What to Expect in September

There is a crisp briskness in the air.  Everywhere you look it's gold and yellow and red.  Entire fields look like they are literally on fire!

Although there is no doubt it starts to get colder at night, fall days can be absolutely spectacular.  Lots of our visitors from the Lower 48 love September because in places like Texas and across the south it can be very warm.  They come to Alaska and escape that oppressive heat in one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

You can wear your silk weight long johns top pretty much every day on the cruise portion of your trip.  The fall colors, lots of space and the incredible sales you'll find in every port make this a great time to cruise through southeast Alaska.

In south central, The Alaska State Fair in Palmer begins 10 days before Labor Day and runs through that national holiday.  We're talking 75 pound cabbages!  Alaskans love their state fair and several hundred thousand of them attend.  If we're lucky enough to get a clear sky, 70 degree day, they all come at once!

There is a real opportunity to see northern lights anywhere from Homer to Chena Hot Springs and north from there, as there are more hours of actual darkness.

Denali Park, although winding down is breathtakingly beautiful in September.  This is one of the spots where you'll swear the fields are on fire!  All of the wildlife is very busy getting ready for the winter they know is quickly approaching. 

In Fairbanks out at Creamers field huge flocks of Sandhill cranes, geese, and ducks along with all the swans are headed south and stopping by for the night on their way.  It's a great way to spend a couple of hours.

As happens in May before the season really takes off, as the season winds down in September some of the vendors will be closed, or open limited hours.  There are some amazing sales to be had, as they really don't want to go through the winter with that inventory sitting on their closed up store shelves.

While I wouldn't pack any differently for a trip in July, in September you'll probably have more opportunities to use all of what you have packed. 

If you are prepared (see "What to Wear") and go in September you'll be very glad you did!