denali and real shoulder value.
- Weather
- Cool and dry, Anchorage highs near 56F (13C), long days already
- Crowds
- 2 of 5
- Prices
- 2 of 5
What May is like in Alaska
May is when Alaska wakes up. Anchorage highs reach about 56F (13C), days are long and dry, and white nights begin late in the month. Early May is still half closed, while late May brings opening day at Denali and the Kenai Fjords day boats begin. Crowds and prices are in shoulder territory, well below summer.
It suits travelers who want value and fewer people and can handle cool weather. Families and first-timers will do best in the second half of the month, when more is open. For the full experience with everything running, June through August are safer. Always check the operating dates of each tour.
Make the most of May
What is especially good about Alaska this month.
Denali opens
Park transit and tour buses start in late May. It is a quiet time to see the park before summer crowds.
Glacier and whale cruises begin
Kenai Fjords day boats from Seward start running, with whales, otters, and puffins en route.
The start of the midnight sun
Late May brings white nights, with light well past bedtime.
What to pack for May
- A waterproof jacket
- Warm layers and a hat
- Waterproof hiking boots
- An eye mask for light nights
- Binoculars for wildlife
Our timing tip
Plan your trip for the last week of May, after Denali opens, to get shoulder prices with most tours running.
Book Alaska for May.
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- Hotels for May
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in AlaskaOpens a hotel search for Alaska in May, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in AlaskaWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in AlaskaTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Alaska for May. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
What's on in May
Midnight sun season
Around the June solstice, with white nights from late May into July
Fairbanks celebrates solstice with late-night events, including baseball played without lights. The far north's signature natural show.
Things to do in Alaska
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Matanuska Glacier and the Glenn Highway
A day-trip-scale taste of glacier country from Anchorage, with guided glacier walks available in season.
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 May, quick answers
Is May a good time to visit Alaska?
May is a quiet, good-value month to visit Alaska. The season wakes up through the month. Early May is still half-closed; late May brings opening day at Denali and real shoulder value.
What is the weather like in Alaska in May?
Cool and dry, Anchorage highs near 56F (13C), long days already.
Is Alaska crowded in May?
May is one of the quieter months in Alaska; most sights can be done without long waits.
What is happening in Alaska in May?
Midnight sun season (around the june solstice, with white nights from late may into july).
Keep planning Alaska.
The months either side, and the best one if this is not it.
Also at their best in May
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