Fairbanks and Arctic Circle, worth it?

[tempoct]

Hi,

Post cruise, I will visit Anchorage (1day), Denali and Fairbanks.

 

My original plan is to visit Fairbanks and fly from that back to Seattle. What I want to see is some wild life (wild polar bear? :rolleyes: ) and maybe "snowland" like experience. I'm not much into the gold rush history..

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong. From the research around this forum, what to do in Fairbanks is Arctic Circle tour and Gold Rush history tour. Other than that, it is nothing much added value from Denali and Anchorage.

 

Seems like, Arctic circle tour is just to get the cert that you have crossed the arctic circle and take picture with the sign! If I want to see polar bears or meet Eskimo, I have to go much further north like Barrow.

 

Those Arctic circle tours seem to be quite long and expensive, without much additional values from South Alaska. I believe it's like $300 pp.

 

Is it better off for me to skip Fairbanks and Arctic Circle? This way, I could spend more time in Denali (has 2 days now) and maybe Anchorage (has less than 1 day now). I also can return the car rental at the same place (Anchorage) which should be less troublesome than one-way rental from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

 

Any suggestion is welcome.

:)

[Budget Queen]

You are looking at a more costly tour and at least a full day if you want Eskimos, and Barrow or ,Anaktuvuk Pass etc, no snow for your timeframe. There are tons of options for crossing the circle.

 

So I perhaps do suggest you skip Fairbanks and see more of Denali Park and Anchorage in your short time. Add a stop in Talkeetna.

[tempoct]

Thanks BQ for your constant kindness!

What are the options of crossing the circle? Bus?? I believe that take too long, right?

http://www.explorefairbanks.com/listings/index.cfm?action=showSub&catID=6&subCatID=20&startrange=All&endrange=All&substart=A&subend=G

 

Also, it is just taking a long bus to take a pic with the sign, right?

 

I'm thinking about extending my iternary @ Anchorage. I have only one morning to see the city. (Arrive 10P from Seward train and have to take off early PM to Talkeetna).

 

Too bad, I don't find any arctic circle related excursion from Fairbanks in the TourSaver book this year. :( Look like they decide to skip it.

[Budget Queen]

Yes, the toursaver former coupon was great. I used it two years in a row. But I would still consider the fly/shuttle tour even without it. It offered a great varied tour. You have a very scenic flight one way to Coldfoot, then a shuttle van back. You stop several times and they are extremely organized. I would not consider any of the one day bus tours, it is essentially a long ride for a photo in front of the sign. This is the company I used. http://northernalaska.com/flydrive.cfm