Fairbanks -

Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees?

thanks

MeeMawJ

Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees?

 

thanks

MeeMawJ

Will you have a rental car? How much time do you have? How many people? Ages? Interests?

Every town has a website. Just google the town's name followed by VISITOR INFORMATION.

Most sites will also provide a visitor guide.

http://www.explorefairbanks.com/guide

Also check the visitor's guide on the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner website (http://www.newsminer.com) for additional ideas. It is located in their "special sections" guide list.

www.explorefairbanks.com Also look at Northern Alaska tours. They have an awesome Arctic Ocean trip.

We did their Arctic Ocean Adventure, northbound, and it was spectacular! :)

We did their Arctic Ocean Adventure, northbound, and it was spectacular! :)

I agree. :)

The riverboat tour is very interesting and educational. Pioneer Village is interesting for a couple of hours.

Also, if you have a rental, take a ride up into the wilderness along the pipeline. But, you cannot take a rental beyond the paved portion so you cannot go as far as the arctic circle. Once the pavement ends it is gravel and the trucks send rocks flying breaking windshields and denting cars.

Santa's Village in nearby North Pole is a nice place to shop for Christmas things and you can arrange to have a letter sent from Santa to children and grandchildren.

Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees?

 

thanks

MeeMawJ

The 2 best things in Fairbanks in my opinion are the car museum and the Alaska museum. I spent several hours in the museum and have been to the car museum 3 times - the first time for almost a full day. It is one of the best car museums I have ever been to.

With regard to North Pole, I would personally disagree w the suggestion that you visit the place. We drove through the place and the best part of the town was the restroom in McDonalds.

DON

GoNorth allows driving their vehicles on gravel roads. There are a few more that also use older vehicles that do as well.

Agree with Don, North Pole is a wasted drive. We have driven out when visiting Fairbanks to have lunch at Pagoda Restaurant. It was very good at the time a few years ago.

Chena Hot Springs is a nice stop, an hour north, although much better in the winter.

http://www.explorefairbanks.com Also look at Northern Alaska tours. They have an awesome Arctic Ocean trip.

After 3 trips/land tours to Alaska we really want to do something completely different.

We are intrigued with the Arctic trips. Budget Queen have you done the Arctic Ocean trip?

Thanks!

Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned.

I went to Barrow from Anchorage, stopping in Fairbanks en route. Loved it. Easy day trip from Fairbanks.

Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned.

Did a tour in Barrow, which I recommend highly. It is probably standard, but we got to see the Arctic Ocean, learned about native life styles, etc.

The 2 best things in Fairbanks in my opinion are the car museum and the Alaska museum. I spent several hours in the museum and have been to the car museum 3 times - the first time for almost a full day. It is one of the best car museums I have ever been to.

 

With regard to North Pole, I would personally disagree w the suggestion that you visit the place. We drove through the place and the best part of the town was the restroom in McDonalds.

Great example of how different personal preferences can be.

• We did visit the Santa Claus House in North Pole AK and enjoyed it, bought some gifts for family. We knew it'd be kitschy.
  
• We then drove out to Chena Hot Springs. We were reminded of Cocoon and left disappointed. Probably pretty neat in winter, not so much so in June.
  
• We enjoyed hiking up to Angel Rocks a lot more. Great day hike if you have the mobility to do it.
  
• We have zero interest in a car museum.
  
• The Museum of the North was neat, but I wouldn’t go back. Being the last day of our trip it repeated a lot of what we'd seen or heard about previously.
  

Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned.

http://www.northernalaska.com

Or http://www.warbelows.com

We will have six adults. We are very interested in knowing what is available for a one-day excursion (would probably have to be June 18, 2017 with our other plans). We will not be driving.

Thanks!

Without a car you'll need to rely on cabs or a tour company. Fairbanks is sprawled out over a large area.

In reply #4 i provided a link to the 80 page Visitor Guide. The index starts around pg 25.

Nothing there?

Have no idea what your interests are, but my suggestion would be to wander around Pioneer Park and the Morris Thompson Culture Center for a few hrs each. They're only a couple of miles apart so it wouldn't be a pricey cab ride.

http://old.fnsb.us/ParksandRecreation/PioneerPark/about/about.htm

http://www.morristhompsoncenter.org

We will have six adults. We are very interested in knowing what is available for a one-day excursion (would probably have to be June 18, 2017 with our other plans). We will not be driving.

 

Thanks!

Why not? You really do need a car in Fairbanks.

BTW - Mapleleaves lives in Fairbanks. She know what she is talking about.

DON

Maple leaves,

Thank you so much for your post, we WILL visit both on our August trip. If you have any local (non-touristy) seafood dining suggestions (we are not big eaters) I would be much obliged. All the best to you.

Chuck7

Hi, My husband and I are flying into Fairbanks a couple of days ahead of our Cruisetour. We plan on visiting the Pioneer Park the first day (after a couple of hours sleep since we arrive at 2 am). I have been looking at the Arctic Circle tours. Has anyone done the driving Arctic Circle tour with either Northern Alaskan or Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours? If so, how was it? My husband is leery of the long 12-16 hour day, especially since the Cruisetour starts the next day. I don't think I would be able to talk him into doing the tour by air because of the price.:eek: Thanks

After 3 trips/land tours to Alaska we really want to do something completely different.

We are intrigued with the Arctic trips. Budget Queen have you done the Arctic Ocean trip?

Thanks!

Sure have, have done the Predhoe trip 3 times. Have also been to Barrow. I never recommend it as a day trip. Grossly superior staying there. 3 days one trip 4 another. You at least want one, in my opinion- especially if going in June, into July for the midnight sun.

My "day" flight preference- which I schedule my Fairbanks time around cargo flights is Anaktuvuk Pass- some of my favorite scenic flightseeing.

Hi, My husband and I are flying into Fairbanks a couple of days ahead of our Cruisetour. We plan on visiting the Pioneer Park the first day (after a couple of hours sleep since we arrive at 2 am). I have been looking at the Arctic Circle tours. Has anyone done the driving Arctic Circle tour with either Northern Alaskan or Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours? If so, how was it? My husband is leery of the long 12-16 hour day, especially since the Cruisetour starts the next day. I don't think I would be able to talk him into doing the tour by air because of the price.:eek: Thanks

In my opinion a crappy tours and poor choice. My only recommendation is a combo fly/van option- sorry. I've done round trip Coldfoot/Wiseman 4 times, and always see complaining road trip passenger on that grueling tour. The price, is well worth the combo tour, in my opinion. Also realize- this is NOT the most "scenic" section of the Dalton. Ok going by once- but the bulk is going to be trees and more trees, along with miles and miles of burned sections.

Thanks Budget queen, This is why I like cruise critic, no matter the question there is always someone able to answer. That's what he was afraid of, guess I'll have to work on sweetening him up for the flightseeing trip.