The 34 Best Things to Do in Fairbanks, Alaska

Fairbanks, also known as the Golden Heart City, lies in Interior Alaska. It is the northern most major city in the United States. Let me help you to plan your trip to and around Fairbanks. It is a city worth a visit, even though it is one of the harder cities to get to. Check out this guide on how to get to Fairbanks.

Legend:

☀️ = Best during the summer season (roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day). Some of the things can also be done in winter but will be more treacherous, like the drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage or camping in the wild.

❄️ = Best during the winter season, some are only possible during that time like watching the Aurora Borealis.

Enjoy the list and find the best things which interest you. Let me know in the comments what your favorites are or if something is missing.

Visit the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center ❄️☀️

The Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center is a great place to start your exploration of Fairbanks. While there you can learn a lot about the history of Alaska, Fairbanks, and the native population. Besides that, you can gather information on available tours, conditions of trails and routes and more by talking to one of the knowledgeable staff members. A gift shop with local souvenirs is housed inside the visitor center as well. Don’t forget, you can also get a bunch of stamps for your National Park or Travel Passport Book here.  

Have you spotted some amazing Auroras? Stop by the visitor center the next day and pick up your personalized Aurora Certificate to take home.

Walk under the Antler Arch ❄️☀️

Outside the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center is the Antler Arch. Walk towards the river and you can’t miss it. A picture here is one of these must-do things when in Fairbanks. It’s perfect for the ‘gram. It reminds me about the famous arch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Compared to Jackson Hole where the arch is made from elk antlers, the one in Fairbanks is made from moose and caribou antlers. These animals are native to Alaska and can be found all over the place.

Visit the Museum of the North ❄️☀️

The Museum of the North is located on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. It has a unique architecture and is a fantastic way to learn about the history of Fairbanks and Alaska. It is an active research museum and offers many programs, especially during the summer months.

Wander the Georgeson Botanical Garden and Maze ☀️

Visit in the botanical garden during summer when all the flowers are blooming. At the end of the botanical garden is a maze which is cool for kids to play and find their way through the maze. During the summer months a free shuttle operates between the Georgeson Botanical Garden, Museum of the North and Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station.

Visit the Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station

The Large Animal Research Station (LARS) is operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The main animals here are muskox, reindeer, and bovine. Qiviut is the soft and downy underwool produced by muskoxen. It is one of the main reasons muskoxen can survive the arctic winter. Muskoxen shed their underwool every year during the short summer period and grow a new layer of qiviut.

 LARS is a great way to get up close with animals. It is an adventure for the whole family.

Visit Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum ❄️☀️

During a visit in Fairbanks, don’t forget to stop at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. It is named one of the best auto museums in the world by auto enthusiasts. Explore Alaska’s unique transportation history. Classic cars paired with vintage clothing from the same period of time. One of the highlights of the museum is the Sheldon, the first and only car ever built in Alaska. Built in 1905 by Bobby Sheldon. He repurposed lots of materials to build his car, like old porter carts, bar stools and scrapped tin.

Explore Pioneer Park ❄️☀️

Pioneer Park, better known to the locals as Alaska Land, is a 44-acre Historical Theme Park. Admission to the park is free. It is a wonderful place for the whole family. During the summer season (Memorial Day – Labor Day) the park thrives with many events. Go on a self-guided tour of the artifacts and buildings in this park. The playground and Bear Art Gallery are also admission free to visit while some other museums charge a small nominal fee.  

Ride the Riverboat Discovery ☀️

Take a cruise on the Chena River on the Riverboat Discovery. Experience Fairbanks from a different viewpoint and make your way to Chena Village Living Museum. A guided tour will take you through an Athabascan village where you can learn how people lived and survived for over 10,000 years here in Alaska. On your way you will make a stop at the Trail Breaker Kennel where you can interact with sled dogs. Furthermore, you get to see a bush pilot taking off and landing right next to the boat.

Walk & Go Birding at Creamer’s Field

Creamer’s Field is a great way to go for a hike. It is located just a few minutes outside downtown Fairbanks. Trails here will take you through a mix of open fields and wooden areas. Climb up on one of the observation towers for better views of the birds. There used to be a boardwalk through the woods, but the boardwalk is closed until further notice due to extensive damage to the boardwalk. Creamer’s Field is also a favorite with birdwatchers as you can encounter ducks, geese and sandhill cranes here. If you are lucky, you might be even able to spot a moose. Bird watching is best during the summer, but the area is also great for a hike in the winter when everything is snow covered. Don’t forget to visit the Farmhouse Visitor Center.

