Visiting Polar Bears in the North Pole

Visiting polar bears at the North Pole is a bucket list experience your family won’t want to miss out on during a family vacation. Planning this type of trip is quite exciting. But you must be careful with the dates you choose. After all, the North Pole is not a friendly destination all year long. And planning a family trip to the North Pole at the wrong time of the year can cause more headaches than anyone can handle!  

Where is the North Pole? 

The North Pole is located at a latitude of 90 degrees north. The exact location is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. That means there is no major touristy area to explore. Due to the massive ice buildup around the North Pole, there is no way anything will ever be constructed there in the future.  

Best Times for Visiting Polar Bears in the North Pole 

The best times for visiting polar bears at the North Pole are the months of July and August. It is warmer at the North Pole during those months, and daylight is present much longer. The best part is the polar bears make their way closer to land at this time of the year. This means you can see them much easier than when they are far out on the ice of the frozen sea.  

Most trips to the North Pole take place during the month of July. This is when the icy conditions are the best. You will have ample opportunities to see polar bears during your journey. This is even true when you land on Franz Josef Land.  

Since I am sharing the best times for visiting polar bears at the North Pole, let’s go over the worst times. I do not recommend trying to visit the polar bears at the North Pole during the winter. Especially the months of November through February.  

Those months are freezing cold. The ice makes it impossible to travel too far for polar bear sightings. Plus, the almost twenty-four hours of darkness each day makes it unlikely that you will even be able to see a polar bear. And if you do happen to spot one at that time of the year, you would be much closer than you should be! 

Where to Visit Polar Bears Outside the North Pole 

If you are not ready to tackle the true northern areas of our world, you will be thrilled to know you have a few other options for seeing polar bears.  

Spitsbergen 

Spitsbergen is part of the Svalbard Archipelago in Norway. More polar bears live there than people do! If you don’t want to venture into the extreme cold of the North Pole on your next family vacation, this is your next best bet. You can cruise from Longyearbyen to see the nearly three thousand polar bears living on the island. This is an excellent option if you want all the luxuries of home while taking an adventure of a lifetime.  

Kaktovik, Alaska 

This small remote town in Alaska is where polar bears can be seen daily during the summer months. It is easy to take day trips to this Alaskan location from Fairbanks. However, I do recommend planning an extended visit for the best experience.  

Churchill, Canada 

The town of Churchill can be found on Hudson Bay. The best time to visit this area of Canada to see polar bears is during the months of September and October. This is just before the ice in the bay begins its yearly freeze. There are numerous polar bear tours available in Churchill, so you will have an easier time working with your available time off.  

Being able to check off seeing polar bears on your bucket list is something every member of your family will love doing! Planning family vacations everyone will enjoy is tough. With my six kids, I should know! But I have discovered many tricks of the trade over the years and know that I can plan a vacation your whole family will enjoy!  

Are you ready to visit the polar bears at the North Pole or in one of the other polar bear regions?  

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to schedule a planning session with me by clicking here. When you click on this link, you will be taken directly to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you.  

And if you are not quite ready to take a family vacation to visit the polar bears at the North Pole, you can sign up for my newsletter here. This will ensure you continue to receive the travel information I share in the future.