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My wife and I would like to take our two kids to Alaska next fall to try to see some Aurora Borealis (the kids'll be 10 and 8). I was thinking Juneau or Fairbanks since airfare seems comparable. Which would have more to do while we're not attempting to see the Lights, and what would be good things to do in either city?
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May 5, 2024 13:08
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| # ? May 25, 2024 12:17 |
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If your primary goal is to catch the northern lights, as a general rule the further north you are the better. Fairbanks is hundreds of miles further north than Juneau (which is pretty far south in the state) so if those are the two options you have it narrowed down to, Fairbanks is going to be your better bet for viewing the northern lights by far. It's also probably going to be the most accessible larger city that also has good chances in the state. Basically, a no-brainer choice between the two. Time of year matters too, so fall could work if that is your plan, but early spring like March is your best bet. Normally I would say the best time to visit Alaska is the summer for the weather (it's amazing), but to see the northern lights you pretty much have to go sometime between the fall and the spring. Also time of day matters, so your kids are going to have to be okay with being awake around midnight or whatever. As far as what else to do there, I've spent most of my time on the Kenai peninsula, so I could tell you about that, but I really can't say much about Fairbanks you couldn't just google yourself, but hopefully someone else can.
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May 7, 2024 12:46
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Why do you recommend the spring over the fall? I have realized that Fairbanks is much further north; I just gave the two biggest cities since they'd probably be the easiest for flights.
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May 7, 2024 15:36
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Oh, then those aren't the two biggest cities either by any means, Anchorage is like 10 times bigger than Fairbanks or Juneau by population, but those are numbers two and three. Also, if you are talking about ease of flights, Anchorage is the major airport as well, but you can fly to the others too. The reason I recommended spring over fall was you specifically mentioned wanting to go to see the northern lights as your primary goal, and March is when there's the most action around Fairbanks. Fall or winter is viable too though, not so much during summer. Fairbanks would easily hands down be the best option out of those 3 cities to see the lights by location (you would actually most likely take a short trip outside the city for the best viewing in the dark, but that would be your hub). That's the only reason. If I were to actually recommend taking a trip to Alaska (which I would), I would go in the middle of the summer, and there's like a dozen locations I have more experience with that I would recommend first that would make great destinations. I was just catering to specifically what you asked.
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May 7, 2024 18:24
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Drifting off topic a bit, but just adding on to what Twenty Four said about a longer trip: Anchorage is decent on its own (there's a pretty good museum of Inuit culture there) but also is in the middle of a lot of really nice natural areas. You can drive down to Seward and go see whales and calving glaciers, or up to Denali NP. They're "close" in Alaskan standards, which is to say "well, you'll get there inside of a day's drive" but it's something you just sort of deal with in a place that huge and spread out. I was in the general area for a couple weeks, albeit a long time ago, and had a great time. But that's summer stuff, for the most part. For the aurora, as noted close to the poles is almost always better, and further from other population centers will help too -- they're not always that bright so light pollution cuts in a lot. Fairbanks definitely wins on the former, and I think on the latter as well. But unfortunately I've not been to Fairbanks personally so I couldn't say what else there is to do. I have to assume there's cross country skiing about, but if you don't do that regularly know that after your first day you will discover many exciting new muscles in your legs, all of which will be screaming at you. (It's fun, though! Especially in grand scenery)
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May 7, 2024 21:16
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Maybe I was thinking Anchorage rather than Juneau. My wife and I did an Alaska cruise for our honeymoon in July, so we did get to experience a lot of great stuff then. This trip we're specifically going for the aurorae, so yeah less light pollution and further north are the primary considerations, but not so much so that we're willing to pay insane air fares from Atlanta. Fairbanks is sounding pretty good, unless the flights to Anchorage are a whole lot less expensive.Twenty Four posted:The reason I recommended spring over fall was you specifically mentioned wanting to go to see the northern lights as your primary goal, and March is when there's the most action around Fairbanks. What do you mean by "action"? hooah fucked around with this message at 21:37 on May 7, 2024 |
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May 7, 2024 21:33
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hooah posted:What do you mean by "action"? I'm not sure how better to put it. If you want to see the northern lights, March is when they are the most active in that area and your best chances. While fall through spring is possible, March is historically the best month for viewing the northern lights there, and other than small further north towns, your best bet would be near Fairbanks, considering where you named off. I wish I could speak more towards what to do in the area that time of year, my experience is largely with living on the Kenai Peninsula and surrounding areas, which IMO is a great summer vacation destination if you might consider it. Like I said before, I agree with Akratic Method that if I wanted to visit Alaska, I would go to other places during the summer. If I had to make the choice for a trip, I would go when the scenery is best, the weather is near perfect, and there's many more options of things to do and places to go and see in the summer many times over without thinking twice. But you mentioned already having been there, and wanting to go to see the northern lights specifically being the main reason for your trip, so there you go, first paragraph!
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May 7, 2024 22:57
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Twenty Four posted:I'm not sure how better to put it. If you want to see the northern lights, March is when they are the most active in that area and your best chances. While fall through spring is possible, March is historically the best month for viewing the northern lights there, and other than small further north towns, your best bet would be near Fairbanks, considering where you named off. Ok, I got you. I wasn't sure if you meant like touristy sort of action or the lights. I'm not dead-set on fall, I just figured it'd be late enough in the year to give plenty of nighttime.
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May 7, 2024 23:48
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hooah posted:Ok, I got you. I wasn't sure if you meant like touristy sort of action or the lights. I'm not dead-set on fall, I just figured it'd be late enough in the year to give plenty of nighttime. Yeah sure thing, I meant the lights! October would probably be a pretty good bet and second choice if fall works better for you, the temperature will be a little warmer in Fairbanks (still drat cold) and still plenty of darkness. However, March has close to the same amount of darkness but a fairly lower chance of clouds and storms in the area in comparison (you wouldn't see anything then), so, there's why I mentioned that that considering your primary goal. Either of those are probably the closest to a "sweet spot" for time of year and location you will get, and given a few nights you would probably see something. There's certainly other times and places, but foremost going off of what I know about what you asked about.
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May 8, 2024 00:38
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Twenty Four posted:Yeah sure thing, I meant the lights! October would probably be a pretty good bet and second choice if fall works better for you, the temperature will be a little warmer in Fairbanks (still drat cold) and still plenty of darkness. Ok, cool, thanks for expanding. We're leaning towards Thanksgiving week. My wife's a teacher, but not at the school my kids are at, so spring's tough since we'd either have to pull the kids out for a whole week or my wife would have to take a whole week off. The kids get a full week at Thanksgiving, and my wife'd only have to take a couple days off.
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May 8, 2024 00:49
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I was also looking into traveling to Alaska and am hoping to see the northern lights. The current plan is to fly to Anchorage in September, then drive around the Kenai Peninsula to Seward and Homer. The trip would last about 10 days. Is it likely that we'd be able to see the lights that time of year and that far south?
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May 23, 2024 19:03
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| # ? May 25, 2024 12:17 |
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YoursTruly posted:I was also looking into traveling to Alaska and am hoping to see the northern lights. It's hard to predict solar weather, but if the K index is around 5 you should be good. If it's closer to 3, you might have more luck around around Cordova or by going north to Fairbanks. https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/tips-viewing-aurora  Check https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast for the aurora forecast, and check https://aurorasaurus.org/ for user-reported sightings.
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May 23, 2024 19:37
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