GENERAL INFORMATION

Alaska has something for everyone to enjoy, be it bird watching, white-water river rafting, mountain climbing, fishing, hunting, or touring the state with a packaged tour. It can be a participatory or a spectator vacation. Either way, it will be totally different from any other travel destination. Alaska Vacations presents the following answers to the most commonly asked questions about Alaska.

How big is Alaska? Alaska is 1/5 the size of the rest of the United States Combined. Its coastline is longer than all the lower 48 states - 33,000 miles. It has 345 million acres of land. There are ten rivers longer than 300 miles, 2 million lakes, 19 mountains higher than 14,000 ft. (including Mt. McKinley, highest peak in North America), and more than half the world's glaciers.

What is the weather like in Alaska, and is it really dark 24 hours a day? While the hours of daylight are dramatically reduced during the winter, only the northern-most areas experience total darkness during the winter. The longer hours of darkness do provide more opportunity for watching the dancing Northern Lights. On the other hand, the summer provides almost 24 hours of daylight. The following chart is offered as a guide to climate and daylight, using Anchorage as an example.

Month	F	C	Hrs/Mins
January	20	-7	8:29
February	23	-3	10:58
March	34	1	13:52
April	45	7	17:06
May	54	12	21.05
June	63	17	24:00
July	65	18	21:33
August	65	18	17:28
September	57	14	14:13
October	43	6	11:17
November	31	-1	8:44
December	20	-7	7:22

Alaska is in Alaska Standard Time Zone (European time less 9 to 12 hours). Daylight savings time is observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.

When should I visit Alaska? Each season has its advantages and charm. Some suggestions for each are:

Spring: Follow Spring northward to watch the migratory birds return. Everything is at a much easier pace and you can take advantage of reduced rates to visitors.

Summer: Most popular time with a wide choice of tours and cruises. Long days, sports fishing, and warm weather make this the best time to visit outlying areas such as Nome and Kotzebue.

Autumn: Reduced tour rates and brilliant fall colors in Southcentral Alaska and the Interior makes this an excellent season. In Southeast Alaska, cruise and ferry rates are also lower.

Winter: An excitingly different winter vacation can be enjoyed with winter carnivals, skiing, dog team racing, and snowmobiling. There are many special winter tour options.

The following are recommended clothing, personal articles, & outdoor gear for spring & summer trips in Alaska: Cotton or Denim Pants, Long-Sleeved Shirt, Short-Sleeved Cotton Shirt, Lightweight Down Vest or Jacket, Warm Socks, Baseball Hat or Similar, Wool Sweater, Light Raingear or Windbreaker, Sunglasses, Medicine, Mosquito Repellent, Camera & Plenty of Film, Tennis Shoes, and Wearing Clothing in Layers.