Newcomer's Fairbanks Driving Tour Preview

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center

There is no charge to visit the Visitors Center. It is open 7 days a week; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. mid-September to mid-May and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the summer. Serving as the regional visitor facility, the Center is home to . . . Explore Fairbanks The Visitor Services team of Explore Fairbanks assists guests with planning their next Alaskan adventure. Any of the brochures you see here are free for the taking. Explore Fairbanks partners provide a way to get out and play, no matter the time of year. From leisurely strolls through art galleries and museums; dips in hot springs; fishing and river excursions; adrenaline inducing dog mushing, snowmachine or ATV rides; to enjoying a bite to eat or a beverage at a local brewery or distillery, Fairbanks has a little something for everyone. You can also check out this info and a robust calendar of events at www.explorefairbanks.com Alaska Public Lands Information Center APLIC is a consortium of state and federal land management agencies. Here you find free information about parks, forests, refuges, recreation areas and wild rivers. National Park Service rangers provide backcountry orientations and public land information. Enjoy free films in the theatre and Ranger programs on Alaska’s natural and cultural history. On your next visit to the Visitors Center, be sure to see a Ranger for your military park pass. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for you and three adult guests at “per vehicle” fee areas. Denakkanaaga has offices at the other end of the building. It is a non-profit organization that serves as the voice for Native Elders. Denakkanaaga is a Koyukon-Athabascan word which means “Our People Speak.” As Native Elders speak out on social and cultural issues, passing on their traditions, skills, language, stories and values, Denakkanaaga acts on their behalf by following up on directives set forth by the Elders. Alaska Geographic Store Shopping at an Alaska Geographic bookstore supports their mission to make Alaska’s public lands more accessible to everyone and keeps them wild for future generations. Alaska Geographic is a non-profit education and fundraising partner to Alaska’s National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests, and BLM Conservation lands offering field courses, youth stewardship programs, day programs and events around the state to connect residents and visitors to Alaska’s public lands.Take time to visit the 9,000 square-foot exhibit hall featuring displays and dioramas showcasing Interior Alaska’s people, wildlife, landscapes and seasons. It is interactive so as you go through, you’ll find that videos and soundbites will start playing

Lend-Lease Memorial

Honoring the pilots involved in the transfer of warplanes during the four years of the Lend-Lease program.

Rabinowitz Court House

Rabinowitz Courthouse is an Alaska Court of Appeals. The U.S. District Court is about a four-minute drive from here.

Golden Heart Plaza

Golden Heart Plaza is home to two large summer events. In June, to celebrate summer solstice (the longest day of the year) we have the Midnight Sun Festival, normally annually held on the Sunday closest to June 21, though it is cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Among the 30,000 people who attend, you’ll enjoy local music, sweet and savory bites, vendors…and of course, the wonderfully long summer sun.Around the third weekend in July, Fairbanks has celebrated its founding with a series of activities called Golden Days. Since 1952, Golden Days boasts exciting events for all ages, including the largest parade in Alaska, a street fair, and a rubber duckie race along the Chena river among many other fun activities. In 2020 the event will be spread out across town to meet social distancing rules.Downtown is a gathering place year-round.

Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race Fairbanks Headquarters

The Yukon Quest happens in February with musher’s traveling 1,000 miles between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

Aurora Energy

Aurora Energy’s coal-fired co-generation plant. It is producing power, steam and hot water heat. Throughout downtown you’ll notice metal pipes along street corners and sidewalks, many of them now painted with Alaskan themes—these are excess steam vents. Burning of coal to produce power generates steam, and the steam is routed through underground pipes throughout downtown then brought up through the baseboards of individual buildings for heating purposes.

Chena River

The Chena River, a world-class, catch-and-release grayling fishing river. The river is also host to a variety of summer water sports and activities to include canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing, and motorboating. During Golden Days the river is the site for the Golden Days Regatta and the Rubber Duckie Race when 8,000 rubber ducks are dumped in the river racing to the finish where the first 40 ducks are prize winners.A further note about rivers . . . many rivers in Alaska end with the “na” syllable – Chena, Nenana, Tanana, etc. Na is the Athabascan word meaning “river”. There are also many rivers which end in “nika” – Chatanika, Tetlanika – which is the Athabascan word meaning “small river.”The Tanana River drainage is the second largest tributary system of the Yukon River. The Yukon River is the longest river in the Canadian Yukon and Alaska and the third longest river in North America.

