10 Best Winter Activities in Alaska

From November to April, unique winter activities in Alaska make America’s 49th state one of its most desirable adventure destinations. Dying to see the Northern Lights? You may.

Curious about what -64 degrees feels like in the frigid outdoors? Try stepping outside in your T-shirt.

Drawn to unusual museums packed with extraordinary art? Read on for our favorite Alaska winter experiences you’ll never forget.

Keep in mind that touring Alaska in winter requires luck, timing and money.

• Why luck? Because the weather is unpredictable and the magnificent landscape may be hiddern from view.
• Why timing? Natural phenomena like the Northern Lights appear when they want to.
• Why money? Alaska attractions you don’t want to miss are pricier in winter because transport is limited. Many state recreation areas close, so sightseeing is more competitive. Hotels and restaurants are short-staffed after seasonal workers leave.

Pro Tip: Bring layers of clothing because winter weather will guide your days. There is nothing worse than whining cold children.

1. Experience the Aurora Borealis on a Northern Lights Tour

You can’t count on any natural phenomenon, we know. However, historically, the aurora borealis is most often seen over Alaska from August 21 through April 21. Since Fairbanks is a hub for aurora tours, visitors can even take a very long day-into-night trip to see them. Chena Hot Springs Resort, for example, uses Snowcat tractors to reach their mountaintop warming hut and aurora viewing base. Borealis Basecamp is another option near Fairbanks. The staff at this resort of clear domed yurts will wake you if northern lights appear in the sky.

To maximize your chance of seeing this magical lightshow, stay overnight north of the Arctic Circle. This puts you directly beneath the auroral belt. From our Coldfoot Camp base (see below), we drove to the hamlet of Wiseman to meet resident Jack Reakoff. Jack generously shared his tripods, photography tips, hot chocolate and local lore. Till 4:00am, we watched green bands of light paint the night sky, arcing over our heads to touch the circumference of the North Pole.

2. Glacier Hike at Matanuska

The Matanuska Glacier grows at the confluence of the Matanuska and Sitka Rivers about 100 miles northeast of Anchorage. It’s such a popular attraction because it’s easily accessible alongside Highway 1. If you prefer snowmobiles to hiking, or have mobility issues, choose this tour. Go now, because Matanuska is receding about four feet per year. Our Greatland Adventures guide infused the 3-mile hike across blue ice slopes, peering into crevasses and caves, with wonder. The company provides appropriate outerwear, waterproof boots and ice crampons free of charge. Enjoy a hearty alpine lunch afterwards at a lodge in nearby Glacier View for a hyper-local Alaskan adventure.  

3. Ride the Rails on an Alaska Railroad Adventure

Alaska Railroad journeys are a priority on many bucket lists of winter activities in Alaska. However, winter visitors must plan carefully. Trains only ran weekends (Saturday from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and the reverse Sunday) at our visit. Yet, the Aurora Train doesn’t disappoint. Sightseeing en route through boreal forest and Denali National Park is spectacular. When the skies are clear, that soft ice blue light blurs the horizon between mountain peak and cloud. Mt. Denali (also known as Mt. McKinley) comes into view. All heads on the train look for Sun Dogs. These almost vertical rainbows at the fringes of the sun’s aurora are an Alaska trademark. Guides say only about 30% of visitors to the state see Denali in all her majesty, bare of clouds.

4. Join an Arctic Safari at Coldfoot Camp

Hardy gold miners settled Coldfoot Camp, halfway between Fairbanks and the Arctic Ocean, more than a century ago. Run today by the experts at Northern Alaska Tour Company, the tin-roof trailer community warmly welcomes overnight tourists. Sightsee north of the Arctic Circle in the Brooks Range on one of their Arctic Safaris. Your guide points out a herd of caribou, porcupine eating bark off a birch popsicle, maybe some wolves. There’s a stop for sledding and selfies, then you cross over Atjgun Pass, the highest point the Dalton Highway. Meet “locals” who’ve migrated from everywhere, enjoy a hot shower and huge meals. Don’t miss the aurora viewing nights (see above) and flightseeing from the memorable Coldfoot basecamp.

5. Soak Up Chena Hot Springs

Chena Hot Springs Resort is a startlingly commercial enterprise, a three-ring circus of winter activities in Alaska. The very large complex includes a lodge, two greenhouses, dog sled farm, snowmobile course, ice museum, tour center, indoor pool and bathhouse. The highlight of Chena Hot Springs is the eponymous natural hot spring. Join guests with frozen hair to wallow in warm water until 2am. The 104-degree water, discovered in 1905 by prospector brothers with rheumatism, is full of soothing minerals that restored the miners’ faith in paydirt. Just 60 miles west of Fairbanks, the crowds we encountered resembled summer hordes. Negatives include restaurants that are too crowded to dine in, and sold out dogsled rides. However, the Chena Northern Lights Group Tour paid off with a spectacular solar display at our visit.

