Fairbanks, Alaska is popular for its winter activities like soaking at Chena Hot Springs, dog
Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center – Fairbanks Visitor Center (Explore Fairbanks)
Your first stop when you arrive to Fairbanks should be the visitor center. There’s plenty of free parking and they can give you lots of maps and info about Fairbanks attractions and Fairbanks activities. Insider trip: pick up the yellow map for independent travelers. This was my favorite map for Fairbanks. The building houses a great museum and theater. In the summer, a group of local teenagers do a Native American cultural show with dancing, skits, and audience questions. The theater also shows various films on Fairbanks and culture. If you have a free evening in Fairbanks or it’s a rainy day, it’s a great plan to watch some films. One of the most
Riverboat Discovery
Riverboat Discovery is a 3-hour adventure on a huge riverboat, the “Discovery III” on the Chena River. It combines a mix of boat ride,
LARS – Large Animal Research Station
LARS is located west of the city and the farm is part of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. This is one of the best places to see the incredible Musk Oxen in Alaska, along with other wild animals. They do tours several times a day.
Georgeson Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden is also west of the city and part of the U of A. See the plants that grow under the midnight sun. Many flowers and huge cabbages! Suggested donation of $5 or more per person.
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
This museum is the collection of a husband-wife duo. The husband collects cars from invention to the 1930’s, and the wife collects clothes and accessories from the same eras. What’s unique about this museum is that most of the cars are in working condition, with a working auto shop on sight. There’s one car where you can dress up and get your photo taken inside. Make sure you read the story about the first trip from Fairbanks to Valdez by car in 1913! The museum is a great rainy day activity.
Museum of the North
This is the most popular museum in Fairbanks. I didn’t have time to visit on this trip, but will need to visit my next trip to Fairbanks.
Creamer’s Field
Creamer’s Field is a beautiful wildlife refuge with walking trails on the north end of town. It’s most famous for migratory fowl. There are about a hundred Sandhill Cranes that spend the year here, but you might see as many as a thousand cranes if you visit during migration.
North Pole – Santa and Reindeer
The town of North Pole, Alaska is about 15 miles southeast of Fairbanks along the famous Alaska Highway. There’s a huge Christmas story where you can get your photo with Santa Claus
Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park is a group of historical buildings, museums, a riverboat, and other attractions. There are places to eat and shop. I rode the train for only $2 which gives you a view of the whole park. In the summer, they have free concerts in the evening.
Gold Dredge 8
The Gold Dredge No. 8 tour is a two-hour experience that includes a train ride, education about the gold mining practices at the start of the 20th century, a chance to visit the inside of a gold dredge, panning for gold, turning your gold into jewelry, and a talk about the Alaskan oil pipeline. It was my favorite thing to do in Fairbanks. Read more about my Gold Dredge 8 trip here.
Fox Spring
Take Highway 2 Steese Highway north a few miles past the turn off to Gold Dredge 8, go past the junction with Highway 6, and you will see a shack on the left side of the road. This wooden building contains a couple taps to pour water directly from the Fox Spring – the best tasting water in Alaska. I filled all of my bottles!
Alaska Oil Pipeline – Alyeska Pipeline Viewing Point
Take Highway 2 Steese Highway north of Fairbanks but south of Gold Dredge 8 and you will see an interpretive display on the Alyeska Pipeline, with a portion of the pipeline above ground. Read the placards to learn what is a pipeline “pig”. This is one of the most accessible places to see the pipeline in Alaska. It’s cool to see the diameter of the pipe up close.
Eat Thai Food, or other Cuisine
There are loads of great restaurants in Fairbanks, but for a city of this size, they have an incredible number of Thai Restaurants. The restaurant I wanted to try, but I was trying to stick to my diet, was the Moldovan restaurant downtown. Another popular dinner choice is the Salmon Bake located at Pioneer Park
Weather in Fairbanks in Summer
Fairbanks summer is considered to run from May – July, as these are the months with the longest days. August is locally considered as fall, as it starts to get dark at night. You might even spot the northern lights later in the month. Average highs in the summer are around 70 degrees, but it can get as high as 90 degrees.
Where to Stay in Fairbanks
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Fairbanks has a wide selection of hotels and motels. It’s a very drivable city so any place in or around the city would be a good choice. (Check Rates and Availability in Fairbanks)
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