Hap Ryder Riverfront Theatre

The Hap Ryder Riverfront Theater is where local productions of literary treasures such as “Death of a Salesman” and “Hamlet” come to life.

Alaska National Guard Readiness Center and Recruiting Office

Fairbanks Dog Park

Fairbanks has enclosed dog parks like the one on your right so that “Rover” and “Fifi” can run and play off some of that energy, while also making doggie-friends.

Fairbanks Curling Club

If you have ever had a curiosity about the sport of curling, then come to the Fairbanks Curling Club. On your right, the Fairbanks Curling Club is the oldest organized sports group in Alaska. Officially established in 1905, you’ll be able to find introductory classes for all ages, youth leagues, adult leagues and special events.

Growden Park

Growden park is a popular playground and park used for a variety of recreational activities, such as the Fairbanks Goldpanners, a collegiate summer baseball team. The Goldpanners are renowned for their Midnight Sun Game, played June 21, when the first pitch is at 10 p.m. The entire game is played with no artificial lighting.Be sure to check out the online community calendars from Explore Fairbanks and the Fairbanks Chamber, there is always something to do! Both sites offer job postings from area businesses. Spouses who are professionally licensed in another state can find the necessary forms for expedited licensing in Alaska on the Chamber’s website.

Pioneer Park

The full Park is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Some of the museums offer abbreviated hours throughout the winter. Pioneer Park opened in 1967 marking the centennial celebration of Alaska becoming a US territory. The Park has more than 30 historic buildings, which were moved from downtown Fairbanks to the park to be preserve and allow them to keep being used.Now these buildings house different shops, museums, and cafes, with a variety of foods and goods available for purchase. Be sure to start off with a train ride around the park so you can get a good overview of the layout and the many things to see and do. The Pioneer Museum, Kitty Hensley House, Pioneer Air Museum, Tanana Valley Railroad Museum, and the Wickersham House all showcase different aspects of life in early Fairbanks. The park is also home to The Folk School and soon-to-be reopened Bear Art Gallery.The Historic National Monument the Riverboat SS Nenana is drydocked in the park, and the train car President Warren G. Harding road in during his trip to Alaska and the Wheelhouse of the Lavelle Young—the sternwheeler that ET Barnette road to what would later become Fairbanks— can also be viewed at the park.

Airport Way

Right now, we’re traveling along one of Fairbanks’ thoroughfares, Airport Way, where you will find several fast food chains, restaurants, specialty shopping, grocery stores, as well as a cinema with 16 screens.

Noel Wien Public Library

Noel Wien library is located at the corner of Cowles St and Airport Way. Numerous educational programs for children and adults are offered monthly.

Lathrop High School

The Hering Auditorium, located inside Lathrop High School, is where you can find holiday concerts, the annual ballet performance of The Nutcracker and many more local events.Fairbanks has a little bit of everything. We have an eclectic art scene with plays or concerts happening almost weekly throughout the community. If gaming is your preference, we have gaming stores that sell new and used games. If virtual reality is what you love, Fairbanks has something for you. Do you and your friends enjoy conquering an escape room challenge? Does listening to live music from local bands make you happy? You can find just that in Fairbanks.

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital

Although your first stop for health care will most likely be on post, some of you might be referred for care at this hospital or the surrounding clinics. This 152-bed hospital services patients throughout the Interior of Alaska, including Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force base, and provides care in more than 27 specialties. As a community hospital and as an advanced medical facility, FMH is committed to treating the medical needs of everyone who comes through their doors. They employ highly skilled nurses and work with more than 120 accomplished physicians.

Big Dipper Ice Arena

The Big Dipper is home to the Ice Dogs, Fairbanks’ local Tier II Junior A hockey team. You can buy Ice Dog tickets on post at the ASYMCA.The Big Dipper is a community gathering place and the home of the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s Parks and Recreation administrative offices. They spearhead the FLIP program, which stands for Fairbanks Loves its Parks. FLiP is a FREE educational and awareness program highlighting all the great parks, programs, trails, and facilities that the Fairbanks North Star Borough has to offer! Parks and Rec maintains an extensive number of public recreational facilities, parks and network of trails. Sign up on their website for the free newsletter about upcoming events.The Big Dipper plays host to many events from Fairbanks’ mid-winter Hockey Week festivities to July’s World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Referred to as WEIO, this event promotes the culture expertise and traditions of Alaska, Greenland, Siberian and Canadian Eskimos and American Indians. The games require skill, strength, agility and endurance. This is an exciting time for competitive tournaments, traditional dance, beautiful artwork, and stunning regalia.