6. Tour the Hotel Captain Cook

Make family suites at the Hotel Captain Cook overlooking Cook Inlet your home in Anchorage. The historic heart of town, this vintage luxury hotel is a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Join a hotel tour to see carved door pulls, beautiful murals, woodwork, paintings, ship models and other memorabilia of British explorer Capt. James Cook. He reached Turnagain Sound, across from the hotel, on his third voyage of discovery in 1778. Sadly, he never found the North-West Passage. Seek out sky-high views from the hotel’s award-winning Crow’s Nest restaurant and the Native American art at lobby galleries. The hotel’s old school barber, shoeshine and extraordinary clam chowder at Fletcher’s Pub are part of the townies’ shared legacy.

7. Warm Up in Fairbanks Museums & Cultural Centers

Fortunately for those who hate the cold, there’s plenty of world-class art indoors in this town of 31,000 hardy souls. The Museum of the North at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus has a terrific collection of Native Athabascan artifacts and cultural items. Don’t miss the informative Northern Lights movie — science-minded kids will love it. Look for the skeleton of a Bowhead Whale, a taxidermied grizzly bear and displays about the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Spend a free afternoon at the Morris Thompson Cultural Center. The regional visitors center features exhibits and dioramas of Native life. Learn how to catch and preserve a salmon and why Athabascan women are not allowed to be seen by bears.

By the way, getting around to many of the top winter activities in Alaska is challenging because there’s very little public transportation. There are a few phone-in taxis, plus Uber and Lyft, but not enough drivers to guarantee rides.

8. Souvenir Shop Among Fairbanks Locals

Stay busy for hours along Fiarbanks’ Second Street off Cushman. Each shopkeeper has a story to tell and any story about the Last Fronter is worth listening to. Use Mecca Bar, a saloon central to the Alaska Pipeline’s outlaw era, as your waypoint. Locals have gold nuggets set into key rings at Gold Rush Fine Jewelry. This is the place for unusual diamond and mammoth tusk jewelry. At Alaska Rare Coins, peruse first edition novels, collectibles, coins and postcards. Fur Factory nearby sells pelts of lynx, marmot and wolverine made into elegant evening wear. We liked the colorful gloves and moccasin style boots that provide as much warmth as gear in Big Ray’s outdoor store.

Hanging out is a favorite winter activity in Fairbanks. Warm up at Venue coffee bar; Noodle House is a good lunch stop for big steaming rice bowls and pad Thai.   

9. Get Out and Explore Anchorage

Explore Anchorage, Fairbank’s larger and fairer sister. The city has a milder winter climate and more snowfall due to its Pacific Coast location. Rent fat tire bikes to ride the snow-packed Tony Knowles coastal trail. Watch floatplanes take off and land at Lake Hood. As the sun sets, immerse yourself in Native arts at the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center in the Anchorage Museum. The Alaska Native Heritage Center (limited access in winter) is another treasure trove of contemporary and traditional Native customs. It includes re-created dwellings on the banks of Lake Tiulana that illustrate the lives of the state’s many tribes.

Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers Cooperative sells hats, scarves and other items woven from Quiviut, the soft underhair of the musk ox. Dine at Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop with a fried egg focccacia, then caffeinate at Dark Horse. Forget the damp chilll with 49th State Brewery’s customizable flight of 4 oz. pours. Glacier Brewhouse has several house-distilled whiskies. Don’t miss the Seafood Tower that includes fresh calamari strips served with fried jalapeno rings, a sockeye salmon dip with toast and sweet Alaskan shrimp.

10. Sled Dog Your Way Through Denali Country

Bundle up in loaner gear, learn basic skills and commands, then mush your Alaskan Husky team through the snow-capped birch forest around Talkeetna. After this adrenaline rush, return to AK Sled Dog Tours run by five-time Iditarod champion, Dallas Seavey. Yes! Meet his newest puppies. These are the champions in training. Most families rent a car to see this postcard Alaskan village because of the railroad’s limited winter schedule. Time permitting, join one of flightseeing trips around Denali National Park. K2 is a local company offering flights, with and without glacier landings, and other thrilling winter activities in Alaska.