Learn about the rich History of Gold at Gold Dredge 8 ❄️☀️

Your two-hour tour of Gold Dredge 8 will take you back in time to a gold dredge in the Tanana Valley. Everything begins at the parking lot, where you get a glimpse at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline before heading on a replica of a narrow-gauge train which will take you to the gold dredge. After a visit to the dredge, you will head to the mining museum to learn even more about the history of gold mining in Alaska. Part of your tour is also panning for gold. Strike it rich and bring home real Alaskan gold. Warm water and helpful staff make the panning experience more enjoyable. It’s totally worth a stop during your visit to Fairbanks.  

See the Trans-Alaska Pipeline ❄️☀️

Fairbanks is located along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) which runs from the oil field up north in Prudhoe Bay down south to the port town of Valdez. The crude oil will either go to the local refinery in Valdez or get pumped on tanker ships, which take it to other refineries. The construction of the pipeline was really a marvel of ingenuity as it must withstand crazy temperature ranges from freezing cold in the winter to hot in the summer. About 15 minutes north from Fairbanks is a Pipeline Viewing Point, which is located next to the Steese Highway. Information signs explain the construction and architecture of the pipeline. Another way to see the pipeline is when you visit Gold Dredge 8.

Pan for Gold at Gold Daughters☀️

Across the street from the pipeline viewpoint is Gold Daughters Mining Museum. Learn about the rich history of gold mining in the state. See old mining equipment and explore the mining museum. Your admission fee gives you access to all the above as well as to gold panning equipment and the paydirt hill. Get lucky and strike it rich by panning for gold. Staff members are there to show you how to pan for gold. If you want to increase, actually guarantee, your chances of finding gold, you can buy different upgrades of your paydirt which include guaranteed gold findings. Depending on the upgrade you buy, you can find anything from flakes to nuggets.

Gold Daughters is open during the summer season (Memorial Day – Labor Day) every year. Check the website for up-to-date information on opening dates, hours and prices.

Snap a Photo at the LOVE ALASKA sign for the ‘gram ❄️☀️

Across from Pike’s Landing is the LOVE ALASKA sign. It is a great spot to take a selfie. There is plenty of parking available and it can be a last-minute adventure before you head to the airport, as it is on the way there. It’s a great spot for pictures year-round. During the winter, the Chena River freezes, and you can walk on it.  

Experience the Midnight Sun ☀️

Yes, it is true. During a long stretch in the summer the sun never dips below the horizon. Other days, it just makes it barely below the horizon, but it will never get dark as the sun is about to rise again shortly after it set. The longest day of the year is on June 21st of each year. This special day is celebrated here in Alaska as nowhere else in the United States.  

The highlight is the Midnight Sun Game. A baseball game which is held every year on June 21st. The Alaska Goldpanners, a summer team comprised of college players from the Lower 48, host the game every year. First pitch is at 10 p.m. and it often lasts until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. the next day.  

Enjoy the Winter Solstice Festival ❄️

Celebrating the winter solstice is a tradition in Fairbanks. A welcoming downtown atmosphere with live music, reindeer and Santa photos is inviting people to celebrate the shortest day of the year. On that day, Fairbanks will have about 3 hours and 41 minutes when the sun is up. Extended periods of dawn and dusk give more like six hours of daylight on that day. The highlight of the winter solstice celebration in Fairbanks is a firework show. Following the winter solstice, Fairbanks will gain more daylight quickly.

Dine Local ❄️☀️

Besides some of the major chain restaurants, there are a lot of local restaurants and mom & pop shops which shouldn’t be missing on your visit to Fairbanks. There is something for everyone. Check out this post where to dine in Fairbanks. 

See the Northern Lights ❄️

Since Alaska is so far north, in the summer the sun doesn’t even set. However, to see the northern lights, it has to be dark. The season for the northern lights runs from August 21 – April 21 every year. The later in the year it gets the more hours of darkness you will have in a day. This goes all the way until the end of April. After that it will be just too bright to see the northern lights.  

A great Aurora viewing location is only 25 minutes north from Fairbanks. It is called Cleary Summit Aurora Viewing Area. There is a big parking lot and you can drive there. No hiking needed. If you can find a good parking spot, you can even see the light show through your windshield. Please be respectful and turn off all of your lights, especially exterior lights, as photographers come up here to take pictures of this marvelous show.

Have you spotted an amazing aurora show? Stop by the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center and pick up your personalized Aurora Certificate.

Check out my guide in how to create awesome images of the Northern Lights.

Get Artsy and Visit World Ice Art Championship ❄️

From mid-February through March, you have the option to view one of the largest ice art exhibitions in the world. Watch the sculptors bringing their art pieces to life from start to finish. It is so much fun to see how the artist’s work and what tools they use for their masterpieces. All the art pieces are sculpted from gigantic ice blocks.

In addition to the championship, the International Ice Art Classic features numerous ice sculptures plus ice slides for young and old.  