Hez Ray Sports Complex

The Hez Ray Sports Complex is named after Hez Houston Ray, a can-do teacher who came to Fairbanks in 1952. The complex has continued to expand over the years and now includes a wide range of sports and recreation facilities including the Big Dipper Ice Arena, outdoor hockey rinks, Kiwanis football field, Hex Ray softball fields, and 21 soccer fields.Hez Ray was considered an “irresistible force,” when advocating for youth sports, and he was well-known for his unusual and concerted efforts to get any job done. Hez Ray went on to become the City’s Recreation Director and then the first Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Director of Parks & Recreation.

Fairbanks Dog Park

A larger dog park with several gated dog run areas and trails.

Department of Transportation - Northern Region

The Northern Region crew maintains and operates 3,400 miles of roads – 56% are paved and 44% are unpaved.

Fairbanks Animal Shelter

The Division of Animal Control protects the health and safety of the borough through promoting responsible pet ownership. At the shelter, the staff provides a safe and clean environment for animals anticipating an adoption, waiting to be reunited with their owners, under observation for rabies, or in protective custody. The staff also offers euthanasia services, live traps for rent, microchipping, and an annual rabies clinic. On the road, the animal control officers respond to and investigate complaints of loose, aggressive, noisy, sick or injured animals. The staff can also be seen throughout the community at fairs and other events.

Alaska State Troopers

Alaska State Troopers is one of many reality tv shows filmed throughout Alaska. Other series names you may recognize include Ice Road Truckers, Deadliest Catch, Life Below Zero, or Alaskan Bush People.

Department of Motor Vehicles

Fairbanks, Alaska

Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, with the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s population close to 100,000. Within the borough are two incorporated cities: the City of Fairbanks with a population reaching 32,000 and the City of North Pole around 2100.Looking to take a road trip? Fairbanks is the perfect starting point whether heading out to Denali National Park (2hr), Anchorage (6hr), Delta Junction (2hr), Valdez (7-8hr) or Kenai (8-9hr). The Arctic Circle is a 200-mile (5-6 hr) drive north along the famed Dalton Highway, a gravel haul road primarily used to transport supplies to the oil drilling operations on the coast. A great way to get to the Arctic Circle and beyond is through a local tour company.Wishing to fly to somewhere new, whether it is a one-hour flight to Anchorage or to somewhere more exotic, Fairbanks International Airport boasts direct international passenger and charter traffic, as well as a robust domestic market. FAI is served year-round by Alaska and Delta airlines. In the summer, additional air service is provided by United, American and Condor airlines.Fairbanks is a year-round destination. With 70 days of continuous daylight in summer, Fairbanks is teeming with outdoor adventure from gold panning, riverboat tours, fishing, rafting, ATV tours, flightseeing and more.As the sun begins to set below the horizon, we enter Aurora Season, August 21 to April 21. Fairbanks sits beneath the auroral oval making it one of the best places for viewing the Aurora. Check out the Aurora Tracker on explorefairbanks.com. This widget correlates the Geophysical Institute’s aurora forecast with real-time weather conditions at six locations in the region.With the first blanket of snow on the ground, dog mushing, snowshoeing, skiing adventures, and snowmachine rides become possible. As the temperature drops, ice forms on lakes giving way to ice fishing and outdoor skating loops. Insider’s tip: snowmobiles are called “snowmachines” in Alaska.Although you might have options on post for cold weather gear, there are several places in Fairbanks where you can obtain all the gear you need to stay warm. If you need specialty outdoor gear, many local vendors cater to those needs and if you need low cost, gently used coats and other items, you can find those at places such as Value Village. Value Village is a thrift store offering secondhand clothing, footwear, furniture, books & household items. Value Village is one of many organizations in town that support local non-profit organizations as part of its business model.

Hutchison High School

Hutchison High Schoolis a vocation-oriented school focusing on five career clusters – Architecture & Construction; Transportation, Distribution and Logistics; Arts, AV Technology and Communication; Information Technology; and Health Occupations.

West Valley High School

West Valley High School, home of the Wolfpack, has a student population of about 1000.Hutchison High School and West Valley Valley High School are two of the seven high schools in the borough.Within the public-school district there are 18 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 9 schools of choice (magnet, charter or homeschool programs). The number of currently enrolled students within the district is 13,219.

