It’s always a challenge to pack for a place that you’re not familiar with. I once visited San Diego in May and I, incorrectly, believed that southern California in late Spring/early Summer would be warm and pleasant. It was not. I was there for a conference, so packing warm weather clothes when it was rainy and in the 50s the entire time wasn’t such a big deal since I was inside. Knowing what to pack for Alaska is much more important, though.
What’s the Weather Like?
No matter where you’re going, knowing what to pack revolves a lot around the weather and, unless you are a father in your late 50s or older, it’s unlikely that you keep track of the weather in any place other than where you live. Given that, and this is true, most of us do not live in Alaska, you probably don’t have any idea what the weather is like there. Good news, though, because I looked that up for you.
The Alaska Travel Industry Association has a page on their website dedicated to briefly describing the weather during different parts of the year. I’ve taken their descriptions, and other information I was able to find to create a very broad description of each month. It may surprise you that there’s quite a range of weather that you can experience throughout the Alaskan tourism season, which runs mid-May through mid-September.
Here’s how that breaks down:
| Month | Avg. Temp. F | Avg. Temp. C | Weather | Daylight Hrs. |
| May | 40° – 55° | 4.5° – 13° | Overcast with some rain | 16 – 18 |
| June | 50° – 70° | 10° – 21° | Clearer skies and drier | 18 – 24 |
| July | 55° – 75° (sometimes 80°) | 13° – 24° | Sunny most days | 18 – 20 |
| August | 50° – 60° | 10° – 15.5° | Overcast and rainy | 14 – 16 |
| September | 35° – 55° | 1.5° – 13° | Rainy and starting to frost | 12 – 14 |
Starting in May, the average daytime temps range from 40-55 degrees Fahrenheit or 4.5-13 degrees for my Celsius challenged friends. May skies are usually overcast or mostly cloudy with some scattered or light rain and 16-18 hours of daylight.
Typical Alaskan weather in May.
In June the average temperature ranges from 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-21 degrees Celsius. The skies are clearer and the days are drier. This time of year brings something special, specifically the summer solstice, where, in parts of Alaska, you will get 24 hours of sunlight. Having experienced close to that in Iceland, I can attest that it is truly amazing.
Moving on to July, which is the warmest month, you’ll feel temps ranging from 55-75 degrees Fahrenheit or 13-14 degrees Celsius. Although, some days it does get above 80 and even 90 degrees Fahrenheit or 26.5 to 32 degrees Celcius. Skies above will be mostly sunny and clear with 18-20 hours of daylight.
By August it’s cooling down a bit and fall is approaching. Temps are between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-15.5 degrees Celsius. The weather turns back to overcast and rainy but there’s still 14-16 hours of daylight.
Once September arrives, though, things start to get fairly chilly as the average temps are between 35-50 degrees Fahrenheit or 1.5-13 degrees Celsius. As autumn rolls in, it’s often rainy and frost regularly forms overnight.
Clothing Advice and List
When it comes to your clothing, knowing what to pack for Alaksa, much like ogres, is all about layers. Throughout the season you can see that there are temperature swings of 15°-20°F (5°-10°C) during the day. That means that you’re going to want a light jacket, possibly fleece, (like this one) on the outside and a lighter piece of clothing, like a long or short sleeved t-shirt under it.
Personally, during the shoulder months of May and September, I would advise taking a water resistant or waterproof jacket as your outer layer because it was often misting or lightly raining when I was there. Many, but not all, windbreakers are water shedding and could be a good fit for this.
High quality socks are also a good idea. I personally like using merino wool socks. They dry out quickly and keep you warm. Bringing premium socks is doubly important if you plan on doing any hiking or other vigorous outdoor activities. I suppose that during June and July, the type of sock you have probably matters less, given the drier weather, but the rest of the season you’ll find this advice helpful.
I would also recommend a hat of some sort. During the rainy parts of the season, a good water-shedding hat will keep your head dry and during the sunny parts of the season it’ll keep the sun out of your eyes – and there’s a lot of sun!
I use a hat like this because I prefer function over form for this sort of thing. Which is a polite way of saying I don’t mind looking dorky but being comfortable.
As for footwear, that’s very dependent on what you are planning on doing. If you are planning a hike, I recommend bringing a pair of hiking boots or shoes. The trails that you hike on are marked and well-trod, but they are not sidewalks or paved. Sneakers or running shoes are fine if you’re just walking around town or doing a crab or fish feast. Don’t bother with sandals or flip-flops, leave them at home.
