Alaska Northern Lights Tours

Hi Zara,
I don't have any direct answers for you here, but there is no reason to go on a cruise, or to start in Seattle or Vancouver. We've been to Alaska twice, over 10 years ago, both times in August.

First time, we flew to Sitka and out of Juneau for a nature-oriented small boat cruise, which was great, but unfortunately is not in business anymore. I found that searching the internet.
The second time I did lots of research in books and the internet, and had an assist from some friends who had been. My family of 5 flew into Anchorage and rented a car. We then drove east to a meeting up place with a small plane which flew us into Wrangell St. Elias National park. It's a gigantic national park that no one has heard of. (Rental companies don't let you drive on the unpaved roads.) We stayed in the town of Kennecott, at the former lodge of the former Kennecott copper mine. There is a glacier right outside the door. The highlight of the trip was taking a rafting trip from the nearby town of McCarthy. We rafted down 3 rivers on inflatable rafts, then when it was over, everything was packed up and a small plane flew in to fly us all back, although it took the plane several trips to accomplish.
From there, we drove to Valdez and stayed the night,. We then took a car ferry across Prince William sound to Whittier, then drove to the Kenai Peninsula and based in Seward. From Seward, we took a wildlife cruise through the fjords.We did some easy kayaking there, also, of an evening. We drove back to Anchorage to drop my daughter at the airport since we had been gone a week at that point and she had to get back to work. The rest of us drove to Denali National Park. We stayed in a small town north of the park, and did a park sponsored day trip, with some other small excursions. We flew back out of Anchorage.

We actually didn't see too much wildlife other than the fjord trip, but the scenery was stunning. We weren't trying to see Northern Lights, but on the cruise a night or two there were some sightings. That would have been around Glacier Bay or St. Petersburg.
Hope this helps a bit.

Before anyone plans a trip to see the northern lights (anywhere), you really, really need to understand some basic facts about when and where you can see them. (Hint: it all comes down to luck and a lot of patience). I'm convinced millions of dollars are squandered by most tourists who intend to go see the aurora every year.

Please read my comments in this thread (in the 2nd reply) - the thread is about seeing them in Iceland but the comments apply to anywhere.

To see the northern lights...

Depends upon what you mean as "spring". Northern Lights are not guaranteed or reliable and best seen during the winter months - Fairbanks and north.

You say you are big "nature lovers". But that can mean a multitude of things. Animals, glaciers, water, etc.

We did a small ship cruise - 38 passengers in late August/September - Alaskan Dream Cruises. Wonderful, and couldn't have asked for more - whales bubble feeding right off the ship. Dolphins, bears, you name it and we saw it.

But, if you only are spending a week, you need to do some research and prioritize what it is you want to see.

I think if you can clarify a bit more about what you actually want to see, we might be able to help more. Alaska is a BIG state and lots to see and do. Oh, and where are you flying in from? Might make a difference in our responses.

A cruise is not the best way to try to see the Northern Lights, as Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage are too far south for reliable aurora displays. You need to be farther north and in area that is as cloud-free as possible. Fairbanks is the best place for most people for aurora hunting. I lived there for seven years ( six winters) and I can tell you that seeing a good aurora is never guaranteed, whether you stay for a weekend, a week, or maybe even a lifetime. I was fortunate to see some of the best, full-color displays, but you have to be determined and willing to stay up til 2 or 3 am sometimes. Or request a wake-up call from your hotel.

According to the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute, whose job in part is to study of the aurora, the best time and place to hunt for the aurora is Fairbanks during dark if the moon in March.

http://auroraforecast.gi.alaska.edu/travelers-guide.php

That is due to a combination of factors, including moderating temperatures ( less likely to be forty below zero), adequate length of darkness, and others.

They also publish a forecast, and if you follow it regularly, you will see that most of the time the forecast is for low or moderate activity. This means you may see a glow in the sky or maybe some dancing lights with faint reddish or green color, but nothing spectacular.

http://auroraforecast.gi.alaska.edu

The best place to stay is north of town in a lodge or cabin that is well away from city lights and has a clear view of the sky ( away from trees that obstruct the view). There are lodges dedicated to the aurora experience, including one with glass roof, and tours that focus on seeing the Lights. Just remember that they are not guaranteed at any time. All you can do is make choices that maximize your chance of seeing a good aurora, and hope for the best. And find something fun to do during the daytime, like snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, dog sledding, etc. and study up on how to stay warm when it is really cold outside.