See Ice Sculptures at the Fairbanks Ice Museum ❄️☀️

An, Zhe,  better known as Andy, is an award-winning ice sculptor and is showing his creations in the Fairbanks Ice Museum. He participates every year in the World Ice Art Championship. During the summer months Andy entertains visitors at the museum as well as teaches ice sculpting. Another feature of the museum is the aurora show. It is a great place to visit if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Visit the North End of the Main Line of the Alaska Railroad❄️☀️

The Alaska Railroad is the northern most railroad in North America. The north end of the main line is just a few steps away from Downtown Fairbanks. There is not much to see. Trains rarely ever go to that point. Only a sign indicates that this is the north end of the main line. It’s not very scenic but you can add it to your statistics, that you visited the north end of the northern most railroad in North America.

Visit the Greater Fairbanks Area

There is so much more to explore beyond the city limits of Fairbanks. Fairbanks is a fantastic way to get started to explore the interior of Alaska. It has daily flights from Seattle and seasonal flights from other cities and even Germany. Stop in Fairbanks and enjoy the rich history and culture of this town before heading out on even more adventures. Most of the suggestions below can be done as a day trip from Fairbanks, except for the train ride to Anchorage if you plan to take the train back.

Visit the Santa Claus House❄️☀️

Kids, it’s true, Santa Claus lives in a house in North Pole. Yes, the town here is actually called North Pole. It is nowhere near the geographic or magnetic North Pole, but it is still North Pole. You can visit the place all year long but it’s best to visit in the months and weeks before Christmas. Everything is decorated with Christmas lights, snow everywhere and it just gives you the ultimate Christmas-feeling. Sant’s house is also home to a reindeer farm, some of Santa’s famous helpers. Of course, there is a gift shop as well, where you can stock up on the latest Santa House souvenirs. It might also have the biggest Santa in the World.

Plunge into Chena Hot Springs ❄️☀️

Soak up in a man-made hot spring pools at the Chena Hot Springs Resort. It is a little bit over a one-hour drive from Fairbanks to the resort. The Chena Hot Springs Resort is open year-round and it’s a great way to enjoy a frosty winter day to jump into the warm hot spring pool. Besides the hot spring pools, the resort also provides accommodation to make more out of your visit. Soak in the hot springs under the midnight sun during the summer. Don’t expect a 5-star luxury resort here. Chena Hot Springs is rather a rustic establishment that grew over the years.

Besides the hot springs and overnight-accommodation you can visit the sled dog kennel and go for a ride. During the winter, the dogs will pull sleds, and, in the summer, they will pull a side-by-side. An on-site tour agency can arrange additional adventures like aurora viewing in the winter and hikes in the summer. Besides that, the resort also houses the Aurora Ice Museum.

Visit the Aurora Ice Museum ❄️☀️

The Aurora Ice Museum is located at Chena Hot Springs. It is open year-round and gives you a great excuse to wear your cozy jacket in the summertime. Enjoy a drink from the bar in a glass made from ice, which you can later smash outside. What a quirky thing. The Aurora Ice Museum houses ice sculptures, some of them are from the World Ice Art Championship, held every year in Fairbanks.

Visit the Abandoned Chatanika Gold Dredge #3 for Free ❄️☀️

Can’t get enough of Gold Dredges and the gold rush fever hit you? Then it is time to visit the Chatanika Gold Dredge #3. From Fairbanks it is about a 45-minute/30-mile drive to get to the Gold Dredge. You can park at the Chatanika Lodge to get to the trailhead. The trailhead is across the street, at the north end of the parking lot. Be careful when crossing Steese Highway. It is a short walk to get to the dredge. There is also a ladder next to the dredge where you can climb onto the dredge. The dredge is on private property, but you can visit the dredge and there is no admission. You are doing so at your own risk. Be extremely careful when climbing onto the dredge as there are sharp objects everywhere. Nails are sticking out of the ground as well. Watch your step. Again, you are doing this at your own risk. Wildlife can also be encountered, which includes bears and other predators. Follow the leave no trace principle and don’t build any campfires.

History of the Gold Dredge

The area was originally called Fairbanks Exploration Company gold dredge #3. The gold mining operation was established in 1923 and some $70 million worth of gold was extracted from this lake between 1926 and 1957. The mining camp reached a population of 10,000 at one point in time, which made it bigger than Fairbanks.

In 1962 the dredge ceased operation and the property changed hands multiple times. Now the dredge is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Drive the Parks Highway to Anchorage ☀️

 This is a very scenic drive and takes you from Fairbanks in the Interior down to Anchorage. It will take you about 6.5 hours to get to Anchorage on this 360-mile road trip. It is worth doing it. You will pass by Denali National Park. If you never been and have some time, you should stop there and go on a quick detour on the Park Rd to see Denali. 

While you are on your way to Anchorage, don’t forget to take a small detour on this road near Denali. You want to make sure you have your phone ready for many amazing pictures with the signs posted next to the road.

