Fairbanks Northern Lights Chase Tour
A guided night out chasing the aurora from Fairbanks, with a guide who watches the sky and the forecast and drives to the clearest dark spot. Best from late August to mid April.
Alaska
Fairbanks & Denali
Fairbanks is the gateway to Alaska's Interior: a gold rush river town a few hours south of the Arctic Circle, sitting almost beneath the auroral oval and within reach of Denali National Park.
From late August to mid April it is one of the best places on earth to watch the northern lights, with guided chase tours, glass-roofed viewing houses and the hot springs and ice museum at Chena. In winter the same landscape brings dog sledding, reindeer walks and snowmobile rides. In summer the days run nearly around the clock, with the Riverboat Discovery sternwheeler, Gold Dredge 8, Pioneer Park and the Museum of the North, and the Alaska Railroad and Park Road buses carry visitors south into Denali. This guide covers twenty experiences, nine hotels in Fairbanks, Chena and Denali, and six travel guides with the seasons, booking order and cold-weather advice that make the difference.
Don't miss
Fairbanks Northern Lights Chase Tour
A guided night out chasing the aurora from Fairbanks, with a guide who watches the sky and the forecast and drives to the clearest dark spot. Best from late August to mid April.
Chena Hot Springs Day Tour from Fairbanks
A day trip to the mineral hot springs about an hour northeast of Fairbanks: soak outdoors in the rock lake, visit the Aurora Ice Museum and ride home through the Chena River valley.
Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler Cruise
A narrated three-hour sternwheeler cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers, with a bush pilot demonstration, a sled dog kennel visit and a stop at a re-created Athabascan village. Summer season only.
Denali Park Road Bus Tours
The only way to see deep into Denali National Park: narrated tour buses and shuttle buses along the 92-mile Park Road, with chances to see grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep and the high peaks. Summer season; plan ahead.
Things to do in Fairbanks & Denali
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Cleary Summit Aurora Glass House
Watch the aurora from a heated, glass-walled viewing house on a ridge north of Fairbanks, with room to step outside for photographs. A comfortable alternative to a night in a moving van.
Chena Hot Springs Day Tour from Fairbanks
A day trip to the mineral hot springs about an hour northeast of Fairbanks: soak outdoors in the rock lake, visit the Aurora Ice Museum and ride home through the Chena River valley.
Angel Rocks Hike and Chena Hot Springs Soak
A guided hike to the granite tors of Angel Rocks in the Chena River valley, followed by a soak in the hot springs. A good active day trip from Fairbanks for the snow-free months.
Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler Cruise
A narrated three-hour sternwheeler cruise on the Chena and Tanana rivers, with a bush pilot demonstration, a sled dog kennel visit and a stop at a re-created Athabascan village. Summer season only.
Pioneer Park
A free-entry riverside park of relocated gold rush cabins, a historic sternwheeler, museums, a miniature railroad and summer shows. A relaxed half day that tells the story of early Fairbanks.
2 to 3 hoursDetails →
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Alaska's flagship natural and cultural history museum on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, with the Blue Babe bison mummy, Native art, gold and an aurora exhibit. A year-round rainy or frozen day plan.
Gold Dredge 8
A five-story steel gold dredge from the 1920s, with a narrated tour, a ride on a narrow-gauge train and a chance to pan for gold with a bag of pay dirt. A summer favourite just north of Fairbanks.
North Pole Express Shuttle to Santa Claus House
A shuttle from Fairbanks to North Pole, Alaska, home of Santa Claus House, with time for shops, reindeer and photos. A fun family stop year round, especially in the holiday season.
Fairbanks Heritage, Pipeline and Santa Claus House City Tour
A guided half-day city tour covering Fairbanks history, a view of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and a stop at Santa Claus House in North Pole. The easiest way to see the highlights without a car.
Denali Park Road Bus Tours
The only way to see deep into Denali National Park: narrated tour buses and shuttle buses along the 92-mile Park Road, with chances to see grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep and the high peaks. Summer season; plan ahead.
Alaska Railroad: Fairbanks to Denali Scenic Train
A scenic one-way rail trip between Fairbanks and Denali on the Alaska Railroad, with domed cars in summer and views of the Tanana valley, Nenana and the Alaska Range. A relaxing way to reach the park.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Pikes Waterfront Lodge
Chena River, West Fairbanks
A riverside lodge on the Chena River near the airport, with log-style buildings, a restaurant on the water and easy access to summer cruises and winter aurora tours.
Check rates →Chena Hot Springs Resort
Chena River Valley, 60 miles from Fairbanks
An all-in-one geothermal resort about an hour northeast of Fairbanks, with outdoor hot springs, an Aurora Ice Museum and aurora viewing from a dark valley setting. For a night or more.
Check rates →SpringHill Suites by Marriott Fairbanks
Fairbanks
A modern all-suite hotel with free breakfast, spacious rooms and an indoor pool, a practical base for families and longer stays in Fairbanks.
Check rates →Bridgewater Hotel Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Downtown Fairbanks
A downtown Fairbanks hotel close to the Chena River, restaurants and the Visitor Center, with a historic location and an easy walk to the city's main streets.
Check rates →Sophie Station Suites
West Fairbanks, near the airport
An all-suite hotel near the Fairbanks airport and the university, with kitchens in the rooms, a restaurant and an airport shuttle. A comfortable, practical base for multi-night stays.
Check rates →Best Western Plus Pioneer Park Inn
South Fairbanks
A mid-priced Best Western with an indoor pool and breakfast, positioned on the south side of Fairbanks near Pioneer Park and the airport. Good value for families and groups.
Check rates →Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
Parks Highway, near Denali National Park
A large summer lodge on a bluff above the Nenana River south of the Denali park entrance, with hot tubs, restaurants and a base for rafting, flightseeing and Park Road tours.
Check rates →Holland America Denali Lodge
Denali Park entrance area
A summer lodge near the Nenana River and the Denali park entrance, with a dining room, tour desk and walkable access to shops and trails. A solid choice for Park Road trips.
Check rates →McKinley Chalet Resort
Denali Park entrance area
A large resort complex above the Nenana River at the Denali park entrance, with multiple dining options and quick access to Park Road tours and the railroad depot area. A summer base.
Check rates →Fairbanks & Denali guides
Fairbanks and Denali in Three Days: A Planner for Every Season
A three-day plan for Fairbanks that balances a headline activity each day, with a winter version built around the aurora and a summer version built around long daylight, plus a Denali add-on.
Seeing the Northern Lights from Fairbanks: When, Where and How Many Nights
How the aurora works around Fairbanks, the best months, why cloud matters more than the forecast, how to choose between a chase tour and a viewing house, and how to dress.
Fairbanks in Winter: Dog Sledding, Hot Springs and Surviving the Cold
What a Fairbanks winter trip is like, the activities worth booking, how to dress for extreme cold and how to organise short daylight into a satisfying itinerary.
Fairbanks in Summer: Midnight Sun, Riverboats and Gold Rush History
What to do in Fairbanks from mid May to mid September, how the midnight sun shapes the day, and the best order for the riverboat, the gold dredge, Pioneer Park and the trails.
Denali from Fairbanks: Train, Bus, Car and What to Book First
How to reach Denali National Park from Fairbanks, how the Park Road bus system works, how many nights to allow and which activities near the entrance fit around it.
Where to Stay in Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs and Denali
How to choose between a city hotel, a hot springs resort and a Denali lodge, with notes on location, season, parking and aurora viewing.
