What to Wear and Do on a Winter Trip to Alaska: My November Adventure

I haven’t posted in a few weeks. Work got busy, the election happened, and I immediately took off to Alaska for a group trip! While this isn’t a travel blog, I wanted to share a bit about my trip to share tips with friends who have asked me to share my itinerary.

This was my first time visiting Alaska, and it was unforgettable. I flew into Fairbanks, which served as my home base before taking the scenic Alaska Railroad train to Anchorage. Every stop had me in awe of Alaska’s beauty. Fairbanks, Anchorage, and all the wild landscapes in between—it truly was a winter wonderland.

In this post, I’ll share my trip itinerary, essential travel tips for anyone considering a winter trip to Alaska, my Google Maps list of places to eat and explore, and a checklist of must-have cold-weather gear for those of us used to warmer climates.

Alaska Winter Itinerary: 7 Days in Fairbanks and Anchorage

Day 1: Arrival

Fly: LA to Fairbanks

Day 2: Fairbanks Region

Dog Sledding and Mushing Experience in North Pole, Alaska

Running Reindeer Ranch: Walk with reindeer through the snow!

Aurora Chasing: Overnight tour to catch the Northern Lights

Day 3: Chena River & Fairbanks Regions

Chena Resort: Relax in Hot Springs and explore the Ice Museum
Dinner: Bahn Thai

Day 4: Scenic Train to Anchorage

Alaska Railroad: Fairbanks to Anchorage (12 hour scenic ride)

Day 5:

Breakfast at Snow City Cafe
Matanuska Glacier Hike! With Honey and Wine Tasting at Local Business with White Raven Tours
Excellent pizza at the Moose’s Tooth

Day 6:

Anchorage City Tour with White Raven Tours
Drive thru coffee stop at First Cup
Dinner at Orso

Day 7: Return Home

Fly Anchorage to LAX

Tips for Your Alaska Winter Adventure

Want to try this itinerary yourself? Here are a few tips to save you time and money:

Book Early: Many tours, especially aurora chasing and glacier hikes, book out in advance. Reserve your spots as soon as possible.
Layer Up: Alaska’s temperatures vary, and you’ll want layers to stay comfortable.
Consider a Winter Waterfall Walk: While we planned to do this, we ended up spending more time in Anchorage city with White Raven Tours, which was a great way to learn about the area’s history. The rest of my group went to the waterfall walk and had a great time so I’m listing it here in case that appeals to you.
Secure Your Transportation to/from Activities: If you go dog sledding at Alaskan Rods (linked above), be sure to book a shuttle to drop you off and pick you up! While Lyft can get you out there, it won’t get you back; at least, we couldn’t get a Lyft ride to pick us up. We spent an hour calling various shuttle and taxi companies until we found one willing to pick us up! Because of that, we had to skip our visit to Santa Claus House, which was disappointing, and had to skip lunch to make it to our afternoon activity on time.
Aurora Chasing: Our tour guide for the aurora chasing tour recommended that we take a professional camera or take a tripod if we were going to use our phones to see the aurora. Our eyes see the aurora as a faint, gray-ish cloud, not the vibrant green and pink colors we see in pictures! To see the aurora’s colors, you need to use a camera. If you want to learn why, check out this Instagram account that offers a good explanation: https://www.instagram.com/vincentledvina/.

Honorable Mentions

Though I couldn’t visit every spot on my list, I am sharing my Google Maps list of restaurants, sights, and places to explore in Fairbanks and Anchorage that we visited or considered. Check it out to add a few extra stops to your own adventure!

What to Wear in Alaska During Winter

We visited in early November, with temperatures ranging from -3°F to 32°F. Snow covered the ground, but we lucked out with clear skies—ideal for spotting the aurora borealis!

When traveling to Alaska in winter, pack layers, warm accessories, and a quality parka to stay comfortable. Alaska is also laid-back about dress codes—even at “nicer” restaurants—so prioritize warmth over style.

Cold Weather Packing List
(Some of these links are affiliate links—see footnote.)

Gloves (If you use your phone to take pictures, I highly recommend “smart” gloves. Otherwise, you’ll get cold hands as you remove and put on your gloves to take pictures! I bought gloves like these at Nordstroms and they worked well, though not perfectly.)
Beanie (Keeping your head warm is key to staying warm! I used a rag & bone beanie similar to this one.)
Scarf or face mask, something to protect your face from the cold wind!
Thermal fleece tops to layer with
Warm sweaters
A parka / jacket as your outer layer
Insulated leggings and pants (I layered with these pants and used the leggings as my sole layer on one day when I knew I wasn’t going to be outside for long periods of time.)
Snow pants (I saw these snow pants at the North Face store but they didn’t have it available in my size and, luckily, we found the similar snow pants on Amazon. I sized up since I was using pants under these and they worked so well to keep my legs warm, even while hiking on a glacier!)
Wool socks (to wick away any moisture)
Snow boots (to keep your feet warm and dry)
Hand and body warmers (to provide additional warmth to your hands and other parts of your body while you’re exploring in cold temperatures)

From warm gloves to layers and waterproof boots, packing correctly will help you stay cozy as you explore Alaska’s rugged landscape. Renting some of this gear may also be an option if you’re short on space—there are plenty of rental shops in Fairbanks and Anchorage. I also used a Samsonite backpack similar to this one for the trip and it the bubble top helped me bring back a few fragile Christmas ornaments.

So, Visit Alaska in the Winter!

I hope this post inspires your next winter adventure to Alaska! It’s a magical place, and whether you’re watching the northern lights or trekking across a glacier, there’s truly nothing like it.

If you found this post helpful, drop me a comment to let me know! And if you have questions, drop a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.