The road is open year-round but expect slow driving because of lots of snow and ice on the road. Many things along the road will be closed. Be prepared with extra food, water as well as blankets or a sleeping bag to stay warm. Always make sure you have enough fuel left as some stations even close during the winter. 

Visit the Nenana Historic Railroad Depot

This is a historic railroad depot located in the small town of Nenana. Nenana is located about 1-hour south of Fairbanks and the depot sits next to the Nenana River. Nenana is a prominent place for the Alaska Railroad. It was in 1923 when President Warren Harding drove the golden spike here in Nenana. This signified the completion of the Alaska Railroad.

Opening hours vary, so check the website for up-to-date information or call ahead. The depot also rented out rooms on Airbnb in the past, but that seems to have ended. Even without the museum being open. It is a great stop on your road trip to Denali. Snap a picture with the building for the ‘gram.

Ride the Train to Denali and Anchorage ❄️☀️

Train rides on the Alaska Railroad are something you should experience. There are a few different routes operated by the Alaska Railroad but one of the best ones is the route between Fairbanks and Anchorage. The route intersects with the Parks Highway a few times, which you would take if you drove to Anchorage. Therefore, the trains also go through Denali National Park. The tracks run along canyon walls next to rivers with breathtaking views. The big advantage with the train is that you can really enjoy the shear wonders of Alaska without having to keep focused on the road while driving.

The best way to travel on the Alaska Railroad is the Gold Star Service class. Mainly because it provides you with forward-facing seats and Glass-dome ceilings in the rail cars. This gives you an amazing view of all Alaska has to offer. This is a special highlight for me as a huge railroad fan.

While you can ride the train year-round, the best time is during the summer season (mid-May until mid-September). During the summer season trains run daily between Fairbanks and Anchorage, including additional trains chartered by cruise lines. During the winter season, trains usually run only on weekends.

Visit Denali National Park and Preserve ☀️

About two hours from Fairbanks lies Denali National Park. It is a must do on an Alaska itinerary. Except during the winter, when the park is pretty much completely closed.

Visit the Arctic Circle (Sign)

The arctic circle is closer than you might think. Take a little road trip and visit the arctic circle. The arctic circle, a line of latitude around the world, is approximately at 66°30′ N. This marks the southern border of an area within the sun never sets or never rises for a day or more each year. At the arctic circle this is around June 21 and December 21. On these days you get a full day of day or night, respectively.  

It is about a 200-mile drive from Fairbanks to the arctic circle which will take you about 5 hours to get there. For the majority of the drive, you will drive on the Dalton Highway which goes all the way up north to Deadhorse near the Arctic Ocean and Prudhoe Bay. Once you reach the arctic circle, you will see a sign next to the highway. A great spot for a selfie to feed the ‘gram.

This is also where the Trans-Alaska Pipeline starts. Oil from the Prudhoe Bay oilfields are pumped down to the port town of Valdez to load it on ships as the port is navigate able even in winter.

Hike and Camp in Alaska☀️

Alaska is just such a beautiful state with so many places to explore. There are so many gorgeous hikes all over the place and you can camp pretty much everywhere. You can use every rest stop area and pull-offs to camp with your RV. There are some places where this is not allowed, but there are signs. During the summer season it’s hard to get last-minute hotel rooms or other accommodation for a decent price. Hotels and other guesthouse accommodation are not as widespread as in other parts of the country. Camping is a fantastic way to explore Alaska.

Go Ice Fishing ❄️

Interior Alaska hosts some of the best ice fishing of all Alaska. The big three lakes for best ice fishing are Harding, Birch, and Quartz Lakes. The three lakes are located adjacent to the roadside between the cities of Fairbanks and Delta Junction. Each of the three lakes has its unique charm. Harding Lake is the closest to Fairbanks, which is only a 45-mile drive from the city. Birch Lake is about 56 miles and Quartz Lake is the farthest one with 86 miles from Fairbanks. These three lakes are the most popular lakes for ice fishing and are stocked by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. There are many more options for fishing, also closer to Fairbanks. Many tour operators offer fishing tours to nearby locations.

Go Hunting

Alaska is also famous for hunting. Most of Alaska’s hunting seasons begin in August and September and last through the end of October. Some areas have longer seasons continuing into the winter months and hunting for some species in some areas may be permitted all year. Check the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for up-to-date information.

Watch a rocket launch at Poker Flat Research Range

This is the only University-Owned rocket range in the world.  

Visit the Black Brant IX rocket display at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, when you are in Fairbanks.  

Enjoy the Arctic Lightning Airshow ☀️

The Arctic Lightning Airshow is the northern most air show in the United States. It is held at Eielson Air Force Base, about 30-minutes SE from Fairbanks. Admission to the air show is free. Enjoy a fun weekend with the whole family. Check Eielson Air Force Base website for the dates of the next annual air show.

Peter

Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.

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