Fairbanks, Alaska Information

At the junction of the Valdez-Eagle Trail, the Chena River, and the Tanana River sits Alaska's second largest city, Fairbanks. Located in Alaska's Interior, it was founded as a trading post for gold prospectors and riverboats. Over 35,000 people call the "Golden Heart City" home and 80,000 people live in the North Star Borough, which is about the size of New Jersey.

Besides being at the confluence of two major rivers, several major highways converge in Fairbanks. The Alaska Highway ends in Fairbanks, the Richardson, George Parks, Steese and Elliot Highways meet in town, while the Dalton Highway starts just outside of Fairbanks. These highways extend to locations such as Prudhoe Bay, Anchorage, and the lower 48. Fairbanks is a critical stopping point to get just about anywhere in Alaska by road and over 325,000 visitors pass through the city each year.

Fairbanks is an active community with a high quality of life. In Fairbanks, you'll never wait in traffic and while strolling through downtown you'll be able to see the natural wonders of Alaska like the Aurora Borealis or Mount McKinley. Fairbanks is sandwiched between the Yukon River and the Ray Mountains to the north and the Alaska Range to the South. It is only 120 miles from Denali National Park. If you want a bit of adventure, Fairbanks has the closest major airport to Gates of the Arctic National Park.

Both National Parks offer incredible opportunities to enjoy the wilds of Alaska. You may find yourself flight seeing, hiking, kayaking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, or any other number of cool outdoor activities.

The area is subject to extreme weather, so a little time planning for the temperature and weather changes is a prudent exercise. In the Alaska Interior, the weather can change from bright and sunny to snowing thunderstorms in a matter of minutes. The summer is endless sunshine and the winters are constantly dark.

Did You Know?
Fairbanks is 188 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Hunting and Fishing Outfitters

Fairbanks is an excellent starting point for hunting or fishing trips. Alaska Adventures Unlimited is an outfitter out of the Fairbanks area that provides hunting trips for several different big game options, including Kodiak Island Brown Bears, Alaska Peninsula Brown Bears, grizzly bear, wolf, Dall sheep, moose and caribou.

The Arctic Grayling Guide Service is one example of a Fairbanks outfitter providing fishing trips to the Alaska Interior. They specialize in Arctic Grayling, King, Silver and Chum salmon.

Did You Know?
You can see the Aurora Borealis or the Norther Lights about 200 days a year in Fairbanks.

A few days in Fairbanks can be filled with a myriad of outdoors options. Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is a 1,800-acre bird sanctuary that covers wetlands, fields, and forests. You could also spend your day dog sledding, ice fishing, seeing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, or exploring the tundra in search of migrating caribou herds.

Panning for gold in one of the many rivers, take a paddle boat or canoe on the Chena River, or watching the World Ice Sculpting Championships are also possibilities when visiting Fairbanks.

Town Information:

City of Fairbanks
800 Cushman St. Fairbank 99701
(907) 459-6793
http://www.ci.fairbanks.ak.us/

Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce
100 Cushman St. #102 Fairbanks 99701
(907) 452-1105
http://www.fairbankschamber.org/

Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau
101 Dunkel St. #111 Fairbanks 99701
(907) 456-5774
http://www.explorefairbanks.com/

Population: 34,540 (2007 census)
Annual Precipitation: 11.71 in./year
July Averages: 73 F high / 50 F low; 1.96 in. precipitation

Lodging:

Sophie Station Hotel
1717 University Ave. Fairbanks 99709
(907) 479-3650 / (800) 528-4916
http://www.fountainheadhotels.com/

Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge
4477 Pikes Landing Rd., Fairbanks 99709
(907) 455-4477 / (800) 426-0500
http://www.princesslodges.com/fairbanks_lodge.cfm

Pike's Waterfront Lodge
1850 Hoselton Rd., Fairbanks 99709
(907) 456-4500 / (877) 774-2400
http://www.pikeslodge.com/

River's Edge Resort
4140 Boat St., University West 99709
(907) 474-0286 / (800) 770-3343
http://www.riversedge.net/

Wedgewood Resort
212 Wedgewood Dr. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 456-3642 / (800) 528-4916
http://www.fountainheadhotels.com/

Comfort Inn - Chena River
1908 Chena Landings Loop Fairbanks 99701
(907) 479-8080 / (800) 228-5150
http://www.choicehotels.com/

SpringHill Suites by Marriott
575 1st Ave. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 451-6552 / (877) 729-0197
http://www.springhillsuites.com/

A Taste of Alaska Lodge
551 Eberhardt Rd., Two Rivers 99712
(907) 488-7855
http://www.atasteofalaska.com/

Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center
813 Noble St. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 456-7722 / (800) 544-0970
http://www.westmarkhotels.com/

Aurora Express Forget-Me-Not
1540 Chena Ridge, Fairbanks 99708
(907) 474-0949 / 800-221-0073
http://www.fairbanksalaskabedandbreakfast.com/

Bridgewater Hotel
723 1st Ave. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 452-6661 / (800) 528-4916
http://www.fountainheadhotels.com/bridgewater/bridgewater.htm

All Seasons Bed & Breakfast Inn
763 7th Ave., Fairbanks 99701
(907) 451-6649
http://www.allseasonsinn.com/

