glory days {hello, Alaska}

Every once in a while, I'll speak to someone who is surprised that we have summer in Alaska. I'm serious! I never laugh at them, but carefully explain that we have glorious summers. And yes, the snow does melt from time to time.

FYI: We are usually snow-free from May until late October-ish. Though September and October are chilly fall months, though snow-free.

On the warmest days in our region, the temperature will hit around 80. That's usually for a week or two in June. Then the temperature drops a bit, making a 70-ish degree day the nicest we'll experience for the rest of summer. Most days linger somewhere between high 40's to low 60's on rainy days, and mid 60's to low 70's on sunny days. There's no humidity in the air, but we do see our share of rain.

Summer in Alaska is divine. If you're thinking about visiting, I'd say come in June or July. Those are my favorites. May is still too chilly and not quite all the way green. And poor August is gorgeous, but a bit soggy.

You've got the midnight sun, gardens galore, green for miles, and summer sports abounding. It's pretty much every bit of amazing you can think of all wrapped up into one season. I'm not trying to play favorites, but summer's it for me.