Alaska Adventure Fairbanks
Part One of our Alaska Adventure is a visit to Fairbanks where we had the opportunity to visit multiple must-do attractions. We’ll share tips and information that might help you plan a Fairbanks visit, too.
The Adventure Begins
Alaska is a bucket list destination for many, ourselves included. We had the opportunity to visit in May of 2025. This follows other recent bucket list trips including our Hawaiian Islands Adventure in 2023 and a fantastic trip to Mammoth Cave in 2022. Be sure to check out the YouTube videos and blog posts for those adventures.
We had an amazing adventure in Alaska. Traveling by plane, bus, train, cruise ship, and helicopter, we travelled thousands of miles from Fairbanks to Denali, Whittier, and Vancouver. Along the way, we explored two incredible national parks, multiple icy glaciers, and five fantastic cities. We didn’t just travel, we discovered a world of friendly people, rugged landscapes, stunning natural beauty, and abundant wildlife. Join us as we share our Alaskan adventures.
Almost at the Arctic Circle and with a population of about 30,000, Fairbanks is Alaska’s second largest city. Fairbanks is in the Alaska Time Zone which is four hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
Travelling to Fairbanks involved two flights including a six-hour flight from Chicago. We started our day early but the flights we relatively smooth. We were greeted at the Fairbanks airport by Princess team members who checked in, ensured our baggage was delivered to the hotel, and ensured we had a shuttle. After a long day of travel, we had a good meal, walked around the property, and headed to bed.
While we initially thought we’d be staying at the Princess lodge in Fairbanks, they placed at Pikes which is right next door. It was an nice hotel with an interesting vibe. We’ll share a hotel review in an upcoming post.
North Pole Alaska
After breakfast the next morning, we picked up our rental car and headed out for our first day of Fairbanks adventures. We opted to take a short drive to nearby North Pole. Alaska. This is a small city of about 2,000 people located about 13 miles east of Fairbanks.
The town embraces the Christmas theme. Signs and light posts are decorated like candy canes.
Small, drive-through coffee shops and restaurants appear to be popular in the Fairbanks area. While in North Pole, we stopped by Mochalicious. Judy was tempted by one of their specialty coffees, wedding cake. It was a latte that tasted just like wedding cake. Pretty amazing.
There isn’t much to do for tourists in North Pole. However, there is a nice Christmas store, The Santa Claus House, where you can visit ‘the world’s largest Santa Clause statue’.
As we always appreciate a walk in the woods, we were glad to discover the Beaver Springs Slough Hiking trail. It was a sunny day during our visit and a perfect day for a walk in the woods. We started our hike at the 5th Avenue Park. The trail was nice & easy and we appreciated the nice mix of Birch and Spruce trees. While we saw a beaver dam, we didn’t see the beaver.
After our hike, we worked up an appetite for lunch. We heard from several locals that the place to eat is Pagoda, a Chinese restaurant. We discovered that it has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. It was a solid choice. Large portions of tasty food. We had Cashew Chicken and Curry Chicken. They also provided a pot of tea for the table, enabling us to pour refills.
Pioneer Park
One way to explore the history of Fairbanks is Pioneer Park. This park is located in the center of Fairbanks, along the Chena River, at 1920 Lathrop Street. We enjoyed walking around the park on a beautiful day. Many locals were also enjoying the park.
Pioneer park has a number of museums. However, they are only open in the summer, after Memorial Day. As we were visiting in mid-May, we weren’t able to enjoy the museums. If you are planning a visit, be sure to check the Pioneer Park museums page for details.
Some of the things you might enjoy on your visit include:
- An art center
- A railroad that goes around the park and a railway museum with a working steam engine
- A train car used by President Harding on a visit to Alaska
- Multiple restored buildings, several of which house interesting shops
- An air museum with 14 airplanes
- A paddle wheeled steam boat, the SS Nenana, used on the rivers in the 30’s and 40’s.
Museum of the North
Located at the University of Alaska, the Museum of the North is a nice natural history museum providing some great background and context for a visit to Fairbanks. It might be a great way to better understand Alaska as you travel through the state.
We spent our time in the main exhibition area which is divided into areas focused on different aspects of Alaska. We enjoyed learning about the differences between mammoth and mastodon. Athabascan people have lived in the area for thousands of years and it was interesting to learn a bit more about Athabascan culture. Alaska is an interesting place having been a territory and becoming the 49th state in 1959. The museum helped explain some of the history of Alaska.
After exploring the gallery, we watched a film about Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. We enjoyed visiting the museum and felt like our two hours were worthwhile.
Admission was $22 per adult plus we paid for parking at a kiosk in the parking lot.
