Travel Tips:
When to Visit

Migrate with the Birds

If you want to see the most wildlife . . .

Prime Time

The best wildlife viewing time is summer when the seabirds and marine mammals come ashore to breed and raise their young. As their names imply, they spend the rest of the year out at sea.

Auklets Leave Early

By early August, auklets are already leaving their breeding colonies to return to the ocean until the next spring.

Seasonal Services

Some visitor services are available only in summer. Call ahead so you are not disappointed.

Join the Migration

Spring is ideal for observing whale migrations, rare birds from Asia, and other birds in migration. The Alaska Maritime Refuge staff participates in the Whale Fest (Kodiak, Alaska) in April and co-hosts a Shorebird Festival (Homer, Alaska) in early May.