Indoor viewing areas!
We call them BARS!
I prefer March and September viewing, but have had my best viewing when least expecting it to happen. My best viewing was driving alone at night one September, leaving the Chugach mountains east of Anchorage. Happened to look up as the road made a turn....wow!
You can make a big trip, have cloudy weather and see nothing. That's part of the magic.
Oh and you can hear them sometimes!