What is there to do in Fairbanks?

Hello, we're currently at the end of our wonderful cruisetour through Alaska in Fairbanks. Tomorrow we're booked for an all day tour of the paddle boat, train and gold dredge and the next day we fly out, but not until later at night.

We don't have a rental car and don't feel like spending $200+ dollars on the excursions offered by Princess, so can anyone recommend anything free or low cost to do and/or see while in Fairbanks this Friday?

Thanks!

Hello, we're currently at the end of our wonderful cruisetour through Alaska in Fairbanks. Tomorrow we're booked for an all day tour of the paddle boat, train and gold dredge and the next day we fly out, but not until later at night.

 

We don't have a rental car and don't feel like spending $200+ dollars on the excursions offered by Princess, so can anyone recommend anything free or low cost to do and/or see while in Fairbanks this Friday?

 

Thanks!

We will only arrive in Fairbanks next week but the Morris Thompson Cultural Center in downtown Fairbanks has been highly recommended, with displays, movies, handicrafts, workshops, etc ... and it's all free!

The museum at the University of Alaska is nice.

Alaska Public Lands building has interesting exhibits, pioneer park, Alaska U Museum.

I wouldn't be there without a car.

Next summer we are arriving day early to tour Fairbanks. It has been highly recommended to me to go to the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska and to just walk along the river front. So that is the plan, if time we may go to the cultural center. Read up on both places and see which one interests your group.

We don't have a rental car and don't feel like spending $200+ dollars on the excursions offered by Princess, so can anyone recommend anything free or low cost to do and/or see while in Fairbanks this Friday?

 

Thanks!

In Fairbanks, you need a car.

DON

We found plenty to see/do within walking distance of our hotel, the Westmark, when we arrived a day early for our cruisetour in June.

Fairbanks Pioneer Neighborhoods Walking Tour

http://www.alaska.org/guide/fairbanks-pioneer-neighborhoods-walking-tour

Fairbanks Community Museum and Dog Musher's Museum

4th and Cushman in old City Hall

Yukon Quest Log Cabin

corner of 1st Ave and Cushman St., near Cushman Bridge

Golden Heart Plaza

1st Avenue between Cushman and Lacey Sts.

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center

101 Dunkel St.

Griffin Park

Antler Arch

Lend- Lease Monument

Pedestrian bridge over Chena River

Downtown Fairbanks History Tour lists these and other places of interest to see

http://www.alaska.org/guide/downtown-fairbanks-history-tour

Downtown Art Tour

http://www.alaska.org/guide/fairbanks-downtown-art-tour

painted vent pipes - it was fun finding them as we walked around

Don't forget about The Fudge Pot. The fudge there was great!!!

While we have a public transit system in Fairbanks, definitely rent a car. Most of the car rental companies are located at Fairbanks International Airport, and cars are on property.

Consider visiting the Morris Thompson Cultural Center (where the Alaska Public Lands Information office is located), and after viewing the exhibits take a photo of yourself under the antler arch. If you haven't seen the Trans-Alaska pipeline consider driving about 11 miles north on the Steese Highway where there is a viewing area with interpretive signs. Then consider returning back to Fairbanks and visit the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum (on College Road). Then from the Antique Auto Museum drive along College Road to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus and visit the Museum of the North.

The Fairbanks Community Museum mentioned by KroozFoolz has temporarily closed as they are moving from the Old City Hall to the historic Co-op Building on Second Avenue. Exhibits are being re-designed and the museum will be open as soon as they can but their board of directors expects to be closed until late September to early October. Since moving a museum, even a small one, is quite the process (just ask the curators of the Alaska State Museum in Juneau) I don't know how optimistic that time frame actually is. But their new location will be much better for them.

OP has a flight TONIGHT so I wouldn't worry about finding them things to do for the next couple of hours.

Too bad they waited until last night to think about activities.

The Fairbanks Community Museum mentioned by KroozFoolz has temporarily closed as they are moving from the Old City Hall to the historic Co-op Building on Second Avenue. Exhibits are being re-designed and the museum will be open as soon as they can but their board of directors expects to be closed until late September to early October. Since moving a museum, even a small one, is quite the process (just ask the curators of the Alaska State Museum in Juneau) I don't know how optimistic that time frame actually is. But their new location will be much better for them.

Wow, there's a lot of stuff there to move!

Hello, we're currently at the end of our wonderful cruisetour through Alaska in Fairbanks. Tomorrow we're booked for an all day tour of the paddle boat, train and gold dredge and the next day we fly out, but not until later at night.

 

We don't have a rental car and don't feel like spending $200+ dollars on the excursions offered by Princess, so can anyone recommend anything free or low cost to do and/or see while in Fairbanks this Friday?

 

Thanks!

OP has a flight TONIGHT so I wouldn't worry about finding them things to do for the next couple of hours.

 

Too bad they waited until last night to think about activities.

They posted last night, Wednesday; have their all day tour today, Thursday; and were asking for ideas for tomorrow, Friday, before they fly out later at night.

I agree it would have been better to do a bit of planning for this before they left, but I was happy some people could offer some suggestions, even at the last minute.

Hello, we're currently at the end of our wonderful cruisetour through Alaska in Fairbanks. Tomorrow we're booked for an all day tour of the paddle boat, train and gold dredge and the next day we fly out, but not until later at night.

 

We don't have a rental car and don't feel like spending $200+ dollars on the excursions offered by Princess, so can anyone recommend anything free or low cost to do and/or see while in Fairbanks this Friday?

 

Thanks!

Today is Thursday -- the OP asked for recommendations for activities in Fairbanks on Friday.

Today is Thursday -- the OP asked for recommendations for activities in Fairbanks on Friday.

oh ya, i see that now. Thx for the correction.