Alaska Coffee Roasting
When we travel, we usually try to find a local coffee roaster. Supporting a local roaster is a great way to experience a great cup of coffee. We found Alaska Coffee Roasting and it was fantastic. During our visit, the coffee of the day was a Kenya Nyeri coffee that had a great berry taste.
In addition to coffee, they offered a variety of food. We tried a raisin walnut cinnamon roll that was big and tasty. They also had some good lunch options such as a wood-fired pizza oven and even some items with reindeer.
Interestingly, it appears that they also have a location in Miami. Guess we’ll have to check them out on our next visit there.
Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum
Probably our favorite attraction in Fairbanks was the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. With a collection of 95 cars from the late 1800’s through the 1930’s, this is an impressive auto museum. Most of the vehicles actually work and are driven on a regular basis.
If you aren’t a car enthusiast, you might find this museum interesting as they also display a vintage fashion collection – suits and dresses reflecting the time period of the vehicles. Many of the dresses are displayed on antique French mannequins.
They had gas, steam, electric, and even an early example of what we know today as a hybrid. During our visit, a docent named Steven checked in on us and shared interesting information about the collection. They also had some information about the early history of automobiles in Alaska.
Winter and summer hours vary a bit so be sure to check the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum site for details..
Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewing Area
Another interesting attraction near Fairbanks is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewing Area. Located about 10 miles North of Fairbanks, this is a great spot to see an above-ground section of this 800-mile-long pipeline that runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. Construction began in 1975 and was completed in 1977.
There is a small informative display about the pipeline which provides history on how it was created. You can learn more about how the pipeline is built into permafrost without damaging it and also built to withstand natural events like earthquakes. An interesting place to stop for a short visit.
Dinner at Pump House
After all of that exploring, we needed a great dinner. The restaurant recommended by locals as their best was Pump House. Chatting with other guests at Pike’s, they also recommended this for a great meal.
Pump House is located on the Chena River. It is housed in a former gold mining pump house and is listed as a National Historic Site. The atmosphere is relaxed with antique decorations. On a nice summer day, you might opt to sit outside on their large deck with a great Chena River view.
Judy enjoyed Halibut while Erling had a filet mignon. The picture doesn’t capture just how good this dinner tasted.
After our meal, we were tempted by a large dessert tray and opted for an Oreo cheesecake. Without a doubt, this was the best meal of our two-week Alaska trip.
Riverboat Discovery
After exploring Fairbanks Alaska on our own for two days, we started officially started the Princess cruise tour. We set our bags outside the door and they were magically transported to our next destination. After breakfast, we boarded a Princess coach that took us the short drive to the riverboat.
This is a local attraction that has operated since the 1950s. While we didn’t select this excursion, we enjoyed it. The riverboat provides a nice trip on the river. During your adventure, a guide provides a lot of great information about the area.
There are several times where the guide interacts with others. Our first interaction was with a float plan pilot. After sharing information about how planes are used as a key way to get around Alaska, the pilot took off right next to the boat. It was very neat to watch.
A bit farther down the river, we stopped by Trail Breaker Kennel where we got to learn more about sled dogs and the Iditarod race. The puppies were cute and the older dogs couldn’t wait to run.
Our last stop was at Chena Village. They shared a bit about the Athabascan people who have lived in the area for thousands of years. The riverboat stopped here so we could walk around and learn more about this part of Alaskan history.
After our Riverboat Discovery adventure, we had lunch and then loaded onto our Princess coach for the ride to our next destination.
Fairbanks Tips
If you are planning a cruise that starts in Fairbanks, allow one to two days to visit before your cruise starts. This will help you adjust to the time zone difference. We found plenty of interesting attractions to visit in the Fairbanks area and really enjoyed our time in Fairbanks.
We felt the city was easy to get around. Renting a car and exploring on your own is likely the best option for the area.
We discovered that a great place to find Alaska souvenirs at affordable prices was Wal-Mart. They had multiple isles of souvenirs including pretty much any item you’d want; t-shirts, hats, jackets, magnets and much more.
If you are planning to dine at Pagoda or Pump House, you may be able to find discounted gift cards at Costco.
Fairbanks YouTube Video
Check out our Fairbanks YouTube video where we show the highlights of this part of our Alaska adventure.
Leave a Comment
We hope you found this information helpful and we’d love to hear your feedback. If you have visited Fairbanks, what is your favorite thing to see or do? Please leave us a comment.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to watch for our upcoming posts about the land portion of the cruise tour including a visit to Denali National Park and about our experience on the Sapphire Princess exploring the Inside Passage.
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