Things to do in Fairbanks
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Dogsled ride in Fairbanks: Sled through boreal forestA dogsled tour in Fairbanks takes you on a 45-minute ride through snow-covered boreal forest with a guide from Howling Bay Kennel, a small family operation that runs only two departures daily. You'll meet the dogs before and after the run, pet the puppies, and finish with hot chocolate in a heated dome. Small groups and solo travelers are welcome; the kennel accommodates families and can arrange double bookings for guests over the weight limit.Is it for me?Book the 11am departure if you're arriving in Fairbanks in the morning and want to spend your first afternoon on the runners rather than adjusting to the cold from inside. The small group size and owner-led format mean you get the dogs' full attention and the kennel's own knowledge of the forest and the history behind it, not a scripted route.
Fairbanks: Arctic Circle Day Trip & Northern Lights TourYou’ll ride north from Fairbanks with a local guide, cross into the Arctic Circle (with your own photo at that famous sign), walk along Alaska’s wild riverbank, and share hot drinks while waiting for the Northern Lights to appear overhead. Expect small surprises—a joke from your guide or just how cold your fingers get—and moments of real quiet under those wild northern skies.
Ice Fishing at Chena Lake: Learn from Local GuidesYou’ll meet your guide right at Chena Lake for a real Alaskan ice fishing day — drilling your own hole, warming up in cozy shelters with hot drinks, and grilling your catch for supper. There’s plenty of help if you’re new (like I was), plus all the gear is ready for you. It’s less about big catches and more about sharing laughs and stories in the crisp winter air.Is it for me?Learn ice fishing from year-round professional guides in heated shelters, then grill and eat your own catch—a genuine Alaskan tradition made accessible and comfortable.
Fairbanks: Arctic Circle Drive & Dalton Highway Winter TourYou drive 200 miles north on the Dalton Highway with a professional guide, stop at the Yukon River twice, see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and reach the Arctic Circle Monument at Milepost 115 where you receive an official certificate. The day includes guide commentary and a lunch stop, with the return journey happening mostly in darkness during winter months. Dress for cold and variable weather, and arrive by 9:15 AM for check-in.Is it for me?This works well if you want to reach the Arctic Circle without arranging your own vehicle or navigation on the Dalton Highway — the guide handles the drive and the stops, and the fixed schedule gets you to the monument and back to Fairbanks in one day. Winter darkness and remote terrain are part of the experience, not obstacles.
Fairbanks: Arctic Circle Day Trip with Yukon River & PickupYou’ll cross into the Arctic Circle from Fairbanks with a local guide, stop at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline viewpoint, stand by the Yukon River’s edge, and collect your own Arctic Circle certificate. Expect big skies, strange silences, and stories that stick with you long after you’re home.
Fairbanks: Private Dog Sledding Yukon Quest Trail & YurtYou’ll bundle up in Fairbanks’ deep winter, meet each husky by name, then glide along the historic Yukon Quest trail wrapped in furs under open sky. Expect laughter over tangled boots, warm moments inside a Mongolian yurt, and quiet awe when you pause on a frozen pond with your dog team.
Fairbanks: Aurora Borealis & Ice Fishing Cabin NightYou’ll wait for the aurora borealis in a warm Fairbanks fishing cabin with a local guide, sipping cocoa as you try ice fishing. When the northern lights appear, step outside for photos before returning to grill your own catch and enjoy reindeer sausage by the fire.
Fairbanks Northern Lights: Private Lodge & Aurora ChaseYou spend the full night in a private wilderness lodge with a fireplace and panoramic windows, watching the aurora from a dark-sky location in Alaska's interior. If clouds move in, your guide chases clear skies by van instead of staying at one spot and hoping. Hotel pickup, hot drinks, camera help, and group portraits are all included, and the group never exceeds ten people.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the aurora without the roadside-pullout crowds and without losing the night to clouds that settle over one spot—the lodge and the van give you both comfort and the flexibility to chase clear skies.
Fairbanks Northern Lights & Dog Sledding with DinnerYou get picked up from your hotel, driven to the sled dogs, and taken out onto the frozen trails of Fairbanks while the guide positions you for Northern Lights viewing. After the ride, you warm up in a cabin with a home-cooked salmon dinner before returning to your hotel. The sled run and the aurora viewing happen in the same outing, so you're not managing two separate trips.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the Northern Lights and experience dog sledding in one outing without arranging your own transport or timing — the guide handles the logistics and positions you where the aurora is most likely to appear, while the sled and cabin dinner make the evening feel like a single experience instead of two separate activities.
Fairbanks Dog Sledding: Husky Sled Ride & Training RunYou meet the dogs and a musher at the kennel, learn how sled dog racing works, then ride 2 miles through snow fields and possibly a frozen river with a trained team. The kennel provides extra winter gear if you need it, and the experience is built around the dogs' actual training schedule, not a tourist loop. Book this if you want to see how dog sledding actually happens in Alaska without arranging your own transport or timing.Is it for me?Book this if you want to ride with working sled dogs on their actual training route rather than a tourist circuit, and you're comfortable sitting in a moving sled in cold weather. The kennel's location near the airport makes it easy to fit into a Fairbanks visit without arranging separate transport.
