Search hotels in Fairbanks

Really sad to see the abandoned state of the river campground. Inebriated homeless wandering around like zombies and spray painted signs to designate no camping allowed.. Quite a shock as normally these spaces are revered by the public.

The view was amazing by the museum. The local people are friendly and always willing to share Alaskian stories. I had an amazing adventure and even seen the Aurora on the plane to get here. If you come, make sure you go to the museums they are definitely worth it and the visitor centre is open and free to visitors. This is definitely a checkmark off on the bucket list.

Fairbanks was conveniently located for our travel purposes. It had urban type stores that we needed for our trip, and a good Urgent Care. We also went to a museum that was interesting. We went from Fairbanks down to Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park, which was a beautiful drive. Make sure you leave Fairbanks with a full tank of gas and an empty bladder as gas stations are few and far between.

Pioneer Park was good, but many of the facilities were closed when we visited (they had later opening hours). We ate at the Salmon Bake which we really enjoyed. Creamer's Field was also a good visit but only a few birds to see due to the time of year - option for a trail and visitor centre.

Fairbanks was amazing and the entire community was very welcoming throughout. Traveling during the summer months was quite easy because no ice or snow on the road, however, in some areas snow could still be seen due to the permafrost. The landscape and lakes were amazing and filled with wildlife. Watching trees and scrubs come back to life after winter was so fulfilling and the early summer chill in the air felt absolutely amazing on the face and arms. Left too early for the Salmon Bake but Pioneer Park was filled with activities throughout. Families were emerging from the dark winter nights and you could see the happiness and cheer on everyone's face.

Fairbanks is a great place to see the Northern Lights. We went on February 29 for five nights and saw the Aurora four of the five nights. I even saw it the first night from our Lodging at Pikes Waterfront Lodging. You can even rent clothing from Alaska Elements that will keep you warm in 40 below weather. I'm a sunny California girl and have never been in weather below 20 and I was toasty warm in the gear they supplied. It was so convenient. They dropped the clothes at our hotel and picked them up at the end. They cost less than if we had bought the necessary shoes alone. It included the parka, mittens , bib pants, and snow shoes. So don't let the weather discourage you from going. It was a once in a lifetime experience I am so glad I did. I went with two girlfriends and we are all over 65 and had the best time ever. I recommend staying at Pikes Waterfront Lodge. You can book evening tours that takes you to special places to see the Aurora that include a nice warm place to view them from as well as being able to go out on decks to view them. The clothes will keep you warm. I laid in the snow for an hour viewing the the Northern Lights and was as warm as could be. Also my iPhone 15 took great pictures. If doing a dog sled ride is on your bucket list, Rod's Alaska guide tour is great. Again, the gear will keep you warm. Also another fun thing to do is Running Reindeer Ranch which lets you walk through a forest interacting with 13 reindeer that let you pet them and walk around you. It is an unreal experience. You should do both activities. If you go in March, you can also see the World Championship Ice Sculptures. And they are "out of this world". Have fun-I hope I had encouraged many people to have these lifetime experiences.