Thompson Drive

One of several entrances to the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.University of Alaska Fairbanks is a land, sea, space grant research-oriented university with roughly 5,000 students on the 2,250-acre campus. UAF is the only National University in the state of Alaska and is a national and international leader in climate change and arctic research.Founded in 1917, the Fairbanks campus is also home to the headquarters of the University of Alaska system. It is the home of the 10-time NCAA national champion Alaska Nanooks rifle team and our NCAA Division 1 hockey team.

Cold Climate Housing Research Center

On your right is the Cold Climate Housing Research Center. This innovative program does research into construction, mostly of housing, to make housing more energy efficient in climates like Fairbanks where the temperature can drop to 60 below.

Georgeson Botanical Gardens

Coming into the roundabout, if you head west (to your left) you can view the Georgeson Botanical Garden, Alaska’s farthest north botanical garden. During the summer months there are fabulous floral displays as well as huge vegetables that can only be grown under Fairbanks’ 24 hours of sunshine. They also are home to the longest standing weather station in Alaska taking observations since 1911. Also, in the summer is a free concert series hosted by UAF Summer Sessions.

Alaska Nanooks Sports Complex

If you look right from the roundabout you will see the Alaska Nanooks sports complex and the main campus.

Geophysical Institute

Everything from earthquakes, volcanos and the aurora borealis is monitored, researched and studied at the Geophysical Institute. Tours of the Geophysical Institute and the entire campus can be arranged.

University of Alaska Museum of the North

The Museum of the North main exhibit highlights the mammals of Alaska, and there are side exhibits on the aurora, gold, Alaska in World War Two, Alaska Native history and culture and much more. There are two art galleries and a gift shop as well.Here you can discover millions of years of biodiversity and thousands of years of cultural traditions at one of Alaska’s premier visitor attractions. It’s open daily from nine to seven June first to August 31st and Monday through Saturday nine to five September first to May 31st and is free to active duty service members and their families.The items on display in the UA Museum galleries are a small portion (around 2% of the total collections). The bulk of the collection of 2.2 million artifacts and specimens are archived in the museum holdings. These objects represent millions of years of biological diversity and thousands of years of cultural traditions and serve as a valuable resource for research on climate change, genetics, contaminants and other issues facing Alaska and the circumpolar North.The museum’s collections are organized into 10 research disciplines that with UAMN’s genomics facility, make up 11 collections and associated labs located primarily on the lower level of the museum which is limited to staff only. State-of-the-art facilities allow for long-term preservation, growth, and study of the collections. The UA Museum welcomes 85,000 visitors each year, including nearly 5,000 local active-duty military and their immediate family members.There is regular community programming offered at the Museum such as Early Explorers, Museum Family Days and Open House. University courses are taught by our faculty-curators and visiting researchers and community members use our collections. As visitors, you have access to the main and upper level. On the main level, you will find the Museum Store, Special Exhibits Gallery, Collections Gallery, Education Center, and the Gallery of Alaska. The Upper Level features the Roseberry Alaska Art Gallery, The Place Where You Go to Listen, and Family Room. The Explore Fairbanks Calendar is a great place to view upcoming events at the Museum.

Alaska Range viewpoint

On a clear day, there are spectacular views of the Alaska Range from upper campus, which is where we are currently, and weather permitting you can see Denali, North America’s tallest mountain (20,320 ft), dominating the horizon.From this pullout we are looking at the Alaska Range. As the crow flies, that range is 150 miles south of Fairbanks. The sign is showing the names of the dominant peaks in the Alaska Range.Mount Hayes is 13,832 feet.Mount Deborah is 12,339 feet.Mount Hess is 11,940 feet.

University of Alaska Campus

On the north edge of the university there are more than 40 kilometers of recreational trailsthat are used for Nordic skiing, running, walking, cycling and just enjoying nature. Maps of the University of Alaska Fairbanks trail system are available at Facilities Services Section of www.uaf.edu.If you take a side trip just north of the main campus, you will find the University of Alaska Fairbanks Robert E. White Large Animal Research Station where you can view musk ox and reindeer. Tours are available throughout the year with reduced tours times in winter, but you can view the animals from the parking lot without taking a tour. In summer months there is small gift shop with lots of treasures, including quivit, which is wool made from musk ox fur.

