Fairbanks
Travel Guide > North America > USA > Western United States > Alaska > Fairbanks
In this Article
- Introduction
- Sights and Activities
- Events and Festivals
- Getting There
- Getting Around
- Eat
- Drink
- Sleep
- Keep Connected
Join the Hipporoller Challenge
Help the Travel Guide reach 20,000,000 characters and we'll donate 63 hipporollers worth over $6000. Read more.
On Travellerspoint
Contributors
Peter (52%)
from My Shout
Utrecht (23%)
from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
Lavafalls (18%)
from Silver Drops Jewelry Designs
as well as Fairbanks (7%)
Help contribute to this article to share the ad revenue.
Introduction
Fairbanks is Alaska's second largest city and the largest in its interior region. Fairbanks developed as a city in the early 1900s when an Italian prospector struck gold in the area. It continues to live off the gold nearby, mined by the Fort Knox Gold Mine, the largest in Alaska. Tourism has also developed as a major industry, as the city has developed as the hub of Alaska's interior. The city is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the state's oldest college.
Sights and Activities
- University of Alaska Museum of the North
- Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is an 1,800 acre bird sanctuary.
- Pioneer Park is an historic themed park.
- Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, can be observed during from about September until the beginning of April.
- Winter sports like cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, dog mushing and ice fishing.
Events and Festivals
- Fairbanks Golden Days is usually held towards the end of July.
- The Rubber Duckie Race, held just after the Golden Days, sees 6000 rubber ducks race down the Chena River.
- The Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival is held in August.
- The Midnight Sun Festival celebrates the longest day of the year; Midnight Sun Baseball Game is played at 10:30 pm without any artificial lighting.
- Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race
- The World Ice Art Championships sees competitors from around the world show off their ice carving skills. Held in March.
- The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in July
- The Festival of Native Arts in March runs for three days, featuring traditional Alaska Native singing, dancing and crafts displays.
Getting There
Fairbanks is easily accessed by plane, rail or road.
Daily jet service is available from many US cities and offers scheduled or charter service to Europe and Asia. Japan Airlines offers 3 direct winter flights, and Frankfurt-based Condor Airlines offers weekly direct flights during summer. The Alaska Railroad connects Fairbanks to Denali National Park, Anchorage, Whittier and Seward. The Alaska Highway offers road access via Canada, and the George Parks Highway links Fairbanks to Anchorage.
By Plane
There are regular direct flights to Fairbanks International Airport from Anchorage and Barrow and seasonally there are also direct flights from Vancouver and Seattle.
By Train
In the summer months, Alaska Railroad runs a service between Fairbanks and Anchorage called the Denali Star Train. The trip takes roughly 12 hours and passes through the Denali National Park. Rates vary seasonally, ranging from $155 one-way in the shoulder seasons to $194 in the peak season.
By Car
By Bus
By Boat
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berry Patch Cabins | 534 2nd Street Fairbanks | Hostel | - |
| Billie's Backpackers Hostel | 2895 Mack Blvd | Hostel | 77 |
| GoNorth Hostel | 3500 Davis Rd PO Box 60147 | Hostel | 83 |
Mid-Range
Upscale
This is version 12. Last edited at 21:49 on May 19, 09 by Utrecht (+383). 3 articles link to this page.
Except where otherwise noted, content of this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License