Agree with Lola. Winter is best, further north like Fairbanks is best and pray for no clouds.
I’ve lived in southeast for 17 years and seen the aurora maybe a dozen times. But, I don’t get up in the middle of the night anymore either.
Chena Hot Springs is a popular place to go for northern lights.

Even Anchorage doesn't get reliable light displays. You need to get North. You also need to do this before the end of FEB for the best chance of seeing them. As the previous poster mentioned, Chena Hot Springs is the best placed resort for this. I've been there a couple times (usually in May-Aug) and it's a really nice place, but it's also a good distance from Fairbanks. It is very popular with Japanese tourists in the winter (they like to honeymoon under the lights).

You would do best flying direct into Fairbanks. If you make reservations at the resort make sure they provide transportation. Make sure you plan for the chance the roads may be closed due to weather. It gets extremely cold up there, and snow is measured in feet. They have snow now.

Oh yeah, nature lovers...it's dark. You're not going to see much of anything. You may hit a moose or a bear, but other than that it's stupid to think you'll go out hiking to see any animals. If that's what you really want, then go in May or late September, when the critters are active. But you won't see lights then.

zara,

If your primary goal is to see the Northern Lights, you might also consider a trip to the Yukon - https://www.travelyukon.com/en/things-to-do/article/northern-lights . The area is easily accessible via Air North, with flights from Vancouver and a number of other locations - https://www.flyairnorth.com/ .

Planning to see the northern lights (aurora borealis) may be more about science than luck (although some luck maybe involved with cloudy skies vs. clear dark skies - away from city lights and bright moonlight).

If your travel plans are primarily to view aurora, then you need to understand that reduced solar activity next year is likely to show itself in less intense and less frequent northern lights. Whether you choose to visit Alaska, the Yukon, or the Northwest Territories (all popular tourism destinations located within proximity of the auroral oval), the 22-year solar cycle is entering its low phase next year.

There are many excellent website articles - some of them affiliated with universities and NASA - that explain the when, why, and where you are mostly likely to see the northern lights. We see the northern lights frequently where I live, however, I would suggest you do more research and perhaps wait a few years if seeing the northern lights is the primary purpose of your trip to Alaska. On the other hand, if experiencing nature and the beauty of Alaska is mainly what you're looking for, you probably won't be disappointed.

Put me in that category: I went up to spend a summer working in Denali National Park ( back when both the mountain and the park were called "McKinley"), and ended up staying for seven years. Instill love it there and we are returning this June for our fourth visit.

But just to clarify, the OP is asking about seeing the Northern Lights in spring, which pretty much means March. After the Equinox the hours of darkness ( an absolute necessity for a good Aurora display) diminish rapidly. The UAF Geophysical Institute suggests mid-March as the best time to visit for Aurora hunting for most visitors, as the weather around Fairbanks is generally less severe. But if one is not afraid of cold, January and February are fine too. And February is not necessarily all that cold; this morning I noticed it was the same in Fairbanks as in Boise, Idaho where I am currently visiting.

A winter visit to Alaska is incompatible with the major Alaska tourist sites and activities like Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound wildlife and Glacier cruises, wildlife viewing in Denali NP, the adventure of a trip to historic McCarthy, hiking and camping, and lots more. These activities shut down by mid-September. In late August one might get lucky and catch a faint aurora from Denali or farther north, as we did one year. But you also might have to be up in the middle of the night ( as I was for a 2 am visit to the outhouse).

Bottom line is, seeing the Northern Lights is never guaranteed, even on a visit in the dead of winter. You need clear, dark skies and the right solar activity. I believe we are at a sort of low point for that this year, but I should re-check that. If you enjoy winter activities such as Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, etc., you will have enough to do during the daytime to make for a fun visit even if you never see the Lights.

I see the post I objected to earlier has been removed, so I removed mine to prevent confusion.