Crestmont Manor B&B
510 Crestmont Dr., Fairbanks 99708
(907) 456-3831
http://www.mosquitonet.com/~crestmnt/

Billie's Backpackers Hostel
2895 Mack Blvd. Fairbanks 99709
(907) 479-2034
http://www.alaskahostel.com/

GoNorth Hostel
3500 Davis Rd. (PO Box 60147) Fairbanks 99709
http://www.paratours.net/hostel.htm

Fairbanks Hostel
3412 College Rd. Fairbanks
(907) 479-0099

Boyle's Hostel
310 18th Ave. Fairbanks
(907) 456-4944

Camping:

Chena River Wayside
221 University Ave. Fairbanks 99708
(907) 452-7275
http://chenawayside.com/

River's Edge RV Park & Campground
4200 Boat St. Fairbanks 99709
(907) 474-0286 / (800) 770-3343
http://www.riversedge.net/

Fairbanks Shelter & Shower
248 Madcap Lane, Fairbanks
(907) 479-5016

What to See:

Northern Alaska Tour Company
(907) 474-8600 / (800) 474-1986
http://www.northernalaska.com/

Alaska Range Overlook
W. Ridge, Univ. of AK Fairbanks campus, Yukon Dr.

Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
1300 College Rd. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 459-7307
http://www.fairnet.org/agencies/creamers/Welcome.html

Fairbanks Ice Museum
500 2nd Ave. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 451-8222
http://www.icemuseum.com/

Georgeson Botanical Garden
117 W Tanana Dr. Fairbanks 99775
(907) 474-6921
http://www.uaf.edu/snras/gbg/

Large Animal Research Station
Yankovich Rd. off Ballaine Rd., behind U. AK, Fairbanks
(907) 474-7207
http://www.uaf.edu/lars/

Pioneer Park
Airport Way and Peger Rd. Fairbanks
(907) 459-1087
http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/parksandrecreation/

University of Alaska Museum of the North
Univ. of AK, 907 Yukon Dr. Fairbanks
(907) 474-7505
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/

Fairbanks Community Museum
410 Cushman St. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 457-3669
http://www.fairbankscommunitymuseum.com/

The Riverboat Discovery
1975 Discovery Dr. Fairbanks 99709
(907) 479-6673 / (866) 479-6673
http://www.riverboatdiscovery.com/

The El Dorado Gold Mine
Off the Elliot Hwy., 9 miles north of town
(907) 479-6673 / (866) 479-6673
http://www.eldoradogoldmine.com/

Gold Dredge No. 8
1755 Old Steese Hwy. Fairbanks 99712
(907) 457-6058
http://www.golddredgeno8.com/

Fairbanks Restaurants & Bars:

Alaska Salmon Bake
Airport Way and Peger Rd., Pioneer Park
(907) 452-7274 / (800) 354-7274
http://akvisit.com/salmon.html

Pike's Landing
4438 Airport Way Fairbanks
(907) 479-7113

Geraldo's
701 College Rd. Fairbanks
(907) 452-2299

Lavelle's
575 1st Ave. Fairbanks
(907) 450-0555

Pump House Restaurant
Mile 2, Chena Pump Rd.
(907) 479-8452

Turtle Club
Mile 10, Old Steese Hwy., Fox
(907) 457-3883

Ivory Jacks
2581 Goldstream Rd., Goldstream
(907) 455-6666

The Cookie Jar
1006 Cadillac Ct., Aurora
(907) 479-8319

Gambardell's Pasta Bella
706 2nd Ave., Fairbanks
(907) 456-3417

Thai House
412 5th Ave., Fairbanks
(907) 452-6123

Sam's Sourdough Cafe
3702 Cameron St., College
(907) 479-0523

College Coffeehouse
3677 College Rd. #4, Fairbanks 99701
(907) 374-0468
http://www.collegecoffeehousefairbanks.com/

The Blue Loon
3 miles south of town on Parks Hwy.
(907) 457-5666
http://www.theblueloon.com/

Howling Dog Saloon
2160 Old Steese Hwy. N, Fox
(907) 456-4695

Did You Know?
The Chena River is a spawning ground for king salmon.

Transportation:

Fairbanks Shuttle
(800) 770-2267
http://www.alaskashuttle.com/

MACS Bus System
(907) 459-1011
http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/Transportation/

Airport:

Fairbanks International Airport
6450 Airport Way #7 Fairbanks 99709
(907) 474-2523
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/faiiap/

Newspaper:

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
200 N Cushman St. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 456-6661
http://www.newsminer.com/

Hospital:

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
1650 Cowles St. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 452-8181
http://www.bannerhealth.com/

Fish & Game:

AK Dept. of Fish & Game - Fairbanks Office
1300 College Rd. Fairbanks 99701
(907) 459-7233
http://www.wildlifenews.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=info.fbks

Forest Service:

Interior Alaska Field Office
3700 Airport Way Fairbanks 99709
(907) 451-2660
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/spf/fhp/

Internet Access:

Log Cabin Visitor Information Center
550 1st Ave., Fairbanks 99701
http://www.explorefairbanks.com/FAQ/

Noel Wien Public Library
1215 Cowles St., Fairbank 99701
(907) 459-1020
http://library.fnsb.lib.ak.us/