Alaska
Anchorage - When to Go
Warm temperatures and long evenings of midnight sun draw visitors to Alaska from June through August.. July and August are the rainiest months in South Central Alaska (including Anchorage) and the Interior. Mosquitoes enjoy the summer rains, so come prepared with repellant.
To avoid the summer crowds and prices, go during fall or spring. From late August to early September there are displays of brilliant foliage, bright blue skies, and the mountains and glaciers dusted with fresh snow. Daytime temperatures are pleasant, though evenings can be chilly. May and June are the driest months.
Winter brings skiing, sledding, ice-skating, dog mushing, and ice fishing, along with the Northern Lights. They appear late at night, when it’s darkest, during fall and winter. They are best seen north of Anchorage in Fairbanks.
Business Hours
Most Alaskan stores are open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Larger grocery stores remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Banks and credit unions are typically open Monday-Friday 10-5, and some have limited Saturday hours. Most government and other offices are open Monday-Friday 9-5, though some close at 4:30.
Many Alaskan gas stations remain open until 10 PM, and some stay open 24 hours a day. Most are also open on weekends, particularly along the main highways.
Holidays
January 1 New Year’s Day
3rd Mon. in January Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
3rd Monday in February President’s Day
March or April Easter Sunday
last Monday in May Memorial Day
July 4 Independence Day
1st Monday in September Labor Day
4th Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day
Dec. 24 and 25 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
December 31 New Year’s Eve