Constitution Hall

As we continue through campus, you can see many of the historic buildings still in use, including Constitution Hall where the Alaska State Constitution was written and Signers’ Hall where the Alaska State Constitution was signed.

Fine Arts Complex and Regents Great Hall

Home to the Charles Davis Concert Hall and the Lee H. Salisbury Theatre. Many plays and concerts are performed in this facility. The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Festival of Native Arts and other special events are centered here. UAF Summer Sessions and Lifelong Learning Department hosts free events throughout campus June to mid-August, along with a wide selection of summer kids’ camps.The campus is also home to KUAC TV and KUAC FM radio 89.9, which were the first public television and radio stations to be broadcast in the 49th state.Campus also serves as the starting point for the Midnight Sun Run, which happens on the Saturday closest to June 21 – summer solstice. This is a 10K fun run that typically starts from campus to Pioneer Park, weaving through the residential neighborhoods along Airport Way. The 10 p.m. start time is part of the fun as over 3,500 participants come out, some in shorts and a t-shirt, others in elaborate costumes. This year it is being held virtually, meaning you can register and run whatever course you like, submit your time, and pick up your t-shirt and finisher’s medal.

Time and Temperature Sign

Over on the right at this intersection, see the blue and yellow sign, that is the UAF time and temperature sign made infamous because at negative 40 degrees it is a rite of passage to wear your bathing suit and have your picture taken in front of the sign as it flashes negative 40. At negative 40, cars will be lined up with groups of friends waiting their turn to jump out, take the photo, and rush back to the car. Turning left has you heading back to downtown Fairbanks along College Road, which for the most part is the northern boundary of the City of Fairbanks. The south side of the road is in city limits, but much of the north side is in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.As we start on College Road, make note there are nearly 100 businesses and shops along the route you will be driving. You’ll see toy shops, clothing shops, stores that sell sports equipment, health food stores, restaurants, drive-thru coffee huts and food trucks.

Tanana Valley Farmers Market

On our left is the site of the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, which is the largest of Interior Alaska’s farmers markets. Starting in May and running through mid-September, this open-air market features locally grown produce, food vendors, and local artisans. The market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds

You are now approaching the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds on the left side of the road. The fairgrounds are home to the Tanana Valley State Fair, which takes place the first week of August each year and lasts for 10 days. The fairgrounds are also the home of World Ice Art Championships hosted by Ice Alaska from mid-February until the sculptures melt in late March. Sculptors from around the world converge on Fairbanks to compete in single block, double-block and multi-block events. The park is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission rate for military is $12.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range

Looking to the right, you’ll see the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range. Inside you’ll find a 50-foot live-fire range with ten shooting lanes. Active duty military, with ID, can rent a lane for $12 per hour.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Creamer’s Field Migratory Bird Refuge

Owned by the state of Alaska, the refuge is operated by the Friends of Creamer’s Field, which offers numerous different nature programs throughout the year, including the Sand Hill Crane Festival in late August. During the summer months, the Friends of Creamer’s Field also offer daily guided walks through the refuge. The trails of the refuge connect to those of the Wedgewood Wildlife Sanctuary and Wander Lake. Creamer’s is one of many parks in the area which are also popular in winter for cross-country skiing as well as skijoring which combines the sports of Nordic skiing and dog mushing.Millions of geese, swans, cranes, ducks and other waterfowl converge on the refuge each spring and fall on their journeys north and south. We even have a guessing game called Goose Watchers in the spring to see who spies the first goose to land at Creamer’s Field.

Shopping Area

You are traveling on Johansen Expressway, a main thoroughfare running East to West through Fairbanks. On your right is our largest shopping area, where you will find several national chain stores. If you are having trouble with your phone, a variety of mobile carriers have storefronts in this area, as well.

Fred Meyer East

You are traveling on Old Steese Highway now and passng Fred Meyer East grocery store.On a parcel of land on the other side of the store, a snowmachine race takes place annually in March. It is known as Fairbanks’ Tired Iron race showcasing machines manufactured pre 1965 to 1999.

Bentley Mall Complex

Safeway grocery store is part of the Bentley Mall complex where several more shopping establishments are co-located.

South Cushman Street

South Cushman Street is where you’ll find several dining establishments and car dealerships.

Tanana Lakes Recreation Area

A year-round recreation area with trails (walking or skiing), a swim beach, rifle range, and boat launches.