MeeMawJ Posted September 9, 2016 #1 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees? thanks MeeMawJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKStafford Posted September 9, 2016 #2 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees? thanks MeeMawJ Will you have a rental car? How much time do you have? How many people? Ages? Interests? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted September 9, 2016 #3 Share Posted September 9, 2016 http://www.explorefairbanks.com Also look at Northern Alaska tours. They have an awesome Arctic Ocean trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mapleleaves Posted September 10, 2016 #4 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) Every town has a website. Just google the town's name followed by VISITOR INFORMATION. Most sites will also provide a visitor guide. http://www.explorefairbanks.com/guide Edited September 10, 2016 by mapleleaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Aurora Posted September 10, 2016 #5 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Also check the visitor's guide on the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner website (http://www.newsminer.com) for additional ideas. It is located in their "special sections" guide list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Hag Posted September 10, 2016 #6 Share Posted September 10, 2016 www.explorefairbanks.com Also look at Northern Alaska tours. They have an awesome Arctic Ocean trip. We did their Arctic Ocean Adventure, northbound, and it was spectacular! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted September 11, 2016 #7 Share Posted September 11, 2016 We did their Arctic Ocean Adventure, northbound, and it was spectacular! :) I agree. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcop Posted September 12, 2016 #8 Share Posted September 12, 2016 The riverboat tour is very interesting and educational. Pioneer Village is interesting for a couple of hours. Also, if you have a rental, take a ride up into the wilderness along the pipeline. But, you cannot take a rental beyond the paved portion so you cannot go as far as the arctic circle. Once the pavement ends it is gravel and the trucks send rocks flying breaking windshields and denting cars. Santa's Village in nearby North Pole is a nice place to shop for Christmas things and you can arrange to have a letter sent from Santa to children and grandchildren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted September 14, 2016 #9 Share Posted September 14, 2016 (edited) Will be in Fairbanks in June 2017. Any suggestions for excursions and must-sees? thanks MeeMawJ The 2 best things in Fairbanks in my opinion are the car museum and the Alaska museum. I spent several hours in the museum and have been to the car museum 3 times - the first time for almost a full day. It is one of the best car museums I have ever been to. With regard to North Pole, I would personally disagree w the suggestion that you visit the place. We drove through the place and the best part of the town was the restroom in McDonalds. DON Edited September 14, 2016 by donaldsc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glaciers Posted September 14, 2016 #10 Share Posted September 14, 2016 GoNorth allows driving their vehicles on gravel roads. There are a few more that also use older vehicles that do as well. Agree with Don, North Pole is a wasted drive. We have driven out when visiting Fairbanks to have lunch at Pagoda Restaurant. It was very good at the time a few years ago. Chena Hot Springs is a nice stop, an hour north, although much better in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleddogs Posted September 15, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 15, 2016 http://www.explorefairbanks.com Also look at Northern Alaska tours. They have an awesome Arctic Ocean trip. After 3 trips/land tours to Alaska we really want to do something completely different. We are intrigued with the Arctic trips. Budget Queen have you done the Arctic Ocean trip? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwaysfrantic Posted September 15, 2016 #12 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
der110 Posted September 15, 2016 #13 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I went to Barrow from Anchorage, stopping in Fairbanks en route. Loved it. Easy day trip from Fairbanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
der110 Posted September 15, 2016 #14 Share Posted September 15, 2016 Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned. Did a tour in Barrow, which I recommend highly. It is probably standard, but we got to see the Arctic Ocean, learned about native life styles, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpb11 Posted September 20, 2016 #15 Share Posted September 20, 2016 The 2 best things in Fairbanks in my opinion are the car museum and the Alaska museum. I spent several hours in the museum and have been to the car museum 3 times - the first time for almost a full day. It is one of the best car museums I have ever been to. With regard to North Pole, I would personally disagree w the suggestion that you visit the place. We drove through the place and the best part of the town was the restroom in McDonalds. Great example of how different personal preferences can be. We did visit the Santa Claus House in North Pole AK and enjoyed it, bought some gifts for family. We knew it'd be kitschy. We then drove out to Chena Hot Springs. We were reminded of Cocoon and left disappointed. Probably pretty neat in winter, not so much so in June. We enjoyed hiking up to Angel Rocks a lot more. Great day hike if you have the mobility to do it. We have zero interest in a car museum. The Museum of the North was neat, but I wouldn’t go back. Being the last day of our trip it repeated a lot of what we'd seen or heard about previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mapleleaves Posted September 20, 2016 #16 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Can someone provide a link to the arctic ocean trip? I was not able to find what was mentioned. http://www.northernalaska.com Or http://www.warbelows.