EXPLORING FAIRBANKS, THE GOLDEN HEART CITY By D A V I D J A M E S
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Soak up some sun on or off the water in Fairbanks.
ocated near the geographic center of the state, Fairbanks is Alaska’s year-round tourism destination. Established along the Chena River in 1901, it originally served prospectors working outlying gold claims. In the twelve decades since, it’s grown to include a University and two military bases, and has become the commercial hub of Interior Alaska. Owing to its inland climate, the town enjoys drier weather than most of Alaska and hotter summers. On summer solstice, Fairbanks residents bask in 22 hours and 49 minutes of direct sunlight. But with the sun setting just below the horizon before rising again, the town does not see darkness from early May until mid August. With the COVID-19 pandemic still an ongoing concern, it’s important to check with all businesses and facilities before visiting. While there are no borough or state restrictions outside of government-run buildings at present, masking, social distancing, and maximum capacity limits might be enforced on site. It’s best to know what’s requested of the public in advance, and kindly respect the wishes of those in charge of the establishments you seek to enter. The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau is the place for information, and has welcome centers along the riverfront downtown and in the nearby Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. The Thompson Center provides an excellent introduction to the history and culture of Interior Alaska’s original inhabitants, the Athabascan people. Downtown has many shops, restaurants and events. Often on summer evenings, the Golden Heart Plaza is brimming with live music from local performers. And from downtown, it’s a short stroll to nearby Pioneer Park, which offers fun for the whole family with playground equipment, historic buildings, a train ride, museums and more. Fairbanks is the site of several summer festivals, where residents and visitors enjoy being outdoors during the long daylight hours. The annual Midnight Sun Festival, hosted by the Downtown Association, takes place in the city’s downtown center on June 18. The large outdoor gathering includes live music, vendors and activities. The Golden Days celebration, the largest summer event in Fairbanks, begins July 16 with a series of events, culminating downtown on July 23 with a parade, street fair, rubber duckie race on the Chena River, and more. Finally, the Tanana Valley State Fair runs from July 29 to August 7 this year and offers fairgoers a chance to watch livestock shows, take in live music, wander through commercial exhibits, and let the kids go on some rides, all while keeping fueled on the endless food options. Museums are scattered throughout town, including the Museum of the North on the University campus, which holds one of the state’s premier collections of Alaskan and Arctic artifacts. The Fairbanks Community Museum focuses on city history. Car buffs will motor toward the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Summer visitors wanting a taste of winter can experience 20 below temperatures at the Ice Museum. And restless young ones will enjoy a stop at the Fairbanks Children’s Museum. Fairbanks has a lively, close-knit and very supportive arts 56
ALASKA —
VISITORS’ GUIDE • 2022
PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN
community, with several galleries open year-round to display the work of local artists. For those seeking a deeper knowledge of Alaska and its culture, its people and its history, the secondhand bookstore ForgetMe-Not Books, operated by and benefiting the Literacy Council of Alaska, always has a large selection of Alaska-related books — some of them quite rare — along with plenty of other volumes on all topics. Much of Fairbanks’ growth has been driven by the gold and oil industries. A tour of Gold Dredge 8 north of town gives visitors a taste of the rich gold mining history of Fairbanks, while the nearby TransAlaska Pipeline Viewpoint lets people walk right up to one of the world’s engineering marvels. For a taste of nature, Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, located on the north side of town, offers birding and wildlife viewing, as well as miles of walking trails. The Large Animal Research Station on the north part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus allows visitors a close look at musk oxen. People looking to go fishing or hunting first need to obtain the proper license from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Department also has advice for obtaining a licensed and qualified guide to help arrange transportation, supplies and other needs to make the experience complete. For outdoor recreation, hiking (and/or mountain biking trails) can be found on the UAF campus, at the nearby Birch Hill Recreation Area, in the Chena River State Recreation Area east of town and elsewhere. All of these trails are open to skiers in winter. The Chena River winds through downtown and is popular with paddlers. Mountain bikes, canoes and kayaks can be rented from several establishments, skis and fat bikes can be rented in winter. The Fairbanks Hiking Club, Fairbanks Cycle Club, Fairbanks Paddlers, and Running Club North can be contacted for information. All four welcome out-of-town guests to their events. ATVs and snowmachines can be rented for excursions on the vast
