Fairbanks: Extreme Fun in the Extreme North
If you love nature, snow and winter sports, Fairbanks may just be an ideal travel destination for you. Located just outside the Arctic Circle in the Interior region of Alaska, Fairbanks also offers plenty of nature attractions and a lively scene of history, arts and culture.
Pioneer Park
A visit to Pioneer Park is a must-do to experience not only the city’s natural beauty but its local history and culture as well. Amid this 44-acre park, you can walk through a replicated gold-rush town, a Native American village and several museums where you can view a large number of pioneer and Native American artifacts, mining equipment, aircraft and a sternwheeler that is the world’s second-largest of its kind.
Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
Popular for its wealth of wildlife and hiking trails, this 1,800-acre nature habitat contains wetlands, forests, prairies and a bird sanctuary where you can enjoy native flora and fauna and view many species of birds like Canada geese, mallard ducks, sand hill cranes and more. This refuge is also home to a historic dairy farm, which still contains several original buildings.
Land Animal Research Station
Organized by the University of Alaska for the physiological, behavioral and nutritional study of local wildlife, this 134-acre station offers tours where you can view species such as caribou, domestic reindeer and muskoxen.
Georgeson Botanical Garden
This garden complex offers something for everyone. You can walk among various garden types to see attractive water features and a wide range of flowers and plants that thrive in the local climate as well as enjoy beautiful views of Mt. McKinley. There is also a children’s section featuring a playhouse complete with vintage furniture.
Arts and Culture
Fairbanks features a lively arts and culture scene. At the University of Alaska Museum of the North, you can learn all about the state’s Native American culture, gold-mining history and art works through many exhibits containing artifacts and archaeological objects that include animal and marine specimens such as a mummified bison.
Conveniently located near both upscale and bargain shopping, the Gallery 49 Fine Art Gallery showcases a collection of local talent that includes stunning aurora borealis photography. The Alaska House Art Gallery features art works created by Native Alaskans such as pieces carved from ivory and animal bone.
The Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts is a great place to view both visual arts and enjoy live productions of drama, musicals and concerts.
Sports
Sports fans can enjoy their choice of live-action games that include football, ice hockey, roller derby and baseball at venues like the Carlson Center, the Big Dipper Ice Arena and the Growden Memorial Park that are all located nearby hotel accommodation.
Because Fairbanks is a popular hub for cross-country skiing and dog-sledding, you can also attend a number of races and competitions here throughout most of the year.
Climate
Because of its extreme northern location, you can expect Fairbanks to feature a climate where winters are long and bitterly cold and summers are short and pleasantly warm. Snow lovers will appreciate the city’s long season of snow accumulation that lasts from October to May.
You can begin your trip to Fairbanks today by checking out the fabulous hotel deals that are available online now.