- Light out layer, possibly fleece. You may water it to be waterproof if visiting in May or September.
- Good quality socks, I suggest merino wool, especially if you’re hiking or doing other vigorous outdoor activities.
- A hat. If you have a hat that sheds water, that’s a good trait, but during sun or rain, a hat is very beneficial.
- Bring appropriate shoes for your activities. If you are hiking, bring hiking footwear. If you’re not doing vigorous activities outside, sneakers are okay. Forget the sandals.
Cruise Specific Clothing
Most cruise goers have their cruising experience in warm climates, but Alaska isn’t that. There’s unlikely to be good weather for you to lay out on the deck. Most outdoor activities on the ship will be less comfortable than they are in the Caribbean, for example. Sun dresses and shorts are probably not the right choice. Jeans, slacks, cardigans, sweaters, those are better picks. Evening attire depends on the cruise line, but plan to incorporate warmer things in your outfit.
Pools are sometimes heated on cruise ships, but not always, so before you pack any swimwear, check the specific ship you are going on and see if that ship heats their pool or pools. If they aren’t heated, they are almost certainly not warm enough to be used comfortably in Alaska. However, if there are hot tubs on your ship, which there often are, those can be fun to use, especially if you like a little bit chilly air on your nose while the rest of you is warm in the water.
- Bring warmer clothes than you would on a Caribbean cruise.
- Long pants are a must and if you want to wear a dress or gown, bring a wrap of some sort to keep you a bit warmer up top.
Accessories
Alaska is one of the most stunning places that you’ll ever visit and there’s a few things that you may regret if you don’t bring them. Some of these are activity dependent (you don’t need trekking poles to ride on a scenic railway), so use your best judgement one what ones you will personally benefit from.
Binoculars
No matter what you’re doing in Alaska, you’ll want to be able to see things a little better and a good pair of binoculars is perfect for a trip like this. Some cruise lines will provide binoculars in cabins, but most do not, and the lines that do provide them don’t provide great ones either. No matter how you’re visiting Alaska, though, you’ll want a pair for yourself.
You don’t want to miss a sight like this,
To get an idea of what I’m talking about, here’s a link to my Alaska album. There’s a lot of photos in it, so jump around as you see fit. I was able to use my telephoto lens to bring all that nature a bit closer to me and I think you’ll want to do the same.
There’s a big quality difference between the $25-$50 range and when you jump up to $100+. If that’s worth it to you, I’ve read very good things about this pair from Vortex.
I don’t personally own a pair of these, but from what I’ve read in reviews, people’s experiences are quite positive. They provide a 10x magnification and a fairly wide viewing angle without being too heavy to hold. They should last for many, many years and come with a case and strap.
Now, if you are open to spending more and getting the benefits of image stabilization technology, then you can step up to this pair from Canon.
I own a pair of these (of slightly older model). I’ve used them for wildlife spotting and birding for about 10 years. The image stabilization tech is astoundingly cool, making gazing through them much easier, but the price was certainly a jump. Strictly speaking, I don’t think it’s necessary to buy these if you are not going to use them more than for this trip, but they are very fun.
No matter what you choose, you’ll thank yourself for picking up a pair.
Trekking Poles
Getting a nice pair of trekking poles can be very beneficial if you plan on traversing some more difficult or slippery terrain. The key to a good pole, though, is that it fits you. Adjustable poles make that easier, but you still need to know the range of height you need.
Here’s a simple guide:
| Your Height | Pole Length |
| 5’ or Less | 100 cm |
| 5’1” – 5’6” | 105 – 115 cm |
| 5’7” – 5’11” | 115 – 125 cm |
| 6’ – 6’6” | 125 – 130 cm |
To know if your poles are a good fit, the most common test is to bend your arm at the elbow out at a 90° angle from your body and make it parallel to the ground. Your pole should fit right into your hand and preserve that 90° angle while the tip rests on the ground. Since everyone is a different height, getting adjustable poles is very helpful for getting the sizing correct and giving you adjustability for different terrain.
I quite like this pair, which I own, but I would recommend that you go to a store to try the poles out in person if that’s possible for you to do.
They’re extremely lightweight, not even a pound, and they have helpful length markers so you can zero in the correct height for you quite quickly.
One thing to note about trekking poles. If you’re flying, these must go in checked baggage. Don’t try to put them in your carry-on, you won’t be allowed to fly with them.
Humidifier
This is likely only necessary when going to Alaska in May or September, but I assure you that it’s very helpful. I have an entire article on the best travel humidifiers here. Read it over and pick up the best one for your needs.
