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The best time to visit Anchorage

Feb 23, 2021

1 MIN READ
Anchorage Skyline with a winter reflection 579463462 alaska, anchorage, attraction, buildings business, chugach, city, cityscape, ice, inlet, metro, mountains, nobody, ocean, outdoors, port, reflection, shoreline, skyline, snow, tourism, travel, turnagain, urban, view, water, winter
Lonely Planet Editors

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We are the Lonely Planet editors: a team of contributors from around the world, including Lonely Planet staff. We infuse our diverse experiences into every recommendation we share. Balancing practical advice with engaging storytelling, we capture the essence of destinations to inspire and guide readers.
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There's a lot of good reasons to include Alaska on your bucket list. The state's largest city, Anchorage, welcomes an annual influx of cruise ship passengers with golden summers prime for hiking, wildlife-watching, and joining locals in a slew of festivals filling the long daylight hours. In winter, Anchoragites embrace the snow and ice by making the most of short days with skiing, snowshoeing, mushing, and even snow sculpture.

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If you're wondering when the best time is to visit Anchorage, the question really comes down to how many layers you're willing to wear, how much you want to pay for a hotel room, and whether you're hoping to catch a glimpse of spawning salmon or the aurora borealis. We've got the scoop on what Anchorage is like month to month, and how you can plan your ideal Alaskan vacation.

Alaska hiking with red flowers.
Hiking in Alaska's Chugach State Park. HagePhoto/Getty Images
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