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeeMawJ Posted September 20, 2016 Author #17 Share Posted September 20, 2016 We will have six adults. We are very interested in knowing what is available for a one-day excursion (would probably have to be June 18, 2017 with our other plans). We will not be driving. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mapleleaves Posted September 20, 2016 #18 Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) Without a car you'll need to rely on cabs or a tour company. Fairbanks is sprawled out over a large area. In reply #4 i provided a link to the 80 page Visitor Guide. The index starts around pg 25. Nothing there? Have no idea what your interests are, but my suggestion would be to wander around Pioneer Park and the Morris Thompson Culture Center for a few hrs each. They're only a couple of miles apart so it wouldn't be a pricey cab ride. http://old.fnsb.us/ParksandRecreation/PioneerPark/about/about.htm http://www.morristhompsoncenter.org Edited September 20, 2016 by mapleleaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted September 21, 2016 #19 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) We will have six adults. We are very interested in knowing what is available for a one-day excursion (would probably have to be June 18, 2017 with our other plans). We will not be driving. Thanks! Why not? You really do need a car in Fairbanks. BTW - Mapleleaves lives in Fairbanks. She know what she is talking about. DON Edited September 21, 2016 by donaldsc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck7 Posted November 8, 2016 #20 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Maple leaves, Thank you so much for your post, we WILL visit both on our August trip. If you have any local (non-touristy) seafood dining suggestions (we are not big eaters) I would be much obliged. All the best to you. Chuck7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
487 Posted November 8, 2016 #21 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Hi, My husband and I are flying into Fairbanks a couple of days ahead of our Cruisetour. We plan on visiting the Pioneer Park the first day (after a couple of hours sleep since we arrive at 2 am). I have been looking at the Arctic Circle tours. Has anyone done the driving Arctic Circle tour with either Northern Alaskan or Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours? If so, how was it? My husband is leery of the long 12-16 hour day, especially since the Cruisetour starts the next day. I don't think I would be able to talk him into doing the tour by air because of the price.:eek: Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted November 8, 2016 #22 Share Posted November 8, 2016 After 3 trips/land tours to Alaska we really want to do something completely different.We are intrigued with the Arctic trips. Budget Queen have you done the Arctic Ocean trip? Thanks! Sure have, have done the Predhoe trip 3 times. Have also been to Barrow. I never recommend it as a day trip. Grossly superior staying there. 3 days one trip 4 another. You at least want one, in my opinion- especially if going in June, into July for the midnight sun. My "day" flight preference- which I schedule my Fairbanks time around cargo flights is Anaktuvuk Pass- some of my favorite scenic flightseeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted November 8, 2016 #23 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Hi, My husband and I are flying into Fairbanks a couple of days ahead of our Cruisetour. We plan on visiting the Pioneer Park the first day (after a couple of hours sleep since we arrive at 2 am). I have been looking at the Arctic Circle tours. Has anyone done the driving Arctic Circle tour with either Northern Alaskan or Alaskan Arctic Turtle Tours? If so, how was it? My husband is leery of the long 12-16 hour day, especially since the Cruisetour starts the next day. I don't think I would be able to talk him into doing the tour by air because of the price.:eek: Thanks In my opinion a crappy tours and poor choice. My only recommendation is a combo fly/van option- sorry. I've done round trip Coldfoot/Wiseman 4 times, and always see complaining road trip passenger on that grueling tour. The price, is well worth the combo tour, in my opinion. Also realize- this is NOT the most "scenic" section of the Dalton. Ok going by once- but the bulk is going to be trees and more trees, along with miles and miles of burned sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
487 Posted November 9, 2016 #24 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Thanks Budget queen, This is why I like cruise critic, no matter the question there is always someone able to answer. That's what he was afraid of, guess I'll have to work on sweetening him up for the flightseeing trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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