What Are Some of the Best Winter Destinations in Alaska?

Perhaps it would surprise you to find out that Alaska is a popular destination in the wintertime as well as in the summer. In the summer people flock in droves to go fishing for salmon and halibut, but in the winter there’s a lot to do as well. You can see the Northern Lights, which for most people in the world is a once-in-a-lifetime event, although we Alaskans are lucky enough to see it rather more often than that. You can also take part in winter sports, like ice fishing, snowshoeing, skiing or ice skating, and can even enjoy fishing tours in Alaska.

Here are some of the cities that we think are great to visit in the winter.

Anchorage

The closest “big” city to where we are, Anchorage has a lot of things that you can do in the winter. There are great places to ski, and you can tour the local waterways and see the fjords. In late February, there’s the Fur Rondy, a winter festival with all sorts of wacky and unique events, a real Anchorage tradition. Or, in March, you could come see the Iditarod, the most famous dog race in the world. Winter is also the best time to just see some of the most incredible natural beauty that America has to offer. And because Anchorage is a city, it has a lot of amenities, nice hotels, resorts and very good food.

Fairbanks

Fairbanks is much further north, but it’s where you can have the Alaskan experience that you probably imagine when you picture Alaska. It’s far enough north that it stays light for 16 hours during the summer and dark for 16 hours during the winter. It’s also far enough north that you can see the Northern Lights in winter. It’s not quite the same bustling place that Anchorage is, so it’ll be a little more low-key, but it can be an extremely romantic getaway, especially with the emerald Northern Lights waving above your head each night—and if that’s what you’re looking for, Fairbanks almost can’t be beat.

Seward

A great place to take in natural beauty, Seward is the home of the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and also has an old and still thriving harbor. Like Fairbanks, it doesn’t quite have amenities at the level of Anchorage, but because it is a cruise location, it does have interesting shops and adventures designed for tourists, as well as good food.

Homer

Homer is a great place to experience the outside and see wildlife in Alaska. It’s a seaside city with a few resorts and spas, but it’s mostly a true Alaskan city. Downtown there’s delicious food; the seafood especially is to die for, and it is often fresh seafood from local fishermen. If you’re really feeling adventurous, there’s a three-and-a-half-day ferry that goes from Homer to Dutch Harbor, where they famously film the television show Deadliest Catch, and this ferry is perhaps the most convenient way to see the Aleutian Islands.

These are just a few of the great places to visit in Alaska during the winter. If you’re considering Alaska as a vacation destination, it’s a great time to go, because while it is popular, it’s not quite as popular as in the summer, and you can therefore find some of the best deals of the year and have an experience that’s unique from that of our summer visitors.

Schedule fishing tours in Alaska

Here at Phantom Tri-River Charters, we get to experience the beauty and majesty of Alaska all year round. While we do the majority of our fishing tours in Alaska during the peak days of the summer and early fall, we’re actually available to schedule tours all year round. So if you’re interested in seeing the great Alaskan wilderness this winter, give us a call. We know the area, and can help you have the time of your life in a winter wonderland.