Fairbanks: Guided Snowmobile Tour in Goldstream ValleyYou’ll feel the real Fairbanks winter on this guided snowmobile tour through Goldstream Valley—crunching over frozen creeks, learning from locals about dry cabins and dog mushing life, and laughing inside your helmet as you ride across wide-open snow. All gear’s included so you can just focus on that wild feeling of cold air and quiet woods around you.
Chena Hot Springs: Northern Lights & Ice Museum Tour with PickupYou’ll soak in Chena Hot Springs under Alaskan stars, wander through glowing ice sculptures in the museum (Appletini optional), and—if luck’s on your side—watch northern lights dance overhead while your guide snaps photos for you. With hotel pickup included, it’s easy to just show up and let Alaska surprise you.
Arctic Circle Day Tour Fairbanks: Dalton Hwy & CertificateA 12-hour guided day tour from Fairbanks that crosses the Arctic Circle along the Dalton Highway, one of Alaska's most remote roads. You travel north through boreal forest and tundra, stop at the Yukon River and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline viewpoint, reach the Arctic Circle monument at 66°33', receive an official certificate, and return the same day. The tour includes a professional guide, air-conditioned vehicle, and pickup from your hotel; dinner at Yukon River Camp is available for purchase on the return leg.Is it for me?The 12-hour commitment means an early pickup and late return, which rules out other activities that day but gives you the full inland journey to the Arctic Circle and back without rushing the stops. If you're staying in Fairbanks for only one full day, this tour fills it completely; if you need flexibility for other plans, a shorter option would serve you better.
Fairbanks Highlights Tour: Pioneer Park & MuseumsThis five-hour Fairbanks city tour visits four distinct stops—Pioneer Park with its preserved Gold Rush-era buildings and the historic SS Nenana sternwheeler, the University of Alaska Museum of the North (home to Blue Babe, a 36,000-year-old mummified bison), the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center showcasing Interior Alaska's indigenous cultures, and the Santa Claus House in North Pole with its year-round Christmas experience. A local guide leads small groups and shares insider stories and lesser-known details most visitors miss. Hotel pickup is included, along with bottled water, museum entry, and an air-conditioned vehicle for the full route.Is it for me?Five hours is long enough to move through four distinct stops without rushing, but short enough to leave the afternoon open for other activities or rest. The small-group format and local guide mean you hear details and stories that a larger tour or self-guided visit would miss, which matters if you want to understand the Gold Rush history and indigenous cultures beyond what the signs alone convey.
Fairbanks city tour: Santa Claus House & Museum of the NorthA 5.5-hour Fairbanks city tour with driver/guide visits the Museum of the North, Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint and Santa Claus House in North Pole, with hotel pickup and drop-off included. Santa's hours and availability change seasonally, so a sighting is not guaranteed. The museum is closed Christmas and New Year's Day.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want Fairbanks' main cultural and historical sites in one afternoon without arranging separate transport or entry tickets—the fixed route and timing mean everything connects without gaps or backtracking.
Fairbanks City Highlights: Golden Heart Tour with Museum EntryThis half-day guided tour of Fairbanks covers three major attractions—the University of Alaska Museum of the North, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint—plus a stop at Santa's North Pole shop, all in an air-conditioned vehicle with a live English-speaking guide. Admission to the museums is included; pickup is arranged before the tour departs.Is it for me?The five-and-a-half-hour commitment means you can fit this into a morning or early afternoon and still have the rest of your day free—it's built for first-time visitors who want the main Fairbanks stops without spending the whole day on a single tour.
Fairbanks city tour: Morris Thompson, Museum & PipelineA guided city tour of Fairbanks takes you through the Morris Thompson Cultural Center and Museum of the North, then to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint and Santa Claus House, with museum admission and hotel pickup included. The tour runs four to five hours with a live English-speaking guide; children are welcome from age 10. The itinerary moves between interactive displays of local heritage, in-depth cultural artifacts, and the pipeline's role in Alaska's growth.Is it for me?This is a shared, guided tour with a set itinerary and fixed stops, so it suits travelers who want structure and don't want to navigate Fairbanks' attractions on their own. If you prefer to move at your own pace or skip a stop, a self-guided option would work better.
Fairbanks winter city tour: Santa Claus House, museum & pipelineA 5-hour guided tour of Fairbanks and North Pole visiting the Santa Claus House, Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, University of Alaska Museum of the North, and Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint in a heated vehicle with a small group of no more than 10 guests. Pickup is included; bottled water and a small snack come along in the van. The guide provides live commentary and photo assistance throughout.Is it for me?The guide speaks English and delivers live commentary throughout, so you'll follow the stories and details without effort—ideal if you're new to Fairbanks and want someone who knows the place to connect the stops for you.
